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Executive Summary: iii

Task- 1

1.1 Guest’s model of HRM: 4

1.2 Difference between Storey’s definition on HRM, personnel and industrial relations: 5

1.3 Developing a strategic approach to HRM and impact of line managers and

employees:

6

Task- 2

2.1 Flexibility model in practice: 7

2.2 Types of flexibility for organizations: 7

2.3 Flexible working practices from employer and employee perspective: 8

2.4 Impact of changes in labor market on flexible working practice: 8

Task- 3

3.1 Discrimination in workplace: 9

3.2 Implication of equal opportunity legislation for organization: 10

3.3 Differences between managing equal opportunity and diversity: 10

Task- 4

4.1 Comparing methods of performance management: 11

4.2 Evaluation of employee welfare management: 12

4.3 Implication of health and safety legislation on HR: 12

4.4 Impact of topical issues on HR applications: 13

References: 14

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Executive Summary:

Human Resource Management assists to succeed in achieving organizational goal by

recruiting, developing and motivating skilled and appropriate workers and managers. It’s a

specialized approach of employee management aiming at achieving competitive advantage by

utilization of highly skilled and committed workforce and increase the array of corporate

culture.Through effective communication and training, firm provide motivation and expertise

to the employees. To make the employees work efficiently and perfectly, human resource

management clarifies the areas of improvements and motivation and provide appropriate

application. If a firm can utilize and explore the talent and potentialities of every employees

only then it can survive and win in the competition and changing situation. Figures and

statistics are quantitative components of successful management and the qualitative

components build or destroy a firm’s existence and value. All those firms consider human

components of their organization as the most essential component are the successful ones.

Workplace security, flexibility, motivation, compensation etc. all are part of building a highly

skilled and committed workforce.

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Task- 1 Different perspective of Human resource management

1.1Guest’s model of HRM:

A better and applicable HRM model was introduced by David Guest (1987). Guest’s model is

about the HRM policies and applications that should be maintained for achieving four

outcomes:

o Strategic combination

o Better employee commitment

o More appropriate flexibility and adaptability approach

o Highly skilled and quality personnel

Guest’s model is more similar to the HR model by Harvard. Both of these models emphasize

on employee needs and requirements for success in achieving goal. Guest defined the HRM

progress in UK as a slow process. Through achieving those four outcomes, the firm will be

able to attain these desirable achievements:

o Stronger analytical and problem solving ability

o High performance

o Consistency with strategic objective and efficiency

o Dropped employee turnover and increased commitment

Unilever a well-known and top multinational firm which run operation in order to increase

growth but reduce the environmental effect and increase social and corporate value.

Unilever’s HR strategies and policies apply Guest’s model to comply with the firm’s core

value and mission through building a better and flexible working environment for the

workers to motivate them and upgrading their performance as they can satisfy organizational

demand and requirement.

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1.2Difference between Storey’s definition on HRM, personnel and

industrial relations:

HRM Personal Management Industrial Relations

It focuses on development

and application of different

HR practices to achieve its

organizational goals by using

the available resources like

staff, employees, customers,

suppliers (Guest D.E, 1987).

Personnel Management is

that part of management

concerned with people at

work and with their

relationships within a firm.

(Rea, 1972).

Industrial relationsis a

multidisciplinary field that

studies the employment

relationship. Industrial

relations is increasingly being

called employment relations

or employee relations

because of the importance of

non-industrial employment

relationship (John W ,2009)

Human resource

management is a distinctive

approach to employment

management which seeks to

obtain competitive advantage

through the strategic

development of a highly

committed and skilled work

force, using on array of

culture, structure and

personnel technique.”

(Armstrong M, 1999)

It focuses on increasing the

efficiency in Personal Job

along with increasing

performance (Guest, D.E,

1999).

It aims at building a more co-

operative relation between

staffs, managers and

government.

Unilever apply and include

experts, customers,

employees and suppliers in

the sustainable living plan.

Unilever initiates training

facilities, advices, and

practical experiences to

increase efficiency of the

employees.

A much broader concept.

Unilever maintains a co-

operative relation and

communication between

labor union and employers.

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1.3Developing a strategic approach to HRM and impact of line managers

and employees:

HRM is a continuous process of selection, recruitment, training and development of

workforces in the organization. HR strategy defines the method and process of managing

human resources. It provides the planning and implementation method to manage and adapt

to the changing trends. To ensure a better performance and improve productivity Unilever

initiates appropriate HR policies. The given strategies might assist line managers of Unilever

to adapt with organizational changes.

Reward strategy:

Develop a standard performance culture.

Improve team work, motivate innovation and excellence.

Relate the reward strategy and system with the employee’s performance, excellence

and HR goal.

To motivate the employees and increase performance and commitment level,

employers set reward policy on different types of behavioral pattern and standard.

Human Resource Development and Training Strategy:

To increase the performance level of the employees and build efficiency in the long run of the

firm, managers apply long term development strategies and trainings to satisfy the

organizational demand in future. The strategy will provide continuous development processes

linked closely with the programs designed for the organization as a whole to implement its

product, technology and market development strategies (Dessler C, 2006).

Motivational strategy:

Motivation system is the management of performance and rewardopportunity and financial

incentives that will be offered for certain performance level and standard. The motivational

programs and opportunities are provided which aims at attaining desired attitude,

participation, appropriate career path selection, job design and all other human related

components.

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Task- 2 Developing flexibility within workplace

2.1 Flexibility model in practice:

‘Flexibility in work environment’ concept was suggested by John Atkinson (1985) defines

that a firm will have to apply evolving flexibility facilities to comply with the changing

competitive stress. In other words it is a concept of simply integrating flexible conditions into

the administration an organization’s functional operations, in order to meet the demands of a

highly competitive market and attain its strategic aims and goals (Hoque, K. and M. Noon,

2001). Flexibility is a facility provided by management in all the operational and

administrative levels. Atkinson’s flexibility model includes two worker level- core workers

and peripheral workers.

Core Workforce: These are the permanent and full time workers who enjoy the functional

flexibility privileges. Core workers are highly proficient and adjustable to the changing

market environment.

Peripheral Workforce: The workers who work on a temporary or part-time basis for a firm

who enjoy less facilities and flexibilities than the core workers.

2.2 Types of flexibility for organizations:

The ability of an organisation to respond to environmental and business pressures by adapting

the size, composition, cost and responsiveness of human resources is known as flexibility

(Legge K, 1989). Atkinson introduced 4 types of strategies and approaches which can be very

effective to bring equilibrium in workforce of Unilever.

a. Functional flexibility: Employees are moved from one position or function to

another within the firm’s structure. Training and strong co-ordination is maintained to

successfully handle employee movement.

b. Peripheral numerical flexibility:It involves the activities to control and adjust the

labor inflow from external labor market. Labors are hired and recruited on short term

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basis, fixed-term based contract etc. according to the requirement and demand of

management.

c. Financial flexibility:Financial flexibility is provided by introducing varied salary and

compensation structure based on performance, rank, standard and participation.

d. Temporal flexibility: To prevent fluctuations in production and operation, working

hours can be adjusted as per the situation demands. Flexi times, multiple working

shifts, overtime are the application of temporal flexibility.

2.3 Flexible working practices from employer and employee perspective:

To improve the working environment, there are some basic and necessary flexibility

opportunities are provided to the workers:

Part-time: Work temporarily and less hours a week than permanent workers ranges

around 35-40 hours.

Homeworking: These types of workers accomplish their tasks from their home not

from the workplace.

Zero hour contract: A contract between the managers and employees which dictates

that there is no time predetermined to accomplish a task. Also, both the parties

possess the right to offer, accept or reject a project.

Teleworking: People accomplish tasks from another preferred place through the

telecommunication.

Job sharing:A job is shared by two individuals with shared time and compensation.

Per person salary can be reduced by job sharing.

Staggered hours:Employees enter and leave the workplace at different times but still

create overlaps.

2.4 Impact of changes in labor market on flexible working practice:

Management need to ensure that they select the most appropriate and proficient labor for

suitable operational tasks from the ever changing labor market trend in order to achieve

structural goal and mission. Workplace flexibility should be restructured due to the

fluctuations in the supply and demand situation of the labor market.

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Demography in labor market:

The history of labor market trend shows that the demographic pattern always shapes the labor

market condition. When the average birthrates fall as a demographic stage, the availability of

new workers reduces. The improved longevity increases the supply of old labors in the

market. As women are more involving and building corporate life, changed the gender based

contribution to the economy. Such compositions are forcing the flexibility patterns and

policies within the firm. Management incorporates varied and adjusted flexibility strategies to

keep pace with the changing demographic stages.

Task- 3 Impact of equal opportunities in workplace

3.1 Discrimination in workplace:

By the definition of International Labor Organization (2012) discrimination at workplace can

be of different forms like age, gender, religion, race, background etc. which results in

inequality in workplace. This discriminatory behavior results in demotivation and

dissatisfaction among the workers which ultimately decrease their productivity.

Discrimination in Compensation:

To build and maintain and efficient work environment, HR managers should plan

compensation equal for all employees (man or woman; senior or junior) in their respective

position.

Religion related discrimination:

One’s religious belief can be a crucial factor of being discriminated by a firm with different

religious base. Employees can’t be forced to join or not to join in religious activities within

the firm as per employment condition.

Age based discrimination:

It means treating employees or candidates less favorably or biased in judging an individual’s

performance because of one’s age variance. Employment strategy and policy should be

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designed flexible to everyone, disregarding the age factor. If any applicant is rejected

because of age factor, it would be counted as illegal approach of HRM team.

3.2 Implication of equal opportunity legislation for organization:

At present, firms tend to deliver an equal opportunity working environment and structure to

all the employees as it can reduce the discriminations at workplace behavior which will speed

up the performance level. Workers will be motivated and performance will be increased

which will ensure the job standard for the goal achievement. A firm can deliver equal

opportunity through these activities:

Implementation of the EEO policy, harassment laws in operations and make sure that

the policies are abide by all the staffs.

Equal opportunity of compensation, reward and promotion.

Adjust services and laws for those who don’t carry certain characteristics.

Inspire a more comfortable and relaxed environment to make the employees feel open

and easy.

Proper law and opportunity for the disable people.

3.3 Differences between managing equal opportunity and diversity:

Diversity management refers to the voluntary organizational actions that are designed to

create greater inclusion of employees from various backgrounds into the formal and informal

organizational structures through deliberate Policies and programs (Colling T, 1995).

Factors Managing Equal Opportunities Managing Diversities

Identify Equal Opportunities as a cost,

risk

Managing Diversity as

investment, asset

Factors Externally driven Internally driven

Method Structure Operational Strategic

Rests on Moral and legal arguments Business Case, scenario

Concentration Process Outcomes

Supported by Narrower positive Knowledge Wider Mixed Knowledge base

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Emphasizes on Group discrimination Individual dissimilarities

Initiatives Group based Individual based

Suitable for Integration Advocate Mainstream adjustment advocate

Task- 4 Styles to human resource practices

4.1 Comparing methods of performance management:

Performance management is an integral part of the workplace as it provides a platform for

supervisors and managers to measure employee performance and determine whether

employees are meeting the company's expectations (Storey J, 1995).The appropriate

technique of performance measurement differs based on the changing work environment,

employee’s responsibility range and operational requirements.

360-Degree Feedback:A methodical gathering of performance data of individuals derived

from multiple parties involved like, supervisors, customers, group members, peer group and

self.

Management by Objective (MBO):MBO is a modern performance appraisal method which

is objective based. In this technique managers and staffs predetermine specific goal and

deadline. In this method the further achievement is assessed by comparing actual output with

the standard output.

Physiological Appraisal:This evaluation system assesses the talent, emotional firmness,

personal traits, expertise and other psychological characteristics. It helps the managers to

place all the employees in appropriate position and team.

Assessment Centers:It is an evaluation center managers and employees join together and

perform activities in simulation mood and then the exercise is assessed and analyzed by

expert observers.

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4.2 Evaluation of employee welfare management:

Firms deliver welfare services to all the employees in order to motivate them. Workforce

welfare involves all the facilities and services offered to the staffs for their ease of work in

addition to their daily or monthly wages.

Labor welfare has the following objectives:

Ensure a better life and health at workplace.

Make the workers feel happy and satisfied in working for the organization.

Prevent industrial fatigue and improve the cultural, intellectual condition of every

employee.

Maintain a strong manager-employee relationship.

Employee welfare schemes are commonly classified into two broad categories:

a. Statutory Welfare Schemes: Statutory scheme includes services and facilities like

medical support, drinking water, toilet facility, canteen, rest room, spittoons and other

basic facilities.

b. Non-Statutory Welfare Schemes: It involves the opportunities of flexi-time,

Harassment law, maternity leave, insurance scheme and referral scheme.

4.3 Implication of health and safety legislation on HR:

Occupational health and safety legislation regulates the standards of workplace health and

safety with the aim to prevent workplace accidents, injuries and diseases, and outlines

consequences for breaches of those standards (Hayton, J.C, 2005). The legislation explains

the employer, employee and supervisor responsibility to HR. The legislation dictates the

responsibility of employers of doing all the necessities to protect health and condition of

employees at workplace.

The Health and Safety at Work Act 1974(abbreviated to "HSWA 1974", "HASWA" or

"HASAWA"); an act of UK government (2011) explains the basic structure and authority for

the inspiration, laws and application of health, welfare and safety at workplace within all over

the UK.

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4.4 Impact of topical issues on HR applications:

As the participation of aged people is varying, the performance standard and well-being

planning has been changing to utilize the maximum contribution from the group. As a firm

tends to increase efficiency, select and recruit personnel successfully, provide training for

development and eradicate discrimination at workplace, topical issues take place.

HR topical issues normally involves-

Improving the productivity.

Maintaining worker’s safety.

Conducting required training facilities.

Eradicating all sort of discriminations.

Providing adequate benefits and opportunities.

Effective recruitment of personnel.

Giving motivation and manage the diversified workforces.

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References:

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management.Vol,7.p3.15.P13

Colling,T (1995).Experiencing turbulence: Competition, Strategic choice and the

Management human resource in BA.Vol.5.pages.18-35

Dessler.C (2006), Strategic Role of Human Resource Management, Human Resource

Management, 10th Edition, pp- 04-05, New Jersey: Pearson Education.

Guest, D.E. (1999). Human Resource Management: The Workers’ Verdict, Human Resource

Management Journal, Vol. 9, No. 2, pp. 5-25

Guest,D.E(1987). Human resource management and industrial relations: Journal of

management studies .Vol 24.issue5

Hayton, J.C. (2005), Promoting Corporate Entrepreneurship through Human Resource

Management Practices: A Review of Empirical Research, Human Resource

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Hoque, K. and M. Noon (2001). Counting Angels: a Comparison of Personnel and HR

specialists, Human Resource Management Journal, Vol. 11, No. 3, pp. 5-22

John W. (2009) A Chameleon Function? Human Resource Management in the ‘90s, Human

resource Management Journal, Vol. 7, No. 3, pp. 5-18

Legge, K. (1989). Human Resource Management: A Critical Analysis, in J. Storey (ed.) Ew

Perspectives in Human Resource Management, Routledge, London

Rea,D(1972).A Contemporary Definition of personnel management, Some of its critical

assumptions and their relevance to the university organization.

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