Human Resource Management: A Case Study of Morison's

Human Resource Management

Introduction

The study is based on preparing the case study assessment report for the organisation of Morison’s. The study includes an overview of the organisation. The explanation and assessment on the purpose of the HR function is done. The key roles and responsibilities of the HR department is also described. Several human resource practices like workforce planning, recruitment and selection, performance management, development and training, reward system within the chosen organisation of Morison’s has also been provided. The effectiveness of employee relation along with employee engagement has also been discussed. The key areas of employment legislations have also been discussed. The individual document portfolio in order to test the recruitment and selection process has also been included.

Main body

Part 1

1. An overview of the organisation

The founder of Morison’s, UK is William Morrison and it was founded in the year of 1899. David Potts is the current CEO of the organisation. Headquarter of Morison’s UK is established in Bradford, United Kingdom. The company operates with 110,000 numbers of employees globally. The food and retailer services operates within the almost over 500 stores within the entire United Kingdom (morrisons-corporate.com, 2020). The key offered products and services of the company are food and grocery. The company source and processes fresh foods and sell through the manufacturing facilities in a unique way.

2. An explanation and assessment on the purpose of the HR function and the key roles and responsibilities of the HR function.

The purpose of human resource management within an organisation like Morrison is to increase staff efficiency, performance and progress resulting in making a new place as well as position in the competitive business scenario. The HRM team of Morrison’s perform to essential responsibilities such as managerial function and operative functions. Morrison’s HM team performs managerial functions like planning and organising works and then directing and controlling staff activities. The operative responsibilities of Morrison HRM team are selecting and recruiting better talents, providing good training and learning program, job analysis, competency framework better reward, compensation and performance initiatives. The other functions are-

1. Reward system: The department of human resource implements the rewards system within the business (Joniaková et al., 2020). This is provided to the employees in the form of benefits, monetary forms and developmental. The reward is provided through the department of HR to the employees in order to provide motivation to the employees in form of recognition.

2. Recruitment and selection: The attraction and selection of the employees with the best talents can be considered as one of the key functions of HR department.

3. Performance evaluation of employees: The regular assessment of each employee’s performance and the commitment level can be considered as one of the key function of HR.

4. Labour relation: The problems of the labours and the negotiations with the trade union representative are done through the HR department.

5. Health and safety at workplace: the creation and implementation of the occupational health and safety policies within the organisation can be considered as one of the key roles and responsibilities of the HR department of Morison’s.

6. Staff training and development: The department of HR also needs to implement the schemes for the training and development in order to ensure the growth of every employee within the organisation (Michael, 2019).

7. Workforce planning: Workforce planning can be described as the process of analysing the present workforce along with determining the needs of the workforce (Doumic et al., 2017). The identification of the gap in the workforce between the present and future is done through the HR department. After identification the solutions to amend those gaps are also provided through the HR department.

3. Explain, assess and critically evaluate of the approaches to workforce planning, recruitment and selection, development and training, performance management and reward systems of your chosen organisation. Also explain and evaluate the strengths and weaknesses of these approaches.

Workforce planning

Workforce planning can be described as the activity of department HR to ensure that the organisation have enough access to the employees that it needs in order to perform actively in current and future context (Doumic et al., 2017). The strategic planning of workforce is done through aligning the business objectives and the long-term vision of the organisation. The planning of workforce includes finding out the current and future needs of the human capital within the organisation. It also involves the planning of most cost-effective and accurate method of recruiting and retaining the individuals. The advantage of workforce Planning is that it is easier for Morrison firm to develop better skills among the staffs leading to maximising success in the competing world. The disadvantage of it is that it is costly and unpredictable as the preparation of it depends on the new changes and trends in busines and work.

Recruitment and selection

Recruitment and selection can be considered as one of the important operation of the department of HRM that designs and maximises the employee strength within the organisation. It can be considered as the process of sourcing, screening, short listing, and selection of the right candidate within the vacant job role on the organisation (Al-Khasawneh et al., 2018). The recruitment and selection process can be done through ways that includes internal recruitment and external recruitment. The internal recruitment process includes offering promotions to the employees, transferring the employees can be the process of internal recruiting. The external recruitment process can include advertisements for the vacant job role and selecting the right candidate through various company processes. The strength of recruitment and selection on Morrison is that it is easier to reach and select better talents to compete in the business world. However, it is difficult to select right talents at the right time leading to decreasing performance.

Development and training

Development and training of the employees can be described as the educational activities of the organisation with its employees. The development and training programs are arranged in order to enhance the skills and knowledge of the employees (Sweet, 2017). This process also tends to provide the information to the employees about the process that how they can perform much better within their specific skills. Several kinds of training and development programs are provided to the employees like quality training, skills training, soft skills training, team training, managerial training and safety training. Several kinds of trainings are provided based on providing different kinds of knowledge to the employees. The positive impact of training and development (T&D) is that advanced training helps to improve and produce quality work while making good relationships with Morrison customers. The negative impact is that T&D is costly and requires good time resulting in decreasing firm’s progress in the market.

Performance management

Performance management can be described as the continuous and ongoing process of the communication and clarification of the responsibilities of the job along with telling them about the priorities of the company (DeNisi and Murphy, 2017). Through the process of performance management, the department of HR explains the goals of the company along with setting the performance expectations from the employees in order to achieve those organisational goals. The planning for development of the employees in order to optimize the performance of the individuals is also described through the performance management. The benefit of performance management is that it is easier to motivate the employees to perform better and increase success and stability of Morrison in the changing scenario. However, the weakness is it is not only costly but any kind of biasness also decrease staff effectiveness a lot.

Reward system

Reward can be described as the achievements and benefits of the employees that they get in order for their better job performance. The reward is provided to the employees who actively help in achieving the organisational goals through their better job performance (Do et al., 2018). The reward system can be described as the offered extra benefits to the employees for their hard work. The employees get recognition for their efforts. The rewards can be provided to the employees through economic and non-economic manner. The monetary benefits are economic rewards and non-monetary benefits are non-economic rewards. The match of the level of performance along with match of the reward system for every assigned job role can be described as the reward management. The merit of reward management is that better rewards inspire the staffs to give best for the firm for a long-time span while increasing competition. The demerit is that it is challenging to select and reward a particular employee resulting in increasing dissatisfaction among others leading to losing place in the rival world.

Approaches of recruitment and selection

Job Analysis

Job Analysis is an essential recruitment and selection technique that helps to recognise and develop right roles for an employee for a particular post. The experience, abilities, information as well as qualification help to perform better in the competing changing situation. The benefits for it for Morrison firm are it assists to gather right information about a position and develop better position for the staffs. It even helps analyse staff improvement with the help of right skills. The weaknesses are it need more time and it may not be easier to analyse various staffs easily as they are different resulting in affecting productivity (Stewart and Brown, 2019).

Competency Framework

Another essential approach is competency framework. It assists an organisation to evaluate the staff performance while using correct skills at the correct time. The staffs are able to work hard and resolve several types of short, medium and long goals and targets in a set time while increasing firm Morrison’s progress. The benefits are it helps to develop and maintain link between job and goals of a firm. It even helps to acquire good success, feasibility and stability by decreasing costs successfully. The weaknesses are since it is challenging to integrate the process nicely so it may affect performance a lot. Another demerit is that it only emphasis on skills and not on knowledge which may affect firm’s performance (Chelladurai and Kerwin, 2018).

The firm Morrison depending on time, need and situation uses both the approaches of job analysis and competency tool but mainly emphasis on Job analysis. It is easier to encourage the employees to give their best while making a new place in the market. The firm is also bale to achieve better value and advantage among the rivals too.

The difference between training and development is that training is that type of knowledge which helps a person to improve and achieve success in work. It is for a short time span. Development means the educational tool that help in the continuous improvement of a person in the personal and professional life. It is for longer timeframe. In Morrison, the staffs get training in advanced skills which help them to give best in several scenarios while gaining better future opportunities.

The correct identification of training needs help to improve performance, proficiency, behavior and commitment level of the staffs on the firm like Morrison. It is possible by making good relationship and interact nicely with them. The HRM of Morrison is able to resolve the training gaps with right initiatives at the right time. The Morrison staffs get training on technical, communicational, soft; safety and managerial training and evaluation depends on performance and behaviour of the staffs with other employees, staffs and customers (Banfield et al., 2018).

Job design also famous as workplace design help to develop and maintain good workplace while ensuring better performance of the employees. Better extrinsic as well intrinsic rewards motivate the employees of Morrison to work hard as they understand that they are valuable for the firm. Job rotation and job enlargement techniques helps the staffs to give their best by performing various types of activities nicely leading to increasing achievements. Maslow’s hierarchy of needs model help Morrison to increase performance of the staff’s better opportunities increases success and performance of the staffs resulting in making good relation with others (Boella and Goss-Turner, 2019). They even learn better tactics and skills to resulting in increasing their self-esteem and actualisation needs. They work nicely and gain good rewards and responsibilities resulting in increasing betterment for the firm.

The flexible working organisations help the employers and the employees to work nicely resulting in accomplishing success and stability in the market. The numerical flexibility helps to balance labour work and needs while maintaining work growth. The structural flexibility increases success of a firm in several situations. The functional flexibility helps the employers and the employees to work according to the responsibilities and increase success (Analoui, 2017). Morrison follows functional flexibility resulting in maximising its success and stability while improving profit and revenue. The benefit of it on the employers is that it is easier to attain success by inspiring staff performance in the competitive scenario. The benefit on employees is they are able to gain better opportunities and rewards resulting in improving their performance and proficiency in work.

According to Handy’s work culture, in power culture, the focus is mainly on instructions of the team leaders whereas in role culture staffs perform according to their roles and duties (Bailey et al., 2018). In task culture, staffs work various types of work while in person culture staffs work according to the instructions of the leader. Morrison follows task culture as the employees work according to the assigned activities (Machado, 2018).

Performance management increases the effectiveness of the staffs with the correct execution of performance appraisal and evaluation tools. In Morrison firm, the managers use both the techniques to monitor staff performance and behaviour leading to improving better work culture. The management also provides various payment and reward tools like monetary, non-monetary, employee assistance and recognition initiatives to improve staff performance. It becomes easier to make new place and position in the competitive scenario.

Thus, the correct use of these HRM practices like workforce planning, recruitment and selection, development and training, performance management and reward systems help an organisation like Morrison to make a new place as well as position in the market (Noe et al., 2017). It is also beneficial as it is easier to maximise customer support and value by offering better services in good prices while improving share and revenue along with sales.

Table 1: Benefits of HRM practices to employees and employers

4. the approach to and effectiveness of employee relations and employee engagement, and comment on the adoption of flexible organisation and flexible working practice and employer of your choice’. Analyse and evaluate the importance of employees’ relations in respect to influencing HRM decision-making.

Employee relations

Employee relation can be defined as the process that a company follows for maintaining a good and positive relationship with the employees (Kang and Sung, 2017). Morison’s includes several kinds of strategies in order to maintain the employee relations. Strategies like providing proper recognition for their individual and exceptional results and performance within the workplace. Proper communication with the employees in order to provide them the organisational information along with knowing their problems in the workplace also helps to maintain a proper employee relationship. Through keeping a good and positive relationship with its employees the company tries to make its employees loyal and more engaged in their work. It can be considered as the positive aspect of maintaining the employee relationship. This also helps the organisation in a positive way to balance and strengthen the employee and employer relationship.

Employee engagement

Employee engagement can be described as the approach in the workplace that provides proper workplace culture to the employees in order to give the best of them in fulfilling the organisational goals. Employee engagement refers to that emotional state of the employees through which the employees feel passionate, committed and secure to the work (Albrecht et al., 2018). It also helps the employees to be committed to the organisational values along with making them motivated within the company. The organisation of Morison’s can include several kinds of positive traits within the business through maintaining a proper employee relationship. It can be seen that positive aspect of more engaged employees with the work are more motivated and stay committed to the employer. Employee satisfaction can also be increased through engaging the employees within the organisation. It can also be considered as a positive aspect of proper employee engagement.

Flexible working practices

Flexible working practices can be described as the kind of arrangement of working that provides a degree of flexibility in deciding the employees on how long, when and where they will work. The flexible working practices that are maintained within the Morison’s are flexible schedules for work that allows the employees to start and finish the work at nonstandard times in a limit which has been set through the management (Berkery et al., 2017). The compressed work hours are also included within the Morison’s. The positive impact of flexible working practices is that it provides the employees with better balance in work-life balance along with reducing their stress.

5. Identify the key areas of employment legislation within which the organisation must work.

Health and Safety at Work etc Act 1974

The health and safety at work etc act demotes the initial piece of legislation that covers the occupational health and safety within the United Kingdom (hse.gov.uk, 2020). It is a wide range of duties of the employer that is needed to be performed in order to provide the employees safety within the workplace. The organisation of Morison’s needs to include this act within the risky tasks that are performed though the employees within the workplace. The particular measures for safety are taken through the employer in order to reduce the risk of the employee health in the business.

Equality act 2010

The equality act denotes protecting the people from any kind of discrimination within the workplace along with in the wider context of society (gov.uk, 2015). The company needs to include this act within the workplace regulation in order to restrict any kind of discrimination within the workplace. The discrimination can happen based on several factors like sexual orientation, disability, gender, religious beliefs and various attributes. The department of HR includes this legislation within the organisation and throughout the recruitment and selection process. Through incorporating this act the company gets help of not being unfair to any of its employees along with increased employee satisfaction.

Data protection act 2018

Data protection act of United Kingdom helps the company to control the personal information of the employees will be used through the business of Morison’s (gov.uk, 2020). The law ensures that collected data about the employees is used lawfully, fairly and transparently within the organisation. Employees feel safe while providing their personal information while the recruitment and selection process due to the incorporation of this act. The department of HR in Morison’s updates the data of the employees in order to keep it accurate. They have also been able to determine that the personal data of the employees are not being misused through incorporating this act.

Part 2

1. The design of a job specification for one of a number of given positions in the organisation

The offered job role to the new candidates is Human Resource Manager within the organisation of Morison’s.

Table 2: Job specification

2. A CV for each student, tailored to apply for one of the positions advertised by another team.

CV 1

Table 3: CV1

Table 4: CV2

3. Documentation of preparatory notes for interviews, interview notes based on selection criteria and a justified decision of the candidate selected.

Interview criteria

The company includes several criterions for recruiting candidate within the offered job role. For the role of Human resource management there are certain kinds of included. The criteria are based on the required set of skills within the employees. Within this purpose, the candidate needs to include impressive employee management and problem-solving skills. An amount of quality experiences and skills are required within the candidate. Every criterion is needed to be present within the employee in order to be selected for the offered role. The candidate must be competent enough to be recruited within the company.

Oliver Allen

• The candidate is confident and enthusiastic

• The candidate has problem solving skills.

• The candidate can have experience in a renowned organization

George Adams

• The candidate has fluency in several languages

• The candidate includes healthy experience of work

4. A job offer to the selected candidate

Table 3: Job offer

5. Document and explain complete process of recruitment.

The process of the recruitment includes advertising the job role in the portal of the company. The company then analyses the submitted CVs of the candidates. Then the candidates are called for the in-person interview process where they are interviewed based on their skills. The employees are then selected based on the relevancy of the skills within them. The candidates who have relevant skills in order to be a Human Resource manager are preferred. The candidates who include relevant education with the offered job role are also preferred. Then the candidates are selected through judging these entire criterions.

6. An evaluation of the process and the rationale for conducting appropriate HR practice

The strengths of the followed interview process within the business of Morison are that it evaluates the employees based on their skills. The employees are asked enough questions in order to prove their skills to be recruited in the offered job role. The weakness of the process is that it is time taking process.

Rationale

Interview helps to analyse the behaviour as well the confidence level of the candidates. It even helps the interviewers to evaluate a candidate on several aspects based on the particular post and work responsibility. The reason is that correct understanding not only help to improve proficiency in work but also to improve firm’s success. It also helps to select better talents resulting in better fulfilment of goals in time while maintaining progress and stability in the competing world.

Conclusion

This section of the report includes an overview about the company of Morison’s. The several functions of HR department like workforce planning, recruitment and selection, development and training, performance management and reward system have been discussed. Every practice is important for the employer and employee in order to maintain the proper relationship with the employees. These practices of HR also help to engage the employees within the organisation. Through the betterment of employee relations and employee engagement the company can increase the employee loyalty and satisfaction. Several kinds of legislations like health and safety at workplace, data protection act and equality act has also been discussed that creates positive environment at workplace.

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