Introduction
Human resource management is the act of hiring, recruiting, organising and handling employees within an organization. Often, HRM is simply means human resources. Moreover, Human Resource (HR) refers to a group of people who altogether form up the staff of a company, industry, economy or business sector (Al-Harazneh, and Sila, 2021). This report will critically assess the functionalities and roles of HR within a business, and provide a brief perception on the present challenges, recognising the issues hampering collective approach to attain organisation objective in Sainsbury’s. Further, it will discuss about the link between organisational structure development, employee retention policy and learning and development. Also, it will evaluate the way these are impacting strategic growth of Sainsbury’s, through utilising Mintzberg’s framework and McKinsey’s 7s design concept. In addition, the report will be refereeing to theoretical concept of diversity management, organisational culture, rewards and leadership and, critically assess the concept employed by Sainsbury’s.
Furthermore, it will offer pertinent examples and provide recommendations, and also involve transformational and transactional theories, as well as Maslow’s hierarchy of needs. Sainsbury’s is a multi-channel retailer which supplies general merchandise, clothing items, and groceries. The organisation was founded by John James Sainsbury and Mary Ann, and it has now grown to one of the largest food retailers in UK. The range, provenance, and quality of their food items sets it apart from the various other supermarkets (Sainsbury’s, 2025). Sainsbury’s supplies premium quality, delicious food at competitive prices, this has been at the core of what the company does since 1869, when its first store got opened. Main focus of the company is on providing a wide range of high quality, great value products, brilliant customer service and robust availability, all supplied by the help of convenient digital channels and appealing stores (Sainsbury’s, 2025). Further, main aim of the company is to make good food accessible, affordable and joyful every day to each and every one.
Main Body
Functionalities and role of HR in business
Human resource (HR) plays a noteworthy role in hiring and staffing through handling the process of hiring from beginning to ending. They recognise recruitment requirements, develop job postings, monitor applications and arrange interviews, does background checks, onboard new workers and assist choosing the ideal employee for the role. HR confirms that that the staff members are lined up with the strategies and objectives of the organisation. Chief function of them is to augment productivity of employees, increase engagement, and satisfaction among them, which help in assisting the development of the organisation. In a company like Sainsbury, human resource is vital for guaranteeing that the workforce is appropriately skilled, motivated, well-assisted and trained. HR is also given role of confirming that staff comprehend, as well as make contributions to the overall company objectives.
Current challenges in achieving organisational goals
Sainsbury’s is going through numerous human resource challenges which affect its capability in achieving its company goals. A chief challenge for the organisation is retaining its current talent pool within an intensely competitive retail industry. With rising turnover rates in the retail settings, it is becoming tough for the companies involving Sainsbury’s to uphold an experienced, steady and reliable staff (Armstrong, and Taylor, 2023). The costs involved in hiring, development and training of new workers can impact the bottom line of the organisation. Moreover, employee engagement, particularly within positions such as in stores, can be tough, since such position are less paid. HR team at the Sainsbury requires to search for innovative means to keep staff members determined and inspired, mainly while facing challenges such as low morale and high-pressure work atmospheres.
Although the organisation has taken significant steps to augment the staff diversity, it goes through issue of developing a completely inclusive work environment. Diverse staff could many a times face communication challenges or stress, which could impact overall employee productivity as well as staff dynamics. In addition to this, the transition to digitalisation as well as e-commerce has come up with new issues or challenges for the HR team of the company. HR need to prudently handle such changes to confirm negligible influence on morale and performance.
Moving ahead, within Sainsbury few factors hamper a shared approach to attaining company goals. Transparent and clear communication among staff members and HR at all the levels could be absent, mainly between front workers as well as senior management. This can be a reason of disengagement among the company goals and the way such goals are executed in day-to-day responsibilities. This can lead to delay of collective and teamworking effort. Moreover, several workers within the retail sector feels being less paid and even might not understand a right direction for career advancement, resulting into low motivation and involvement. This in turn, impact their contribution towards the tactical goals of the company. Furthermore, some of the workers might resits changes, due to transition to new technologies and also digitalisation (Banfield, Kay, and Royles, 2018). Staff members who might not be properly trained or assimilate with the new mechanisms could feel isolated, which influences teamwork and the capability of the company to innovate.
Link between different aspects and their influence on Sainsbury’s strategic growth
Organisational structure, learning and development and employee retention policy are closely linked within a business domain. Sainsbury follows hierarchical organisational structure; however, it has become highly agile with the years emphasizing on cross-functional cooperation. Such structure assists decision making at numerous levels at the same time confirming alignment with wide organisational goals. The HR team is crucial in designing the structure to line up with the strategic development of Sainsbury’s. Also, an effective organisational structure is important in defining clear career pathways for staff members, which is crucial for retention.
Furthermore, learning and development is vital for the company success because it confirms that staff members are well-trained and skilled properly for functioning as per their responsibilities. Within the company, there is robust emphasis on providing training workshops and programs to refine skills of employees and also make them prepared for further roles in future. Such investment on employee development helps in retention of employees, as people who feel like having great chances of growth within the organisation are most probable to stay within the company. Further, by the help of learning and development programs, Sainsbury’s augments employee productivity and involvement, straightaway influencing the tactical goals of the organisation in relation to refining customer support and improving operational competence.
Additionally, Sainsbury’s employee retention policies which involve career progression chances, benefits, supple working environments, and competitive pay; are formulated to help valued staff members to stay within the company (Bratton, Gold, Bratton, and Steele, 2022). Such policies aid the organisations in improving satisfaction among employees as well as decrease turnover.
McKinsey’s 7s design concept
McKinsey’s 7s model focuses on sever interrelated components which influence the efficiency of an organisation. Such elements are elaborated below in context of the way diverse aspects are influencing Sainsbury’s strategic growth:
- Structure: The Company has employed a decentralised or segregated structure, enabling improved decision making and quick reply to requirements of consumers.
- Strategy: HR play an important role in execution of the strategy through confirming that the appropriate people are positioned at the correct place in order to meet the goals of the organisation.
- Systems: Sainsbury’s make investment in mechanisms and technology which augment performance of staff members, from hiring to measuring productivity.
- Skills: Focus of the company on developing its staff in order fulfill the altering market trends and demands, improving worker satisfaction and performance.
- Style: The Company follows participative leadership approach, where the staff members are promoted to come up with thoughts and views and also feel heard and respected.
- Staff: Talent management is essential for the organisation in order to uphold its competitive advantage. HR practices are focused on appealing finest talents and confirming staff faithfulness (Chmielewska et al, 2022).
- Shared values: The Company highlights client satisfaction and employee inclusivity as its chief values, guaranteeing each and every worker comprehends and also make contribution towards the organisational goals.
Mintzberg’s framework
As per the Mintzberg’s organisational models, there are five categories of the organisation structure, which depend model’s particular element. One among these is machine bureaucracy which depends largely on a strong technostructure. Sainsbury’s comes under this machine bureaucracy, categories through an intensely structured atmosphere, standardized processes and centralised control. Another, organisation structure in accordance with model is adhocracy, which is project driven as well as has to respond flexibly and swiftly to evolving demands (Weidener, Greilich, and Melnykowycz, 2024). Although, Sainsbury is also changing over to this approach, permitting for better innovation within its online and digital facilities.
Leadership & diversity management, organisational culture and, rewards at Sainsbury’s
Leadership & diversity management, organisational culture and, rewards are all important to the growth and success of Sainsbury’s, mainly within the terms of HRM. The company employs a leadership style which is a combination of both transformational as well as transitional leadership. Within the Sainsbury, transformational leadership could be understood as n approach which gives value to performance that is measurable, reward based mechanisms and transparent structures. For instance, often the staff is given rewards and bonuses on the basis of completion of their targets. Moreover, transformational leadership is apparent in the focus of the organisation on encouraging staff members to line up with the fundamental values, such as customer service and sustainability. Leaders at the Sainsbury’s do their best to motivate and develop an emotive bond with the workers, inspiring them to above normal tasks and operate in direction of long-run objectives. Such dual methodology has assisted in upholding employee performance and involvement to a greater extent (Leatherbarrow, and Fletcher, 2018). However, transformational leadership can even result into burnout risk and lack of concentration, and transaction leadership can lead to diminished innovation and decrease team morale.
Moreover, the focus of the company in developing an atmosphere where all the staff members, irrespective of their background feel respected and valued. Sainsbury’s such focus is influenced by the practitioner/consultant approach which highlights the positive dimensions of the way turning a workplace highly diverse could increase productivity. Such approach has help the company to improve staff satisfaction and improved innovation in teams, since different viewpoints results into innovative and creative ideas. Although, this approach also comes with potential of conflict, as it can result in clashes of values and ideas among team members.
Reward system of Sainsbury is multi-layered, intending to identifying and retaining talent. Further than monetary demands, Sainsbury’s provide career progression opportunities, a robust staff benefits package, and supple working surroundings. This lines up with the Maslow’s hierarchy of needs, taking into account both the psychological needs such as recognition, sense of fitting and career advancement and also physiological needs like competitive salaries (Taylor, 2021). Through addressing such requirements, the company intends to decrease turnover and retain talent. However, rewards systems in the company can result to heightened costs.
Further, organisational culture of the company revolves around customer service, innovation and teamwork. Sainsbury’s also cultivates a culture of consistent improvement, where the staff members are motivated to contribute ideas and also assist in shaping direction of the company. Such assisting culture reinforces employee faithfulness and assist in attaining goals of the company.
Recommendation
Although the company employs a great blend of transformational and transitional leadership, high emphasis should be given to emerging leaders who nurture invasion and independence at all the levels. In addition to this, Sainsbury’s endure to improve diversity through endorsing diversity in leadership roles in order to imitate the values of the organisation. Confirming that the leaders are diverse could better impact the performance and decisions of the company. Moreover, confirming the reward mechanisms highlight performance, wellness, personal growth and career improvement of the employees, which also guarantee retention in long-run.
Conclusion
On the basis of above study and analysis, it can be concluded that the Sainsbury’s human resource management (HRM) plays a crucial role in employee involvement, recruitment, as well as lining up the workforce with the tactical goals of the company. Further, HR activities of the company are well-organized and also lined up with the organisational goals like customer service, innovation and more. However, there is scope of advancement, mainly in nurturing diversity and improving reward systems to assist employee retention in long-term. Highlighting employee development, improving communication and reinforcing inclusivity and diversity within leadership can assist the company to address its issues and initiate growth and success within a progressive digital as well as competitive business environment. Overall, the report has provided thorough examination of HRM at Sainsbury’s. It has identified chief HR challenges which the company faces, covering talent retention, incorporation of digitalization and employing new technologies and staff engagement. In addition, it has discovered the link among different aspects, involving organisational structure and employee retention policy and employee advancement, showcasing the manner in which such influences make contributions in the organisation growth. Through application of McKinsey’s 7s design concept and Mintzberg’s framework, it has evaluated the way HR policies drive the strategic goals of Sainsbury. Along with this, diversity management, leadership styles, organisational culture and rewards systems at the company are analysed critically, and also suggestions for augmenting leadership diversity and lining up rewards mechanisms with staff requirements.
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Refreneces
Books and Journals
Al-Harazneh, Y.M. and Sila, I., 2021. The impact of E-HRM usage on HRM effectiveness: highlighting the roles of top management support, HR professionals, and line managers. Journal of Global Information Management (JGIM), 29(2). pp.118-147.
Armstrong, M. and Taylor, S. 2023. Armstrong's Handbook of Human Resource Management Practice. A Guide to the Theory and Practice of People Management, 16th edition. Kogan Page.
Banfield, P., Kay, R., and Royles, D. 2018. Introduction to HRM, 3rd edition. Oxford: Oxford University Press.
Bratton, J., Gold, J.’ Bratton, A., and Steele, L. 2022. Human Resource Management: A Critical Approach, 7th edition. London: Bloomsbury Publishing.
Chmielewska, M., Stokwiszewski, J., Markowska, J. and Hermanowski, T., 2022. Evaluating organizational performance of public hospitals using the McKinsey 7-S framework. BMC health services research, 22, pp.1-12.
Leatherbarrow, C. and Fletcher J. 2018. Introduction to HRM: A Guide to HR in Practice, 4th edition. London: CIPD.
Taylor, S. 2021. Resourcing and Talent Management. The Theory and Practice of Recruiting and Developing a Workforce. London: CIPD.
Weidener, L., Greilich, K. and Melnykowycz, M., 2024. Adapting Mintzberg’s organizational theory to DeSci: the decentralized science pyramid framework. Frontiers in Blockchain, 7, p.1513885.
Online
Sainsbury’s. 2025. Online. Available through: < https://www.about.sainsburys.co.uk/our-strategy/our-brands/groceries#:~:text=Founded%20by%20John%20James%20Sainsbury,us%20apart%20from%20other%20supermarkets.>
Sainsbury’s. 2025. Online. Available through: < https://www.about.sainsburys.co.uk/about-us>
