Strategic HR Report: Analysis of HR Function at Sainsbury

This report provides a comprehensive analysis of the Human Resource (HR) function at Sainsbury, a major player in the UK retail industry. The report explores the key roles and priorities of the HR function, including talent management, succession planning, career opportunities, and driving organizational change. It examines the internal and external influences that shape HR priorities, such as organizational capabilities, employee motivation, competition within the retail sector, and legal regulations. Furthermore, the report assesses the changes anticipated in the UK retail industry over the next three years, particularly the increasing popularity of mobile shopping and in-store digital navigation technologies, and evaluates their impact on the structure and functions of Sainsbury's HR department, emphasizing the need for adjustments in recruitment, selection, and training to adapt to these evolving trends.

Strategic HR

TABLE OF CONTENTS
INTRODUCTION...........................................................................................................................1
Role and Priorities of HR Function in Sainsbury........................................................................1
Internal and Extremal Influences.................................................................................................3
Changes which will occur in the Sainsbury over next three year and assessing the impact of
these changes on the structure of HR function............................................................................4
CONCLUSION................................................................................................................................5
REFERENCES................................................................................................................................6

INTRODUCTION
Human resource management (HRM) has evolved as one of the key activity for the
organization in modern era that essentially helps in boosting the competency and performance of
the employees. With the help of it, employees are able to empower in distinct manner and this
also supports company in attaining their objectives. In addition to it, HR aids in driving change
so that firm can able to meet with the dynamic business environment. With the change in time,
scope of HRM is emerged up to great extent and it not only focuses on pay scheme, training &
development, recruitment & selection, motivation and other related, but it also emphasize on
empowerment, succession planning, talent management, developing personality of employees
and other related (Karami, Analoui and Cusworth, 2004). Further, HRM now is considered as
one of the key department of company as it significance is increased due to high work pressure,
competitive environment, low availability of skill personnel and other related.
Considering this, present report is prepared in order to gain deep insight of HR function
and its priorities within business unit. To conduct this study in effectual manner, Sainsbury is
been selected as the company that highly emphasize on human resource and also makes regular
efforts to empower them in every context. With the help of it, company is able to boost its
morale and also offer positive working environment through which job satisfaction is attained to
them. Areas that are involved in this report are roles and priorities of HR function, internal and
external influences for setting priorities and change in future within the context of HR.
Role and Priorities of HR Function in Sainsbury
Retail industry faces high amount of attrition due to variety of employment options
available to individual. Also, UK retail sector is highly competitive and employees shifted to
another organization for higher pay and opportunities. Considering this scenario, HR function
plays following role as these are of high priority for them to reduce the attrition rate:
Talent management: Sainsbury being a retail giant focuses majorly on talent
management so that overall development of employees can be done. Company offers platform
from which talent of one employee gets transferred to other so that each can work with high
productivity. Also, cross training are impart in this section for the purpose of enhancing the
learning of the employees. In this regard, the company makes regular review of the employees
in order to track the employee performance (Boselie and Paauwe, 2005). Also, well documented
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history of performance in offered to employees so that he/she can track their record and progress.
Based on it, corrective measures are implemented so that employee can perform better.
Additionally, managers at Sainsbury offer ongoing feedback to employees so that improvement
can be attained in their performance. In addition to it, Sainsbury also practice the concept of
investing into performance based development in which gaps is identified by regular monitoring.
For this, training is impart for the same and it also ensured that right and targeted learning
activities are been offered (Laroche and Rutherford, 2007). Also, Sainsbury rewards its high
performing employees that boost the morale of the company and thrives them to work even
harder. This helps company in retaining large set of employees and also it supports in developing
healthy relations. With this, company is able to develop its own distinct image within retail
sector where employees love to work.
Succession Planning: Further, Sainsbury focuses on succession planning as well so that
managers can be appoint from subordinates only and no outsiders will be recruited for the same.
This is one of the HR function that possesses high priorities as it helps company in motivating
employee so retain with the firm for longer. In this regard, company offers positive working
environment that enhances the job satisfaction level of employees. In addition to it, regular
training is organization so that employee can learn about managerial quality as well. Sainsbury
also possess the culture of delegating responsibilities among subordinate in order to develop their
personality (Cunha and et. al., 2003). This is one of the key factor that helps company in
retaining employees and drives them to enhance their managerial skills as well. Through this,
Sainsbury is able to become a place where employee loves to work. In addition to it, economic
downturn is one of the key issue that affects the growth of the company and same requires to
practice of employee lay off in order to minimize the operational expense. At this time,
Sainsbury retains employees that possess the quality of manager and one who can be appoint top
senior and critical role in futures. With this, sound base of employee is developed that help in
leading towards ultimate objectives. Through this, cited company is able to appoint leaders at
different position that helps them in coming out of critical time (Hafeez and Abdelmeguid,
2003). Hence, this HR function is of high importance to Sainsbury that helps them in attaining
the business objectives.
Career opportunities: HR function of Sainsbury is focused on career opportunities of
employees also so that they can retain more of employees. In this context, company conducts
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training and development in day to day routine so that employees can learn something every day.
This aids in their skills and hence they gains high chances of getting employed for better roles.
This somewhere empower the employee and develops commitment towards cited organization
(Low, 2004). This helps in attaining support from employees to complete work in desired
manner. Also, it helps in developing coordination among team members at the time of work
pressure. Additionally, by offering training for career opportunities, Sainsbury is able to
minimize the attrition rate and also able to reduce the act of employee conflict and rivalry
(Kumar, 2010). This aids in developing healthy workplace that increase satisfaction level of
employees
Driving change: Last priority with respect to HR function is driving change successfully
in the organization. This is of key importance because there are sudden changes in external
environment and it eventually affects the business operation. Sainsbury faces sudden changes
due to change in legal setting, economic changes, political instability, act of competitors and
other related. Also, change is unavoidable part of company and to manage the same, Sainsbury
incorporates the practice of emergent change (Ichniowsk and Shaw, 2000). In this, a team is
developed based on the change that need to be acquired and according to it, plan is framed. This
helps company in managing resistance to change. Also, proper training is offered in this regard.
Internal and Extremal Influences
There are various internal and external influences that shape the priorities for HR
function at Sainsbury. In this regard, organizational capability and competency is one of the
internal factor that needs to be considered. Sainsbury being a retail giant need to face work
pressure on regular basis and this has prioritize the activity of training and development on
regular basis. Due to this, company is practicing talent management. Further, attrition is of key
importance to Sainsbury and hence to manage the same, succession planning and career
opportunity became an essential part (Lawler, 2012). Additionally, employee motivation and job
satisfaction are other internal influences that prioritize career opportunities as an HR function.
Further, different external influences also brought or set the priorities of the different HR
functions. For instance, there is high level of competition is being seen in the retail industry.
Here, firms are not only competing for profits but they are competing for the skilled and talented
employees also. Here, with an aim to attract the talent of their rivalry enterprise, retail firm like
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Sainsbury take help from the number of strategies. Thus, it is due to the presence of given aspect
only there is a need to manage the talent of firm is being arises in front of manager of Sainsbury.
This is because, lack of management with respect to the given type of employees will lead to
affect the profits and sales of corporation in a negative way (Gloet, 2006).
Besides this, there are necessary changes are also being found out in the legal laws and
regulations of the UK retail firms. The given thing forces Sainsbury with regard to give priority
to driving change related factor. This is because, with the help of this approach any kind of
changes can be introduce within cited firm without any complexities.
Changes which will occur in the Sainsbury over next three year and assessing the impact of these
changes on the structure of HR function
Changes which will occur in the UK retail industry over next three year will lead to cause
significant impact upon the Sainsbury. In accordance with the given context, it has been
identified that an increase popularity of smart phone industry will lead to cause significant
impact upon the product distribution process of retail firm. In this regard, it is analyzed that
manager of cited firm do sale its product through online platform and it is facing major
competition in the given sector also (Schuler and Jackson, 2005). However, in future popularity
of purchasing the product through mobile will increase further. Thus, the given type of changes
which will occur in the business environment of Sainsbury will lead to force the firm with regard
to comply with the same. However, if not complied by the cited corporation at that time it may
lost its major base of target customers. Due to this, the sales and profits of organization will be
impacted in a negative way. Thus, in future with an aim to use the new mean of distributing
product manager of Sainsbury has to launch some mobile app for its own name. This app can be
used by its customers for the purpose to carry out the shopping.
In addition to this, with the help of this mean the convenience related need of workers
can be fulfilled in an effective way. As a result of satisfaction level of customers can be
enhanced by the cited corporation. Furthermore, along with the distribution pattern significant
changes will also be found out in the in-store product distributing strategy (Salaman, Storey and
Billsberry, 2005). In accordance with the given context, it has been identified that one of the
most crucial problem which customers of retail firm generally faces is to search the specific
product from huge bundles of product. In addition to this, due to the huge size of retail store it
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becomes difficult for the buyer with regard to navigate the specific section of product which it is
looking for.
In this respect, over next three years varied digital navigation technologies will be
employed by the retail firm like Sainsbury with an aim to fulfill the convenience related needs of
its buyers. Thus, through this way they will get the benefit in the form of increased profits and
sales (Rothwell, 2010).
These all assessed changes will lead to affect the existing structure of Sainsbury HR
function. For example, with an aim to introduce new system of distribution within firm, manager
of cited corporation has to perform some necessary changes in its recruitment and selection
process. In order to assist the given system, firm will require the team of skilled individual who
possess the technical knowledge of managing and handling product through digital mean. Here,
with an aim to carry out the selection of such workers, manager of Sainsbury has to streamline or
improvement its selection process (Barbeito, 2004). Thus, through this way right person can be
placed by firm at the right position.
In the similar way, presence of new product navigation technology will force the firm to
perform changes in its training and development programs of workers (Lepak and et.al.,
2006)For instance, at present firm is organizing regular training session for the development of
soft skills among employees. Thus, in future they have to conduct technical knowledge
enhancement related training programs for its employees. This is because, through such type of
activity only employee's knowledge with regard to use new navigation technology can be
enhanced in an effectual way. As a result of it high quality of services can be delivered by firm to
its respective customers.
CONCLUSION
Based on this report, it can be state that company has to focus on different aspects of HR
function so that they can sustain for longer. Sainsbury is able to offer appropriate working
conditions to employees through which company gain support and commitment from them. Also,
it helps in retaining employees by offering them platform for talent management, career
opportunities and training & development.
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