Strategic HRM Report: Marks & Spencer Analysis - BTEC Level 7

This report provides a comprehensive analysis of Strategic Human Resource Management (SHRM) within the context of Marks & Spencer (M&S). It begins with an introduction to SHRM, emphasizing its importance in aligning HR activities with business objectives, particularly in recruitment, retention, and employee development. The report delves into M&S's organizational structure, objectives, and the impact of the current business environment. It examines the working procedures of the organization, focusing on recruitment, retention, and management of human capital resources, and assesses the business factors underpinning HR planning. A detailed human resource plan is developed, covering recruitment, retention, training, and development. The report explores the purpose of HR policies, major regulatory requirements, organizational charts, and the impact of organizational culture on human resource management. It also evaluates how the effectiveness of human resource management is monitored and proposes strategies for improvement, concluding with a summary of key findings and recommendations.

Strategic Human Resource
Management

Contents
INTRODUCTION...........................................................................................................................1
MAIN BODY..................................................................................................................................1
1. Introduction the organisation and discuss the chosen organisational aims and objectives.....1
2. Discuss the working procedure of the organisation and assess the activities pertaining to
recruitment, retention and management of important human capital resources..........................3
3. Analyse the business factors that underpin HR planning and assess human resource
requirements................................................................................................................................7
4. Develop a human resource plan for recruitment, retention, training and development.........11
5. Explain the purpose of having human resource management policies..................................12
6. Choose a minimum of three or more major regulatory requirements which are influencing
firm............................................................................................................................................13
7. A visual depiction of the current organisation charts and discusses the major characteristics
of firm’s organisational structure...............................................................................................14
8. Impact of organisational culture on management of human resources in establishment......16
9. Examine how effectiveness of human resource management is monitored..........................17
10. How can the effectiveness of human resources management can be improved..................19
CONCLUSION..............................................................................................................................19
REFERENCES..............................................................................................................................20

INTRODUCTION
Strategic human resource organization is the series of different actions and processes that
assist to connect the HR utility with the business venture’s aims and goals in the company to
develop the execution in effective form. Getting attention and retaining skilled people in the
form is important but challenging work and task in current time altering or active company
world. In that refernce it is much crucial for an establishment to choose the accurate individual
nevertheless no approach employment in accurate and effective form (Boon and et. al., 2018, p.
29). SHRM is the immense idea of administrating individual which is based on their value
structure that human source are one of most exclusive assets to maintain in the company
atmosphere for long period. To achieve efficient from of results, it is highly essential for
company to constantly describe own proficiency and initiative to stay rivalry in marketplace.
Another main concentration on the SHRM is to assure the organisational civilization, method
and construction of venture and excellence, obligation and encouragement is crucial to
accomplish the company aims and goals in possible way. This report is maintained to Marks &
Spencer which is the British multinational retail sector company and operates its business
intentionally. The corporation operate its business and specialised in clothing, home products and
food items in the wider marketplace. This written document will discuss about consequence of
tactical human source in the wider organisational perspective by considering the explanation
outside and improvements that instantly impact the HR approach in the company. Moreover, it
consists the existing hypothetical basis of HR development that assists to collect prospective
information and knowledge for taking efficient decisions. Major Regulatory requirements,
discussion of organisational chart and cultural factor will also discuss by considering contact of
organisational culture on administration of manpower. Further, will explain about efficiency of
workforce administration and how it can be improved in effective manner.
MAIN BODY
1. Introduction the organisation and discuss the chosen organisational aims and objectives
Overview of company- Marks & Spencer is a main British international retail corporation which
was incorporated in 1884 and is headquartered in London, England, UK (Jiang and Messersmith,
2018, p. 29). This organisation was established by Michael Marks and Thomas Spencer. There
are 80,000 individuals are employed by this company and create their involvement in operating
1

the company and performing business operation in effective manner. The firm run its business in
retail sector and specialises in buying garments, home products and food commodities. The
business venture has more than 1,380 outlets around the world in which 910 UK oulates,
considering over 220 owned and just about 350 franchise Simply Food stores.
Mission- The major purpose of M&S is “to create apparitional excellence available to all and
offer product at affordable cost.”
Vision- The main aim of the company is “to excite and motivate consumers at each turn and to
be standard against which others are evaluated.”
Objectives- The objective and motive of respective organisation is to construct a sustainable
company by consistent, gainful, growth and to make sure that responsibly in meeting business
responsibility to shareholders and wider stakeholders.
Current situation of the firm- In existing time, entire business sector organisations are
suffering issues with the Prior to the COVID19 impact, both major businesses were devising
good and effective success and growth in executing the transformation programme (Soltis, Brass
and Lepak, 2018, p. 12). However, the disturbance of this pandemic galvanised the employees
of M&S to secure the future of business. The company are analysed to learn from its response to
the crises and accelerate the transformation to assure that M&S is changed for good. In the face
of an unprecedented international issue, the best has been brought out of its 78,000 employees
who have performed their duties and responsibilities tirelessly to deliver for its target audiences.
The current situation of its financial data is that revenue of the enterprise is £10.2bn and profits
are £67m. To get over this current crisis situation, the firm emerge “Never the same again”
programme will accelerate its transformation and satisfy to potential to deliver long time,
sustainable and profitable development for stakeholder or investors, employees and others.
Importance of strategic HRM-
Human source administration is the organisational purpose which is concentrated on
employment, administration and offering direction for the workers of a company. Tactical human
resource administration is a measurement of human resource administration. Deliberate human
resource management is crucial as rather than concentrating on internal complexities of HR,
SHRM concentrate on tackle and resolving issues what consequence persons administration
associated complexities in the extended run internationally (Meyer, and Xin, 2018, p. 29). In
perspective of M&S, the main importance of SHRM is to maximise workers skills by directing
2

on business issues that occurs extrinsic of manpower. The performance that necessary to be
engaged at first for a tactical human resource administrator is to find key HR areas. SHRM also
replicate some of the existing issues suffered by human resource administration and permits
main determinations to better support established objectives and aims.
2. Discuss the working procedure of the organisation and assess the activities pertaining to
recruitment, retention and management of important human capital resources
Strategic human resource management
SHRM can be explained as the connecting of workforce with tactical aims and goals in
reference to grow company execution and improve organisational civilization that promotes
creation, flexibility and destructive benefits (Ren, Tang and Jackson, 2018, p. 35). In a company
SHRM states adopting and considering the HR purpose as a tactical associate in the formulation
and performance of the firm’s plan of action by HR activities like recruiting, choosing, training
and rewarding individuals. SHRM strategy is a business’s overall arrangement for administrating
its manpower to support it with its company actions. These plans of actions set the way for all
the main regions of HR, consisting recruitment, recital appraisal, improvement and recompense.
Human resource process is a method of bring possibility and visibility to a common
function of the HR division. This potentiality makes it easier for workers to interact with their
HR teams and assist human resource managers respond to workers with timeliness and accuracy.
There are several human resource processes and components like human resource planning,
recruitment, on boarding, Employee relations, compensation and benefits, performance
management and recruitment & selection which are critical for the efficient administration of a
business form. In M&S, the HRM division of the corporation effectively consider these process
and components for proper operating its business.
Components of HRM
There are numerous components of Human resource administration and these
components of the form are curial to recruit, retain and management of human resource with the
company (Li and et. al., 2018, p. 61). The description of them in context of M&S is as under:
Planning and organisation- It is main factor of HR function. it consists setting aims and
objectives, framing, evaluating and choosing strategies, tactics and policies needed for
accomplishing the goals and hit the target of M&S. The HRM division of respective company
assists management plan for future development
3

Recruitment and selection- It is an efficient component of human resource management which
is critical for selecting and hiring workers with the effective abilities and skills. In M&S, HR
recruiters of the company use effective process of recruitment and selection to hire competence
workforce that combine with the organisation’s civilization and have the abilities and ability to
constrain the enterprise foreword (Olson and et. al., 2018, p. 69). The recruitment activity
considers finding and explaining business needs, getting attention of prospective workforce and
choosing or employing the effective individual.
Compensation and performance- To stay aggressive in a extremely supple company
atmosphere, organisations must provide payments and advantage packages that get attention and
use performance measurements that can utilise to encourage, reward and retain these individual
till long term. To evaluate execution, the HR function of respective venture us a rage of tools an
methods, considering self and peer evaluations, target for targets for individual or teams and
workers appraisals.
Training and development- It is an important component that the HR division utilises to
retain workers. With the help of this component, the administration of M&S, organise teaching
and knowledge programmes or programmes so that employees can build expansion and
improvement in their abilities and knowledge by gaining information about things and
technology. It is also beneficial for the development of workforce at personal and professional
level. It also help M&S in making reduction in employee turnover and retaining them till long
time.
Functions of HRM
There are several functions of HRM and the explanation of them in reference to M&S is
as under:
Planning- It one of the main function in which number and type of workers are required
to attain organisational aims that are determined (Chapman and et. al., 2018, p. 24). In M&S, the
administration of the firm design an effective plan and frame strategies which also assist
administration to gather, determine and find out existing plus future demands in the respective
firm.
Organising- It is another effective function and in which, the HRM division of M&S
assign task to each employee according to their skills and ability so that they can perform on
better form regarding a common goal.
4

Staffing- It is the function of manpower recruitment, screening and selection executed in
M&S. In this function, HRM department of respective company hiring skilled employees and
perform activities for orientation, training, retention and termination of them.
Leading- It considers activating workers at diverse extent and devising them participating
high regarding origination aims (Nieves and Quintana, 2018, p. 18). In M&S, the administrator
direct and provide guidance to workforce so that they can execute their duty and hit target in
efficient way.
Controlling- It is an effective function that is crucial to control employee, work and their
performance. In M&S, the administration formulates plan and strategies to control work and task
and conduct performance measurement activity to control employees and their execution.
Strategic nature of HRM
Strategic HRM is a method and approach that explains how the company’s aims will be
attained by employees by states of HR approaches and included HR polices and activities.
Strategic HR is not just about tactical preparation, nor does it only transaction with the
formulation of personnel HR plans of actions. Its major disquiet is with integrate what HR does
and tactics to do with what the exchange does and tactics to do.
Key Policy goals of HRM
Human resource is one of the crucial factors of a solid business model. Without effective
human resource management, a company like M&S infrastructure becomes fragmented,
hindering organisation’s productivity and strategic goals (Pham, Tučková and Jabbour 2019, p.
72). There are some key goals for effective human resource management that can help in
development. They are as:
 Enables the company reach its aims and objectives.
 Assures efficient use and maximum development of human resource.
 Finds out and fulfils the demands of personnel.
 Accomplishes and maintains high morale between workforces.
 Offers the establishment with well trained and well motivated employees,
 Develops workers capabilities to execute the current job position.
Roles of SHRM
Tactical human resource administration plays an important with the organisation. In
M&S, SHRM play effective role of employee engagement, introduce best practices, improve HR
5

effectiveness etc. For better employee involvement they use open communication so that
employees of respective firm can appropriate share their views with their superior and properly
engage with firm. Highly engage workers are much less likely to quit and much more likely to be
safe and productive (Al-Qudah, Obeidat and Shrouf, 2020, p. 18). It develops the firm and assists
to retain talent as engaged workers are satisfied with their jobs and take pride in the firm.
SHRM benefits
Tactical human resource administration is crucial for an organisation like M&S and offer
several positive outcomes. The description of some benefits of SHRM is as beneath:
 It makes contribution in improving execution.
 It assures maximised workforce and productivity of company.
 It maximises survival rate of establishment as an entity.
 It minimise employee turnover rate.
Harvard Model
The Harvard framework model for strategic HRM is a concept that considers six factors
and the explanation of this model in reference to M&S is as below:
Stakeholder interest- It is the first phase of this model and in M&S these stakeholders
consists shareholders, administration, employees, national authority and other investors who
make their contribution in organization of company in effective manner (Ferraris, A., Erhardt, N.
and Bresciani, S., 2019, p. 30). These interest describe the HRM polices.
Situational factors- It is another step of Harvard model and considers components like
workers characters, amalgamations and business approach and circumstances, administration
attitude all the other elements.
HRM policies- Situational features and stakeholder attention manipulate HRM policies.
It considers HR actions such as employment, teaching, performance measurement, performance
appraisal and reward systems etc.
HRM outcomes- Human resource management policies direct favourable HRM results.
In M&S, this factor considers the past declared preservation, cost efficiency, obligation and
capability.
6

Long term consequences- It is the final phase and last component of this model of HRM
which mention positive HRM results that direct to long term issues. These can be related to
individual, organisational and societal.
The mentioned model defines that all the business firms will record accomplishment in
organisations execution offered they find out, gain commitment to and put in place a set f human
resource management activity (von Bonsdorff and et. al., 2018, p. 44). In context of M&S, it is a
situation where definition of venture’s goals, polices and strategies, lists if practices and breaking
down roles of the division of HR are updated and if they are same to the situation of the
company.
HR strategy, through a different kind of best activities, shapes, employee knowledge and
skills, develops work motivation and offers the growth option and the means or employees to
supply. With the human source organization division of the corporation implement effective
plans and strategies then it assist in improving the performance of the firm as employees perform
in better form.
3. Analyse the business factors that underpin HR planning and assess human resource
requirements
PESTEL analysis
It is a tactical instrument and model that is utilised and considered by management of a
corporation to decide the external factors (Kim and Ployhart, 2018, p. 61). The description of this
model in reference to M&S is as under:
Political- M&S has been preferred through EC’s free operate conformity and have lead to
minimised resource expenses. Higher cost arrangement has demerit M&S in international
marketplace. The organisation is recognized for its plan a CSR proposal but need of simplicity of
7

UK administration on energy competence system which unfavourably affects respective
programmes.
Economical- M&S is influenced by rivals inexpensive costing. M&S’s concentrates on
superior excellence which only lead to small term loss and consumers were get attention to
excellence with value. In current time, the respective firm suffer with the issue and situation of
recession, cause of COVID19 pandemic (Peccei and Van De Voorde, 2019, p. 45). Due to
which, the suppliers are increased their cost of raw material and commodities. Declining oil
prices unfavourably exaggerated stores execution in UAE and Middle Eastern countries.
Social- It considers cultural, beliefs, values, taste & preference, demographics and other
components. Modify over from baby boomers into the generation x and millennial need altering
approach to cater for the new segment. Baby boomers are now mainly leave and no longer the
prime deliberation. Attention in the organic and green manufacture needs rethinking which
brands to push.
Technological- M&S has sturdy social media and online attendance so it is well
positioned to exploit on this way. In current era, consumers are highly concentrated on
knowledge and desire mobile commerce and online retailing for shopping. The administration of
respective company effectively uses technology in its business in firm of offering online or
mobile shopping services. This positively influences the business performance and productivity
of company.
Legal- It refers to those laws and legislations that are surrounded and devised by national
authorities for efficient running of industry. It considers employment law, health and safety law,
consumer protection act and many more. The respective company properly follow customer
defence act and egalitarianism act which positively influence the firm. Due to COVID19, there
are several kinds of changes or fluctuations occurred in laws and government policies which
affect the company in unfavourable.
Environmental- It indicates to climate, weather, environmental laws, pollution act,
carbon footprints and many more. The company effectively follow environmental act which
positively affect the business of venture (Doz, 2020, p. 30). It also use waste and recycling
process that help in making reduction in wastage of the firm and maintain inventory of
organisation.
SWOT analysis
8

Strengths Weaknesses
 It is one of the most influential retail
brands with a top of the mind recall.
 The company has more than approx
1000 stores present across 40 nations
and 80,000 employees from a part of
the workforce internationally.
 Immense rivalry from other trade
brands means restricted market share.
 Being a trendy brand, they require to
defends their brand from mistreatment
of fake imitation goods (Tang and et.
al., 2018, p. 65).
Opportunities Threats
 To expand its business in that nations in
which the firm is not exists such as
developing nations like China & India.
 They can commence new market
divisions that proffer more earnings.
 Fluctuations in government policies
and laws affect the business.
 M&S being an international retailer
means they are interpretation to diverse
political facts in nations they work in.
Various roles required to meet strategic need
Navigator- In this leader, the individual works rapidly and obviously to contract with
complexities, resolves issues and takes benefits of different growth options to pressure existing
work and individual. In M&S, the guide role of the manager devises the leader to determine a
large amount of problematic data, appreciate the root cause of the issues and find out the feasible
and most favourable explanation.
Strategist- It is another role that assists the leader to improve and frame a long term
strategy and set targets to match the vision of company like M&S. The strategy is concentrated
on formulation of future plans and needed actions immediately.
Captivator- In M&S, playing the role of captivator, the planned manager continues to
construct assurance between workers and generates favourable opinion and a civilization of
affection and belongingness (Ambrosius, 2018, p. 60). In this role, the individual exchanges the
ability of workers in to useful result for the company so that strategic need of firm can meet.
Organisational chart of Marks & Spencer
The management of M&S follows a flat organisational organization; this kind of
organisational organization has limited levels of administration among management level and
front like workforce. This arrangement is pursued in company to motivate workers more decision
9

making activity. This kind of organisational chart is considered by respective firm to minimise
bureaucracy and make workers more skilled by authorizing them to make determinations. Due to
less administration extent announcement among upper administrators and base line manpower
became easy which permits fast modification and conflict resolution.
Model for HRM demand and supply
Human source provide forecasting is the activity of approximation accessibility of human
resource pursued after command for testing of manpower. For forecasting supply of human
assets the company like M&S require to deem interior and exterior provide, Interior provider of
workforce accessible by method of relocate, promotions, leave workers and remember of
arranged off workers etc. Source of exterior provider of employees is accessibility of labour
strength in marketplace and new employment (Boon and et. al., 2018, p. 29). External supply of
M&S’s manpower is based on some components like provide and stipulate of employment, rate
of inhabitants, industrial growth and many more. The most crucial tool for forecasting of human
resource provide is Succession examination and Markov investigation. The description of them
is as under in reference to M&S:
Succession analysis- When a venture forecast the demand for labour, it requires an
indication of the company’s labour supply. In M&S, the management can analyse that how many
individual are doing their job in present time in several job categories. The planner then modifies
this analysis to reflect modifications desired in the near future in form of outcomes like
promotion, retirement and transfer etc.
10