MBA401- Report: HRM Practices, Employee Engagement at Woolworths Ltd

This report provides an overview of Human Resource Management (HRM) policies and employee engagement strategies at Woolworths Limited in Australia. It begins with a company overview, followed by an analysis of their HR strategies and practices, focusing on employee engagement levels. The report evaluates the effectiveness of current HR practices in aligning with organizational goals and federal regulations. It also explores strategies to enhance employee engagement, such as organizing fun activities and yoga sessions to reduce stress and foster teamwork. The report concludes with recommendations for improving employee engagement to reduce turnover and improve organizational performance. Desklib offers a range of study tools, including past papers and solved assignments, to support students in their academic endeavors.

Running head: HRM AND LEADERSHIP
HRM and Leadership
Name of the Student:
Name of the University:
Author’s Note:

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Executive Summary
This report will provide an outline of the various policies as well as the principles of the
HRM team of the business organization, Woolworth Limited in the nation of Australia the
report will begin by providing an “overview of the company and the HRM policies followed
by the company”. The report will provide an analysis of the HRM team and the concept of
employee engagement. Finally, the report “will conclude with some recommendations” by
means of which the process of employee engagement can be enhanced.

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Table of Contents
Introduction................................................................................................................................3
Woolworths Limited..................................................................................................................3
“Identification and discussion of HR strategy”..........................................................................5
“Evaluation of the HR practices”...............................................................................................6
“Analysis of the current state of employee engagement”..........................................................6
“Means to enhance the employee engagement”.........................................................................7
Conclusion..................................................................................................................................7
References..................................................................................................................................9

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Introduction
The role of the “Human resource management” team has become much more
diversified as well as important in the present times. This is a reflection of the growing
business of the various business organizations and also the increased level of competition
which the various business organizations face in the present times (Bratton and Gold 2017).
Therefore, the various business organizations often take the help of innovative and
resourceful strategies or policies in a bid to retain their existing employees and also to recruit
fresh employees for the business organization concerned (Bratton and Gold 2017).
Furthermore, training has also become one of the most important functions of the present day
“human resource management” teams (Hendry 2012). In addition to this, the various business
organizations also take the help of various innovative strategies to reduce the stress level of
the employees and also to reduce the rate of employee turnover (Hendry 2012). This report
will provide an overview of the HRM policies of the company Woolworths Limited in the
nation of Australia.
Woolworths Limited
The company “Woolworths Limited” was founded by “Percy Christmas, Stanley
Chatterton, Cecil Scott Waine, George Creed and Ernest Williams” in the year 1924 and “is
currently the 19th largest retail company in the world in terms of the revenue which it
generates on an annual basis” (Woolworthsgroup.com.au. 2018). It is one of the major
business organizations in the nation of Australia and has active “extensive retail interest
throughout Australia and New Zealand” (Woolworthsgroup.com.au. 2018). Furthermore, the
company operates in the retail sector and has more than “69 shopping centers” in the various
parts of the nation of Australia (Woolworthsgroup.com.au. 2018). It is significant to note that
the company currently is the second largest retail company in the nation of Australia. The

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company “offers a range of products to the customers taking into the various requirements
and the needs of the customers”. In addition to these, it is “significant to note that the
company is the largest takeaway liquor retailer in Australia, the largest hotel and gaming
poker machine operator in Australia, and was the 19th largest retailer in the world in 2008”
(Woolworthsgroup.com.au. 2018). Some of the financial statistics of the company are listed
below-
Figure 1: Financial Statistics of the company Woolworths Limited
Source: “Factset, Bloomberg, S&P Cap IQ; Forbes”
The company has more than 202,000 employees and operates in diverse parts of the
nations of the Australia and New Zealand (Woolworthsgroup.com.au. 2018). The vision of
the company is to become the largest retail company in the nation of Australia and also to
provide the best quality of services to its customers. It is significant to note that the growth
rate of the company has been phenomenal in the present times. The company announced a
significant loss of “$1.235 billion for the 2016 financial year on 25 August 2016”
(Woolworthsgroup.com.au. 2018). However, the company still managed to earn a significant
profit of more than $41.15 Billion solely on the basis of sales (Woolworthsgroup.com.au.
2018).

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“Identification and discussion of HR strategy”
The HRM policies as well as principles of the company are directed to “bring about
the overall growth as well as the development of the company concerned” (Briscoe, Tarique
and Schuler 2012). Therefore, with this particular inherent purpose the principles as well as
the policies of the company are in synchronization with the “goals and the objectives of the
business organization” concerned. It is significant to note that one of the primary goals of the
“HRM policies as well as principles of the business organization” is directed towards the
achievement of the process wherein the “HRM team and executive leadership are working
towards the same goals” (Briscoe, Tarique and Schuler 2012). It is significant to note that for
the for the achievement of this particular purpose the business organization takes the help of
various innovative strategies like effective leadership, the regular training of the employees,
providing information to the employees about the goals as well as the objectives of the
business organizations and others (Buller and McEvoy 2012). Another significant role of the
HRM in this particular business organization is to ensure that the rules as well as policies
followed by the business organization are in synchronization with the various federal rules
and regulations (Buller and McEvoy 2012). The HRM of the company concerned also
conducts regular recruitment in a bid to cater to the growing needs and the requirement of the
organization. Furthermore, the HRM of the company concerned also develops strategies to
ensure that the environment of the workplace is especially congenial for working and also
takes the help of various policies to reduce the level of stress faced by the employees and also
to enhance the job experience of the employees. In addition to that, the HRM of the company
also takes care of the training which is being provided to the employees in a bid to equip
them with the necessary skills so that they can perform better at their jobs (Buller and
McEvoy 2012). Furthermore, the HRM of the company also provides some advance trainings

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to the existing employees so that they meet the increasing demands of the occupation and are
equipped with the necessary skills.
“Evaluation of the HR practices”
The HRM principles as well as the policies of the companies has been designed not
only to synchronize the goals as well as the objectives of the organization with the personal
goals of the employees but also to considerably reduce the cost incurred by the company for
the purpose of the recruitment of the new employees (Mishra, Boynton and Mishra 2014). It
is significant to note that the HRM of the company provides a higher low wage to the
employees, takes the help of various effective strategies to reduce the stress level of the
employees, motivates the employees in an effective manner and also provides regular training
to the employees in a bid to enhance their performance and also to reduce the rate of
employee turnover (Mishra, Boynton and Mishra 2014). The primary focus of the HRM of
the company is to reduce the rate of employee turnover as that would not help the company to
have a stable staff but would reduce the cost of recruitment and training significantly (Alfes
et al 2013). Furthermore, the HRM of the company organizes regular fun activities where the
various employees of the company can reduce the level of stress faced by them.
“Analysis of the current state of employee engagement”
“Employee engagement” is one of the primary areas of focus of the HRM team of the
company Woolworths Limited in the nation of Australia. In the opinion of many people, an
“engaged employee is one who is fully absorbed by and enthusiastic about their work and so
takes positive action to further the organization's reputation and interests” (Shields et al.
2015). The process of employee engagement is used by the HRM team of the company
concerned to not only create a team environment in the workplace but also to enhance the
organizational performance of the concerned company (Trussv et al. 2013). Thus, the

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company takes the help of various activities to make the employees feel a part of the
company and also to foster a team environment within the organization. In addition to this,
the various employees are taught to work in a coordinated manner “to achieve the goals and
the objectives set by the company” (Trussv et al. 2013). It is a reflection of this that the
workforce of the company Woolworth is one of the most coordinated workforces in the
nation of Australia.
“Means to enhance the employee engagement”
There are various means of which the process of employee engagement can be enhanced.
Some of the ways by employee engagement are listed below-
 Organization of fun activities like games and others where all the employees will get
the chance to participate. The initiative will require the employees to indulge in
various fun games and the winners will be given complimentary prices. This
particular activity will not only help to reduce the level of stress faced by the
employees but also to enhance the process of employee engagement.
 Organization of yoga sessions at the workplace on a regular basis. This will require
the employees to participate in the various yoga exercises which will be performed
on a regular basis. This particular activity will not help the employees to enhance the
process of employee engagement but also to improve the health of the employees.
Conclusion
To conclude, from the above discussion it becomes apparent that the HRM team
forms one of the core components of the business organizations. The HRM team is entrusted
not only with the process of the recruitment but also with various other important functions
like the process of training, induction, the synchronization of the goals of the company with

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the goals of the individual employees and others. Therefore, the role played by the HRM
becomes significant in this particular context. Furthermore, the HRM also indulges in the
organization of various fun activities and others in a bid to enhance the process of employee
engagement and also to reduce the level of stress faced by the employees.

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References
Alfes, K., Shantz, A.D., Truss, C. and Soane, E.C., 2013. The link between perceived human
resource management practices, engagement and employee behaviour: a moderated
mediation model. The international journal of human resource management, 24(2), pp.330-
351.
Bratton, J. and Gold, J., 2017. Human resource management: theory and practice. Palgrave.
Briscoe, D., Tarique, I. and Schuler, R., 2012. International human resource management:
Policies and practices for multinational enterprises. Routledge.
Buller, P.F. and McEvoy, G.M., 2012. Strategy, human resource management and
performance: Sharpening line of sight. Human resource management review, 22(1), pp.43-
56.
Forbes.com. 2018. Forbes Welcome. [online] Available at:
https://www.forbes.com/companies/woolworths/ [Accessed 12 Apr. 2018].
Hendry, C., 2012. Human resource management. Routledge.
Mishra, K., Boynton, L. and Mishra, A., 2014. Driving employee engagement: The expanded
role of internal communications. International Journal of Business Communication, 51(2),
pp.183-202.
Shields, J., Brown, M., Kaine, S., Dolle-Samuel, C., North-Samardzic, A., McLean, P.,
Johns, R., O'Leary, P., Robinson, J. and Plimmer, G., 2015. Managing Employee
Performance & Reward: Concepts, Practices, Strategies. Cambridge University Press.

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Truss, C., Shantz, A., Soane, E., Alfes, K. and Delbridge, R., 2013. Employee engagement,
organisational performance and individual well-being: exploring the evidence, developing the
theory.
Woolworthsgroup.com.au. 2018. Woolworths Group: Quality Brands and Trusted Retailing.
[online] Available at: https://www.woolworthsgroup.com.au/ [Accessed 12 Apr. 2018].