Managing HRM in Unilever PLC: International Orientation Report

This report provides a comprehensive analysis of Unilever PLC's Human Resource Management (HRM) practices within the context of its multinational operations. It begins by highlighting the significance of globalization and its impact on business dynamics, particularly for multinational corporations (MNCs). The report then delves into the concept of international orientation, explaining the EPRG framework (Ethnocentric, Polycentric, Geocentric, and Regiocentric) and applying it to Unilever PLC, which is identified as a polycentric organization. The core of the report examines the essential functions of HR managers within Unilever, including rewards and appraisals, leadership development, performance management, employee relations, and resourcing. Furthermore, the report critically evaluates various HRM policies implemented by Unilever, such as equality of human resources, health and safety rights, and anti-harassment policies, discussing their respective advantages and disadvantages. Finally, the report concludes by emphasizing the importance of effective HRM in managing MNCs, the need for international orientation that respects local markets, and the significance of implementing policies that protect employee rights.

Managing Multinational
Organisation

INTRODUCTION
Globalisation has become the significant part of the business enterprises therefore; it is
changing dynamics of the business for the growth and development. Advancement in the
transportation and communication technologies has lead to the phenomenal growth in the
businesses overseas (Sorour, 2020). This advancement has given the born to many multinational
organisations. The multinational organisations are the companies that produce and sell goods and
services in multiple countries all over the globe. Pervasive global competition in the
multinational companies brings the requirement of managing the multinational corporations. The
present essay on “Unilever plc” a multinational company (MNC) based in UK. The report will
critically evaluate international orientation of HRM in MNCs and how they affect the MNCs
HRM policies.
MAIN BODY
International orientation
Globalisation is one of the major reason behind the international orientation of the companies
which helps the company in expanding the opportunities to trade internationally without the
barriers of communication and transportation and thereby able to recognise the economy of scale
and scope by concentrating over the products that can be produced with the minor cost and in
return increasing the profits and revenue (Gunnigle, Lavelle and Monaghan, 2018).
There is an EPRG framework that defines the four types of orientations towards the
internationalisation of the multinational companies:
Ethnocentric: The Ethnocentric orientation is adopted by the international companies that do not
adapt their products according to the needs and wants of the other countries in which they have
their operations rather their orientation of the products based on their home country (Pham and
et. al 2020). For instance Aviva Plc, British American plc follow this international orientation
approach.
Polycentric: Polycentric orientation treats every domestic market with the equality and believes
that there is the uniqueness in every market where they have their operations this orientation is
adopted by the multinational companies. For instance Unilever, Tesco follow this international
orientation approach (Zubair and Khan, 2019).
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Geocentric: Geocentric orientation is used by the global companies as they target the global
consumers with the same interest for which they borrow the best item of every country to target
the global consumers. British Petroleum Company is a geocentric company of UK (Shah Ridwan
Chowdhury and Asaduzzaman, 2017).
Regiocentric: Regiocentric orientation approach is utilised by the transnational companies those
who believe that there is a similarity among the economic, cultural and political conditions of the
regions and consider every region as a different market. Pepsi Co. And Coca-Cola is the example
of regiocentric companies.
Among the various international orientations Unilever plc a multinational consumer goods
company is a polycentric orientation company headquartered in London, UK. Company has the
wide range of products with approx 400 brands. The company's products demonstrate the
uniqueness in their attributes as per the domestic market.
Important Functions of HR manager in Unilever plc to manage the human resource
Rewards: Appraisals and rewards are one of the major function of the HR manager in which the
employees and the other staff of the Unilever PLC is rewarded with various appraisals from
oceans and the benefits for their outstanding performance and also to motivate them for better
performance in future.
Leadership and development: It is the function of HR manager of Unilever PLC to train the
human resource for their leadership and the development of skills in order to accomplish the
common goal of the MNC (Cherunilam, 2020).
Performance Management: HR manager of the Unilever PLC regularly evaluate the
performance of their employees and maintains the record for the performance management so
that the deserving employees can be promoted and praised for their significant work over the
period of time.
Employee Relations: It is very important to maintain the healthy employee’s relations within the
multinational organisation like Unilever PLC so that there is the smooth flow of work without
the conflicts between the employees and this function is carried out by the HR manager
(Renkema, Bos-Nehles and Meijerink, 2020).
Resourcing: The HR manager of the Unilever PLC play the role in resourcing the talent for the
organisation the manager outsource the talent and recruiting and hire them for the particular job
role (Annushkina and Regazzo, 2019).
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The various HRM policies of Unilever PLC with their advantage and disadvantage are:
Equality of human resource: the advantage of equality of human resource policy provides the
fair treatment to each and every employee within an organisation employees are provided with
the equal benefits and opportunities within an organisation. The disadvantage of this policy is
sometimes there are workers conflicts regarding the equality due to lack of communication
(Annushkina and Regazzo, 2020).
Health and safety rights: health and safety rights provide key advantage to the organisation in
maintaining the safety and security of their employees within an organisation. Also provides a
benefit to the employees in taking the sick leaves. The disadvantage of health and safety right is
sometimes people of the organisation try to gain false sick leaves and there is any accident
happens in an organisation can lead to the organisation into a jeopardy.
Anti harassment and non discrimination policy: this policy within the organisation of Unilever
PLC protect from any discrimination or the harassment in the workplace towards their
employees. This policy creates the advantage for the organisation at built great reputation for the
form in not discrimination in employee as per the gender, age, caste or religion. The harassment
policy protects the female staff of the organisation and also makes them feel secure. The
disadvantage of this policy is sometimes there are the conflicts regarding the discrimination for
which people can sue the firm for creating the discrimination which can lead to downfall of
company all over the globe (Arora and Hanumante, 2017).
CONCLUSION
It is concluded from the above essay that to manage the multinational companies the most
important thing is to manage the Human resource of the organisation. It is very important to
conduct the international orientation that respects the interest and believes of every domestic
market in which the company operates and also provide their products and services as per the
needs and wants of the domestic market. There are the various functions of the HR in the
multinational companies that must be fulfilled in order to sustain and retain the staff and also
provide them with the HRM policies which protects their human rights in an organisation.
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References:
Books and Journals
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Cherunilam, F., 2020. International business. PHI Learning Pvt. Ltd..
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Arora, R. and Hanumante, A., 2017. Reinventing HR functions with the use of information
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