Strategic HRM: M&S HR Policies, Practices, and External Forces

This report provides a comprehensive analysis of strategic human resource management (SHRM) within Marks & Spencer (M&S). It begins by discussing M&S's HR policies and practices, including regular policies, paid time off, and health and safety measures. The report then examines the recruitment and selection procedures, employee remuneration, and employee relations within M&S. It further explores the concepts of Best Fit HRM, hard HRM, and soft HRM, analyzing their application within the company. The report also investigates the external forces that influence HR strategic decisions, such as government regulations, economic conditions, technological advancements, and workforce demographics. It describes how the HR function is organized, utilizing the Ulrich model to deliver HR policies and practices. The conclusion emphasizes the importance of SHRM in aligning HR with M&S's strategic goals. This report is a student contribution to Desklib, a platform offering AI-based study tools and resources for students, including past papers and solved assignments.

Strategic Human Resource Management: Theory &
Practice
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Contents
INTRODUCTION...........................................................................................................................3
TASK...............................................................................................................................................3
Discuss about HR policies and practices within M&S................................................................3
Analysis of external forces and effect on HR strategic decision within M&S............................5
Describe that how HR function is organised and how HR policies and practices delivered.......7
CONCLUSION................................................................................................................................9
REFERENCES..............................................................................................................................10
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ASSESSMENT-1
INTRODUCTION
Strategic Human resource management refers to the conceptual term that help for
establishing a connection between company’s Human resources and its strategic goals,
objectives. The primary aim of strategic HRM is to achieve desirable goal while developing as
flexible working environment. In order to gain more competitive advantage in marketplace.
This report will discuss about the human resource policies, practices within M&S. in
order to handle the overall business operations and functions. It will describe the specific
external forces and their effects of Human resource strategic decisions in the organisation.
Furthermore, this documentation will analysis that how Human resource functions are organised,
implemented suitable HR practices, policies in the business growth and development.
TASK
Discuss about HR policies and practices within M&S
In Marks & Spencer, Human resource management is build a strong brand position in
marketplace. That’s why, it is always tried to implement suitable policies and practices, then
work with to implement in right manner. Basically, HR policies, practices are established
through effective framework or tool that help to manage coordination between individual people
in the workplace (Alomari, 2020). By using policies or procedures, Marks & spencer should
cover everything from how enterprise recruit its current staff members. it ensuring staff members
to follow all instruction, guideline in proper manner.
Human resource Policies implement in M&S
Regular policies- it is all about rules and regulation in which implement by HRM in M&S.
Company is always focused on fixed the working hours for every staff members. Therefore,
every employee can complete their tasks within specific time intervals. In M&S, HR focus on the
equal opportunity employment, overtime pay, time record keeping and other kind of sexual
harassment policies.
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Paid time off policies- In M&S, Human resource will be introducing paid time policy in order to
identify the specific need or requirement for employees. This kind of policy will give a major
support for staff members where they can easily manage or handle coordination between
personal as well as professional life (Collins, 2021). Paid time off policies are helping to address
M&S rules, procedures in regards of holidays. Sometimes, it is also checking the state, local law
to ensure all leave requirements.
Health and Safety- this type of policy is basically describe all kind of safety measurement,
identify the emergency procedures, require employee to report work related injuries
immediately. In additional, M&S include occupational safety and health act, specified the
policies or program in place if any kind of workplace hazards exist.
Human resource procedures implement in M&S
Recruitment and Selection- In M&S, Human resource management plays important role in the
business planning so that it follows a specific procedures. in order to forecast people, identify the
right candidate for specific profile. Therefore, it will support for M&S in term of growth and
development (Dragusha, Josimovski and Dragusha, 2020). At that time, HR in M&S has been
conducted the selection and recruitment process for attracting suitable applicants that match a
certain job criteria. Afterwards, HR is filtering and then short-listing the people, who are nearest
the match in term of qualifications.
Employee Remuneration and benefits administration- in M&S, HR can follows this
procedures to decide salaries, wages, incentive and benefits for staff members on the basis of
their performance in task management. Money in the prime motivator that can inspire or
motivate employees to improve their performance, putting more efforts in business growth and
development.
Employee relations- it is one of the important procedure in term of employee retention
within organisation. It is always supported the people to use all kind of rules or regulation in the
workplace. Human resources in M&S is trying to resolve employee conflicts and provide better
counselling so that they can easily relief stress, pressure level in the workplace.
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Best Fit HRM, hard HRM and soft HRM
The best Fit is based on the approach emphasizes the significance of HR strategies in
M&S. this type of concept will support for M&S to establish a better culture, operational process
and external environment. Human resource strategies have to take account of specific needs of
employers and employees.
 Hard HRM- this type of Hard HRM is related to the staff management system in which
employees are seen as resources that needs to be controlled or managed. This will help
for M&S to achieve their desirable goal or objective in marketplace. At that time, a major
involvement of staff members, who will try to perform different business operational
activities and then increase profitability and profitability (Gannile, Ab Yajid and Azam,
2020). This can possible when HRM should use hard HRM concept in order to support
employees need or requirements.
 Soft HRM- it is based on the approach to HR management that involves treating
employees as one of the important part of M&S. When management in M&S uses soft
HRM approach in order to monitor or track the specific employees as critical resources.
As per consideration of Soft HRM, it is mainly focused on the staff members and provide
rewarded for their performance. Therefore, it is motivating to the employees for
implementing innovative idea in business growth and development in marketplace.
Analysis of external forces and effect on HR strategic decision within M&S.
When it comes to Human resource management strategic decision-making, there are
various kind of forces that effect on the HR decision within M&S. An adopting the innovation in
the business which plays important role because at moment’s notice a new legislation applicable
in effective manner. It will be changing the policies or procedures where HR feels the brunt.
Government Regulations- with the introduction of new workplace compliance standards
followed by Human resource management in M&S. it has been constantly improved the under
pressure to stay within law. Different kind of legislation influence every process of human
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resources such as compensation, termination and training. At that time, it should require for
Human resource management to make an important decision in regards of proper legislation
implementation in marketplace. M&S is one of the leading organization that always follows a
proper regulation which has been passed by government. Therefore, this kind of force can affect
on the human resource strategic decision process in the organization.
Economic Conditions- it is one of the biggest external influence for Human resource
strategic decision because it has been continuously changing the shape of current economic
condition. it is not about the affect the talent but it might affect HR strategic decision during
recession. In M&S, Human resource department is always trying to make an important strategic
decision and applied against economic condition (Greer, 2021). Usually, HR will consider
recession economic condition and create a plan for when there is an economic downturn.
Technological Advancement- it is another consider as external force which is always
influencing Human resource in M&S, where adopting a new technology in their business to
achieve desirable goal or objective. At certain point, it is majorly affect on the HR strategic
decision because HR team can start looking at how down size and look for different way to save
money. A revolution of technology is the best way to handle business but it is not just from
consumer stand point and affect on the save cost or time.
Employment market/ Workforce Demographic- M&S has been focused on the new
generation people those are entered into employment marketplace. Human resource department
must look for ways to attract new talented or efficient candidate. In this way, Workforce
demographic factor can influence HR team to make strategic decision in regards of hiring,
recruiting and selecting processes. On the other hand, they can offer a dynamic work
environment where every staff member can do their task efficiently.
The involvement of Human resource management does more that firing or hiring, but
they can develop as strategic plan and then take a quick decision. HR make sure that paying
close attention to the external influence because it is good chance for affecting with different
enterprises. For Example- within employment marketplace, M&S can operate their business,
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whether identifying the efficient high skilled or low skill workforce. It depends on the human
resource strategic decision where how they can easily use suitable approaches in order to target
potential individual people in marketplace.
Describe that how HR function is organised and how HR policies and practices delivered.
Human resource management is a central pillar of M&S, in short different HR activities
fall under the different functions such as staffing, development, compensation, safety & health,
employment labor relations. Each and every aspect of HR functions, conduct a wide variety of
different activities (Sajeevanie Opatha and Dissanayake, 2020). In M&S, Human resource
professionals who work within business functions, it should be consider suitable HR functions
that help for organisation deliver its corporate strategy and objective by effectively recruiting,
developing people or managing current business performance.
The primary Objective of HR in M&S is to deliver the effective HR practices and policies
in order to manage or control the business performance. In M&S, HR functions are basically
organised and delivered policies or procedures by using Ulrich model. This model is always
supporting for HR professionals to gain brief insight of different business functionality.
Therefore, it can easily increasing overall business profitability as well as productivity in
marketplace.
Ulrich’s Model
The Dave Ulrich HR model is basically specifies to organise human resource functions. This
kind of model was developed by David Ulrich, who has been suggested that in giant
organisation.
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Figure 1 Ulrich’s Model
In M&S, Human resource department are basically used this model in order to deliver HR
policies, practices, record and so on. Moreover, HR team can feel as stressed at the time of
function management, shared service activities between different departments. This will help for
M&S to establish a strong coordination between each other. Human resources are included as
supporting technology and internet that provide basic support in HR functions such as recuriting,
hiring and screening etc.
As per consideration of Dave Ulrich model, it is talk about the significance or importance of
Human resource in M&S. it provide the brief idea about HR benchmark for different
professionals. In order to attempt as dissect or mobilize their multifaceted roled in the
administrative, business partnership and HR. In order to utilise the Ulrich HR competency model
is able to make good and effective shifts from strategic management. Although different staff
member in M&S consideration of this model and identify the specific tangible need for business
management.
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In M&S, Human resources are basically used the Ulrich Model and delivered the best HR
policies, practices in proper manner. this can help for organising the different HR functions that
influence strategy at highest level. Company still find a lack of HR integration system so that
they can utilise a proper records in organised manner. it is also identified the inefficiency in
administrative and management branches. In most of cases, HR professionals are not handled the
different functions so that requires to implement strategic plan (Wilson and Bretón, 2020). It is
helping to acquire a lot of information or data. More so, there are different HR professionals
actually use Ulrich’s model and create a string loop for new development or modifications.
Nowadays, it has been continously chnaging the structure of business over time. So as needed for
implementing Ulrich model that able to change the business performance ane efficiency. In
context of HR functions, Ulrich model will help for Human resources in M&S to eliminate or
remove any kind of obstacle, also creating a flexible environment or culture.
CONCLUSION
From above discussion, it has concluded that Strategic Human resource management plays
important role in organisation in order to establish connection between company’s Human
resources and its strategic goals, objectives. In this report, it has been summarised about the
human resource policies, practices within M&S. in order to handle the overall business
operations and functions. Moreover, it can be identified the concepts of external forces and their
effects of Human resource strategic decisions in the organisation. On the basis of analysis, it has
been identified HR practices, policies in the business growth and development.
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REFERENCES
Book and Journals
Alomari, Z., 2020. Does human capital moderate the relationship between strategic thinking and
strategic human resource management?. Management Science Letters. 10(3). pp.565-574.
Collins, C.J., 2021. Expanding the resource based view model of strategic human resource
management. The International Journal of Human Resource Management. 32(2). pp.331-
358.
Dragusha, B., Josimovski, S. and Dragusha, N., 2020. Strategic Human Resources Management
tools and techniques through Social Networks.
Gannile, C., Ab Yajid, M.S. and Azam, S.F., 2020. IMPACT OF MEASUREMENT DRIVEN
HR STATISTICS ON STRATEGIC HUMAN RESOURCE MANAGEMENT
FUNCTIONS ON ORGANIZATIONAL PERFORMANCE IN INSURANCE
INDUSTRY. European Journal of Social Sciences Studies. 5(3).
Greer, C.R., 2021. Strategic human resource management. Pearson Custom Publishing.
Sajeevanie, T.L., Opatha, H.H.D.N.P. and Dissanayake, K., 2020. An Instrument to Measure the
Practice of Strategic Human Resource Management in Private Sector Organizations. Sri
Lankan Journal of Human Resource Management. 10(1).
Wilson, M.L. and Bretón, S.J., 2020. Strategic human resource management and work
transition. Strategy, Technology & Society. 10(1).
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