Assignment Sample An Evaluation of HRM at Unilever
Introduction
Human resource management can be defined as the practices and policies that are required by the organization to perform the routine in the organization such as staff development performance management encouragement compensation and involvement in the decision-making process.
The current study will be focusing on the human resource practices of Unilever. It is a British multinational consumer goods organization that has it’s headquarter in London England (Unilever, 2021).
The product and services of the organization have a wide variety including supplements, food condiments, well-being vitamins, and minerals. Currently, 149,000 employees are working in the organization and it is an international company with operations in 190 countries.
Due to the current pandemic situation and the increasing number of vaccines for increasing percentage of people getting recovered as the companies are focusing on recovering the plans and getting back to the officers at Unilever which has more than 150,000 employee operating in 190 countries is leading the consumer product Giants return to work strategy by planning for hybrid working and implementing safety protocols ensuring that the employees across different sectors in the company feel safe and comfortable to return to the workplace. Unilever has announced itself to be a gender balanced organisation across its management at international level and the HRM strategies of the organisation have always proven to be secure and flexible for the employees that makes Unilever worth exploring in terms of HR methods and strategies (HAYNES, 2021).
HR Roles
The objective of creating the HRM model is to provide the company with the strategies to manage the workforce efficiently and effectively for achieving the established objective. The strategies of human resource management are defined as the concept which includes approaches and forms characterized by the distinct focus on Emphasis for instrumental approach and performance management. The soft approach of human resource management focuses on motivating, empowering, and dealing with the trust of the employee considering an individual contribution to the company and resource availability. The human resource model, therefore, is often combined with the principles of hard and soft human resource management strategies with better emphasis on the approaches. The Ulrich model which is also considered the business partner model was introduced in the year 1995 (Storey, Wright, and Ulrich, 2019).
Advantages and disadvantages of the Model
This model falls under the creative human resource management that focuses on organizing the human resource functions into 4 significant roles. These Central roles are change agent strategic partner administrative expert and employee champion. Therefore rather than focusing on the function and processes the model has mainly centered on the employee or people of the organization and their responsibilities in the company. Ulrich also stressed the responsibility of the CEO to senior managers in the company who play a significant role in the process. Although in the present era of globalization the business partner model or the Ulrich model is causing a debatable approach to the companies as it is determined to represent the significant milestone in the human resource management history that is still being used by the companies (Khulaibi, 2021). As per the application of the model the human resource and the company needs to become a partner with the line managers and the senior executive while the execution of the strategy. It will help the employee to move as per the planning from the concerned room to the marketplace. Secondly, as per the theory, this relation between the employee and the line managers within the organization should become expert for working in an executed and organized way and deliver efficiency to the administration and sharing that the resources and the cost are reduced while maintaining the quality of the product or services (Zehir, Gurol, Karaboga and Kole, 2016).
Strategies of the organization
As the organization is able to retain the employee for a longer duration of time therefore outstanding employee experiences are generated in Unilever (Hrone, 2021). On the basis of the model, the change agent is very significant as it supports the transition and change within the business operation in the areas of human capital. Since the role of the human managers in the organization is to support the change activity and put efforts on the area as of increasing capacity, therefore, the change agent is highly important. It will result in having greater access of opportunities to the employees resulting effective training and organizational profitability. Secondly, the administrative expert can change over a period of time within the organization. It ensures maximum quality to be delivered to the customer by reducing the stress at the lowest possible cost for the organization (Bentley, 2008).
Thirdly the employee champion also plays a major role in the human resource as the employee advocate has the idea about the aspect that is expected and it is needed by the employees. By taking care of the interest of the employee transfers and we can protect the employees during the process of change within the organization. Lastly the strategic partner Associates with the alignment of initiatives implemented by the Global business strategy and the human resource activities. It is the responsibility of the human business. It is the responsibility of the Human Resource business partner under the HR management to align the activities and initiatives therefore the significance of the strategic partner gets prior highlight as per the model.
HR Methods
For a business to grow, analyzing the work process of the company is an important aspect. It identifies the areas which require improvement (TanlentLyft, 2020). By accessing the human resource managers in the company are able to describe the initiatives for different areas that require significant focus. The human resource manager has a great deal of responsibility within an organization and therefore the stakeholders and internal team of the company need a thoughtful assessment and protocol. On the basis of the chosen organization, different assessments of the HR working process include 360-degree feedback Management by objectives field review and assessment Centre. Unilever is one of the companies that put into new practices by efficient human resource management protocol (Nair, 2021). The strategic management of the organization is led by the Chief human resource officer who can seize the satisfaction among the employees even to the elementary level by directly influencing them for growth and success in the business.
The local subsidiaries are also encouraged by the company for creating human resources strategies. For example, Unilever klave invented a device for tracking the motivation and job satisfaction of the employee daily (Hrone, 2021). This particular action helped in providing better results and increased the net income of the organization. It also resulted in increasing the profitability and having a positive impact on the corporate social responsibility of the organization. The 360-degree feedback method that is followed in the company provides the assessor with the wholesome about the ability of the employee not only in the company but also in the interpersonal interaction.
Relating the Ulrich model with the HRM strategies of Unilever
The Ulrich model helps in organising roles and responsibilities across the Human Resource Department with an organisation regarding and defining who is accountable and responsible for the tasks in contributing smoother running of the business process. From the business operation of Unilever it can be identified that since the Human Resource Department of the organisation conductor different mechanism Tools and techniques to identify the efficiency among the employees.
In order to investigate the HR model at Unilever the soft model of HRM is chosen. This model emphasizes on the commitment and engagement of the employee and the key characteristics are the demographic leadership two-way communication and employee training. In terms of Unilever this model of HRM has been adopted to explore the interchangeability of 4 concepts and evaluate the function and role of the HR within the company.
At Unilever the HR managers recruit the employee depending on the vacant position and when any new position is required for bringing change in the company. Some elementary level positions require constantly to be filled and it reflects the soft HRM characteristics.
The company has constant and single working hours and shifts for every employee that are pre planned at the time of joining or recruitment based on the business needs. At Unilever Omni channel communication is practiced which indicates that the soft HRM characteristics are based on the decision making and employee consultation for their participation. However, partially it does not comply with the characteristics of the soft HRM and therefore it can be said that at Unilever strict adherence to the soft model of HRM is not followed. Since it is a multinational organization the recruitment and selection process for low vital aspects makes the entire process trustworthy and reliable. By enhancing the development and training session for the employee the Unilever invest uses resources and time for the employee to retain the interpersonal skills that are needed to maintain the Talent pool of field personnel working (Hougaard, 2021). The investment for developing the workforce has always been a significant part of the long-term strategic planning by Unilever that proliferates the growth of the multinational company (Wittenberg-Cox, 2018).
Conclusion and Recommendation
From the above discussion it can be concluded that being a multinational organization, the human resource roles and methods of Unilever prioritizes the hiring and retention of the employee for maintaining the talent pool. By offering quality employee benefits, recognizing their hard work, and rewarding the outstanding employees the performance of the stakeholders in the company is efficiently managed by Unilever.
Potential scope for improvement
Unilever can improve the human resource management as a strategic partner by adhering to the Ulrich model. This model can be adopted to organize and involve the correct HR partners in the company which can help in increasing the employee retention and human resource management at Unilever.
References
Bentley, R., (2008). From hero to zero (Ulrichs business partner model). Development and Learning in Organizations: An International Journal, [online] 22(6), p.31. Retrieved 9 November from: <https://www.emerald.com/insight/content/doi/10.1108/dlo.2008.08122fad.001/full/html>
HAYNES, S. (2021). How Unilever’s Head of HR Sees The Future of Work. Time. Retrieved 26 November 2021, from https://time.com/6049936/leena-nair-unilever-interview/.
Bratton, J., (1999). (PDF) Stratgic Human Resource Management: Corporate Rhetoric and Human Reality. [online] ResearchGate. Retrieved 9 November from: <https://www.researchgate.net/publication/262313309_Stratgic_Human_Resource_Management_Corporate_Rhetoric_and_Human_Reality>
King, H., (2018). Unilever sustainable living plan. [online] researchgate. Retrieved 9 November from: <https://www.researchgate.net/figure/Unilever-sustainable-living-plan_fig2_301264758>
Hougaard, R., (2021). How Unilever Develops Leaders To Be A Force For Good. [online] Forbes. Retrieved 9 November from: <https://www.forbes.com/sites/rasmushougaard/2021/06/08/how-unilever-develops-leaders-to-be-a-force-for-good/?sh=6cfaf84b2c71>
Hrone, (2021). How Unilever is reaching extraordinary (HR) performance?. [online] Hrone.lu. Retrieved 9 November from: <https://www.hrone.lu/actualites/how-unilever-reaching-extraordinary-hr-performance>
Khulaibi, K., (2021). Is Ulrich’s Model Useful In Understanding HR Practitioners’ Roles In Non-Western Developing Countries? An Exploratory Investigation Across Private And Public Sector Organizations In The Sultanate Kingdom Of Oman. [online] research.manchester. Retrieved 9 November from: <https://www.research.manchester.ac.uk/portal/en/publications/is-ulrichs-model-useful-in-understanding-hr-practitioners-roles-in-nonwestern-developing-countries-an-exploratory-investigation-across-private-and-public-sector-organizations-in-the-sultanate-kingdom-of-oman(e6e61f0c-3f8d-4c12-a69c-7dd211cc2721).html>
Nair, L., (2021). Leena Nair | Unilever. [online] Unilever.com. Retrieved 9 November from: <https://www.unilever.com/our-company/our-leadership/leena-nair/>
Storey, J., Wright, P. & Ulrich, D., (2019). Strategic Human Resource Management. Strategic Human Resource Management, [online] 14(8), p.71. Retrieved 9 November from: <https://www.researchgate.net/publication/331541673_Strategic_Human_Resource_Management_A_Research_Overview>
TanlentLyft, G., (2020). 5 Most Used HR Assessment Methods in 2020. [online] Blog. Retrieved 9 November from: <https://www.talentlyft.com/en/blog/article/370/5-most-used-hr-assessment-methods-in-2020>
Unilever, (2021). Employee wellbeing | Unilever. [online] Unilever.com. Retrieved 9 November from: <https://www.unilever.com/planet-and-society/responsible-business/employee-wellbeing/>
Wittenberg-Cox, A., (2018). Flexibility For All: Unilever’s Vision Of The Future Of Work. [online] Forbes. Retrieved 9 November from: <https://www.forbes.com/sites/avivahwittenbergcox/2021/05/23/flexibility-for-all–unilevers-vision-of-the-future-of-work/?sh=5dfbfb8a75c6>
Zehir, C., Gurol, Y., Karaboga, T. & Kole, M., (2016). Strategic Human Resource Management and Firm Performance: The Mediating Role of Entrepreneurial Orientation. Procedia – Social and Behavioral Sciences, [online] 235(43), pp.372-381. Retrieved 9 November from: <https://pdf.sciencedirectassets.com/277811/1-s2.0-S1877042816X00213/1-s2.0-S1877042816315798/main.pdf?X-Amz-Security-Token=IQoJb3JpZ2luX2VjEB0aCXVzLWVhc3QtMSJHMEUCIQCZOzRTdAGHYOVo%2FCWF1jAaQ53GJbQJMJik2zoxne%2BVUAIgIRjbiBAcK0kfq1N4m6w%2FeUNR%2FXpFQJ%2FINK%2FyAcq76DkqgwQItf%2F%2F%2F%2F%2F%2F%2F%2F%2F%2FARAEGgwwNTkwMDM1NDY4NjUiDLOqHPKpvjAoM0LB%2FyrXA28Cf15iQn3Ijcrj%2BfWYyyEUJJ4Y6LJ1x8pYr753xBTjKRs1wzvR2liN87YPCNIEb00HuWkXqoebBXtzh091yVYyrIWLxk4J8g9f0EM2kdJ04XtO6IDBJwRJABZ%2FfjV5LMd%2BKkoi8q2xx%2F0vUy5MhWMZLrbRgTcXIbLsqVDkK1JKcoS%2B3X%2Fayy5fNtQGqiCVHQYgT7WJt5gMX9Allt6%2Bn0VOfxkDv52vmB3sogoz49ShjEU1CjKRLGOsYvhnKU2KDS800Bdbfhww0OfeFMW7QDCNHGJ60OjaEP3x9GHaOknJOZdPnNpRpoKrXu%2BBgY3SURLneuSE92RLUWpoU8JCdUNnsJOhtmH23x8vpGbVQWTZfyetoJ%2FF2ZMd0VPW9ePbpY72q8A0LWkB2tQObhLEIRxYAqHk7WwlBqY51Ygqwl03tcJl6GFkQcDw4SPKHbs%2FGL7ydz7%2Bypkil00nKG%2FyjWZP4CV8Yhw9NtVUA7vNONeC0veSs%2Fmf91cNRhTUb1w%2BfOaCkja5VeBS7ELZqak5qxdFMGhnG4iwMcsXryX5NYA9eOgBQ520CoalNi7xe6KT7gTvmwzzMkx2VYzKVF%2FIrJCKnLZcZG5QsiYSIwSvoKwF7oeOrV0oxjDz6%2B2LBjqlAX9FCuf4ZBai4PEObdFt%2B592j1TWgbAPNDJXUmGxkp83GH3fc3JXpbm6JsrsFFEMyFArUCGf4fFM4jLpNs7HkOgltboSKOa66NttGV8vxkoazJSuVcQPQKaHCs62S3I2BtqW82%2F%2BYqBQEtcNi3jBL11mzKw0s4T37POJpz7ca68n9KyUe1sy5nlS4HqhlAl%2Fy4TR22ReXxROXDLGEFXPj2J%2FN65ANg%3D%3D&X-Amz-Algorithm=AWS4-HMAC-SHA256&X-Amz-Date=20211029T055903Z&X-Amz-SignedHeaders=host&X-Amz-Expires=300&X-Amz-Credential=ASIAQ3PHCVTYZGD3HBU7%2F20211029%2Fus-east-1%2Fs3%2Faws4_request&X-Amz-Signature=0b3674f15a7850f279aae37b2482c478a93ff77ea1c5422b34557cd9e0fbcfca&hash=f32871735a008b871e9e2a2a421d438f48ce883a6d94595f429b1c14cc672401&host=68042c943591013ac2b2430a89b270f6af2c76d8dfd086a07176afe7c76c2c61&pii=S1877042816315798&tid=spdf-42e8226e-5d8c-4cee-9c77-de6b930266d3&sid=5547198066801548b819d2d-53720444db94gxrqb&type=client>
