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An

Assignment on

Human Resource Management

Of

Marks and Spencer

Submitted by:

Name:

Id:

Submitted to:

Date of Submission:

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Executive Summary iv

Task 1: Understand learning theories and learning styles 5

1.1 Learning Styles 5

1.2 Learning Curve 6

1.2.1 Significance of Knowledge Transfer 7

1.2.2 Impact of Learning Curve 7

1.3 Learning Style and Theories 7

1.3.1 Contributions of Learning styles and Theories 7

1.3.2 Relationship among Learning Style, Theory and Event 8

1.3.3 Contribution of Learning Theory and Event 8

Task 2: Be able to plan and design training and development 8

2.1 Training Needs at different level 9

2.2 Training Method 9

2.2.1 Analysing Current Training Method 9

2.2.2 Advantage and Disadvantage of Current Training Method 10

2.3Training Process and Development 10

2.3.1 Training and Development for a Group Training Event 10

2.3.2 Training Process of the Event 11

Task 3 Be able to evaluate a training event 12

3.1 Training Event 12

3.1.1 Methodology of Evaluation 12

3.1.2 Process of Documentation of the Training Program 12

3.1.3 Documents Used for Evaluation 13

3.2 Training Event Analysis and Evaluation 13

3.3. Success of the Evaluation Method 14

Table of Content

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Task 4: Importance of Government-led Initiatives 14

4.1 Role of Govt. in Training and Development 14

4.2 Impact of Public and Private Sector’s Contemporary Movement 15

4.3 Contemporary Learning 16

4.3.1 Assessment of Contemporary Training Initiatives 16

4.3.2 Role of Contemporary Learning in M & S 16

References A

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Executive Summary

For 120 years Marks and spencer have been a huge retail store all over the UK. It maintains a

huge number of employees working for the firm around 65,000 in number. Presence of intense

competition led the company to develop core values and strategy which mainly focuses on the

improvement and standardizing of performance of the employees. To bring efficiency & more

customer fulfilment, the firm is arranging training programs to cope up with the individual need.

The HR managers also arrange workshop sessions by providing the employees a practical

experience on job context. The firm’s organizational structure has been made flat rather than tall

in order to cope up with new HR challenges created from environmental and competitive

changes and intensity. To gain the best output in management and operational level more

specific types of training events can be arranged complying with the learning theories and styles.

The UK government has put emphasize and great effort in the development of human assets.

Govt. conducts various training events as per the different training staff needs by the firms.

IV

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Task 1: Understand learning theories and learning styles

1. Learning styles

The intense competitions forces M & S to come out with new strategies to be more competitive.

This challenging environment emphasizes employees to be more skillful and qualified to give a

hard competition to its competitors and make a proper career path that bests suit them.

Different Learning Styles

Organizations choose various learning styles that best fit their employees. Peter Honey and Alan

Mumford suggested four stages of learning. They are-

Activist

Activists involve themselves fully and without bias in new experiences. They enjoy the "here and

now" and are happy to be dominated by immediate experiences. (Begin, J, 1992). They just

move from one experience to another within a short time span. In rapidly changing situations and

experience requirements these learners can engage themselves in altering and wider

responsibilities. But activists they are open-minded, not sceptical, and this tends to make them

enthusiastic about anything new.

Reflector

They are thoughtful people who like to consider all possible angles and implications before

making a move. These people normally don’t participate actively in discussion only listen to

others to make own points. Reflector learners are slow in developing and judging a situation

because they spend a lot of effort in analysing the data, theory and finding. As they make own

points after a long and thorough analysis, the chances of deviation and problems in their

decisions are low. They enjoy observing other people and prefer to take a back seat in meetings

and discussions (Brewster C, 2000)

Theorist

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They attempt to fit everything together into a single jigsaw that encompasses "life, the universe

and everything". They are strict to analytical and rationality of any task or objective to be done.

Their decisions are not from their experience or previous learning. They tend to be detached,

analytical and dedicated to rational objectivity rather than anything subjective or ambiguous

Pragmatist

They are the sort of people who return from courses brimming with new ideas that they want to

try out. They like to get on with things, and act quickly and confidently on ideas that attract

them. They tend to be impatient with ruminating and open-ended discussion(Bauer, K, 2004).

M & S follows the pragmatist approaches of Honey and Mumford model to enhance the

efficiency and technical skills of their employees. M & S also uses some approaches like

performance coaching that helps employees improve their required skills necessary for

performing their job.

1.2 Learning curve:

As another working environment is created, learning curve progressions consistent with the new

learning necessities. Through the procedure of handy experience, learners can keep tabs on

qualities, aptitude changes and setting profession objectives. The changed centre structural

qualities have put employees in new tests and requirements. Through the diagram we can see that

when continuous experience is in progress, the learning and efficiency increases while time

required performing the job. Thus experience brings down the time increasing the expertise level

and more production. To keep pace with the progressions the employees required to experience

new learning curve to advance their specialized aptitudes and useful information. (Armstrong M,

1999). Performance evaluation, useful encounter, instructing and other preparing occasions

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orchestrated by M&S helped the employee enlarges their ability territory and make own

profession way.

1.2.1 Significance of knowledge transfer:

Administrators, supervisors impart new ideas and speculations about the changing work

situation, change criteria, standard and company's desire with the workforces. Line managers,

performance coaches discuss with the employees to share and transfer knowledge about the

performance, areas of improvement and firm’s requirement. Transfer of knowledge through off-

job trainings like workshops, workbooks is very helpful to the employees for the learning and

development of skills. Information exchange through the provision of workshops, workbooks is

exceptionally supportive for the advancement and learning. From the association's perspective,

information exchange is a critical apparatus for the performance advancement and

comprehension the business standards.

1.2.2 Impact of learning curve:

Knowledge transfer is that the transfer of implied and sensible data that's terribly useful in up

their competencies. The right utilization of learning curve and data distribution helps employees

to spot the performance gaps, build an additional sensible career path and deliver the goods

potency in production. (Rea D, 1972). Effective transfer of knowledge and use of learning curve

helped the employees to identify the performance level in technical skill and business

competency, being able to set realistic career path, participate in decision making more

effectively and bring efficiency in performance. The success in achieving the core time unit

values provides a competitive advantage for M&S.

1.3 Learning Style and Theories

1.3.1 Contribution of learning styles and theories:

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Learning theories offer a theoretical and analytical framework for the event of learning events

per learning requirements. But which learning style will be used that depends on which way the

employees prefer the most and how fast the firm want the employees adapt the new condition.

So, before selecting and conducting training events for the employees the learning styles and

theories must be analysed and adjusted according to the firm expectations and desires. Learning

designs observe the designs that followed by people and therefore the ability of staff in new

operating condition.

1.3.2Relationship among learning style, theory, event:

As employees control qualities of distinctive learning styles to diverse degrees; a mix of various

learning styles is needed for an adequate yield. Learning hypotheses characterizes the diverse

learning purpose of perspectives and methods of insight where learning styles characterizes the

fitting methods for disseminating information and preparing systems to distinctive people. Firm

may require improving different capabilities and skills like leadership skills, decision making

ability, efficiency, team work, enhancing responsibility area etc. These needs define the

characteristics of training and development necessities. The learning occasions are the reasonable

suggestion of the learning hypotheses advanced as per the distinctive learning styles.

1.3.3Contribution of learning theory and event:

M&S developed and followed learning theories and design to effectively design learning events

and processes. To arrange and style applicable learning event the preference and learning

varieties of people required to be targeted. Learning style and theories used by Marks and

Spencer is focused on the most effective result can be obtained through learning events. How

each and every employee reacts to an event reflects how successful an event is. To plan and

design such an event the firm must focus on the best learning option prioritized by the

employees. Every individual prefer and accustomed to different learning patterns and ways.

Task- 2 Be able to plan and design training and development

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2.1 Training needs at different level:

For completely different structure levels and positions M&S must style different coaching

events. The coaching desires at management, operational and client level for the managers and

employees area unit given below

Management Customer Operational

Helps to understand job

needs and its

responsibilities.

Supervisors provide feedback

and suggestions for

improvements.

Bring efficiency through

practical learning.

Involvement in different

roles and positions to

understand job context,

widen career opportunities.

Provide practical experiences,

feedback on customer services.

Give courage and motivation

for performance improvement.

.

To find out performance

skill requirements, gap.

Provide learning materials and

effective customer management

tools.

Provide guidelines and

corrective measures on

performance

2.2 Training Method

2.2.1 Analysing current training method:

M&S plans diverse preparing occasions for the workforces. They provide counselling helping

the workers so they can make wonderful career. Performance appraisal is given and it is

identifying their performance level & improvement areas. Role playing helps them to understand

the responsibility and capability in new role and context. Their off-the-job training facilities like

workshop, workbook are designed to develop skills, practical knowledge and efficiency. The

administration furnishes advising for the profession advancement. Performance examination

serves to enhance performance consistent with standard performance level. Connection under

segment directors helps to comprehend work setting, performance necessities and criticalness.

Workshops furnish the employees a device for expanding their gainfulness level.

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2.2.2 Advantage & Disadvantage of current training methods:

Training techniques Advantages Disadvantages

Role-playing Employees can understand

job requirements and its

responsibilities.

Employees might be reluctant

to change their work area and

role.

Workshop Provide practical learning

tools and experiences. It

Increases productivity and

workers’ skills.

Inactive participation of the

participants.

Unskilled, ineffective trainers.

Attachment to manager Understand managerial role,

responsibilities and

significance.

Helps to find out skills

required for the role.

Irrelevant attachment may

confuse and discourage

workers.

Performance coaching Provide corrective measures

on performance.

Inaccurate and inefficient

guiding may cause negative

improvement in performance.

Performance evaluation Identifies the improvement

areas.

Provide motivation to the

employees.

Underperforming

workersbecome demotivated.

Performance may drop due to

inappropriate assessment.

2.3 Training Process and Development

2.3.1 Training and development for a group training event:

To increase the ability in dynamic work surroundings and skills development a lot of sensible

learning approaches are often introduced. The coaching events are a sensible downside analysis

and determination session. A final assessment will be done by the entire team where the

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management and other employees will also evaluate the selected solutions. It’s a continuous

process and employees will be welcomed to come up with any new organizational problem

scenario regarding customer service improvement, production efficiency, employee relation,

motivation, effective management. This training event will energize the employees to take part in

decision making and increase the ability to provide more realistic analysis and solution. The

session is conducted by external trainers at the operating premise. The value of the event won’t

be too high as a result of the session is command at the operating zone and therefore the time

consumed is balanced as to not hamper this output. Managers also will observe the workers

throughout the session to find the matter areas and enhancements.

2.3.2Training process of the event:

Employees from completely different operational levels are going to be invited. They’ll be

introduced with the trainers and correct guideline, support and timeframe are going to be given.

The trainers can offer explicit job connected assignments and tasks with a given timeframe.

Employees can begin operating per the given guideline and perform the tasks for the most

effective potential results, solutions and findings. The initial findings and analysis of the

participants are going to be criticized and solved by the trainers for a stronger performance

output. The staff can a lot of begin competitive their tasks with a more improved methodology

and concepts at intervals the timeframe their findings, output, performance, choices and

understanding are going to be evaluated and stratified by the trainers. Then they will be told to

form a group of 3 members analysing and the solution within a specified time period. This

finding will be disseminated among the managers and they will let them know which area they

need to improve. Again time will be provided to re-shape the findings and the final submission

will be judged and examined by the whole team. Managers can observe the complete activities

and method to search out the structure issues, relations, potentialities and scientific discipline.

They’ll then realize applicable answer to employees positioning and realize the other educational

program needed.

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Task- 3 Be able to evaluate a training event

3.1 Training Event

3.1.1 Evaluation methodology:

Assessment is the system of evaluating the objective arranged activities, discovering the results

and the change zones of the course. The approach ought to be proper which could be

accommodating for the fitting assessment of the preparation occasion. It might help to re-plan

the movement arrange and preparing session for an improved and sought yield. The framework

evaluates a program in five levels and compares the actual outcome with the expected outcome

of the program. The purpose that the program aimed at 5 different stages has met the need or not

is assessed in five tiered approach. The suitable qualitative strategy for assessment that might be

utilized is an arrangement of inquiries which need to be replied:

Aim of the program: What is the organizational necessity of the training program? Why

the firm need a training program?

Aim of the employees: What they need from the training facility? What skills they need

to improve and develop? Why the employees need the training event?

Design of the event: What will be the process and content? How the program will fulfil

both organizational and employee demand?

Observation: Did the program make a positive output? If not, what are the areas to be

improved or changed?

3.1.2 Process of documentation of the training:

Documentation could be a descriptive method of documenting the happenings of the event. It

will embrace many things and discussion went on throughout the coaching session. The process

of documenting the training event can be like-

Productivity measure: The chance in the overall output and performance of the

employees can be observed as a view to measure their productivity

Observation by line managers: Line Managers can provide the findings in the overall

performance of the participants and their lacking during this particular event.

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Knowledge sharing: The knowledge sharing conducted during this event will be judged

by the interview at the end of this session

Customer observation: The success of the event can be measured also as the

performance of the employees related to the customer service.

3.1.3 Documents used for evaluation:

For an appropriate evaluation of the training event the following documents can be very helpful:

a. Asking questions: In order to get the real picture following question can be asked to be

answered. How well did the program go? How enjoyable the session was? Did most of

the participants were active in the session? What areas could be better? How was the

performance and improvement?

b. Asking the appropriate persons: For the clear analysis and picture of the experience of

the people who are engaged with the program needed to be considered. Participants,

trainers, managers, customers, observers are the major parties involved in the training.

c. Characteristics of individuals: For a better information about the respondents, certain

basic information can be obtained to make it sure that the questions were asked to a

different group of people (Age, sex, religion or race).

d. Descriptive lessons: A final report on the findings and analysis can be presented to the

participants and management to disclose the outcome of the event. A discussion might

take place about the impact and validity of the training session

3.2 Training event analysis and evaluation:

The training event created a positive impact on each worker and structure aspect. Employees did

with success share their findings and lacking. Managers discovered the ability speed, quality and

therefore the strength areas of people for appropriate positions. Trainers provided adequate

guideline for a far better technique for finding issues. In the discussion session management team

and the participants had long discussion session which resulted in a more feasible and logical

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conclusion. The actual benefit was that during solving the problem and discussion employees

found out what was necessary to be improved in their customer service.

The sensible exercise and task provided the workers with learning expertise and exploring

completely different responsibilities and challenges.

3.3 Success of the evaluation method:

The methodology used for the assessment of the event was quite useful. The technique helped to

analyse the findings and opinions of the connected parties. Any modification and necessary

changes within the coaching event may be created with the assistance of the analysis technique

employed in assessing the event. The system examined all kind of benefits like expected and

actual to sort out the diversion and feasibility of the training event. During the assessment

procedure employees, managers provided their problems and critical activities of the training

event that affected adversely in their development process. Thus it became easy figuring out

deciding the continuation of the procss or improvement need to be made. The management found

it a successful assessment system which critically analysed all the steps and policies taken by HR

managers.

Task- 4 Understand government-led skills development initiatives

4.1Government Role in training and development:

With the expanding essentialness of human asset advancement in associations, the United

Kingdom government has begun to assume an enormous part around there. They start distinctive

training occasions which support the private and open firms in advancing own human assets.

(John W, 2009) They have presented a self-guided learning procedure which is otherwise called

deep rooted learning method. Marks and Spencer is a giant retailer firm in UK; so UK govt.

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should concern about the internal development of the firm’s performance. To do so they have to

take the responsibility to take the performance to a standard level. Lifelong learning is the self-

motivated learning by the employees. Govt. involvement in training can aid the employees to

pursuit knowledge from the working environment. Moreover the firms might not be able to

invest in high amount and design the needed training facilities. In these cases the firms are

benefitted through the Govt. involvement and support in their HR development.

4.2Impact of public & private sector’s competency movement:

Government, employees, administrators, coaches, mentors all impart their learning and

encounters which improve the information profundity and competency advancement. All the

gatherings are helping tremendously in an exertion to make fruitful and positive development of

competency and learning. Firms have a tendency to enhance their administration quality,

performance, benefit, enrolment in choice making and group heading quality. A significant plane

organization in UK ‘Virgin Atlantic’ has a tendency to furnish the best quality client

administrations. As growth in private firm’s performance has an impact on the economy, the

public bodies have also improved themselves to lift up their performance. Public companies in

UK like ‘East Coast Trains’ are making continuous effort to improve the performance and

service quality at a standard level. Movement of competencies and skills are essential part of

learning and effective and improved performance. Higher success rate of the never-ending

process of learning and competency movement in the faster development in activities and

productivity has influenced all the firms to introduce the pattern in their own workplaces. For

this they enhanced their belief system and work environment society for the employees, directors

and clients. They take criticism about the employees' client administration to figure out issues

and institutionalize the administration(Budhwar P, 2000). Open segment is additionally

attempting to overhaul their human asset arrangements and corporate society as to continue

improving their work force with the help various sorts of training office.

4.3 Contemporary Learning

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4.3.1. Assessment of contemporary training programme:

To addition a constant and consistent advancement in the quite aggressive circumstance, the

training procedure was very viable. The learning framework is common sense pointing at speedy

acclimatization and advancement in essential expertise and competency zone. The training is

vocational and aimed at quick learning on different areas of a business. Marks and Spencer is a

leading retailer firm possessing a high impact on the UK economy. The management bring

different facilities for a faster performance adjustment of workers. These helped the firm to stay

and fight in the highly competitive market gaining more customer satisfaction and loyalty.

Having an understanding on the present scenario and future prospect UK govt. designs different

qualitative training programs for different firms. This contemporary training facility is quicker

process of development in the vulnerable working atmosphere.

4.3.2 Function of contemporary learning in M&S:

For M&s the cotemporary training framework is extremely accommodating for the further

advancement and advancement of human assets and their competencies. The training is

evaluated concentrating the expectation of customers, competitive position, market condition,

and future prospect and adaptability factors. The friendly environment aids the workforces to feel

more importance and find out organizational flaws. For different learning requirements and

development necessities, the firm need to identify more critical areas and organizational

problems for effective implication of theories and practices. Faster adaptability is possible with

the active participation and effective implementation of contemporary learning events as per the

firm’s structure and employees require. The workforces at M&s can acclimate to changing

working environment all the more quickly; update the performance according to the prerequisite

through contemporary learning procedure (Boxall, P.F, 1992). The learning additionally served

to achieve the client desire, focused point of interest position and expanded qualities.

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References

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