Report on Unilever: Organisational Design, HR and Structure Analysis

This report provides a comprehensive analysis of Unilever's organizational structure, focusing on its matrix design and the importance of organizational design theory. It delves into the company's approaches to human resource management, including situational and internal/external approaches, and explores how these approaches contribute to attracting, maintaining, developing, and rewarding human resources. The report examines the role of HR in driving change within the company and its impact on both the internal and external environments. Furthermore, it discusses emerging HR developments, such as the adoption of new technologies in production to reduce waste, and emphasizes the importance of continuous adaptation and employee development through training and learning sessions. The report concludes by highlighting the significance of organizational change and HR practices in achieving Unilever's strategic objectives, such as improving productivity and minimizing waste.

Value and Contribution
to Organisational

INTRODUCTION
Organisational change indicates to a process and activity which is accepted by an
organisation in context of modify and update their plan of actions, techniques, procedures,
culture and other acts. It can refer to any change that generate in the entire working environment
of the company. It is an essential characteristic of most companies and the firm must develop
adaptability to alter otherwise it will either be left behind or be swept away by the force of
change. Though the organisation capable to accomplish their objective in efficient manner
(Alaba and Oguntimehin, 2018). This assignment is supported to Unilever which is a British-
Dutch international user products organisation. This firm was established in 1929 and
headquartered in London UK. The products of this organisation consist food and beverages,
cleaning agents, beauty products and personal care commodities. This report will discuss about
overview of the company, its organisation's framework, concept of organisational arrangement
and two approaches affiliated to HR function. Further, will define the assessment of intrinsic and
extrinsic environs by using approaches. Evaluation of the relation between organisation's design
and change administration will also describe.
PART 1
Importance of organisational design theory in the context of organisational structure
Unilever is a British-Dutch transnational company it is known as dual listed public
limited organisation which operate its business in consumer goods industry. The respected
company was founded in 1929 by William Lever, 1st Viscount Leverhulme, James Darcy Lever,
Samual van den Bergh, Georg Schichy and Singrose. It include different products in its trade
goods like beauty products, personal care commodities, cleaning agents, food and beverage etc.
This company owns over 400 brands like Aviance, FDS, Tholl, Alsa, Lyons, Ben & Jerry, Omo,
Neutral and others. It is the oldest organisation which running its business globally more than
190 nations such as Spain, Canada, Colombia, Denmark and others. Unilever is operating
consumer good services which provide a range of products like food & beverage, beauty
products, cleaning and personal care goods etc. It There are estimated 163,000 employees who
are making their contribution in running the business of this firm in this sector (Andreoni, 2019).
This organisation has a originally listing on the London Stock Exchange and is a constitutive of
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the FTSE 100 index. The respective organisation is also a factor of the Euro Stoxx 50 market
index.
Organisation structure indicates to abstract of method that offer direction that how a
specific objective and aims. It will consist several actions like roles, responsibilities, rules,
organisation, allocation, coordination and supervision etc. which are directed toward the
accomplishment of company's aims and objectives (Arifin, 2015). In addition to this, it will
define about how info and message delivers from one extent to several in a firm. There are
different kind of organisation's framework such as horizontal, hierarchical, matrix, flat,
divisional, line, team based and network etc. Functional is describe as framework which follow
top to down system and in this company have specialised function for every departments.
Divisional structure is component in which each and every function are delegated on the basis of
products variety, location, consumer and technology. Matrix is an another type of organisational
structure in which there is aggregation of self controlled unit as well as functional unit. The
management of Unilever is followed Matrix organisational construction. In this artifact, the
reporting relationships are establish up as a grid or in term of matrix rather than in the traditional
hierarchy. In it, an employee report to more than one employer or senior as well as in this artifact
of the company is explained as solid line or dotted line reporting (Bamber and Stefani, 2016).
By following this, the respective firm able to offer efficacious training to their strategical
administrator as well as it also improve the effectivity of the departmental administrator.
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Source: Matrix Organizational Structure,(2020).
Organisation design is explained as a process which is utilise to adjust company's
framework of a firm which assist in accomplishing objectives and goals in efficacious way. It
can be an creativity which includes the formulation of roles, procedures and frameworks to
assure that the company's aims can be completed (D'Onza and et. al., 2015). Though the
respective company is also capable to emerge its process as well as it also assist in improving the
profit margin ratio and market share. This is so because workforce get effective direction that
how they have to perform their work and task so that they can achieve their target. There are
several benefit of structure design which can be earn by the management of Unilever in term of
improving productiveness, develop communication, adaptation of new technology, enhance
process and others. Organisation design plan of action which is create by Unilever is that they
are going to develop their production activity with the help of progression technology that directs
to reduce wastage. Organisation construction of the respective company support its plan of action
for organisational design in several manners like by matrix structure they capable to use origins
in efficient way. In addition to it, it is also through this framework administrator's get able to
flow all data to their workers in efficacious way (Fink, 2016). By it, the firm capable to
accomplish their goal as well as impersonal appropriately by matrix organisational artefact.
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Illustration 1: Matrix Organizational Structure

Different approaches and techniques used for attracting, maintaining, developing and rewarding
human resources
There are several kind of conceptualisations which are accepted by the company in order
to assure about the human resource purposes which make contribution in organisational
designing in adequate way. It will assist the manager in improving the plan of action in efficient
manner which directs to accomplishment of objectives as well as aims (Gilchrist, 2019). In
context of Unilever, there are two main approaches which assist the firm in assuring about their
organisational design that they are making adaptation of new technologies for production process
that assist the firm in reducing waste. The brief description of those concepts are defined as
below:
Situational approach- This approach is basically followed by the organisation's manager
because with the assistance of it, they capable to design effective plan of action as well as plans
in adequate way as per the situation which is currently facing by the organisation. Within this
approach the HR manager of the company work as per the condition which is arising in the firm.
They develop plans and policies according to the situation and also design strategies according to
it so that the workforce can perform their roles and responsibilities as per the condition and
accomplish their goals and target to deal with the situation. In context of Unilever, the HR
administrator of the organisation follow this approach in order to creating plan of actions as per
the situation. Now they can follow this approach in context of designing strategy to adopt new
technology which assist in reducing waste which are generated form their manufacturing
procedure. For this, they formulate a plan to provide training to their workforce so that can use
origins or resources effectively and minimise wastage.
Internal and external approach- This approach is followed by the company when they
are planning to recruit new workforce as per the need or vacant posts. In context of Unilever, the
Human Resource manager is devising plan to follow new technology fro production activity
which will assist them in minimising waste. For this, they are recruiting skilled and well
qualified workforce who can organise work in efficient way. The respective company can adopt
this approach so that it can hire new employees who have fresh talent and information about
latest technologies so that it can accomplish its motive of reducing wastage in its manufacturing
process (Haase, Franco and Félix, 2015). For this they are recruiting new competencies as well
as experienced workers who can organise task in adequate style. In addition to it, these
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candidates also assist other staffs for organising work effectively which will directs to
accomplishment of target and aims successfully.
With the help of these approaches respective firm capable to adopt modifications or
organisational design in efficacious way which directs to attainment of aims and goals
effectively. In addition to it, there are various function that are organised by HR administrator of
Unilever (Huhtala and Feldt, 2016). For instant, human resource planning which they can
analysis and then develop plan of actions accordant to it in order to get over problems or satisfy
any need. In addition to this, they also conduct hiring process in which they hire right individual
for the right responsibilities of a job position as well as they offer training and learning sessions
to them so that they can operate their work with less lose in appropriate and adequate way.
Conduct research and use contemporary knowledge to support evidence for emerging HR
developments
Emerging Human resource development indicates to direction which is followed by the
company in order to improve workforce personality as well as organisational competencies,
capabilities and cognition etc. In context of it, seniors of Unilever conduct training, learning and
improvement sessions so that workers can develop their competencies which assist them in
accomplishing their aims and goals of using new progression technology in production process.
Human resource activities which are followed by the administrator of the organisation will assist
them in achieving their aim as well as their target. It is also consider as a component due to
which modification generate in extrinsic as well as intrinsic environs of working environment.
Unilever follow situation approach in context of devising effective planning so that they
can use new production technique in appropriate manner. Apart form it, they also utilise internal
and external approaches for hiring workforce who are experienced and well known about
technology which develop manufacturing and also help in minimising wastage. These HR
approaches are accountable for making change in external as well as internal environs of
Unilever working place. It is because when alteration occur in these environs human resource
administrator of the respective firm require to design plan of actions accordingly as well as they
also require to recruit workforce who can organise specific work in efficient way (Jiménez,
Martos and Jiménez, 2015). In addition to it, there are various approaches like situational
approach and internal & external approach which can be followed by the manager of Unilever
because with the help of them, the administrator capable to take effective decision which assist
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in accomplishing goals and objectives in adequate manner. It will also assist in modifying
internal as well as external environs because they organise analysis by it which directs to finding
out efficacious components (Mafabi, Munene and Ahiauzu, 2015). On the basis of it, the
manager of the respective company may adopt modifications in order to improve their
effectiveness and achieve aims and objectives in adequate and appropriate manner.
By evaluating preceding information, it can be suggested to Unilever that it is required to
them to adopts alteration on ongoing basis because it will help in making development in their
activities and improve the skills and knowledge of the workforce. In addition to this, it is also
required to utilise human resource activities and conceptualisations which will assist in accepting
modifications in appropriate way. It will also beneficial to them because it will help them in
accomplishing objectives and targets effectively. It is also required for Unilever to provide
training, learning and improvement sessions so that workforce can make development in their
competencies, skills, cognition, abilities and knowledge which assist them in accepting alteration
in proper and efficacious manner (Magno and Cassia, 2015). By adopting human resource
approach, the management of the company can frame strategies according to the work and
situation like minimising wastage and make change in production process by using new advance
technology which will assist in improving productiveness and reducing waste.
PART 2
Covered in POSTER
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CONCLUSION
Form the preceding mentioned written report is has been analysed that organisational
change help the firm to make better decision and also provide better insight for the rendering
better outputs for the company. Along with this, there are different kind of change which must be
taken into account as this aid the employees to improve the efficiency and promote the healthy
environment for the company. Beside this, the organisational design have three stages which
include Freeze, unfreeze and refreeze which help them to understand the organisation more
briefly and also reduces the risk and uncertainty present in the market.
REFERENCES
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Company profile for Unilever. 2020. [Online]. Available Through:
<https://www.theguardian.com/sustainable-business/profile-unilever>.
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Matrix Organizational Structure. 2020. [Online]. Available Through:
<https://study.com/academy/lesson/matrix-organizational-structure-advantages-
disadvantages-examples.html>.
Situational Approach. 2020. [Online]. Available Through:
<https://sites.psu.edu/leadership/2015/06/30/situational-approach-6/>.
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