Strategic HRM, Cultural Impact, and Employment Models: Unilever Report

This report provides a comprehensive analysis of Human Resource Management (HRM) practices at Unilever plc. It begins by examining how Unilever creates value through various HRM strategies, such as talent management, continuous improvement, knowledge management, resourcing, and reward systems. The report then delves into the impact of regional and national cultures on HRM practices within the company. It explores the application of different employment models and identifies the organizational levers employed to create value. A key section compares Unilever's practices to Storey's 27 points of difference between HRM and Personnel Management, assessing whether the company leans towards HRM or Personnel Management, particularly in Asian and African contexts. The report also discusses the importance of local culture in hiring and firing decisions and examines employment law differences in international HRM. It uses corporate examples and literature to support its arguments and concludes with recommendations for employers to enhance organizational performance through effective HRM practices. The report provides a detailed overview of HRM strategies, cultural influences, and employment models, offering valuable insights into the company's global operations.

Human Resource
Management

Table of Contents
Contents
INTRODUCTION...........................................................................................................................1
MAIN BODY...................................................................................................................................1
P1) Examine how value was created by the firm by using HR strategies. Use of concepts of
strategic HRM should be evident................................................................................................1
P2) Analyse the impact of regional and national culture on the practice of HRM in the chosen
country........................................................................................................................................2
P3) Use appropriate organisation’s model of employment and state the organisational levers
used by the firm to create value..................................................................................................3
P4) Using Storey’s 27 points of difference between HRM and Personnel Management as a
benchmark, state what is being practised by the firm in the Asian / African Country- HRM
policies or Personnel Management or both?...............................................................................4
P5) When it comes to hiring and firing do you consider the importance and significance of
local culture and HRM practice needs to be undertaken in general and the practices need to
carry out HRM in transnational/international-subsidiary...........................................................6
P6) Examine the differences in terms of employment laws when international HRM changes
local business systems.................................................................................................................7
P7) Use corporate examples of firms using good HR practices and literature to justify your
stand............................................................................................................................................8
P8) Based on the discussion and debate what suggestions / recommendations would you make
to employers regarding HRM practices to ensure that the organisational performance is high?
.....................................................................................................................................................8
CONCLUSION................................................................................................................................9
REFERENCES..............................................................................................................................10

INTRODUCTION
Human resources refers to the set of individual that make up the workforce together for a
organisation and business sector. This is a division of business unit which has been associated
with the findings, screening, recruiting and training job applicants along with administering the
employee benefits programme. In addition to this, human resources management is the strategic
approach for the effective management of people or employee within the organisation in order to
gain competitive advantages. It is a business practices that has been managing the people for the
accomplishment of better performance and productivity (Armstrong and Taylor, 2020). With the
help of this employees are enable to contribute effectively and productively to the overall
company direction along with the achievement of goals and objectives of the business. members
of this department is provided with the knowledge, essential tools, training and administrative
services along with talent management oversight which is essential for the success of
organisation. Human resources department is partially responsible for ensuring that overall
organisation has a common mission, vision and values that provides overreaching reason to
employees to work for their organisation. This report is based on Unilever plc which is a British
based multinational consumers goods company with the headquarter in London, England. This
report includes, concept of human resources management along with its strategies, impact of
regional and national culture over HRM, analyses of organisation's model of employment.
Moreover difference between HRM and personal management and HRM practices and
employment law.
MAIN BODY
P1) Examine how value was created by the firm by using HR strategies. Use of concepts of
strategic HRM should be evident.
A human resources strategies is referring to the business's overall plan which is used to
manage human capital as to align them with the business activities. The human resources
strategy associated with the direction of all the key areas of HR, such as hiring, performance
appraisal, recognition, development and compensation (Barrena-Martinez, López-Fernández, and
Romero-Fernández, 2019). These are the long term plans that has been dictates HR practices
through organisation and requires analysis of internal and external environment. There are
1

various strategies that will create value for the business, some them are discussed below in detail
in context to Unilever company.
Talent management: this is refers to the continuous process attracting and retaining high
quality of employees, developing their abilities and skills and motivating them to improve their
performance. In this organisation intends that how to win war for talent as more talent tend to
produce quality and productivity. In relation to Unilever, retaining talent and enhancing their
skills so that better outcome will proceed through which, better productivity, proficiency and
customer satisfaction is archived.
Continues improvement: this is the strategy in which human resources management has
been focused on the continuous incremental in innovation and in employee performance has to
been sustained over a period of time (Berman and et. al 2019). This has created value for
Unilever company as it facilitated flexible environment in which continuous innovation and
improvement has been implemented. This support in building strong competitive advantage for
the company.
knowledge management: this strategy is associated with the creating, acquiring,
capturing, sharing and using of knowledge in order to enhance learning and performance of work
force. Unilever company, is providing proper training and development programme so that
knowledge and capabilities will be increases on constant basis. Through which performance get
increased list of and produces better outcomes along with higher profit.
Resourcing: this is referring to the attracting and retaining high quality of people so that
high quality f human resource will maintained with the organisation. For this, Unilever company
has develop hiring strategies so that skilled candidates will recruit that can contribute in the
growth of the company.
Reward: in this company develop reward policies and practices that will further help in
accomplishment of business goals and meet need of its workforce (Crawshaw, Budhwar and
Davis, 2020). In Unilever this will add the value to employee make them sustain for the longer
period of time within the company and continue in contributing business success.
P2) Analyse the impact of regional and national culture on the practice of HRM in the chosen
country
Culture is defined as the characteristics, pattern of learned and shared behaviour along with
beliefs of a particular social and ethnic group. It can also be described as the collective and
2

complex human beliefs along with stricture stage of civilisation which can specified for the
period of time or to a nation.
P3) Use appropriate organisation’s model of employment and state the organisational levers used
by the firm to create value.
Employment model has been designed in order to support simple and complex work
relationship among employees and various components within organisation. Which is essential to
manage employees effectively so that they can work with full potential aligned with
organisational goals and objectives (Kamoche, 2019). There are two type of employment model
which companies take usage in order maintain the work force. That are two tier model and three
tier employment model that are consist of their aim elements work relationship, assignments and
employment terms. With the usage of this model of enterprise and legal employer offers
flexibility for the during and after implementation of strategies for the higher performance and
productivity. With the support these models company Unilever company will effectively manage
a worker's relationship with legal employers, multiple assignments and individual contractual
agreements with the high flexibility and ease.
Organisational levers
organisational excellence is referring to the aspect which is desired by every organisation. That is
need to be achieved for the growth and success of the company. There are various organisational
levers that has been used to create value for the form:
Strategic direction: for building an effective organisation it is necessary to better
understand company's purpose. With this company is able to define long term goals more clearly
and this help in to move towards accomplishment of goals and objectives (Khan and et. al 2019).
For this, it is important to ensures that business strategic has to be put into practices which
creates value for the company and help in achieving objectives.
Strategic communication: there should be a proper channel of communication
throughout the organisation which is used to communicate values and expectation to people
working at every level. This help Unilever company in to maintain transparency for better
decision making and increase quality of work while reducing confusion, overlapping and
conflicts.
Strategic hiring: effective hiring practices help in to reduce turnover, recruitment cost
and improve efficiency of the organisation. For this, it is necessary to hire right candidate at right
3

place in which skill and knowledge of a person better matched with specified job role. For
instance, if a company need a IT skill across the organisation then this should be the priority of
the company.
Relational trust: trust among the employees at each level is essential for the value and
excellence of the company. It is essential to establish trust among all members from the workers
to top level managers (Lin-Hi, Rothenhöfer and Blumberg, 2019). For this Unilever company has
encourages employees to speak openly about their concerns through which they can be addressed
proactively. as nothing can build trust better the good communication. This is type of
environment within organisation created value and support in the growth and success of the
company.
P4) Using Storey’s 27 points of difference between HRM and Personnel Management as a
benchmark, state what is being practised by the firm in the Asian / African Country- HRM
policies or Personnel Management or both?
HRM is refers to the formal system which is devised for the management of people
within organisation. This is the practices of recruiting, hiring, training and managing an
organisation. This has been done for managing people within workplace in order to accomplish
organisational mission and reinforce the culture. This is stand a crucial part of maintaining and
improving the health of a business. It could include and ensures compensations and benefits has
to be fair so that a positive environment within firm will be created.
Personnel management is referring to an administrative specialization which is concerns
with hiring and development employees so that they can become more valuable for organisation.
This is associated with sub category of human resources that only focuses on the administration
(Macke and Genari, 2019). This deals with the managerial function of measuring and classifying
human resource requirement so that organisation can be achieved with the support of employees
and their relationship with each other.
Basis Personnel management Human resource management
Meaning This is described as the administrative
record keeping function, at the
operational level. It deals with the
people and includes hiring, training
This refers to the managing people
within the company I order to enhance
their performance and quality of
outcomes.
4

paying them for their hard work.
Guide to
managemen
t action
This is the procedure of the management
which need to be followed and executed
for managing people.
This is business need in order to ensures
better performance and work
environment so that competitive
advantage can be obtain.
Key
relation
It having its relation to labour
management as this is an administrative
function and deals with workforce.
It is having key relation with the
customers, as this help in to enhance
customer’s satisfaction through
increasing performance of employees.
Manageme
nt role
This play a transactional role in
management in which they value order
and chain and focuses on supervision,
organisation and performance.
It follows transformational management
role in which it encourages, in spire and
motivates the employees so that they
can perform with their full potential
(Morgeson, Brannick and Levine,
2019).
Conflict
handling
For handling conflict within the
organisation, this reach at temporary
truces.
In this, climate and culture has managed
effectively so that conflict can be
reduced and managed properly.
Communic
ation
Here communication is restricted as this
follows a proper hierarchy to
communication
This facilitated increased flow of
communication as employees are
encouraged in this to have open
communication through which strong
bond and trust has been develop.
HRM practices in Asia
Providing security to employees: this is the first and major practice of human resource
management. This help the organisation in to retain its employees for the longer period of time.
And with this employee feel motivated to work with full potential.
Self-managed and effective teams: teamwork within a organisation is crucial for
achieving goals and objectives. In this HR encourages employees in order to work together as
5

team for organisation so that their abilities get enhanced while accomplish task on time and
effectively. For his Unilever take the utilisation of communication software, feedback tools,
project management tools that help tea to be more efficient.
Training in relevant skills: this practice of HRM has stated that this has become more relevant
as technology is growing and developing rapidly (Park and Jung, 2019). For which, formal
learnings and on the job training has become more important for the better productivity and to
competitive advantage.
P5) When it comes to hiring and firing do you consider the importance and significance of local
culture and HRM practice needs to be undertaken in general and the practices need to carry
out HRM in transnational/international-subsidiary.
Hiring and firing the best and skilled candidates is the difficult task in which a lot of
strategies and its balance practices are implemented within the business through which profitable
range of benefits are attained with better suitability. HRM department has worked to develop
and enhance attitude, belief, thoughts and activities under which rate of accomplishment of task
and its objective is achieved with adequateness. There are some managerial aspects that is
dependent on diverse workforce through which various practices such as staffing, training
induces significant impact over the balanced in between cultural difference. There are different
activities that is considered as per analysis of productiveness and under this ability to enhance
overall working productivity and its better capability is enhanced over a continuous period of
instance. There is different culture that is used to promote and advance cooperate culture through
which overall performance and its working tendency is enlarged in balanced mode (Pham,
Tučková and Jabbour, 2019). The managers have played an essential role while induce
significant impact over local culture as in this rural communities and its belongingness is
increases in timely frame.
In order to select or terminate the workers it is required that managers take effectual
decision making through which working abilities and its attribute both get advanced in parallel
mode. The business such as Unilever worked to promote and advance its working with suitable
control through which planning of appraisal, selection and socialisation is improvised in better
manner. The management of HRM take balanced level of initiative while hiring and hiring of
workers under which potential and talented skilled human workforce is recruited.
6

To process working functions in transnational/ international subsidiary the HRM practice
of Unilever worked on to compensate working, performance management, flexible working
hours, compensation and budget allocation as well. For this professionalism aid to advance and
enhance effectiveness among work completion of business. In this managers and higher authority
has to worked with the purpose to improvise its working performance through which adequate
rewards and other facilities are offered as per concern of flexible working surround (Song and
Xu, 2020). In this employee wellbeing is advance that assist the business to promote its working
culture in which long term goals and higher sustainability is maintained with perfection.
P6) Examine the differences in terms of employment laws when international HRM changes
local business systems.
The employment laws are always plays an essential role within the working place as with
this working tendency and its abilities get advanced through which working practice and its
effectiveness is developed in balanced mode. It usually emerged with the HRM practice under
which domestic undertaking is considered with effectiveness. The HRM activities is related with
need of broader perspective, involvement of employees, emphasising of employee mix, higher
risk exposure and external influence in controlled mode. Employment laws is related to operating
basis that is required to perform within an international marketplace. It induces positive impact
over the business as its brand image and higher values is programmed with relation to higher
success and long term growth. In this management of Unilever ensure to maintain health and
safety needs that assist to enforce and regular working functions under which employee
insurance and its safety measure is offered with perfection (Stewart and Brown, 2019).
Moreover, business also offer other compliance as well and through which working regulations,
data protection, harassment problems, discrimination, code of conduct, whistle blowing and
bribery programs as well.
In relation to international HRM practice various employment laws and regulations is
registered through which working nuance is considered in timely frame. The business manages
and control various employment such as consideration of women right at global marketplace,
integration of employment practice, whistle blower right, data security and privacy through
which code of conduct and business working is accomplished with timely constrained. It usually
plays an essential role through which laws and adequate regulation play an essential role that
7

assist the business to manage and operate its practice as by assuring better success and adequate
sustainability.
P7) Use corporate examples of firms using good HR practices and literature to justify your stand.
The HR practice is dependent on the suitable actions and processing that is considered
while managing and controlling working circumstance in balanced mode. To consider and
control human resource policies and procedure effectual alignment of strategies and better
initiative is taken with perfection. It also gets lead to enhance business performance and
productiveness under which rate of accomplishment of competitive gaining is induced in timely
frame. There is a balanced planning which is processed within the business through which
decision making ability is transferred which is in favoured of business growth and expansion. It
induces significant impact over the working place and in this working tendency is enforced with
better compliance (Sulaiman, Ahmed and Shabbir, 2020). It is also being identified that
#MeeToo an event and movement that induce within the working prospect through which
working legislation and its regulation is processed in balanced mode. For this harassment in New
York city and New York is passed through various countries under which working tendency is
surpassed with sustained mode.
P8) Based on the discussion and debate what suggestions / recommendations would you make to
employers regarding HRM practices to ensure that the organisational performance is high?
As per the above report it is measured that Unilever taking the usage of various human
resources practices in a effective manner through which it is effectively increasing its
productivity and efficiency. But there are some recommendation for more human resources
management practices that Unilever company can utilised for the organisational functions.
Manager should make information easily accessible to those who want it as sharing of
information is essential for the decision making and to perform the task effectively. Open
communication and sharing of information about strategy, financials and operations creates a
culture or environment in which employee they are trusted. Being informed about business is
think that employees find important in attitude survey (Warner, 2020). Along with this, Unilever
must create favourable working conditions in which basic need of employee have to be satisfy
while encouraging them to work productively and to always keep motivation high. Facilitating
employees with all necessary commodities to employees will increase the productivity and
efficiency of work. Moreover, company should also focus on the employee retention so that
8

employee turnover will reduce and talent get remain in the organisation. Employee retention
efforts of company make workforce feel that they are valued through which motivation level get
enhanced.
CONCLUSION
As per the above report it has been concluded that, human resource of individual that
form workforce together for the organisation. Human resources managements is defining as
strategic approach for the management of people so that high performance can be achieved.
There are various HR strategies that have been used in order to create value for the business and
help in the growth of the company. Moreover, HRM practices of company is being influenced by
the regional and national culture. Organisational employment model and lever also plays a vital
role in creating value for the company. Furthermore, human resource management is different
function from personnel management in terms of various aspects. But both contributes in the
success and growth of the company effectively.
9

REFERENCES
Books and Journals
Armstrong, M. and Taylor, S., 2020. Armstrong's handbook of human resource management
practice.
Barrena-Martinez, J., López-Fernández, M. and Romero-Fernández, P.M., 2019. Towards a
configuration of socially responsible human resource management policies and practices:
Findings from an academic consensus. The International Journal of Human Resource
Management, 30(17), pp.2544-2580.
Berman, E.M., et.al 2019. Human resource management in public service: Paradoxes,
processes, and problems. CQ Press.
Crawshaw, J., Budhwar, P. and Davis, A. eds., 2020. Human resource management: Strategic
and international perspectives. Sage.
Kamoche, K.N., 2019. Sociological paradigms and human resources: An African context.
Routledge.
Khan, S., et.al 2019. “Decent work” in the ready-made garment sector in Bangladesh: The role
for ethical human resource management, trade unions and situated moral agency.
Lin-Hi, N., Rothenhöfer, L. and Blumberg, I., 2019. The relevance of socially responsible blue-
collar human resource management. Employee Relations: The International Journal.
Macke, J. and Genari, D., 2019. Systematic literature review on sustainable human resource
management. Journal of cleaner production, 208, pp.806-815.
Morgeson, F.P., Brannick, M.T. and Levine, E.L., 2019. Job and work analysis: Methods,
research, and applications for human resource management. Sage Publications.
Park, J.M. and Jung, C.H., 2019. A Study on the Development of a Human Resource
Management Program for Commissioned On-board Trainees. Journal of the Korean
Society of Marine Environment & Safety, 25(1), pp.9-17.
Pham, N.T., Tučková, Z. and Jabbour, C.J.C., 2019. Greening the hospitality industry: How do
green human resource management practices influence organizational citizenship behavior
in hotels? A mixed-methods study. Tourism Management, 72, pp.386-399.
Song, W., Yu, H. and Xu, H., 2020. Effects of green human resource management and
managerial environmental concern on green innovation. European Journal of Innovation
Management.
Stewart, G.L. and Brown, K.G., 2019. Human resource management. John Wiley & Sons.
Sulaiman, M.A.B.A., Ahmed, M.N. and Shabbir, M.S., 2020. COVID-19 Challenges and Human
Resource Management in Organized Retail Operations/Desafios del Covid-19 y la
administracion de recursos humanos en operaciones minoristas organizadas. Utopia y
Praxis Latinoamericana, 25(SI 12), pp.81-93.
Warner, M. ed., 2020. Human resource management in China revisited. Routledge.
Zheng, C., 2019. Labor Relations and Human Resource Management in China.
10