Strategic Human Resource Management: A Comprehensive Analysis for M&S

This report provides a comprehensive analysis of strategic human resource management (SHRM), focusing on its role in aligning HR functions with organizational goals. It begins by identifying key current trends and developments influencing HR strategy, such as continuous improvement, workforce diversity, and the impact of globalization. The report then explores how both external factors (market trends, laws, and legislations) and internal factors (funding, employee relations) shape HR practices, using Marks & Spencer (M&S) as a case study. It delves into the application of relevant theories and concepts in SHRM, evaluating change management models and their support for HR strategy. The report further examines how HR outcomes can be monitored and measured, and it concludes by discussing the role of effective HR management and development in supporting sustainable performance and growth, offering suggestions for HR development techniques applicable to M&S. The report highlights the importance of adapting to changing skill requirements and maintaining a healthy employee relationship for organizational success.

Strategic Human
Resource management

Contents
INTRODUCTION...........................................................................................................................1
TASK 1............................................................................................................................................1
P1. Key current trends and developments that influence an organisation’s HR strategy............1
P2. How both external and internal factors influence HR strategy and practices.......................3
M1. Analyse the influences of the external and contextual developments and how this impacts
on the HR strategy of a company................................................................................................5
TASK 2............................................................................................................................................6
P3. Application of relevant theories and concepts relating to the growth and development of
strategic HRM..............................................................................................................................6
M2. Explain how human resource theory relates to practice and finding the areas where this
will differ in other organisational situations................................................................................7
D2. Explanation of human resource theory relations to practice and comparing and contrasting
this with possible organisational contexts...................................................................................7
P4. Evaluate how appropriate change management models support HR strategy......................7
M3.Valid justification for the application of chosen management strategies, models and
concepts.......................................................................................................................................9
D3. How change management strategies, models and concepts could be implemented to gather
with reference to consequential benefits and possible drawbacks.............................................10
TASK 3..........................................................................................................................................10
P5 Explain how HR outcomes can be monitored and measured and apply this to a specific
organisational situation..............................................................................................................10
TASK 4..........................................................................................................................................12
P6 Discuss and evaluate how effective HR management and development can support
sustainable performance and growth to meet organisational objectives...................................12
M4 Make suggestions for HR development techniques applicable in a given organisational
situation......................................................................................................................................14
D4 Critically reflect on how HR monitoring and evaluating techniques contribute to
sustainable performance and growth addressing potential consequences of their
implementation..........................................................................................................................14
CONCLUSION..............................................................................................................................15

REFERENCES..............................................................................................................................16

INTRODUCTION
Strategic human resource management (SHRM) is the chain of various activities that helps
to link the HR function with the organisational goals and objectives within the organization to
improve the performance in potential manner (McClean and Collins, 2019). Attracting and
retaining the talented personnel within the organization is one of most significant but challenging
task in today’s changing or dynamic business world. In that regards it is very much potential for
an organization to select the right people otherwise no strategy work in right way. SHRM is the
great philosophy of managing people based on their belief system that human resource are one
of most unique resource to sustain in the business environment for long time. For gaining
effective kind of outcomes it is very much potential for organization to persistently draw own
expertise and ingenuity to remain competitive in marketplace. the another major focus on the
SHRM is to ensure the organisational culture, style and structure of organization and quality,
commitment and motivation is very much important to achieve the business goals and objectives
in potential manner. Respective report is based on the M&S is the British multinational retailer,
headquartered in the London, England. It proficient or specialized in the clothing, home
appliances and food products in the wider marketplace. respective report is based on the
significance of strategic human resource in the wider organisational context by including the key
external and developments that directly influence the HR strategy within the organization.
further it includes the contemporary theoretical and conceptual basis of HR Development that
helps to accumulate potential knowledge and information for taking effective kind of decisions.
It also includes that within the organization various kinds of positive as well as negative changes
takes place that are very much important for organization, in that regards of evaluation of change
management models that assist HR strategy. Finally, it includes the contribution of HR
management and development for sustainable business performance and growth in order to
remain competitive in business environment.
TASK 1
P1. Key current trends and developments that influence an organisation’s HR strategy
In current changing environment, where everything is rapidly and continuously change it is
important for an enterprise to become acceptable and maintains on evolving their plan of actions
and policies in order to maximise their overall efficiencies (Starr, Ganco and Campbell, 2018).
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In context to Marks & Spencer it has been offered effective care to its workforce and good
working conditions. In respect to deal with current changing trends and retain knowledgeable or
best workforce M&S require to offer interesting career options to their employees. There are
several trends that influence HR strategies some of them are defined as below in context of
Marks & Spencer:
Continuous improvement- It is a formative strategy that is majorly concentrated on
developing things that are competed on daily basis. It is required for M&S to make improvement
in regular execution extent of their workers which will advantageous them to accomplish their
wide action developments (Madanat and Khasawneh, 2018). With the improving technology
when the organisation implement certain changes and creations in their framework that outputs
in lowering down of company all over sales and profitability. Thus, it is crucial for M&S
administrators to frequently measure execution extent of their employees and lead them
appropriately to strength their constancy. This will advantageous firm to develop their
productiveness and profit margin.
Workforce diversity- It assists diverse varieties of individual in one place. In order to
develop their effectiveness and gain more rivalry benefits, it is important for a company to
consist several workers in their firm. M&S human resource managers by differentiating their
hiring and selecting activity can recruit individual from diverse customs, age, capability, culture
and religion. It will advantageous them to enlarge and improve their competency base and have
more innovative and rivalry atmosphere which automatically direct regarding high growth and
development.
Process for developing productivity- In reference to develop their targeted productive
execution, it is essential for a firm to determine their existing operation activity and monitor
those areas which require to be developed. It will assist them to save their time and accomplish
their targets in or set goals in grated time duration. In context of M&S, the firm deliver number
of items to its consumers so it crucial for organisation’s administrators to analyse their
productivity and maximise their profits (Amarakoon, Weerawardena and Verreynne, 2018). For
this they are needed to create awareness to their target audiences about newly launched services
and take response of them regular basis as to fulfil their every demands and necessities. This will
assist firm to appropriately develop productivity and making improvement in the brand image or
position in global business environment.
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Impact of globalisation- Globalisation is a main or important factor that aid a company to
different their inner atmosphere of organisational structure and concurrently develop their profit
(Carbery and Cross, 2018). M&S HR administrator by taking advantages of internationalisation
conception in their working framework can integrate their human resource with more creative
thoughts and evaluates that will not only assist employees to develop their abilities but also
advantageous organisation to have cultural separation in their workplace.
Changing skill requirements- It is essential for each firm to be it small, medium and large
to maintain healthy and effective relations with their workforce so that they can make
development in entire working conditions in organisational framework. It is crucial for M&S
administrators to change their training and development courses and utilise more creative
measures of their employees. M&S by encouraging their employees to be more adaptive and
form them skilled so that deal with different kind of circumstances in different ways. This will
assist them to deal appropriately even in critical conditions and bring more creations in structure
of company. These advantages to provide a range of unique services to their consumers and
create more profits.
P2. How both external and internal factors influence HR strategy and practices
External factors- These components consists those elements that influence functions of business
externally. Some of these components include legal and technical changes, social components
and economic and political environment. All these components instantly and indirectly influence
business actions in respect to their objectives and goals. The description of some external factors
that impact the functioning of business venture:
Market trends- It is an uncontrollable factor impact over business actions and operation
of business. Some of these dynamic market trends consist consumer’s perception, modifications
in technology and many more. All these components in affect business functioning and their
operations in instantly and indirectly way (Moutinho and Vargas-Sanchez, 2018). When change s
are occurred in technologies then it devise a commodity or a service outdated that may outcome
in reduction in all over sales of the firm. Thus, it is crucial for M&S administrators to change
their plan of action and implement more creation in their business framework to improve their
position in international market and earn more rivalry edge regarding their rivals.
Laws & legislations- Rules and regulations of national authorities also influence the
business function of the company in all manners whether it is their plan of action associating to
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formation of policies and all over manufacturing activities. There are several federal and state
laws that impact on a business operations and activity in different ways positively as well as
negatively. According to law of UK it is crucial for all business ventures to operate their
functions in nation to record and safe personal information of their workforce (Keegan,
Ringhofer and Huemann, 2018). Thus, it is important for M&S to abide these rules as to execute
their function in effective and efficient manner. It is important for organisation to take all legal
legislation in term of operating the business actions in appropriate way and develop their
business structure.
Internal factors- These are the components that influence functioning of business internally and
affect the business of a company in internal way. The explanation of some internal factors in
term of M&S is as below:
Available Funding- Finance is the first and foremost requirement of a business venture
to organise business operations in influential manner. Monetary value makes formation of plan
of actions and policies in improved way. In context of M&S, their administrators by measuring
effective source of fund and assigning or distributing in accurate manner so that they can execute
their day to day business functions in appropriate manner. As shortage of finance budget can
create number of obstacles. So by using company’s finance in effective style M&S can make
sure that their cost efficiency and perform their activities in systematic way.
Employee’s relation- It is crucial for a company to frame healthy employee relationship
in their business venture framework to facilitate appropriate development. In M&S, human
resource administrators by taking utilisation of innovative measures in their training and
development programmes that can devise their workforce liable to grab several advantages that
offered by organisation (Yong and et. al., 2019). Administrators of M&S can offer different
advantages associated to employee’s compensations and other non-financial benefits can
maximise effectives of workforce and keep favourable and good relationship with them.
Human resource issues in public, private and third sector
Recruitment-Workforce is lifeblood of each firm whether they execute in public sector,
private and third sector. So it is crucial for M&S administrator to hire applicants accordant to
their actual needs. They will advantageous them to save their required fund in hiring choosing
activity. BY recruiting those applicants who are as per and fulfil the job role requirements, M&S
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managers can appropriately train them and develop the job execution for motive of upcoming
time.
Retention- It is a main problem that influences brand image and entire functioning of
business ventures. M&S administrators by changing their workers retention plan of action can
maximise their extent of employee’s retention (van Esch, Wei and Chiang, 2018). Firm can
amend their policies and provide more advantages and facilities to their workforce so that
enterprise can develop their productiveness that automatically result in more income generation
of business firm.
Discipline- It is for a company to maintain a good and healthy disciplined structure in
their workplace to maximise competencies of their workers and increase entire outcomes of
organisation. It is essential for M&S human resource administrators to generate a favourable
disciplinary atmosphere in their working environment in their working environment to publish
appropriate development. This will advantageous them to improve their business image in
marketplace and create more productivity.
M1. Analyse the influences of the external and contextual developments and how this impacts on
the HR strategy of a company
In an organisation like M&S, when changes are occurred then they influence the business of
company in term of positive as well as negative. For example, if the firm make technical change
in term of its promotion and make publicity of commodities and services through new
technology like social media then it positively affect the company. Because with the use of this
tool, the management can create awareness about its new and existing products and get feedback
regarding them so that if there is any issues in goods regarding satisfaction, then it can be resolve
on time. This change also inline business strategy of the company also (McIver, Lengnick-Hall
and Lengnick-Hall, 2018). For instant, if the venture was use offline promotional tools in past
days then plan of actions are devised like that. But when company use social media then the
management will frame strategy as per new technology so that it will not affect company as well
business sector in negative term.
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TASK 2
P3. Application of relevant theories and concepts relating to the growth and development of
strategic HRM
There are number of theories, models and concepts that assist a company to enlarge and
increase their activities of strategic human resource management (Analoui, 2018). M&S offer
their services crosswise the globe so in reference to maximise their effectiveness and satisfy their
aims and objectives with better efficiency. The description of some methods that can aid
organisation to accomplish their predetermined goals in effective manner:
Performance management- It is an effective activity of improving, supporting, leading
and enlarging execution if a person and a group in respect to attain objectives of firm in
appropriate manner. It assists a venture to measure whether they are accomplishing their daily
activities and task or not. By executing this model in working environment, M&S can
functionally accomplish their aims and goals. For instant, M&S is offer online delivery services
and offer their services globally. So to examine execution extent of their workers administrator
of the venture can keep record and determine each and every execution of their employees in
effective and systematic manner. This will aid them to evaluate status of their employees’
execution and devise effective plan of action to develop them. These will advantageous M&S to
increase their all over productivity margin and simultaneously maximise competencies of their
workers.
E-Recruitment- It is type of online recruitment in which company take benefits of
technology to recruit possible applicants for their firm. It is a most efficient and ordinary
technique to hire applicants from diverse geographical locations. For instant, M&S provide
online delivery services around the world. Management of the firm wants to hire possible
individuals from all over the world as to bring cultural diverseness in their working environment.
To satisfy this aim M&S administrators can take benefits of E-Recruitment to hire qualified and
knowledgeable candidates from all over globe (Tweedie and et. al., 2019). This will provide
advantages to frim to bring more creative thoughts in their organisational framework and
improve their position and images in global business market.
540 Performance appraisals- It is a systematic activity in which employees get reviewed about
their work which is executed by them. They are reviewed through their peers, self assessment,
subordinates and experts. In 540 performances appraisal target audiences of the company also
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share their views to individual on the basis of their execution. This will advantageous
organisation to measure execution extent of their workers. In reference to M&S, which is
associated in the services to offer delivery services can develop a systematic structure in which
their workforce can get reviewed by consumers according to their delivered services. This will
offer benefits M&S to evaluate employee’s performance and provide those rewards and benefits
as per their execution (Kamoche, 2019). This will help in aiding organisation to frame plan of
action for unexecuted workers and improve formative measures so to maximise and develop
their execution. This will provide outcomes in term of high productivity of M&S and develop
their working environment in appropriate manner so that employees can perform their role and
responsibilities in effective way.
M2. Explain how human resource theory relates to practice and finding the areas where this will
differ in other organisational situations
Human resource theory associates to human resource activities as they help in performance
management of employees, recruiting them and rewarding them determining their execution.
They are differ in other organisational situations when the administration of the company will
adopt them to encourage employees and providing training and development to them so that they
can make development in their skills and play role effectively in change situation.
D2. Explanation of human resource theory relations to practice and comparing and contrasting
this with possible organisational contexts
There are diverse HR concepts in term of human resource activities and crucial to perform
diverse practices of HRM. For example, when other business organisation use these HR theory
related to practice s like performance appraisal, then some business can use them to determine
employees performance and some use to rewarding employees in term of motivating them.
P4. Evaluate how appropriate change management models support HR strategy
There are several kinds of change model and concept that can be use by the firm to find out
the basic belongings of change that is required to be implementing within the firm (Morgeson,
Brannick and Levine, 2019). This concept can provide benefits to organisation to know about
favourable and unfavourable influences of those modifications. There several models of change
some of them are defined as under in context of Marks & Spencer:
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Lewin Three step model of change- This concept is developed by Kurt Lewin to understand the
process of organisational change with the help of three phases or stages of changes like Unfreeze
Change and Freeze. The description of these phases of change in term M&S is as:
Unfreeze phase- It is the first and foremost phase of this concept and one of the most
complex stages in the entire process of change management (Holloway, 2018). It consists
developing the readiness and the willingness of individual to modify by forecasting a realization
to move from the current comfort zone to a transformed situation. In M&S, within this phase, the
management can implement a change concept in their company. For this, they are required to
devise each person working in their firm to be aware about the change. It is essential for M&S to
be appropriately ready to adopt those modifications in effective way.
Change phase- It is next phase of evolution or the stage of actual execution of change. It
consist the adoptability of the new ways of doing things. In M&S, within this phase, resolve any
kind of uncertainty and measure number of ways of working. It is important for them to identify
monitored ways to support those modifications.
Refreeze phase- It is the final phase of this change management concept. Within this
stage, people adopt of internalise the new ways of working or as per change, adopt it as a part of
their life and incorporate new relations. Inc context of M&S, the management can accept and
implement that modification in their business venture. In this condition, M&S can take benefit of
refreeze phase when company is reshaping themselves with that modification.
Kotter’s 8 step model of change
This model is developed by John Kotter to leading change that is implementing and adopt
by the management of a business organisation. The description of this concept in reference to
Marks & Spencer is under:
Creating urgency- In it is first phase in which urgency of the modification is generated.
In this stage, the mange of business organisation examines growth options that can be tapped by
effective interventions (Noe and Kodwani, 2018). In M&S, the administration can analyse the
change that whether they are essential and required for the company.
From a powerful coalition- It is the next stage of this model, in which the administration
find out the weak areas in the coalition groups and make sure that the group consists many
influential individual from differ cross functional divisions and working in diverse extents in the
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firm. In M&S , within this phase, the management are needed to form a powerful coalition and
tell each person in company that a change is required for their and venture’s growth.
Create vision for change- In this phase, the venture analysing the core values, defining
the ultimate vision and the plan of actions for realising a modification in a company (Starr,
Ganco and Campbell, 2018). In &S. In this stage, to implement change frame a set of different
thoughts that arise prices in change. They set a aim and goal to implement modification.
Communicate the vision- In phase, the administration of Marks & Spencer communicate
the set aims and vision of change to each and every person of the company so that they well
aware about it and perform their duties as per it.
Remove obstacles- This phase is most crucial in this change concept in term of
accomplishing effective growth and development. In M&S, the administration is needed to erase
any kind of obstacles from that thought of modification.
Create short term wins- In M&S, the management is not needing to accomplish big
objectives at very initial phase. Administrators of M&S require to first accomplishing short term
objectives and goals as to satisfy high objectives in appropriate way.
Build on the change- After effective accomplishment of one change, enterprise are not
needed to concentrate on celebrating that as it is initial phase for attainment of goals. In M&S
require focusing on satisfying high extent objectives and then can celebrate its accomplishment.
Anchor the change to corporate sector-It is the final phase of this model, which states
that to devise a modification permanent in nature. It is needed for M&S to adopt that specific
change in daily actions and operation of business venture.
One of main disadvantage of this concept is that it is crucial for a person to follow all the
phases that includes in this model n step by step format. As if an individual miss any one of that
phase in then the entire project can direct regarding complete failure (Riccucci, Naff and
Hamidullah, 2019). Along with this, in order to make changes lot of time is needed to invest that
can outcomes in frustration.
M3.Valid justification for the application of chosen management strategies, models and concepts
From the above define effective tolls, strategies and concepts of change management it can
be summarise that with the utilisation of effective change management model a business venture
can implement a modification in business activities and operations in effective or systematic
manner. With the help of Lewin’s change model, the company can implement change with the
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