Changes Needed Nasar - Managing Human Resources

ABUL NASAR MANAGING HUMAN RESOURCES HNDB5976
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UK College of Business Computing
BTEC HND BUSINESS LEVEL 4
Managing Human Resources
2nd Term
ABUL NASAR
Awarding body Registration No.
College ID: HNDB5976
Due in date: 20
th
March 2014
Lecturer: M. K. Mayah

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Contents
L01 .................................................................................................................................................. 2
1.1 Adoption of Guests Model in Harrods ................................................................................. 2
1.2 In Contrast: Human Resource Management & Personnel Management or IR Management 5
1.3 Line Managers and Employees Developing a Strategic Approach to HRM ......................... 7
L02 .................................................................................................................................................. 8
2.1 How a Model of Flexibility Applied in Practice ................................................................... 8
2.2 The Type of Flexibility can be developed at Harrods ......................................................... 10
2.3 Flexible working from Employee and Employers perspective .......................................... 11
2.4 Impact of Changes in the Labour Market on Flexible Working at Harrods ........................ 12
L03 ................................................................................................................................................ 13
3.1 Forms of Discrimination may Take Place in Harrods ......................................................... 13
3.2 Practical Implications of Equal Opportunities Legislation Practiced in Harrods ............... 14
3.3 Managing Equal Opportunities and Managing Diversity at Harrods .................................. 15
L04 ................................................................................................................................................ 16
4.1 Comparison of Performance Management Approaches at Harrods .................................... 16
4.2 Approaches of Managing Employee Welfare ..................................................................... 17
4.3 Implications of Health & Safety Legislations ..................................................................... 17
4.4 Topical Issue of HRM for Harrods ...................................................................................... 19
References ..................................................................................................................................... 20

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L01
P1.1 Adoption of Guests Model in Harrods

Policy Goals Guests Model How they adopt at Harrods

Commitment of
employees
Employees should feel bound
to the organisation through
their behaviour and high
performance
Harrods encouraging its employees
to have their ideas shared and
apparently letting them know that
their ideas are valuable to the
organisation.

Strategic
integration
HRM is integrated in the
planning of the organisation.
Policies should be coherent in
all departments, representing
the aim and purpose of the
organisation so outcomes can
be met.
A bottom-up decision making
approach is implemented at Harrods
which requires its line managers
clear knowledge about the
organisations long-term & short-
term purpose. Furthermore,
communication between different
hierarchical levels is quite frequent
as a result of fewer levels and job
enrichment.

Quality
Using the right people with the
right skills in the right position,
to give high quality service
A six phased recruitment and
selection process enables Harrods to
select right person for the right
position, while employee
development and talent spotting are
in effect.

Flexibility
Organisations structure should
be adaptable where employees
can multi-task; stand in for
each other.
Harrods had reengineered its
business processes through
changing organisational structure to
a less hierarchical structure,
whereby, job enrichment serves the
opportunity for multi-tasking; and a
support network ensures
collaboration.

The human resource management is not what it looked like decades ago. David Guests (1996,
1997) model analyses an organizations Human Resource Management (HRM) from six
dimensionsHRM strategy, HRM practises, HRM outcomes, Behaviour outcomes, performance
outcomes, and financial outcomes.

The model distinguishes itself from traditional personnel management while being strategic
rooted. The major differences of this model can be looked when comparing HRM policy goals
under personnel management to Guests model. Instead of emphasising cost minimisation this
model strives for maximum utilisation of its resources. Also, the goal of this model is to seek
continuous performance improvement by building adaptive work-force, whereas the goals
personnel management are ensuring standard performance through administrative efficiency.
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Figure 1 Guest's Model of Human Resource Management

The new Human Resource Method implemented in Harrods by Qatar Holdings after buying the
company from business tycoon Mohammed Al Fayed is a result of the influence of MacLeod
report engaging for success published in 2009. The adoption of Guests model in the
Human Resource Management of Harrods took part through changing different approaches.

The company changed its organisational structure, leadership, and communication method, in
order to encourage employee engagement. Afterwards, these changes also act as a tool for
empowering employees, with a view that employees will seek continuous improvement if they
are more empowered. Besides empowering, Harrods uses six employee engagement methods
which ensures continuous improvement in employee performances through communicating their
ideas, opinions, and views to other employees. In addition, the company makes its employees
believe that their voices are heard by the management.

Figure 2 Harrods' Share Your Voice Program
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Through this Harrods management a reciprocal commitment which is a psychological contact
emphasised by Guests model. It also divulges the idea that the locus of control is internal.

By breaking down too hierarchical organisational structure and encouraging line managers to
make more decisions, a bottom-up management and decentralised decision making is established
with offering employees flexible roles. These new changes directly points at organising
principles of Guests model and oppose traditional Personnel Management model.

Harrods introduced talent spotting, mentoring and coaches, and support network to HRM as
management practices, with involvement through cross-functional activities. Both financial and
non-financial rewards for performance of employees are prepared. However, the company
mostly emphasises on recognition factor. As an illustration to that, top sales associates will be
recognised by the Harrods 100 programme, and also be rewarded for their achievement in a gala
eveningmuch like Oscar ceremonyregardless to their job types.

Conspicuously, Harrods management successfully reduced employee turnover as to reduce its
recruitment and selection cost. Their Employee turnover reduced by half since the
implementation of the new HR planning.

All the dimensions of Guests model were well analysed and implemented with precision at
Harrods after Al Fayed sold Harrods to Qatar, Holdings.

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P1.2 in Contrast: Human Resource Management & Personnel Management or IR
Management

Storey (1989) has differentiated HRM into two formssoft and hard. 'Hard' HRM focuses
on the resource side of human resources. It emphasizes costs in the form of 'headcounts' and
places control firmly in the hands of management (Price, 2011). Soft HRM on the other hand,
stresses the human aspects of HRM (Shabnam, 2011). Soft HRM is more people-focused,
emphasises on multi-tasking and continuously revise the work processes, whereas, Hard HRM
is task-focused, works with highly defined jobs providing very little scope for multi-tasking,
and withholds a belief that tasks should be done in a traditional way.

The term human resource management was being used by Peter Drucker and others in North
America as early as the 1950s without any special meaning, and usually simply as another label
for personnel management or personnel administration (Henderson, 2011). Lately, in 1980s
the Human Resource Management had become critically different in approaches of Personnel
Management with higher focus in employee commitment, performance, and rewards based on
individual or team contribution.

Industrial relation (IR) studies conventionally signifies elements of institutionalisation: the role
of laws, main agreements, bargaining schemes and regimes, labour market and wage formation,
in disparity to the analytical schemes of HRM theory (Falkum, 2003). Accordingly the actors are
institutions like negotiation bodies and workers and employers federations, work councils, and
unions (Falkum, 2003).

Finally, the major distinguishing factor among HRM, Personnel management, and IR practises
lies within the management goals. Storeys definition of HRM brought the differences between
personnel management and HRM remarkably. It is more likely that Hard and Soft HRM are
respectively traditional personnel management and todays people based human resource
management.

Harrods has been following the soft HRM with implementing Guests model. The six employee
engagement methods can be illustrated as signs of Harrods high commitment to its people.
Figure 3 Harrods' Employee Engagement Methods
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In this section however I will additionally discuss the difference between Harrods HR practices
and Mark & Spencers Personnel Management. Although Mark & Spencer does not follow the
traditional personnel management completely; the company puts its first priority on cost
minimisation with employee engagement.

However, both companies (Harrods and Mark & Spencer) prioritised employee engagement but
Mark & Spencer focusing on eradicating its operational barriers with conflict resolutions; and
also, effectively using its learning curve for cost minimisation. In the end, the company still
believes that jobs should be done within its boundary, and multi-tasking may deteriorate the
quality of employee performances.

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P1.3 Line Managers and Employees Developing a Strategic Approach to HRM

Strategic HRM is about systematically linking people with the organisation; more specifically, it
is about the integration of HRM strategies into corporate strategies. Line managers are those
managers to whom individual employees or teams directly report and who have responsibility to
a higher level of management for those employees or teams (DALZIEL, 2007). Line managers as
in Harrods case, are not usual front-line managers. Front-line managers are unlikely to have
any formal management education (HUTCHINSON, 2003). In Harrods case, line managers
profoundly take a big part in mentoring and coaching activities, which are very sophisticate.

Generally, a line manager deals various activities within an organisation such as
dealing with clients and/or customers;
monitoring work processes;
managing people on a daily basis;
providing technical expertise;
managing operating costs;
Checking quality of services;
Acting upon guidance of HR; and others.

According to the case study line managers of Harrods HR department advice employees through
face-to-face interactions and encourage communication within employeeswhich resulted in
higher information sharing among employees. They also assist employees both in formal and
informal setting for improving individual performances. Furthermore, they act as coach to the
employees of Harrodswhich enables them to enhance their managerial and communication
skills.

Following the areas where line managers of Harrods are making substantial alteration to people
management practices are:

Performance appraisal of employees;
Training, mentoring and guidance;
Encouraging re-alignment with Harrods goals and objectives;
Encouraging employees to develop their skills and abilities;
Making employees feel that their contribution is recognised; and
Work-life balance.

Harrods recognises these intrinsic needs and encourages job rotation, job enlargement and job
enrichment to provide career development opportunities. The new line managers role, as
diversified, allowed them to take more responsibilities. Ambitious employees availed an
opportunity for faster career development.

One of the most important implementation at Harrods was employee discussion part. Line
managers often involve themselves in group discussion where they share their ideas and mentor
other employees. While improved communication serves as a base, job rotation provides multi-
tasking opportunity, the line managers role in HRM is redefined.

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The employees at Harrods work collectively and collaboratively as per the six engagement
methods deployed within the organization. They work together and share their views about
different issues of Harrods at Intranet, Quarterly employee forum, etc.

L02
2.1 How a Model of Flexibility Applied in Practice

Workplace flexibility describes how, when, and from where workers can get there job done.
Implementing flexible working model within an organisation takes account of six steps: (i)
where to start; (ii) caking it happen; (iii) creating the right environment; (iv) measuring
performance and results; (v) communication; and (vi) lead by example. These steps are described
from Harrods aspect below.

Figure 4 Process of Implementing Flexible Working

Source: Robinson, A. & MacDermid, S., 2004. Types of Flexible Work Arrangements. [Online]
Available at: https://hr.osu.edu/public/documents/worklife/alternativework.pdf

Where to Start?
Like every process the change in Harrods human resource management started for the
organisations need. As the employee turnover were subject to worry, and the criticism about the
companys sale and profitability was high, the employee survey was emergent as to fulfil the
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forthcoming needs. For Harrods, the change in HR practices started in different fronts
organisational structure, leadership, communication, etc.

Making it Happen
Employees should be made aware of the changes that are going to occur within a particular
organisation. They should be given opportunity to raise concerns and suggestions like Harrods
Share your Voice program. Empowering line managers with decision making is one of the
dreadful attempts taken by Harrods, but the establishment of trust impacted this change very
positively.

Creating the right environment
Creating the right environment for flexible working is subject to formal and informal processes
within an organisation. As pointed out earlier, the six employee engagement methods applied by
Harrods in workplace are about creating the environment for new human resource planning. In
addition, employees are encouraged to take more responsibilities because the scope provided for
particular jobs are not narrow, simultaneously, this provides the opportunity for ambitious
employees to further develop their career. Job rotation has been another effort of Harrods for
creating the right environment for implementation of flexible working model.

Measuring performance and results
Clearly setting out what is expected from an organisations people to achieve, and to what
deadline, whether for a short-term project or for their regular job (Maitland, 2009). Employee
performance appraisal methods can also support the HR management of an organisation in
setting up new policies. Harrods has adopted 360 degree performance appraisal methods that
depends highly on bottom-up approach.

Communication
Harrods has enforced higher communication across the organisational hierarchies so that sharing
of ideas and views occurs frequently. The support network on the other hand is focused on the
same issue of sharing views and ideas. In a support network, the line managers meet Head of
retail at least once for sharing their experiences.

Lead by example
Changing organisational culture is time consuming. It is the duty of top level management to set
an example first to lead the change successfully. At Harrods, the senior managers conducted
survey about the issues and problems that employees are facing. Upon comprehending such
problems involving communication, leadership, and career development issues, the management
came to direct the change to eradicate employee problems.

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2.2 The Type of Flexibility can be developed at Harrods

There are different types of flexible working. As described in the gov.uk website, there are eight
different types of flexible workinghowever, among them, working from home is definitely not
applicable to Harrods employees on the shop floor due to the nature of work in retail business,
but can be applied in the office areas.

Other types of flexibility are job sharing, part time, flexitime, compressed hours, annualised
hours, and staggered hours. The type of flexible working that is most suitable for Harrods are
Flexitime and Part time.

Harrods can develop flexitime within its work environment, where employees will have the
choice of choosing when to start and end work besides working 10am-4pm at weekdays. On the
other hand, Harrods can develop part time job opportunities for passionate students who want to
work in the retail business and want to develop their career within this industry. This offers
employees to work less than full-time hours.

The flexibility offered at Harrods can be dissected into two parts. As functional flexibility is
implemented, thus Harrods also enforces wage flexibility. Harrods does not maintain a very strict
wage structure. The line managers at Harrods are entitled to avail higher wage if they improve
rather fast, and be collaborative.

Functional Flexibility The case study mentions job rotation at Harrods. Job rotation
involves periodically changing jobs and work areas to develop new skills in different
areas of the business. This ensures multi-tasking and employee development, while
employees experience various features and activities.
Wage Flexibility As I this is already mentioned that Harrods does not withhold a very
strict salary structure, apparently the wage of employees are attributed with competitive
pay, employee discounts, sales and commissions, and bonuses for individuals and teams.

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2.3 Flexible working from Employee and Employers perspective

The adoption of flexible working at Harrods ensures a better work-life balance for its employees.
This also corresponds to the companys rewarding system. From employees point of view the
implications of flexible working is limitless. On the other hand, employers are acquiring mutual
benefit from this option.

Employer Perspective:
Flexible working enables employers to hold on to their experienced and skilful employees at
times. Therefore, this has serious implications on a companys cost and maintenance. For
Harrods, flexible timing was used as a tool for reducing employee turnover as well. This also
helps Harrods to attract talent and by then recruit them. Employers recognize the benefits of
two-way flexibility to ensure they can provide quality services when customers need them
(Stewart & Rowlatt, 2010). A flexible workforce is quite able to cope with any organisational
change quickly.

Employee Perspective:
The flexible working most definitely brings employees a better work-life balance and it allows
employees to set time for work in accordance to their necessity. This enables employees to take
more responsibility towards their families, and to perform them adequately. Evidence have
shown that flexible working opportunity is a deciding factors for employees taking a job.

What flexibility actually does for employees that they can enjoy higher control over their life.
Flexibility is not only concerned with at what time an employee will work and at what time
he/she will not, but also employees can achieve paid vacation while they have the freedom to
decide how the work will be done. Furthermore, as employees can provide higher time to their
family, they are usually remains in sound mental state which is crucial for himself/herself and the
organization as well. Also employees are freed from prioritizing work over serious family
matters.

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2.4 Impact of Changes in the Labour Market on Flexible Working at Harrods

To put in simple terms I would say the labour market refers to the mechanism where human
labour are bought and sold at equilibrium of demand and supply. Both changes in the supply and
demand of labour market, affects the flexible working practices of an organisation. The
composition of both demand and supply is affected by wide range of factors such as changing
societal attitudes to work, economic conditions, changing demography, government policy, and
some others.

Conspicuously, the desire for work-life balance is affecting the flexible working directly. As I
have pointed out earlier that, flexible working is now-a-days a deciding factors for employees
whether to take a job or not.

Therefore, in order to spot best available talents, Harrods should offer flexible working.
Economic condition also plays a vital role in labour market, and so is to flexible working. When
a market faces economic downturn, flexible working may act as an instrument for employers to
control cost. In addition, employees can seek two part-time jobs for an increased income.

Finally, inflation, level of unemployment, and interest rates can affect the flexible working
practices of Harrods. Management of Harrods may consider different practices than they are
following in order to maintain and stabilize its cost, or to minimise it with best utilisation of its
human resources.

Since Harrods adoption to new Human Resource policies and planning, the company
strategically implemented its new policies and restructured the organization. Harrods subsequent
employee survey led the company identify its core issues in HRM. As identified, the major
problem lied within the too steep hierarchy, which then restructured at first by the firm. When
organization hierarchy is re-ordered the company ordered it in such a way that best copes with
communication and other aspects. More-or-less, several policies and processes over time helped
the organization to achieve its HR targets.

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L03
3.1 Forms of Discrimination may Take Place in Harrods

In business context, discrimination presents an idea of unjust treatments for people differentiated
based on age, sex, race, ethnicity, etc. There are various types of discrimination. Among those
types of discriminations, I will discuss some types with special reference to Harrods and
considering the forms of discrimination that may take place in Harrods.

Direct Discrimination
This is a common type of discrimination that can take place in any business regardless to its
nature and size. In Harrods, this can happen due to biasness of supervisor, or senior managers.
When an employee is treated less favourably due to his/her protective characteristic, then he/she
is subject to direct discrimination. The Equality Act 2010, adopted by Harrods, is actively
exercised by the firm in order to restrain such discrimination at any organization level.

Perception Discrimination
Perceptive discrimination will now apply for all practical purposes to all the discrimination
strands (The University of Sheffield, n.d.). This accountably deals with disability discrimination,
and discrimination arising from difference in sex, age, race, and ethnicity. For example, Harrods
demand it female employees to follow an elaborate dress and appearance code. A report
published in Xpert HR website, pointing that a female employee were forced to be dismissed by
Harrods due to her refusal for wearing make-up.

Harassment/Third Party Harassment
As harassment may take place in any business organisation, but as for Harrods, third party
harassment may also take place due to the reason that its retail employee frequently deals with its
clients and customers in both formal and informal means. Harassments are typically seen where
race and sex issues are present. The Laws that dictate terms of such harassments, such as Sex
Discrimination Act 195 and Race Relations Act 1976, provide Harrods the guidance for taking
legal actions against the wrong doer.

Victimisation
Victimisation occurs when an employee is treated badly because they have made or supported a
complaint or raised a grievance under the Equality Act; or because they are suspected of doing so
(The University of Sheffield, n.d.). As Harrods have implemented modern HR management, this
is an unlikely scenario, but it cannot be ruled out. Sex discrimination Act 1975, and Race
Relations Act 1976, are being exercised at Harrods in order to prevent & deal with any grievance
arising from victimization.

Finally if Harrods complies with the laws they could be seen to provide a working environment
where people could work without any form of discrimination.

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3.2 Practical Implications of Equal Opportunities Legislation Practiced in Harrods

Since 1
st
October 2010, Harrods came under the provision of the Equality Act 2010. The
Equality Act technically brings together some anti-discrimination lawswhich are: Equal Pay
Act 1970; Sex Discrimination Act 1975; Disability Discrimination Act 1995; Race Relations Act
1976; and Employment Equality Regulations 2003.

The practice of equal opportunity legislations has had significant impact on Harrods in the
following ways:
This helps Harrods to attract more ambitious and self-driven talents from all communities
as there should be no discrimination.
The adoption of such legislations made the recruitment and selection process of Harrods
more transparent and fair.
On the other hand, these legislations eased the task for Harrods, as the company is now
more focused on performing what is required in those legislations as duty, whereas, it
allows the management from abstaining the work of setting employment policies.
This Equality Act 2010 also helps Harrods monitor discrimination. By directly following
the rules and guidelines Harrods can abstain itself from any discrimination to occur.

Having a good equal opportunities practice at Harrods will benefit them as it will reflect on their
morals and values, which in turn will raise their profile and prestige in future clients and
customers minds. Also people will want to work at Harrods so hopefully this will attract the right
type of employees.

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3.3 Managing Equal Opportunities and Managing Diversity at Harrods

The effect of globalisation is significant leading towards higher diversity in workplaces, and
consumer choices. The responsibility of diversity and equal opportunity management typically
lies on line managementalthough it is the duty of personnel and development practitioners to
ensure that line managers have enough knowledge and they well-understand the legislative
framework.

The diversity management is well adjusted at Harrods as the case study describes that the
company is providing all employees to further develop their career with multi-tasking, cross-
functional activity, and working in group. While on the other hand, Harrods is successfully
ensuring equal opportunity for employment through six step recruitment and selection process
where candidates are equally treated.

Men and women both have equal opportunities at Harrods. As Harrods emphasizes on higher
collaborative workforce within the organization, it isolates the discrimination between men and
women in workplace. Regardless who an employee is, Harrods reward policy ensures equality
in its reward system. Solely based on employee performance rewards are given.

At Harrods, in my opinion the Equal Opportunity (EO) is externally driven whereas Diversity
Management (DM) is internally driven. Furthermore, the DM is strategic and concerned with
outcomes; and EO is typically operational and concerned with processes.

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L04
4.1 Comparison of Performance Management Approaches at Harrods
Employee appraisal methods take several factors into account such as employees knowledge of
the job, planning and problem solving skills, judgment, adaptability, communication &
interpersonal skills, etc. The major purpose of performance appraisal is concerned with the
factors that lacks within an employee, and the employees areas of improvement. Besides, the
appraisals can be used as indicators of development. Professional development can be measured
analyzing several factors as such decision making capability, judgment call, dependability, etc.
Most appraisal methods are concerned with qualitative factors, however, in Harrods, some
quantitative factors also plays a pivotal role. Sales figures of an employee is a qualitative
indicator of that particular employees development. Achieving or failing to achieve sales target
can be used to gauge a line managers performance at Harrods. Similarly, as bonuses are
available to the line managers achieving notable sales figures, this also helps management gauge
the financial appropriateness for motivation.

There are five basic employee performance monitoring or appraisal methods in practise. Among
the five methodsRating scales, Narrative techniques, Comparison methods, and 360
feedbackHarrods has been utilising 360 feedback method since its sale by Mohammed Al
Fayed. In this method, employees are evaluated by colleagues, customers, subordinates, other
interested parties and supervisors (Kokemuller, 2012).

As Harrods encourages cross-functional activities along with job rotation tied with extensive
communications through the organisational layers, this method is the most suitable for Harrods
employee performance appraisal.

Harrods also do emphasise on Narrative technique of performance management of employees.
This is more of an independent method used by Harrods to critically analyse the performance of
its employees in more unique and from individual point-of-view. In contrast to 360 feedbacks,
this method addresses correction as well for employee performances as well as helps recognise
positive employee behaviour and attitude. A pro of these techniques is the thoroughness of detail
in analysing employee behaviours (Kokemuller, 2012).

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4.2 Approaches of Managing Employee Welfare

Efforts to make life worth living for workmen, this is typically the statement addressing
employee welfare.

As businesses want to remain successful for eternity, they are obligated to ensure employee
welfare to its employees. While ensuring employee welfare will have negative impact on
financial terms at the first instance, but this will serve as benefits to the organization in other
terms. For example, the higher employee turnover rate costs a lot to a firm so is to Harrods. Such
high employee turnover can be diminished reasonably by ensuring employee welfare. The
essence of employee welfare can be viewed from different dimensionscompliance, employee
retention, and employees well-being. As a business owner, one is required by law to provide
certain benefits for the welfare of your employees (Koening, n.d.). The benefits could be
provident fund, health insurance, gratuity, etc. Employee retention is already highlighted with the
example of Harrods employee turnover reduction. Finally, it is necessary to keep the employee
motivated, and for that, employees well-being is the utmost importance. The higher the
employees well-being ensured, the higher the motivation, and the higher the productivity.

Managing employee welfare at a Harrods is described at the companys career website. Some of
the core benefits offered to Harrods employees can be interpreted as their approach to uplift
employee welfare. The company provides 1,000 paid day leave to collective employees, so that
they can take part in community involvement program Giving Back. In addition, the company
provides leave for Birthday to its employees along with wedding and honeymoon leaves.

Childcare and investment are remarkable welfare benefits provided by Harrods to its employees.
A workplace ISA along with a pension plan is provided to the employees of Harrodswhich
simply illustrates Harrods care towards employees savings as well as wellbeing.
Furthermore, child voucher scheme of Harrods gives a perfect care to the children of the
companys employees. The new parents also get gifts for their child from Harrods.

Harrods seems to try and maintain a good level of welfare of their employees, trying to give what
they need in order to have a better work-life balance.

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4.3 Implications of Health & Safety Legislations

Health and safety encompasses every aspects of a workplace that can prove to be injurious to the
employees either physically or mentally. Preventing work-related illness and injury is the most
important job at any workplace. Health and Safety legislations are concerned with the safety
measures that an organization takes or should take to prevent any injury to the employees.

Human resource department of an organisation should account for the health and safety
legislations, due to its necessity in HR planning and procedures. For Harrods the compliance to
Health and Safety at Work Act 1974 is done through not only appointing safety officer, but also
the company ensures a safe and non-hazardous workplace, and informs its employees about
potential dangers. Harrods also set out employee behaviour code so that employees do not
indulge themselves into dangers.

Office, Shops, and Railways premises Act 1963 has similar provisions like The Factories Act
1961, and deals with lighting, ventilation, cleanliness, etc. Finally, Harrods comply with The Fire
Precautions Act 1971, in order to ensure employee safety from fire damages. Harrods safety
officer makes sure that any kind of substances or materials that can cause fire are handled safely
with precautions, and also check the office premise on a regular basis for the compliance to The
Fire Precautions Act 1971.

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4.4 Topical Issue of HRM for Harrods

The work-life balance, a topical issue of HRM, is a concept including proper prioritizing
between "work" and "lifestyle". In many occasions employees are put into a dilemma of
prioritizing either work or lifestyle over one another. Unfortunately, this dilemma always
leads to a deteriorated performance from employees, resulting in a lose-lose situation where
neither the employer nor the employee wins. Steven L. Sauter, chief of the Applied Psychology
and Ergonomics Branch of the National Institute for Occupational Safety and Health in
Cincinnati, Ohio, states that recent studies show that "the workplace has become the single
greatest source of stress" (Clark, 2007). Stress vs work-life balance is the utmost problem that
both employers and employees are trying to overcome with forcing the issue in full throttle.
Flexibility at work seems to be the only solution for such problem. Yet flexibility at work is not
well-define in certain circumstances.

While employees can deal with their personal life issue with more time and care due to flexible
working, employees having a voice can improve employees workplace satisfaction
substantially. That feeling of getting their ideas valued properly, provides employees higher
satisfaction as well as motivation; as a result productivity increases. At Harrods, employees
ideas and voices are treated as crucial as top-level managements decisions. This provides line
managers, in fact, every employee at Harrods to feel satisfied and valued.

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