Marks & Spencer: Workplace Transformation Challenges & Opportunities

This report examines the impact of workplace transformation on Marks and Spencer (M&S) in the context of the COVID-19 pandemic. It begins by defining workplace transformation and outlining the research aims and objectives. The report then reviews relevant literature, exploring the dimensions of workplace transformation, including space, place, technology, and talent. It analyzes the impact of COVID-19 on M&S, including the shift to remote work, increased use of e-commerce, and the adoption of automation technologies. Furthermore, the report identifies challenges arising from this transformation, such as resistance from employees, performance management issues, and organizational culture changes. The research methodology employed is described, and the report concludes with recommendations for M&S to navigate these challenges and capitalize on opportunities. Desklib provides access to similar solved assignments and past papers for students.

Unit 6: Managing a Successful
Business Project

Aim: "To identify the impact of
workplace transformation in
organisation in context with present
covid 19 scenario." A study on
Marks and Spencer.

Table of Contents
Introduction......................................................................................................................................3
Devise project aims & objectives. ..............................................................................................3
Research question: .....................................................................................................................3
Project management plan'................................................................................................................4
Project Management plan............................................................................................................7
Research Methodology .................................................................................................................10
Present findings and data ..............................................................................................................11
Data analysis and findings ............................................................................................................12
Communicate appropriate recommendations................................................................................16
Reflection: .....................................................................................................................................17
Conclusion.....................................................................................................................................18
References......................................................................................................................................20

Introduction
Workplace transformation is a basic process that is related with the outgrowth of present
industrial revolution that is fuelled by mobility, cloud and need for more data driven insight that
is accelerated because of the present covid 19 situation. It has put some strains on the workforce
since there is demand of new skill sets that can help organisations ion dealing with this situation
in a more effective manner (Nxumalo, 2019). Further there are many challenges that are arsing in
the process of managing the present organisation functioning. Therefore, it becomes important to
achieve the required workplace productivity to have proper strategies that can lead to effective
workplace transformational process.
Overview of the organisation:
Marks and Spencer is a British multinational brand that is having its headquarters in
London that specialised in clothing, home products, food products. It is listed on stock exchange
and is also constituent of FTSE 250 Index,. It was founded in the year 1884 by Michael marks
and Thomas Spencer. They are having approx 959 stores across different locations in UK. They
are also offering online food delivery services through their launched joint venture Ocado.
Devise project aims & objectives.
Aim: "To identify the impact of workplace transformation in organisation in context with
present covid 19 scenario." A study on Marks and Spencer.
Objectives:
 To understand the concept of workplace transformation.
 To identify the impact of workplace transformation in Marks and Spencer in context with
present covid 19 scenario.
 To analyse the challenges arising in the process of workplace transformation in Marks
and Spencer in context with present covid 19 scenario.
Research question:
 What do you understand the concept of workplace transformation?
 What is the impact of workplace transformation in Marks and Spencer in context with
present covid 19 scenario?

 What are various challenges arising in the process of workplace transformation in Marks
and Spencer in context with present covid 19 scenario.?
Project management plan'
It is a plan that is defined to be a formal structure which actually involves the information about
the concepts that are performed in a research report. Some of such elements are mentioned
below:
 Scope: It is the stage where there is formulation of specific strategies that is required for
the purpose of achieving the required the required transformation in the organisation. The
present research report is going to set the basis for up coming future research work in the
similar segment of study (Elkins, 2018).
 Cost: This is the cost that is specifically required for the completion of research work.
Without having adequate financial resources the research work cannot be further
executed so it becomes important to have proper ascertain of cost for having optimum
utilisation of present financial resources.
 Time: It is the specific time period which is required for the purpose of completion of
project. In present research report the specific time period which is required in this
context is 10 weeks (Jiang, Chai and Feng, 2019). For this purpose Gantt chart will be
used to divided the whole time period as per specification and WBS in which each
activity will be further dieveid in small parts for its further execution.
 Communication: It is the necessary information that is required to convey the
respondents to achieve information as per select topic. Researcher has to communicate
effectively to all the team members, other stakeholders who are associated with the
research work (Hesketh, 2021). For this purpose there will be use of verbal and written
communication methods so that communication can take place with high amount of
clarity.
 Resources: There are some specific resources which are required and without which the
research cannot be properly executed and completed. Such as it includes time resource,
financial resource, human resource, required data management skills, data analysis
related knowledge on part of researcher and other team members, all such resources are
very important to achieve the laid aim in context of present research work.

 Risk: In every research work there are some of the associated risk and issues which may
arise in the process of managing the working. In present research there are some of their
risks such as lack of proper communication (Garg, 2018).
 Quality: It is the quality of project which is associate with performing the work
effectively and trying to trust the respondent by providing them with reliable and valid
information as per various segments, it can help in the process of achieving the required
objectives as per specified time period.
Gantt chart:
It is a type of bar chart that is reflecting the dependency on the activities and schedule that are
performed through activities,. It includes vertical and horizontal axis that is applicable on the
chart. Below mentioned is the Gantt chart that is followee in the present research report by the
research for the purpose of dividing the different set of activities as per specification.

Work break down structure
It is a tool which is used in the present research work for the purpose of classification of
activities in the organisation. It helps in dividing the project in various small activities so that
there can be achievement of effectiveness in each of the tasks (Bond and Haynes‐Baratz, 2021) .
LITERATURE REVIEW
Project Management plan
The concept of workplace transformation
As per view points of Barnes (2020), workplace transformation is associated with the
better support to employees that is to handle security, manageability and productivity concern. It
is the opportunity to have intelligent solutions for different purposes as per dynamic
environment. Driven by the increasing globalisation and new technology development the world
has undergone constant change over a time period of last two hundred years, the most recent
transformation is with respect to the present situation of covid 19 virus that is leading to the
complete transformational in the way digital technologies are now used for achievement of
required transformation. The use of transmission and digital technologies is leading to deal with
unstructured and complex problems where routine jobs have become less common and there is
need of increasing digitation and increasing automation in the whole process. With respect to the
present covid 19 scenario in various retail sector organisations like Marks and spec the

organisation has identified four dimensions that is together helping in achievement of required
workplace biotransformation. These four aspects include space, place, technology and
collaboration that is required to be done to have a proper structure and culture in the
organisation.
Space is related with the design of space and building, second dimension that is place is focused
on distributing of employees across a range of locations, that may included co working spaces,
home office, office building and such type of physical working locations (Redlein, 2020). The
third dimension that is technology is related with enabling employees to carry their job and
further collaborate with respect to their present working in the organisation. The fourth factor is
talent that is related with the overall organisation structure and culture.
(Source: Workplace transformation in the digital, 2021)
In the present situation of covid 19 impact there is growing importance and use of digital
technologies and requirement of a knowledge sensitive workplace. It can assist in having
employees who are able to work from different locations and higher level of flexibility.
In marks and Spencer this can be achieved by following the Strategy of enhancing the
importance of creative roles and analytical techniques that may required the needed flexibility in
the overall working arrangements (Ahmad, Widen and Huvila, 2020) .
Workplace transformation in some situations is also related with providing the necessary
structures and Spencer that can help in facilitation of interaction and collaboration amongst
various working arrangements in long run.

What is the impact of workplace transformation in Marks and Spencer in context with present
covid 19 scenario?
As per the view of Baker (2021), the impact of Covid-19 pandemic has accelerated with
existing trends in different remote working organisations. The use of e-commerce facilities,
workers and automation technologies are used to potentially needed for switch the corporation in
different scenarios (Kwon, Han and Nicolaides, 2021). The impact of workplace transformation
in Marks and Spencer has different gaps in work trends, HR leaders and their impact, planning in
employee's management and performance strategies. These are helpful for gain higher level of
efficiency and make strategies experiences in Covid-19 pandemic disruption (Anner, 2021). The
major impact of Covid-19 is that Marks and Spencer are replacing their full time employees with
contingent workers. This technique is used for saving costs and measure the platform in different
aspects of their competitors. The company face positive and negative impacts which are related
to different workplace models which are used for providing a comfortable space with their job
roles and responsibilities. It will further make a strong impact on the employee's motivation and
achieve higher level of efficiency to work in more significant and appropriate ways. The use of
different strategies helping the respective company to work effectively and manage high level of
productivity (Future of Work Trends Post-COVID-19, 2021). Many of the competitors of Marks
and Spencer are form a result for rapid transformation in workplace issues. It is further seems
that working from the home now become the new way of doing workplace activities. With the
help of digitalization the relationship between the company and their customers are increased
and gain trust while working efficiently (Forster, 2017).
Another strategy is associated with focussing on talent-management function because talent
dimension is very necessary for ensuring and promotion of required collaboration and flexibility
at workplace in long run. In the covid 19 scenario it becomes very important that line managers
are supporting the flexible working arrangements that can serve as role models for middle and
lower level of employees in marks and Spencer (Workplace transformation in the digital, 2021)
What are various challenges arising in the process of workplace transformation in Marks and
Spencer in context with present covid 19 scenario?
According to the view of Lomas (2021), in the modern era there are different challenges
which are arise while the company are processing workplace transformation technique. After the
impact of Covid-19 many of the companies like Marks and Spencer are facing several challenges

that are related to evolution of technologies, recognise the work through digital platform, having
resistance nature of employees. Some of the challenges are related to performance management,
as the working style and processing structure are changed within the company. That make an
influencing factor and challenge in the process of workplace transformation. Another challenge
is related to organisational culture (Friesen, 2021). As most of the companies have not the
environment to go digitally as Marks and Spencer has facing issues while going digitally due to
lack of knowledge and experiences. There are different changes which are needed to be analysed
and work effectively into the market. It will further provide a significant growth in implementing
technologies that can change the workflows (Biggest Challenges to a Successful Digital
Transformation, 2021). Desire to work with new technologies up and running fast that further
helps in reducing training cost and time. But this become the challenge for Marks and Spencer as
they have to implement new technologies at large platform and provide training to employees for
their development and efficient use of technologies.
Research Methodology
Research methodology is a tool that is to be used by researcher for the purpose of describing the
overall structure of collecting data and information. It is very important to have a proper
systematic structure. There are different type of research methodologies which can be used by
researcher in a particular research work as mentioned below:
Quantitative and quantitative methods:
Qualitative method is based on collecting of information that is non numerical form. There are
different methods which can be used for the purpose of having sufficient information base that
includes concepts, opinions through interview for the purpose of having sufficient information
base (Gilbert, 2018).
Quantitative form of data is generally in numerical form that includes computation of data by
application of techniques. It may includes methods such as questionnaire to have adequate
numerical form of data as per needs of research work.
Primary and secondary research:
Primary data: It is the first hand collected information that is gathered from major identified
sources that is originally collected by the researcher, it is collected by using of various methods
such as survey, questionnaire, in present research report there is use of questionnaire to have
sufficient base of primary data from the identified target segment of respondents.

Secondary data collection method: It is a method in which there is collection of information
from already existing sources (Háša and Brunet-Thornton, 2017). That is no original information
is collected in this research method. For instance in present research report there is use of
existing online available sources such as journal articles, books for having sufficient information
base with respect to the laid aims and objectives.
Sampling: It is a process in which there is selection of sample from large segment of population.
This method is generally used by the researcher for the purpose of completing the study. In
present research report there is selection of a sample size of 30 (Jancourt, 2020).
Present findings and data
For the purpose of completing the primary research work research is using frequency distribution
table that will help in the process of completion of survey and further making appropriate
research finds. There is use of excel in order to make graphs and interpretation are drawn further
based on such finding from the research work.
Questionnaire
Questionnaire Frequency
Q.1 As per your view points what is the basic concept of workplace
transformation?
a) Transforming as per digital age 15
b) Adapting as per macro environment 10
c) Adoption of latest technology 5
Q.2 As per the your view point, which which is one of the major factors that
has transformed the present working in Marks and Spencer?
a) Brexit scenario 5
b) Globalisation 5
c) Covid-19 19
d) Other external factors 1