Human Resource Management: Flexible Working and Outsourcing Strategies

This report provides a comprehensive analysis of flexible working and outsourcing practices within Human Resource Management (HRM), using Tesco as a case study. The report begins by defining flexible working and outlining the reasons for its increasing adoption by organizations, including enhanced employee productivity, job satisfaction, and improved talent retention. The report then critically evaluates outsourcing as a practice, examining its advantages, such as cost reduction and focus on core competencies, alongside its disadvantages, including potential loss of control and security risks. Practical examples of outsourced HR activities are discussed. The report incorporates academic and professional references and adheres to Harvard referencing style. The report highlights the importance of HRM in achieving organizational goals and objectives, emphasizing the need for effective management of people to gain a competitive advantage.

Human resource
management
Table of Contents
1

INTRODUCTION...........................................................................................................................3
MAIN BODY...................................................................................................................................3
Define flexible working and outline the reasons why organisations are....................................3
Increasing flexibility of working patterns...................................................................................3
Provide critical evaluation of outsourcing as a practice..............................................................6
Explain Practical examples of outsourced HR activities and provide an evaluation that
demonstrates how such approaches works in practice................................................................7
CONCLUSION .............................................................................................................................10
REFERENCES..............................................................................................................................11
2

INTRODUCTION
Human resource management refer to the all the activities done to manage people at work
place in order to gain effective outcomes and achievement of goals and objectives (Stewart, and
Brown, 2019). Human resource management ensure that effective performance of people can be
achieved so that it could provide business better productivity and growth in the market. Effective
use of HRM function could help the organization to gain better growth and profitability in the
business. This report is based on Tesco, firm is British multinational retail organization works in
groceries and general merchandise. Organization is third largest retailer by the revenues. Human
resource management in company focus on effective management of people at workplace, in
order to gain competitive advantages and growth in the market. This report includes information
about the importance of flexible working and why organizations are increasing flexibility of
work patterns. Also includes critical evaluation of outsourcing and various examples of
outsourcing that have impact on the organization.
MAIN BODY
Define flexible working and outline the reasons why organisations are
Increasing flexibility of working patterns.
Flexible working refers to the flexibility in the working hours that allows workers to alert
workday time start and finish. it refer to the noon traditional working partners that take into the
consideration because of the needs and wants of the individual. It also involves degree of the
working hours from home or flexible timings(Armstrong, and Taylor, 2020). This helps the
individual to gain effective result by fulfilling the personal needs and wants, it provide better
working place to the employees and increase their efficiency in order to provide organization
better productivity and growth. Also employees feel motivated towards the work place so that
they can help the business to gain effective outcome and success in the market. In the context of
Tesco, company can use this approach to provide better working place to the employees and gain
effectiveness in the market. Providing employees flexible working hours help them to stay
motivated and encourage towards the achievement of goals and objectives within the workplace.
It can help the employees of the Tecso to gain better work life balance and lower level of stress
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level and absence. Company can use this approach to provide better workplace to the employee
and retain them for long term with the organization.
Providing employees logistical tasks associated with the flexitime is helps to recording
and managing each employee’s hours to ensure that they still fulfilling their contractual
obligations. Thus, providing flexible working place to the employee could be beneficial for the
business and productivity of the Tesco. It can also help employee to gain better growth and
effectiveness in working environment. Also its could help the business to retain employees for
long period of time and gain better outcomes with their effective growth. Flexible timing of the
working provides employees job satisfaction and gain better growth with the organization.
Below is detail explanation of various reasons for increasing the flexibility of working practices
in the organization.
Enables employees to produces: Flexible working hours provide employee facility to
produce better and provide effective quality of production to the employee. It also provide better
working environment to the employee so that they can effectively complete their work and
provide better growth to the business(Michael, 2019). Flexible working environment help the
business to gain effective outcomes from the employee by providing them effective timings
according to their personal needs and wants and growth in the market. In the context of tesco,
company also provide better working hours according to the needs and wants of the employees
and their growth in the market. They provide night and morning sifts to the works according to
their preference so that they can provide effective growth and fulfilment of expectation of the
business for their jobs.
Job satisfaction: Effective working hours provide employees job satisfaction and morals
within the businesses. So that they can provide growth and effectiveness in the business also
better productivity. also flexible working helps employees to gain better growth and
effectiveness in the jobs they are performing for the organization(Ferraris, Erhardt, and
Bresciani, 2019). Flexible working environment help employee to work according to their needs
and wants so that during the working hours they can provide effective growth to the business and
better level of profitability. In the context of tesco, company provide the working shifts to the
employees according to their preference so that when they work for the business they can
provide business better outcomes and increase level of morals in the businesses. Also its help
employee to gain better job satisfaction and growth within the work place and gain effectiveness
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in the productivity. company can increase the level of job satisfaction and employee moral by
providing them effective and healthy working environment with more profitability and growth in
the market.
Better retention in company with flexible working hours: With the use of flexible
working hours company can gain better growth and profitability in the market by increasing the
level of job satisfaction and employee productivity in the business (Boon, Den Hartog, and
Lepak, 2019). Also it helps business to retain skilled and talented employee for the long period
of time so that they can help business to gain competitive advantages in the market. It also
provide business effective quality of product and services so that they can attract more customers
in the business and gain better profit.
Wider choice of talent: With the use of flexible working environment companies are
able to attract talented and skilled employee in the business so that they can help the business to
achieve goals and objectives in most effective manner(Boella, and Goss-Turner, 2019).
Talented and skilled employee work in suitable working environment, where they can provide
better productivity and growth in the business. Better choice of talent helps the business to gain
effective productivity and growth in the market. Businesses can achieve better growth and
profitability in the market when they attract talented and capable employee for the work place. In
the context of the Tesco company provide better opportunity to the employee to work
independently so that they can produce better quality of product and services. It helps the
employee to stay motivated towards the business and gain better insight about the future growth.
Better mental health: flexible working provides employees better satisfaction from the
job they are doing also it provides better mental health to them. They feel better when they are
doing better growth within the business (Macke,and Genari, 2019). Also it provides them
effective working environment in the business also effective working environment in the
business. In the context of tesco, company provide healthy working environment to the
employees so that they can achieve personal and professional goals in the organization. Effective
working environment helps better growth and effectively provides insight about the business.
Thus, from the above discussion it can be understand that there are various factors of
flexible working environment that helps employees in better growth and achievement of job
satisfaction. Also it helps the business to gain better growth and productivity in the market.
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Provide critical evaluation of outsourcing as a practice.
Outsourcing is the business practices that help in hiring party form outside the company
to create goods and services that traditionally performed by the company and its staff members
and employees. It helps the business to cut the cost of production and gain better probability
support wide range of jobs, ranging from the customer support to the manufacturing in the back
office of organization (Chams,and García-Blandón, 2019). It focuses on the cost aspect of the
business to deal with the communication between the company and outside providers. It helps to
gain better profitability and growth in the market and also to achieve goals and objectives of the
business. Outsourcing helps the business to gain better productivity and growth in the market so
that company can achieve its objectives and goals. It reduces labour cost and production cost for
the business. It helps the business to gain effective growth and profitability in the market. With
the use of outsourcing business can gain better competitive advantages in the market. By the
effective utilization of out sourcing business can gain better insight about the productivity and
growth of the business. Outsourcing helps businesses to gain better productivity and growth in
the market so that company can gain effective growth in the market. Below are various pros and
cones of the outsourcing in the context of tesco.
Advantages and disadvantages of Outsourcing:
Main advantages of outsourcing are it helps businesses to reduce operating cost and
labour cost. It also assists company to gain better insight about the productivity so that company
can gain competitive advantages. Outsourcing focus on the company’s core competencies so that
it help to gain better competitive advantages in the market so that it can increase profitability in
the business(Meijerink,and Keegan,2019). It helps company to make effective utilization of the
internal sources while using external sources. Use of the resources for the other use can help the
business to manage work balance in the organization and to gain effective growth in the market.
This helps the business to gain productive outcome in the market by analysing the need of
resources and growth in the market. It helps business to improve flexibility in the business
efficiency by delegating responsibilities that are difficult to manage and control to external
companies. Reduction of the cost increase better growth and profitability in the market.
Company can find some effective workers for the production that can help in better growth and
effective level of profitability. Also the core team of the business may not have some basic skills
and outsourcing can help the business to gain all the efforts by the professionals and increase the
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level of profitability. Also it can help the business to get things done faster for the better
outcomes and profitability. It also enhance freedom of the business to do something creative in
order to gain effective outcomes and growth in the competitive market. However there are
various disadvantages of outsourcing that could impact the business and employee turnover.
If in company some external companies are working the owner may loss control over
something in the business and that could be threat for the company and its production level.
Company can trust their hire employees more than some external sources that could impact the
business and its production level (Meijerink and Keegan, 2019). In the business there are also
various security risks that they could face due to the outsourcing in the business and it can be
threat for the future growth and effectiveness of the business in the market. It could also impact
the business by losing the customer data in the market, competitor may get benefits for the data
of respective company. In outsourcing companies face impact on the quality due the external
workers and freelancers and it could impact the level of profitability in the business. Company
may not be able to gain standard quality of the goods and services by the external sources.
Outsourcing may be cost effective for the company can its growth in the market and that could
impact the benefits in the market. Company face loss due to the quality of product and services
provided by the external sources and that could impact the business of the respective
organization(Iqbal, 2020). Further, employee of the company may feel insecure due to the
external workers and it impacts their production level in the business. Also it can reduce the
morals of the employees in the organization and increase their benefits in the market. Also there
are various impact on the production system of the company and it could impact the level of
profitability in the market.
In the context of tesco, company can gain benefits and demerits from the
outsourcing in the business. It could be beneficial for the company if they use it in most effective
manner. However company face challenges due the risk and uncertainties in the outsourcing and
it could impact the business and its profitability. Employee may face issues due to external
workers and agencies and it could reduce their morals and level of effectiveness in the business.
Explain Practical examples of outsourced HR activities and provide an evaluation that
demonstrates how such approaches works in practice.
Human resource of outsourcing may adopt any department in the organization that could
impact the in both business and its profitability. Company can use many department of human
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resources for outsourcing in the market. Various functions of the human resources can be
managed by the outsource in the business and it could impact the production and profitability of
the business in the market. Below are various human resources activities that can be done
outsourcing in the business.
 Payroll management: Company can use outsourcing in the human resource department
as payroll management that helps business to increase the benefits and reduce the tine
waste in the business (Warner, ed., 2020). Payroll management could be difficult task for
the company and external sources can help the business to gain effectiveness and growth
in the market. It can help the business to save time and funds in order to gain better
outcomes in the future and gain better business growth in the market. It helps company
to manage right payroll at the business and increase the level of effectiveness and growth
of the business. Company can also hire online payroll for the business so that it can
enhance the data security in the business and helps in the effectiveness.
 Staff reward and reorganization management: One of the main responsibilities of
human resources manager is to provide actual rewards and benefits to the employees
according to the performance and productivity in the market. Company can hire outside
staff to perform this activity in the business that help the business to provide fair benefits
to the employee without any fauvism in the business. Sometimes performing all the
activities could be an difficult task for the human resources department and outsourcing
may help in better management of the activities and gain benefits in the business.
External specialist can done this task in most effective manner and provide business
better growth and effective profitability in the business to gain benefits and growth in the
market.
 Recruitment and selection of the employees: Outsourcing can help the business to gain
effective talent management in the business for better growth and profitability it can help
the business to gain better insight about the goals and objectives of effective team
members(Morgeson, Brannick, and Levine, 2019). Outsourcing may help the business
to recruit talented and capable employees in the business so that business can get
effective out come and profitability in the business. Requirement function of the human
resource is one of the major task that business perform, and outside professionals can
help the business to get right person for the right job in order to gain effective outcomes
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and growth of the business in the market. Effective team base help the business to gain
better quality of product and services and growth in the market and gain effective
outcomes in the business.
 Risk management: Outsourcing in the business can help to perform one of the major
tasks of the company is risk management. It assists business to gain better growth and
profitability in the market and enhance its profitability by reducing the risk and
increasing business security. Outsourcing risk management can helps the business to
increase the level of efficiency of the business and gain actual benefits from the
resources. It ensure that business gain effective outcomes and increase the level of secure
business activities. It helps the business to increase control over the damage and activities
that impact the business and its profitability level.
Human resource management theories:
There are various theories of human resource management in the business that could
impact the business and its employee base in the market these theories can help the business to
influence the employees for the better outcomes and growth in the market(Barrena-Martinez,
López-Fernández, and Romero-Fernández, 2019). Below is Maslow’s hierarchy of need theory
that can help the business to understand the human behaviour and employee motivation level in
the business.
Maslow’s theory of needs:
This theory explain the importance of human resource needs and wants in the business and how
those needs and wants impact the level of effectiveness in the motivation level. In this the first
step of needs that every employee wants to fulfil in the business is Physiological needs this are
the basic needs of the human being that needs to be fulfil in order to stay motivated in the
business. Safety needs these needs of employee increase the level of job safety in the business
that every employee wants in order to get effective outcomes in the organization. Belonging
needs these are the personal needs of the employee that needs to be fulfilled in order to make
employee motivated in the business(Pham, Tučková, and Jabbour, 2019). Esteem needs are the
most important factor of the employee needs in the business where employee want strength in
the business and the position they deserve so that it can motivate them for better growth. Self-
actualization needs of the employee are highly attain by the business so that they can feel capable
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in the business can gain effective growth. All the needs of the employee needs to be fulfilled in
order to make them motivated and grow with the business and gain effective outcomes.
CONCLUSION
From the above information it can be conclude that flexible working environment helps the
business to gain better productivity and growth in the market. Also it helps in employee to
produce better productivity and to gain effective growth in the market. Outsourcing practices
helps the employee to gain better growth and achievement of goals and objectives. There are
various advantages and disadvantages of outsourcing that could impact the business and its
effectiveness in the market.
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REFERENCES
Books and Journals
Stewart, G.L. and Brown, K.G., 2019. Human resource management. John Wiley & Sons.
Armstrong, M. and Taylor, S., 2020. Armstrong's handbook of human resource management
practice.
Michael, A., 2019. A handbook of human resource management practice.
Boon, C., Den Hartog, D.N. and Lepak, D.P., 2019. A systematic review of human resource
management systems and their measurement. Journal of management, 45(6), pp.2498-
2537.
Boella, M.J. and Goss-Turner, S., 2019. Human resource management in the hospitality
industry: A guide to best practice. Routledge.
Macke, J. and Genari, D., 2019. Systematic literature review on sustainable human resource
management. Journal of cleaner production, 208, pp.806-815.
Chams, N. and García-Blandón, J., 2019. On the importance of sustainable human resource
management for the adoption of sustainable development goals. Resources,
Conservation and Recycling, 141, pp.109-122.
Meijerink, J. and Keegan, A., 2019. Conceptualizing human resource management in the gig
economy. Journal of managerial psychology.
Meijerink, J. and Keegan, A., 2019. Conceptualizing human resource management in the gig
economy. Journal of managerial psychology.
Warner, M. ed., 2020. Human resource management in China revisited. Routledge.
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.
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.
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.
Iqbal, Q., 2020. The era of environmental sustainability: Ensuring that sustainability stands on
human resource management. Global Business Review, 21(2), pp.377-391.
Ferraris, A., Erhardt, N. and Bresciani, S., 2019. Ambidextrous work in smart city project
alliances: unpacking the role of human resource management systems. The International
Journal of Human Resource Management, 30(4), pp.680-701.
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