Strategic HR Management: Evaluating TNT Express Policies and Practices

This report provides a comprehensive analysis of strategic human resource management (SHRM) within TNT Express, a major international courier service. It begins by evaluating key external factors influencing the organization, including political, economic, social, technological, environmental, and legal considerations, and their impact on HR practices. The report then examines contemporary trends and developments in HR, such as globalization, workforce diversity, and cultural differences, and assesses changes in HR policies and practices related to these trends. The core of the report focuses on applying Adam's Equity Theory to TNT Express, evaluating its flexible work arrangements and performance management systems. The analysis includes a critical evaluation of the organization's practices in light of the theory, followed by an examination of monitoring and evaluation techniques used to measure the effectiveness of HR strategies and their contribution to sustainable organizational performance. The report concludes with recommendations for improving SHRM at TNT Express.

Unit 21 Strategic Human
Resource Management

Table of Contents
INTRODUCTION...........................................................................................................................1
UNDERPINNING KNOWLEDGE.................................................................................................1
ACTIVITY 1....................................................................................................................................1
1. Critical Evaluation Of External Factors..................................................................................1
2. Evaluating Changes In The HR Policy And Practices............................................................3
ACTIVITY 2....................................................................................................................................4
Evaluation Of HR Theory To Specific Organisation..................................................................4
ACTIVITY 3....................................................................................................................................6
Implementation Of Management Strategies; Models And Concepts..........................................6
ACTIVITY 4....................................................................................................................................8
Monitoring And Evaluation Techniques Of HR.........................................................................8
CONCLUSION..............................................................................................................................10
REFERENCES..............................................................................................................................12

INTRODUCTION
Strategic Human Resource Management refers to a practice of making of strategic
framework by the HR department in the organisation in respect of focusing on the overall
development of the employees that are working in the company (Albrecht and et.al., 2015).
Furthermore, in this process formulating, implementing and evaluating business strategies helps
to accomplish desired goals. As a result, different aspects of management consider that helps to
solve problems and take decisions with risk taking approaches.
Here, the assignment will be focusing on the organisation Thomas Nationwide Transport
Express which is a market leader in the business to business segment. The organisation basically
works as an international courier delivery service company. Its major competitors are United
Parcel Service and DHL Express. The project will focus on the evaluation of major external
factors and application of relevant theories; models and concepts. Along with this, it further lays
its focus in respect of the critical evaluation in respect of changes in the HR policy and practices
related to the current trends and developments. The project further lays its emphasis on the
monitoring and the evaluation techniques that contributes to the sustainable performance of
organisation.
ACTIVITY 1
1. Critical Evaluation Of influence of key external factors with applying different theories.
In every organisation, there are various such factors that affect the performance and
overall productivity of the employees that are working with an organisation. These factors are
uncontrollable. Following are the external factors that affect the performance of Thomas
Nationwide Transport Express (TNT Express). Political:- These are the factors that affect the performance of an organisation because of
change of government. With the change of government there is a change in the policies;
rules and regulations that are imposed by the government on the company. Because of
this, the government has to focus on the recruitment of the selected candidates in the
organisation. Also, how much tax is required to be paid; minimum wage rates also helps
to fulfil employees demand and requirements with using different activities (Armstrong,
Landers and Collmus, 2016).
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 Economical:- In this case, the HR department is required to make focus on the
availability of funds in the TNT express for paying the salaries and wages to the
employees. It is the most serious concern in respect of salaries which affects the decision
of HR personnel. As critical evaluation, due to this, the local economy of a nation also
gets affected. Building and making a proper planning in this respect helps HR to predict
in the respect of number of employees that will be required by the organisation to which
payment can be made in a proper manner. Social:- There are several social factors, that affect the planning of the HR department To
consider in account the equalities and diversities in the same manner. For the HR
personnel of TNT, it's best idea to create new opportunities for the employees working in
an organisation. Technological:- The HR department of the TNT express should focus on training and
making the employees familiar with the use of new technologies in an organisation. As
the critical evaluation, the personnel department should always be aware of making the
employees proficient in respect of using every technology. If not, then productivity will
be adversely affected. Environmental:- These are the factors, that also affects the working of HR department of
TNT. However, critical evaluation of the factors, such as location is included with respect
to finding and recruiting a pool of skilled and qualified employees (Bailey and et. al.,
2018).
 Legal:- The HR department should keep in mind the laws that are made with respect to
the working of employees. These laws are changing constantly. As critical evaluation,
amendments in labour laws in an organisation are made within a short time period.
Contemporary Trends And Developments In HR
There are a lot of trends that play an important role in the HR sector. Following are the
trends:-
 Impact of Globalisation:- When TNT express expanding its business in various other
nations then, a very significant and noticeable impact of globalisation were seen.
1. Globalisation of Human Capital:- The human resource department is considered
to be the most important department as it helps in recruiting a with pool of skilled
and talented employees in the organisation. Manpower is a very useful asset for
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any organisation, that helps in the production department of the organisation. The
HR department is required to hire and recruit a pool of talented employees from
the local market. Globalisation creates positive impact on HR because it helps to
recruit new people in the business.
2. Corporate and Cultural Differences:- In every organisation, there are some
differences from the cultural point of view. In TNT express, the business owners
are having their own culture at the workplace (Bratton and Gold, 2017). For
example, employees are belong to different types of culture so that it create major
impact on corporate business.
 Workforce Diversity:- It is something that can be defined as bringing together various
people at a workplace. The workplace in TNT express will be comprising various
employees having different types of experience; belong to a different backgrounds and
having undoubtedly different traits in them. It is affected because of following reasons:-
1. Employment Laws:- It is the key factor that affects the laws related to the employment. In
every company the laws keeps on changing with the amendments made in them. The
laws in organisation should be on the basis of age group of employees working over
there; any type of physical disability.
2. By Promoting Diverse Activities:- In this way, the HR personnel can retain a lot of
employees. Informal meetings and orientation programmes should be encouraged in
order to make a creative environment.
2. Evaluating Changes In The HR Policy And Practices
There are organisations that rarely focus and are aware about the changes in policy and
are having the least intention of creating utter confusion at the workplace. It is not like that
changes will always determine in positive or negative, it could be anything, sometimes positive
and sometimes negative but, whatever changes going to be there in the organisation will affect a
number of people and all of them would be having a different reaction. In HR strategy, it is
essential to focus on different practices that helps to promote effective results at workplace. In
this regard, provide flexible working helps to increase significant advantages in the business.
Following are the changes:-
 Operational Policy Changes:- TNT express, is such an organisation where new
procedures are implemented and changes are made in the new equipments and software
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as directed by the policy of this organisation. Sometimes, there may are chances that the
tasks assigned to the employees and the managers may not be meeting the standards by
the score of their performance is required to be improved (Kavanagh and Johnsoneds.,
2017). The HR is having plans to give all the employees' facility of working on the word
PC instead of any other system. With this aspect, flexibility of working hours must be
implemented that assists to focus on working pattern of the organisation in effective
manner.
 Employee policy Changes:- There might be changes in the policy of employees that are
either working or have been recruited in TNT express. Now, the changes could be in
respect of the attendance; leave or training and it often affects the performance of the
organisation. Through this, the employee dissatisfaction and low morale could be
recognised in a better way. By offering such type of facility will motivate the employees
to work with the organisation for a longer time period.
There could be issues in the working of HR in an organisation, because of trends like
workforce diversity and impact of globalisation on the strategic framework designed by the HR
personnel. The workforce diversity in the organisation like TNT express, would be affected
because when there will be employees from different backgrounds having different cultures, and
traditions then, it will be better for the HR department to exercise such things in the organisation
also (Stone and Deadrick, 2015). The reason behind this is, the employees will feel better in
respect of working with such organisations. In all types of organisations irrespective of whether
they are public; private and voluntary some such issues are arising due to which the employees
are not comfortable in working over there. In different sector, distinctive HR issues occurs that
create major impact on particular sector. In private sector, mainly wages payment is major issue
that create big impact on the TNT. Furthermore, in public sector commercial accountability is
issue that impact on the functioning of the business. As a result, it can be stated that environment
in which commercial organisation must be develop with executive power. In third sector,
policies must be implemented to solve issue of decision-making that is important to make
changes in business.
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ACTIVITY 2
Evaluation Of HR Theory To Specific Organisation
HR theory which is best suited for this organisation over here is Adam's Equity Theory.
TNT express is one of the leading courier service organisation in UK. The theory was given by
John Adams in the year 1963. The theory mainly focuses on the comparison of working style and
patterns of TNT express with that of DHL express. Working pattern followed by the TNT
express in organisation is providing flexible working hours to the employees as per their comfort
and suitability on the other hand, DHL is such an organisation that, provides leave benefits and
other facilities to its employees (Taylor; Doherty and McGraw, 2015).
The theory mainly works on Inputs and Outputs. Inputs can be defined as the efforts that
are made by the employees in the work and outputs can be defined as something which is given
by the organisation to its employees in the form of rewards. In order to consider Adam's theory,
it can be stated that individual contribution contain as inputs which expects to gain certain
rewards. Therefore, it validates to exchange for individual that helps to rectify inequality. In
order to exchange relationships, individual input and outcomes compared with another person on
the basis of overpaid, underpaid and equity.
The practices followed by the TNT express in the organisation are:-
 Flexible Work Arrangements:- It is such a type of work arrangement in which following
types of benefits were availed by the employees:-
1. Customized Working Hours:- Here, TNT express facilitates its employees to
choose the working hours as per their own comfortability. This facility is like a
great perk for the employees. It includes the employees that are having more
energy or feel more energetic in morning and there are some other employees
who feel more energetic in the evening.
2. Part – Time Job Working:- This facility refers to the employees who prefer
working as a part - time employee instead of full - time. In some cases, part - time
working leads to increase in the overall productivity.
3. Job Sharing:- It refers to the sharing of work profile with an employee of equal
rank or to share the assigned task with someone who is also working on the same
post.
So, such type of facilities are offered to the employees working in TNT express.
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 Performance Management:- It is something, in which the HR of an organisation measures
the performance of its employees by using various methods and techniques in order to
give appraisal to the best performing employees in the organisation. In this case, TNT
express evaluates the performance of its employees by using following techniques:-
1. 360 Degree Feedback:- This tool refers to taking of feedback from the peer group
members; customers; supervisors and suppliers and so on. TNT express is doing
the feedback of its employees on this basis only. On the other hand, DHL express
is not using any such technique.
2. Performance Management Frameworks:- It is considered to be such a framework
of management where balanced scorecard of all the employees is maintained.
TNT express is using such a scorecard in order to have a clarity in communicating
with the employees in respect of objectives of the enterprise. On the other hand,
DHL express also follows the same with the motive of monitoring the progress of
employees in the organisation and to keep an eye on their performance and
activities (Tung, 2016). E-Recruitment:- It refers to the hiring of employees through online recruitment in the
organisation by accepting their applications either through mails; social media; jobs listed
on the websites etc. Following are the ways in it:-
1. E-Mails:-In TNT express, the candidates are selected through emails. The HR
manager is required to check the format of mail whether, the candidate is having
knowledge of writing the drafts in a professional manner or not. On the other
hand, the DHL express is exercising walk in interview to check the physical
appearance of candidate.
2. Online Job Listings:- The candidates can send their CV to the organisation by
checking, their online presence and visiting their websites. DHL express is not
exercising it.
3. 540 performance appraisals: 540 degree of performance appraisal consider
where additional group asked to contribute their participation. In this regard,
several stakeholders taking important part in business objectives. It expected in
TNT to expected and create high performance role. It is the same as 360 degree
but with added dimension of customer feedback.
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ACTIVITY 3
Implementation Of Management Strategies; Models And Concepts
In an organisation, management strategies are required to be implemented in a better way
with the motive of, extending the life of business in the corporate world. In this case, some
changes are made in the already existing strategies of business. If the changes will not be made
in the management strategies of business then, the organisation will not be able to survive in the
business in the long run (Rachid, Mohamed and Khouaja, 2018). TNT express is focusing on
making such management strategies that are as follows:-
 Lewin's Change Management Model:- It is considered to be one of the most popular
method and approach that allows keeping an eye on the understanding of complete
process. It includes three stages in this model:-
1. Unfreezing the existing model:- It is considered to be the first stage in the process
of change. In this step, TNT express must be prepared to accept the change along
with the fact that, change is must and also crucial. The unfreezing plays an
important role by the score of, a lot of people around the world try to make their
efforts in order to get adjust and resisting the change. Here, the organisation is
also required to do self examination of its products and services (Lasserre, 2017).
2. Making changes and modifying it:- In this case, the organisation is required to
make the changes and to modify the existing product. This generally takes time to
get complete because people or the employees working here, spend their time to
understand; explore all the new things and whatever is happening around them.
This stage demands, leadership with the motive of leading the entire organisation
and the team members in the right direction and also making changes in the entire
process (Iy, Abdelrahman and Majid, 2018).
3. Refreezing it by making entire changes in strategy:- It refers to the situation,
where the changes and the modifications made are required to be accepted and
implemented by the people.
 Kotter’ 8-Step Change model:- It is one of the most popular and generally accepted
model in the corporates. This model is given by John P. Kotter. This model is having
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eight stages, where focus is laid on the principles related with the response and behaviour
of people to change. The eight stages are as follows:-
1. Increase Urgency:- It refers to increasing the sense of urgency among the people
with the motive of motivating them to move towards the attainment of goals and
objectives.
2. Team Building:- It refers to the involvement of right people in the team that are
having a proper skill set; knowledge and commitment.
3. Get The Vision Correct:- It refers to taking in account not only a proper strategic
framework but, also creativity; emotional connection and objectives (Aryee,
Walumbwa and Otaye, 2016).
4. Communication:- It refers to doing communication with people in respect of
change and not only this, it is also an important part of theory given by Kotter.
5. To Bring Things In Action:- In order to get the things done in a proper way, a
proper support should be given along with this, the hindrances and obstacles
coming in between should be removed and feedback should be implemented in a
better and more constructive way.
6. Focus To Be Made On Short Term Goals:- The organisation TNT express should
focus on achieving the short term goals and on dividing the bigger goal into
smaller and achievable tasks so as to achieve more success without too much
pressure (Stone, Deadrick and Johnson, 2015).
7. Don't Surrender:- To keep focused and moving persistently towards the goal
without surrendering or giving up, is the key to achieve success in a better way
irrespective of how tough the situation gets.
8. Incorporate Change:- Instead of managing the things in an effective manner, it is
also very important to have a rein on it.
 Nudge Theory:- It is a theory or a concept, that finds itself to be useful in behavioural
sense and political theory, but it can also be applied to change the management in an
organisation as well as in business. Nudging someone refers to encouraging them and
inspiring them to change which is the basic crisp of this theory. The theory plays a
significant role in TNT, that there are many such nudges all around which are not helpful
and which can be accidental. The theory mainly seeks to work on the management of
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chosen business but also on the deep understanding of many such factors that influences
behaviour of an employee or a co-worker. This theory is much more sophisticated than,
the others (Cunningham, 2016).
ACTIVITY 4
Monitoring And Evaluation Techniques Of HR
Monitoring and evaluation techniques consider growing importance in development
community. It allows including several development activities that assists to learn from
experience to accomplish better results. TNT consider different types of monitoring which
includes process monitoring, technical monitoring, assumption monitoring, etc. As critically
evaluation, In order to gain sustainable performance and growth potential consequences
implement as best fit to emphasis on accomplish competitive advantages and set benchmarking
with key performance indicators. In order to review this process, the chosen business set
benchmarking in the process where they set certain numbers against competitors with using
collection of metrics. Following are different tools and techniques can be used as monitoring and
evaluation techniques of HR: Performances indicators: In this consideration, I had measured that different elements
can be taken with inputs, processes, outputs, outcomes and assessment of development
interventions in TNT. They are used for setting targets and measurement progress for
assessment of performance indicators (Singh and Rao, 2015). Logical framework approach: As critical evaluation, this approach helps to identify
objectives and expected with causal links to assess risks with results. In this framework, it
is essential to engage partners and help to improve programme designs. As a result, more
logical program improve positive results in TNT. Theory based evaluation: It is similar to logical frameworks so that it provides deeper
understanding and knowledge to work in complex intervention. It assists to create plan
and management with identifying critical success factors. As a result, evaluation can be
successfully develop to ascertained significant advantages. Formal survey: Furthermore, as critical understanding these can be used to collect
standardised information in TNT as a sample of people. Therefore, it is useful for
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