Strategic Human Resource Management Analysis for Farmfoods Limited

This report provides a comprehensive analysis of Strategic Human Resource Management (SHRM) at Farmfoods Limited. It begins by identifying current trends and external/internal factors influencing HR strategy, such as changing skill requirements, workforce diversity, and industrial trends. The report then applies theories and concepts like e-recruitment, 360-degree appraisals, and key fit theory to the development and growth of SHRM within the company. Furthermore, it evaluates how change management models, including Kotter's 8-step model, support HR strategies. The analysis also covers the monitoring and measurement of HR outcomes, along with a discussion on effective HR management for sustainable performance and the achievement of organizational objectives. The report concludes by summarizing the key findings and insights regarding SHRM practices at Farmfoods Limited.

Strategic Human
Resource
Management

Table of Contents
INTRODUCTION...........................................................................................................................1
TASK 1............................................................................................................................................1
Determining current trends addition to developments which influence HR strategy of entity. . .1
Analysing the ways external and internal factors influences practices and strategy of HR........3
TASK 2............................................................................................................................................4
Applying theories and concepts associated with growth and development of SHRM ...............4
TASK 3............................................................................................................................................5
Evaluation of ways change management models support strategy of HR in company ..............5
TASK 4............................................................................................................................................7
Explaining how outcomes of HR could be monitored and measured together with application
to specific situation of firm .........................................................................................................7
Discussion and evaluation about effective HR management addition to development that can
support sustainable performance and meet objectives of entity..................................................9
CONCLUSION ...............................................................................................................................9
REFERENCES..............................................................................................................................11

INTRODUCTION
Strategic HRM refers to a linkage among organisational human resources to that with its
strategies, tactics, objectives and goals for improving performances (Hill, 2017). It is a holistic
concept that is used for assembling best team for growth and success of enterprise. The major
aim of the approach is to design a fit for principle culture of company, advancing flexibility and
innovation, improving performances etc. To understand about Strategic HRM, Farmfoods
Limited is considered. It is popular frozen food supermarket chain whose headquarters are
located at Scotland, UK since 1955 (Farmfoods Limited, 2020). It operates its functions
throughout UK and has approx 300 stores addition to four distribution centres across the world.
The team of the business makes huge efforts for bringing best value of products including food
and household essentials as per needs of family.
The report comprises analysis of external along with contextual developments that influence
human resource related strategy. Further, it involves application of contemporary theoretical
addition to practical knowledge of development of HR and the ways change management model
support strategies of HR. At last, it covers evaluation of contribution made by HR management
for sustainable performances and growth.
TASK 1
Determining current trends addition to developments which influence HR strategy of entity
The present business environment is constantly changing and it is crucial for businesses to
adapt the changes so to work through making necessary developments on strategies and tactics
with the hope of maximising efficiencies and performances (Ambrosius, 2018). In global
competitive world, there are diverse number of trends addition to contextual developments
pertaining in market which provides huge opportunities to business for further growth. When
businesses like Farmfoods Limited are able to exploit the opportunities then it enhances chances
to effectively achieve set of objectives which are set by top level management. Mentioned below
are some of key trends addition to development that plays key role in influencing HR strategies
of Farmfoods Limited:
Changing skill requirements: In present state, organisations are required to meet skill
requirements for retaining employees for long durations. Managers are required to devise and
execute strategies and policies that have potentials for meeting dynamic skill requirements at
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workplace. In association to Farmfoods Limited, human resource manager are required to make
necessary modifications in training sessions, development courses and adopt innovate measures
that enhances knowledge and skills of employees for workings. Changing skill requirement is
one of trend that influences strategies of HR so that candidates are hired and existing ones are
developed as per requirements. It influences strategies devised by human resource managers and
result in favourable manner as when employees are developed and workings styles are improved
then they contributes widely in serving customers addition to generating productivity for
business in mass volume (Armstrong and Taylor, 2014).
Workforce diversity: In present era, organisations are focusing towards bringing together
variants’ of population at one place and using their beliefs, ideas, values and abilities for
accomplishing workings. It is current trends that enable managers of business to have multiple
varieties of employees to complete tasks and operations effectively. In context to Farmfoods
Limited, human resource managers have diversified their strategies related to recruiting, staffing,
compensation etc to hire candidate from distinct culture, religion and ethnicity. Workforce
diversity is the development that influences strategies of human resource management as many
practices are modified by professionals to attract and hire people belonging to different culture
and have huge experience. This influences strategies of the department positively as it broadens
skill sets and provide divisions with innovative and competent talents whose contributions can
lead the company towards great heights.
Methods for improving productivity: For improving targeted productivity performances,
various methods are available with the organisational managers. For instance, value engineering,
quality circles, job enlargement, inventory control, human resource engineering etc are some of
techniques that can result in huge improvements in productivity of Farmfoods Limited.
Moreover, all these save time and assist in meeting deadly targets within determined duration.
These all methods are considered as key trends in the market that influences implemented
strategies of HR to huge manner (Brewster, 2017). With adoption of these methods, it becomes
possible for the operations head of Farmfoods Limited to achieve and making significant
improvements within productivity performances of business positively.
With the mentioned trends and development, human resource managers of Farmfoods
Limited are able to make changes in the strategies in accordance with pertaining situations so
that things are handled effectively.
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Analysing the ways external and internal factors influences practices and strategy of HR
In all workplaces, existence of external together with internal factors impacts on workings
and tactics that are devised and executed by human resource department. Through effective
monitoring and management, it becomes quite possible for managers of Farmfoods Limited to
identify and analyse the factors that influences strategies and practices of human resource
department as well as appropriate operational strategies are also devised after considering the
influences that assist in tackling diverse situations. Some of factors which have ability for
influencing practices and strategies of Farmfoods Limited are below:
Internal factors:
Level of growth: An internal factor which influences practices of HR in business is rate
of exiting and estimated growth of company (Bryson, 2017). For example, Farmfoods Limited
experiences aggressive growth along with rapid expansion which needs human resource
management to devise strategies and practices for recruitment and selection accordingly.
Moreover, growth level creates favourable working environment in which human resource
makes attempts for increasing it effectively. In Farmfoods Limited, growth level is one of
internal factor that influence strategy to manage employees as the entity places greater emphasis
on efforts of retaining people and improving culture with workplace environment.
Organisational culture: The expectations, philosophies, values, experiences and ways
through which individuals at workplace interact with others is organisational culture. When
employees are satisfied with internal culture of departments in Farmfoods Limited then it
influences practices of human resource management favourable as this motivate all personnel to
work hard and have sense of attachment with company. However, dysfunctional culture impacts
on practices and strategies of HR negatively as it do not stimulate people to improve their
efficiencies, capabilities and performances (Bryson and Edwards, 2017). In Farmfoods Limited,
task culture is followed that influences exercises concerned with HR through commanding
employee behaviour and allotting them suitable tasks in which they are comfortable to perform.
External factors:
Industrial trends: Emerging trends in industry influences practices and strategies
adopted by human resource department of firm to huge extent. In case with Farmfoods Limited,
industrial trends including internet of things, brands selling experiences, leveraging cognitive
computing for serving faster customer services etc are some of examples that influence working
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to HR in drastic manner. In order to control influences, it is necessary for marketers and
administrators to provide information to human resource department about industrial trends so
that effective strategies are set and implemented to face the situation and minimise negative
influences on business practices and profits.
Government regulations: Regulations influences the ways organisation goes for
staffing, training, compensating together with disciplining its workforce (Chitrao, 20150. With
imposition of some legislations by political system in UK, managers of Farmfoods Limited faces
influences in form of pressure from government to keep its practices and strategies update or
align with imposed legislations or regulations. For surviving in competition, it becomes
significant for managers of Farmfoods Limited to prepare and update its practices along with
strategies as per legal compliances or government regulations. With introduction of new
compliances then human resource department have to make necessary changes in strategies that
impacts negatively on Human resource professional and their tactics.
TASK 2
Applying theories and concepts associated with growth and development of SHRM
Business concerns makes efforts to align all the operations and workings with strategic
human resource management which ensures to adjust policies, structure etc for encouraging
manpower towards attaining individual and business goals (Chowhan, 2016). Farmfoods Limited
operates in international market and meets satisfaction of stakeholders with the hope of
improving efficiency and meeting targets effectively. Following are certain theories or concepts
that are related to development and growth of strategic HRM of Farmfoods Limited:
E- recruitment: This concept is known as umbrella term for electronic based recruitment
management activity for exploiting usage of technology for sourcing potential candidates at
workplace. Moreover, it is effective concept that plays major role in developing strategic HRM
through attracting right talents from large distant geographical locations. It support workings of
HR managers of Farmfoods Limited by bring workforce diversity and grabbing attention of
skilled, competent, productive and potential people in company. It benefits the entity in having
innovative and unique skill set that have ideas for strengthening brand image and assisting in
growth of strategic HRM. In contrary, it is also analysed that other company such as Bruno's
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have also applied E-Recruitment concept for attracting people from various parts of globe. With
this, the company is benefited in attracting large pool of people towards it.
540 degree appraisal: It is workforce performance appraisal concept in which employees
performance are reviewed from multiple appraisers (Cleaver, 2017). Performances of an
employee are reviewed from people including internal and external appraisers. Internal
appraisers are superiors, subordinates, suppliers, peers and self. At same time, external appraisers
are customers and clients. In Farmfoods Limited, 540 degree appraisals is implemented for
searching shortcoming along with strengths of targeted individual and as motivational technique
for stimulating employees and improving quality in performances. In contrary, other business
including Bruno's applies 540 degree appraisal in the company with the purpose of appraising
performance of its employees with multiple appraisers. In this, HR managers of the company
involves all people that interacts with an individual during the period they fulfils responsibilities.
Key fit theory: It is a HR theory which plays significant aspect in growing and developing
HRM at workplace. The theory states that better results for tasks and activities are attained
through executing assets in operational area appropriate which results in maximum expected
outcomes. Key fit theory support practices of strategic human resource managers of Farmfoods
Limited via choosing effective route which assist in improving efficiency and makes contribution
towards expansion and improvements of business. In contrary, other retailer that is Bruno's have
applied Key Fit Theory in its practice so to supports certain modifications in operational methods
that brings huge efficiencies in operations and growth of strategic employee management.
Application of mentioned theories and concepts in Farmfoods Limited assist managers to
bring best talents, giving accurate feedbacks for employee performance and improving
operational procedures resulting in growth and development of employee management strategies
in the company at huge extent.
TASK 3
Evaluation of ways change management models support strategy of HR in company
Change is fundamental in any business as it accommodates growth and expansion, assist in
identification and fixture of complexities, keeping things up to date, seizing new opportunities
and many more (Debroux, 2017). Change management model plays essential role in
implementing all types of changes in smooth and consistent manner. For example, in Farmfoods
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Limited, the managers have identified the need of changing policies of business after analysing
changes in employee behaviour and other aspects. In this context, managers are required to
devise and execute human resource strategies with support of following change management
models and tools:
Kotter 8 step model: It is among the most popular addition to implemented ones in
businesses across the world. It is introduced by John P. Kotter in 1995. It revolves around 8
phases whose usage or implementation benefits managers of Farmfoods Limited to achieve
effectiveness in changing organisational policies. The phases are underneath:
 Increasing urgency: Herein, managers of Farmfoods Limited create urgency among
human resources in order to stimulate or motivate them to work as per new organisational
policies.
 Building team: It is related to getting right talent on team through choosing mixture of
commitment, skills and knowledge (Hill, 2017). In context to Farmfoods Limited,
managers are required to put right manpower in a team via selecting accurate skill set,
behaviours and commitments.
 Getting vision correct: In this, managers of Farmfoods Limited builds correct vision
through considering strategies, emotional connect, goals and creativity in policies.
 Communication: Farmfoods Limited managers communicate with workforce about
change together with needs of it in calm manner.
 Getting things move: For getting things moving as well as empowering actions,
managers of company requires support and eradication of roadblocks addition to
implementing feedbacks constructively.
 Emphasising towards short term objectives: Herein, main consideration of human
resource management of Farmfoods Limited is towards short term goals as well as
dividing ultimate objective in achievable parts for accomplishing successful outcomes
without any force.
 Do not giving up: Managers believes on the idea that patience is key for success and it is
adopted by them in entire working of model so to encourage employees in tough
situations also (Knight, 2015).
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 Incorporating change: It is final stage in which besides managing changing, managers
of Farmfoods Limited works for reinforcing it as well as making it essential component
of organisational culture.
Evaluation of the model:
As per views of Cleaver (2017), it is evaluated that Kotter 8 step model benefits
Farmfoods Limited in making emphasis towards involving and accepting clear descriptions as
well as guidances of whole process of change and easily implementing it in company. At same
time, in other company such as Bruno's, application of Kotter 8 step model helps in preparing
and building acceptability for change rather than actual change process. However, statement of
Smith, (2016), it have been evaluated that Kotter 8 step model consumes huge time, resources
and efforts of managers of Farmfoods Limited for managing changes. Similarly, in other
organisation that is Bruno's, the model discourages scope of participating and co- operation.
Lewin’s 3 step model: It is another change management model that makes things possible to
understand for organisational managers about structural changes. It was developed in 1950s by
Kurt Lewin. In situation of Farmfoods Limited, application of the model is done through the
following phases:
 Unfreeze stage: In this phase, organisational managers prepare everyone for change. In
case with Farmfoods Limited, departmental heads first themselves get ready for the
change and understands the fact that change is crucial. It plays significant aspect in
change model as various people resist change and this is key for breaking status quo
(Morden, 2016). Managers of the company tries bet while explaining people the reason
for changing organisational policies and its profits.
 Change state: The second stage in which real transition occurs. It is believed that the
procedure requires huge time it is because managers have to embrace new things,
developments together with changes in present policies of company. In Farmfoods
Limited, through effective leadership as well as reassurance managers steer forwards in
accurate direction and making things easier for employees to adopt change fruitfully. Refreeze stage: It is last stage in which organisation become stable after accepting,
embracing and executing changes. In Farmfoods Limited, all people begin to refreeze as
well as initiate practices by considering new organisational policies in their routinised
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workings. Through stability sense, employees works with acquired changes comfortably
and confidently.
Evaluation of the model:
According to Armstrong and Taylor (2014), it is evaluated that Lewin’s 3 step model
benefits Farmfoods Limited to make drastic and complex changes in easy or successful manner.
It assist in identifying issues neglected in old processes as a thorough analysis of past process is
required for future change to happen. Likewise, when other company such as Bruno's apply
Lewin’s 3 step model then it benefits in motivating workforce to adopt changes without
resistance and achieve business objectives. In contrary, Vance and Paik (2015) says that Lewin’s
3 step model creates huge complexities for Farmfoods Limited to modify changes. It is critical to
freeze planned changes in the system. Likewise, for other retailer such as Bruno's, the model
ignores role of politics as well as power in the entity.
TASK 4
Explaining how outcomes of HR could be monitored and measured together with application to
specific situation of firm
There are multiple tools and techniques available with organisational managers fir
monitoring and measuring results of human resources in context to specific situation (Slack and
Brandon-Jones, 2018). In case with Farmfoods Limited, human resource are finding it difficult to
improve their efficiency and meeting sustainable performances. In the pertaining situation,
department of human resource can use the mentioned below tools for the purpose of monitoring
and measuring outcomes generates by each human resource:
10-C HRM checklist: This is considered as an effective tool that can help a business to
properly monitor and measure outcomes made by employees in particular situation. It comprises
10 elements through which managers of Farmfoods Limited can gain success in monitoring and
measuring outcome made by each human resource within pertaining situation. The elements are
below:
 Comprehensiveness: To measure and monitor outcomes of employees, managers of
Farmfoods Limited are required to include all people management concepts or aspects
effectively.
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 Credibility: By building trust among manpower and administration and encouraging
beliefs of each individual for strategies is another way that can be used at Farmfoods
Limited for measuring and monitoring outcomes.
 Communication: Proper communication or transmission of information from one person
to other at Farmfoods Limited can also help managers in measuring and monitors
effectively all gained outcomes by employees.
 Cost effectiveness: Fair rewards, compensation and promotion system can also assist
managers of the organisation while measuring and monitoring achieved outcomes by
manpower (Smith, 2016).
 Creativity: Organisational competitive advantages should stem from strategies of human
resource while measuring and monitoring results effectively.
 Coherence: It is necessary to use activities of HRM and initiatives of each person in
Farmfoods Limited while measuring and monitoring contributions of each individual in
the situation.
 Competence: To measure and monitor results, department head of Farmfoods Limited
are required to craft strategies that becomes competent for accomplishing objectives.
 Control: It is necessary to ensure that practices and policies of department of human
resource must be consistent with objectives in order to measure and monitor outcomes.
 Change: Measuring and monitoring results of workings of each employee can be done
through continuous improvements for survival context. Commitment: It majorly stresses for motivating employees for meeting targets and
objectives in situation of Farmfoods Limited.
Model of skill evaluation capability: Talent development capability model is also used by
business for the purpose of measuring and monitoring results made by employees in pertaining
situational context (Tung, 2016). With implementation of the model in Farmfoods Limited,
managers are able to work on measuring and monitoring usage of talents while contributing in
situation that are causing huge issues or complexities to business in achieving objectives.
Moreover, the model benefits the managers in reviewing each skill set and knowledge through
rating the proficiency of each individual in the situation. However, the limitation of talent
development capability model is that it requires huge efforts and also ignores existing
competences of an individual.
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Discussion and evaluation about effective HR management addition to development that can
support sustainable performance and meet objectives of entity
Sustainable performance refers to harmonisation of social, financial, environmental etc
objectives while delivering core business practices with the hope of maximising values.
Following are the ways in which effective human resource management in Farmfoods
Limitedmay support sustainable performance as well as help in meeting organisational
objectives:
Resource based view: The concept is majorly used in entities for choose best possible
resources which an assist in all areas of development and meeting goals in competitive
environment (Vance and Paik, 2015). It is a managerial theory that benefits the business in
determining strategic resources which gives competitive advantages to it. For instance,
Farmfoods Limited is facing complexity of changing employee attitudes for workings. In this
scenario, application of resource based view can benefit in identifying training needs for each
employees and the rewards that support in changing their attitudes positively for working and
achieving sustainable performances. Moreover, it will also help Farmfoods Limited in
maximising qualities of people to achieve best advantages in competitive marketplace.
Best fit view: The main reason to implement best fit view in business is for monitoring
results of strategies and practices adopted by human resource department. With this, managers of
Farmfoods Limited will be able to systematically analyse performances of all its people addition
to keeping track record of each working. Best fit view states that it is crucial for organisational
management to support activities and ideas of workforce and the best among all must be given
some monetary rewards to develop the resources and improving their competences to gain
competitive advantages (Chowhan, 2016). The disadvantages of the model is that it has limited
prescriptive implications on organisational situations and role of achieving competitive
advantage for business is under developed till date.
CONCLUSION
As per mentioned information it has been concludes that strategic HRM is one of vital
element in existence of business. Trends an development which influences human resource
strategies are changing skill requirements, workforce diversity and methods for improving
productivity. Internal factors like organisational growth level and culture along with external
factors including industrial trends and regulations of government influences practices of human
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