Review Paper Harrod’s Case Study

Review the Harrod’s Case Study. Based on the case, how does increasing employee engagement impact retention, organizational behavior and culture? What did Harrod’s do that could be universally used in any organization? What would you recommend to organizational leaders as a best practice around employee engagement?

Expectations

Length: 2 to 3 pages
Citation & References: 2 citations outside of the course resources
See USU Written Assignment Grading Rubric with APA – MBA for additional details and point weighting.

Introduction

Harrods is a brand that is recognised all over the world. Its Knightsbridge store has 1 million square feet of selling space with over 330 different departments. Its global reputation and prestige is instilled through its brand values. Brand values represent what an organisation stands for. Harrods values are – British; Luxury; Service; Innovation and Sensation.

This case study demonstrates the integral role that Harrods’ employees play in upholding these brand values. People are a vital resource of any organisation. In the retail industry, employees are the public face of the company. They are responsible for interacting daily with a variety of stakeholders, for example, customers, senior managers and suppliers, to ensure the day-to-day running of the business. Effective communication is essential for creating an environment where employees and customers are satisfied.

Harrods has been in business for over 160 years. It employs 4000 employees with an additional 3,500 agency and concession employees. In 2010 Qatar Holdings purchased Harrods from Mohamed Al-Fayed. The new owners are strongly committed to all of Harrods’ employees. They recognise that engaged employees are essential to the continuing success of the business. Such employees are likely to be happy and consistently high performers who want to progress their careers with Harrods. Managing employee relationships is the role of the Human Resources department.

This case study looks at the methods adopted by Harrods’ Human Resources department to increase employee engagement. This involved positively changing the organisation’s culture to enable the business to meet the needs of its employees whilst also maintaining the company’s values.

Human Resource Management (HRM)

Human Resource Management is a process of valuing and developing people at work. It covers all aspects of developing employees, including three important steps:

  1. Recruitment and selection – attracting suitable new employees.
  2. Performance – enabling employees to perform their roles to the best of their ability by keeping them informed and providing relevant training opportunities.
  3. Development – developing all employees to build their careers with Harrods through identifying career progression opportunities.

In 2009 the MacLeod Report, ‘Engaging for Success’, was published which has been very influential in Human Resource Management. One of its major findings was to highlight how businesses benefit by involving employees in all aspects of decision making. This involvement is commonly referred to as employee engagement or participation. This prompted managers at Harrods to investigate its employee relations, in particular its employee turnover.

PEOPLE

Employee turnover measures the rate at which employees leave their employer, usually over a one year time period. The statistics indicated that Harrods needed to take action to improve employee engagement and reduce its employee turnover. A high employee turnover rate has significant cost and performance implications to a business. These include the costs of recruitment, the loss of expertise and the increased need for training new employees.

Following this investigation, Harrods carried out its first comprehensive employee survey to find out what they thought about working at Harrods. The employee survey has now become an integral aspect of Harrods’ Human Resource Management programme. The survey results were used to create strategic plans for change focused on improving employee engagement and trust. The four main elements were:

  • Changing organisational structure. Senior managers felt that the organisation was too hierarchical i.e. had too many layers. The new structure is flatter with employees taking on more responsibilities. This enables job enrichment, providing opportunities for an employee to take on further responsibilities to enhance their job satisfaction.
  • Changing leadership. Creating an environment where employees are encouraged to make more decisions themselves. Senior managers create the business vision but ground level employees are delegated more leadership responsibilities, for example, in dealing with customers. The model employed is one of transformational leadership where the vision is built at the top but everyone engages with the vision through personal leadership.
  • Improved communications. Better communications inform all employees about the strategies of the company. These outline the aims and direction of the business. They also inform employees about operational (day-to-day) plans which directly affect their work. A radical improvement was to encourage employees to inform management of their views.
  • Living the brand values. Making sure that everyone understands and models the brand values.

www.businesscasestudies.co.uk

Communications and cultural change

The changes mentioned before have resulted in Harrods developing a people-focussed culture in order to better engage with its employees. The culture of an organisation is very powerful and has been described as its DNA. It has also been summarised as ‘the way we do things around here’ and is created through shared values, attitudes, beliefs and norms. One of the reasons why Harrods is so successful today is that it gives its employees a voice for change. All employees are encouraged to give feedback on every aspect of how Harrods operates. The opportunities for managers and employees to be engaged in sharing their views and ideas is summarised in the table below:

EngagementmethodDescription
Internal employee magazine‘Your Harrods’ – a popular and creative magazine for employees with a new starter list, interviews with key people, personal snapshots, charity features, an Agony Aunt column and interesting competitions.
Morning briefingInforming shop floor teams about what is going on that day and the latest sales statistics.
IntranetEnables sharing of information with employees. Employees are able to select which aspects they focus on (rather than having information pushed on them).
Quarterly employee forumA group made up of employee volunteers. Enables employees to present issues and contribute to company strategy.
Other forms of employee voice‘Bright Ideas’ scheme which encourages employees to share innovative ideas to further improve Harrods.

The first employee survey highlighted that a difference existed between the customer experience and the employee experience. Harrods tackled these issues as a matter of urgency. A priority was the modernisation of the staff restaurant, providing an inviting eating space with high quality, nutritionally balanced food.

The effectiveness of this approach is summed up by one employee, Hayri Volkan, who is a Retail Manager. She says: ‘My views aredefinitely valued, I’m always asked my opinion on things – peoplewhodothejobareacknowledgedasagoodinformationsource’.

Leadership

Leadership is important in shaping the culture of an organisation. There are two opposite poles in terms of leadership, these are autocratic and democratic. Autocratic leaders tell employees what to do. On the other hand, democratic leaders encourage input from employees, listen to their ideas and enable them to make decisions. Both styles have their place, depending on circumstances. For instance, in a crisis situation, such as a sharp drop in sales, immediate action is needed. In such circumstances an autocratic approach is required. However, when there is more time available, a democratic approach is often favoured. Harrods’ leadership focus is at the democratic end of the spectrum.

Employees are listened to and their advice and ideas are used to make continuous improvements. The culture is thus one of trust and respect and is the key to Harrods’ employee engagement.

Harrods’ management is committed to fully developing its people so that employees, the business and its stakeholders are fully satisfied. There are three main elements of the democratic leadership approach at Harrods which encourage the development of its employees:

  • Talent spotting. This involves identifying talented people who can make important contributions to Harrods. Laura Gorse who works in the Learning and Development Department at Harrods illustrates this: ‘Ihadbeentrainingnewstartersmy

total enthusiasm for the role must have been spotted byHarrods.AtthetimeIwasunsureaboutanewopportunitysoIdidn’t push myself but Harrods nudged me in the rightdirectionandgavemeachancetosucceed’.

  • Mentoring and coaching. Mentors and coaches are people who act as advisors and guides, usually to those less experienced than themselves. Mentoring and coaching takes place through structured feedback and advice as well as through informal conversations. Line managers at Harrods are encouraged to communicate targets and advice to employees through face-to-face interactions. This might involve sitting down in the restaurant, or in a more formal setting, to agree objectives and to give advice about improvements and new ways of working. Acting as a coach helps the line managers to develop their managerial skills, build relationships and reinforce trust at Harrods.
  • Support networks. Managers meet regularly with other managers to share ideas and issues. For example the Retail Managers meet once a month with the Head of Retail to share insights and assess retail plans at both strategic and operational levels.

Each of the processes outlined above provides Harrods’ employees, both managers and front-line staff, with the confidence that they can make a difference and that their contributions are valued.

Benefits of Human Resource Management

Research into Human Resource Management indicates that the factors that really motivate employees are intrinsic ones which are based on meeting the personal needs of an individual. Human beings have a number of key psychological needs including:

  • The need to feel that you can do something well.
  • The need to be part of a group.
  • The need for respect and encouragement from others.

www.businesscasestudies.co.uk

www.harrods.com

These needs are typically met from non-financial rewards, for example, by providing opportunities:

  • for promotion
  • to make decisions
  • to contribute to a team
  • to do a variety of tasks.

Harrods recognises these intrinsic needs and encourages job rotation, job enlargement and job enrichment to provide career development opportunities. Job rotation involves periodically changing jobs and work areas to develop new skills in different areas of the business. Cross departmental experience is viewed as important for personal development. Harrods offers a range of many different types of job opportunity including face-to-face customer operations, merchandising, recording and reporting of sales and online customer communications. Job enlargement involves encouraging and supporting staff to take on new and more challenging tasks. Job enrichment involves building existing job roles by enabling employees to engage in a wider variety of interesting tasks, for example, taking on some team leadership responsibility and removing unnecessary supervision.

Having an informed and engaged workforce has resulted in many tangible benefits. There have now been four employee surveys. Each survey has seen a higher return from employees and an improvement in the indicators of employee engagement.

Significantly, 91% of employees have stated in the most recent survey that they are proud to work for Harrods and employee turnover has halved in the last five years.

The ultimate proof of the success of an employee engagement exercise is that it needs to be lived by employees. They need to feel that the culture has changed and that they have played a part in the improvements. Harrods places a high importance on brand values so it is essential that these values are reflected in how employees behave. Employees have to live up to the Harrods brand because customers are aware of it and expect excellence.

Engaged employees are committed ones who help the organisation to achieve its targets and to live its values. Harrods recognise that this is a democratic process. Employees are not just a key part of the visual representation of the organisation – they are the organisation.

The engagement of employees is admirably reflected in the following quote from Jennifer Glyn, a Creative Team Project Manager at Harrods: ‘Ilikebeingpartofabigbrand,itisstablebutexcitingIfeel pride coming in on a Monday Morning. I enjoy telling peoplewhat I do and where I work’. Similarly Laura Gorse who works in Learning and Development states: ‘Ineverdreadcomingintowork,Iactuallylookforwardtocominginyoudon’twanttomissoutonwhat’sgoingon.Thevaluescomefromwhatwedo’.

Conclusion

Human Resource Management should be seen as a strategic function of an organisation. It helps to build a competitive edge for an organisation by positively engaging its employees. Key ingredients of effective Human Resource Management are having in place an appropriate leadership style and effective two-way communications with employees. This creates an open and honest environment where employees feel that their ideas are being listened to and that they can make a contribution to decision making. Engaged employees are more likely to be proud to work for their organisation and therefore will believe in and live out the values of the organisation.

Exam-style questionsHarrods| Increasing employee engagement through HRM

Order Now

Get expert help for Review Paper Harrod’s Case Study and many more. Express service, plag free, 100% safe. Order Online Now!

No Fields Found.
Universal Assignment (November 27, 2023) Review Paper Harrod’s Case Study. Retrieved from https://universalassignment.com/review-paper-harrods-case-study/.
"Review Paper Harrod’s Case Study." Universal Assignment - November 27, 2023, https://universalassignment.com/review-paper-harrods-case-study/
Universal Assignment June 27, 2022 Review Paper Harrod’s Case Study., viewed November 27, 2023,<https://universalassignment.com/review-paper-harrods-case-study/>
Universal Assignment - Review Paper Harrod’s Case Study. [Internet]. [Accessed November 27, 2023]. Available from: https://universalassignment.com/review-paper-harrods-case-study/
"Review Paper Harrod’s Case Study." Universal Assignment - Accessed November 27, 2023. https://universalassignment.com/review-paper-harrods-case-study/
"Review Paper Harrod’s Case Study." Universal Assignment [Online]. Available: https://universalassignment.com/review-paper-harrods-case-study/. [Accessed: November 27, 2023]

Please note along with our service, we will provide you with the following deliverables:

Please do not hesitate to put forward any queries regarding the service provision.

We look forward to having you on board with us.

Categories

Get 90%* Discount on Assignment Help

Most Frequent Questions & Answers

Universal Assignment Services is the best place to get help in your all kind of assignment help. We have 172+ experts available, who can help you to get HD+ grades. We also provide Free Plag report, Free Revisions,Best Price in the industry guaranteed.

We provide all kinds of assignmednt help, Report writing, Essay Writing, Dissertations, Thesis writing, Research Proposal, Research Report, Home work help, Question Answers help, Case studies, mathematical and Statistical tasks, Website development, Android application, Resume/CV writing, SOP(Statement of Purpose) Writing, Blog/Article, Poster making and so on.

We are available round the clock, 24X7, 365 days. You can appach us to our Whatsapp number +1 (613)778 8542 or email to info@universalassignment.com . We provide Free revision policy, if you need and revisions to be done on the task, we will do the same for you as soon as possible.

We provide services mainly to all major institutes and Universities in Australia, Canada, China, Malaysia, India, South Africa, New Zealand, Singapore, the United Arab Emirates, the United Kingdom, and the United States.

We provide lucrative discounts from 28% to 70% as per the wordcount, Technicality, Deadline and the number of your previous assignments done with us.

After your assignment request our team will check and update you the best suitable service for you alongwith the charges for the task. After confirmation and payment team will start the work and provide the task as per the deadline.

Yes, we will provide Plagirism free task and a free turnitin report along with the task without any extra cost.

No, if the main requirement is same, you don’t have to pay any additional amount. But it there is a additional requirement, then you have to pay the balance amount in order to get the revised solution.

The Fees are as minimum as $10 per page(1 page=250 words) and in case of a big task, we provide huge discounts.

We accept all the major Credit and Debit Cards for the payment. We do accept Paypal also.

Popular Assignments

5 Places you must visit in Busan, South Korea

Write 2 articles 1st Topic: 5 Places you must visit in Busan, South Korea 2nd topic: Korean language: various tips and resources to learn Deadline: 10th October 2023 12:00 AM Instructions: Article Structure is given below Meta Description: First, you will start with a meta description of your article in

Read More »

2002HSV Human Services Research

Assessment 2: Written research proposal Worth 45% of final grade Complete your answers in this assignment template Name: xxxxxxx Student ID: xxxxxxx Title: xxxxxxx Exact word count (exc. cover sheets and reference list; max. 2,000 words): x,xxx Please specify the research methodology are you proposing to use: ☐ Quantitative                                    ☐

Read More »

COIT29226 Introduction to IoT

Assessment item 3 – Project Due date: Week 12 (8 October 2023) 11:55 pm AEST Weighting: Length: Submission: 50% There is no word limit for this report Group work (submit via Moodle) Objectives This assessment item relates to the following unit learning outcomes: Learning Outcomes Assessed: Enabling objectives What do

Read More »

BUSM1008 Assessment 2 Brief Spring 2023

Assessment 2: Individual Report (20%) and Presentation (20%) Background You are appointed as a business consultant, recruited by the company allocated to you in week 6 by your tutor.  Your role is to undertake research on the company, the allocated topic and an issue identified in the media in relation to your company and

Read More »

ECON1020 PRINCIPLES OF ECONOMICS

INDIVIDUAL ASSIGNMENT Total Marks 100 | Weighting 25% DUE: 29/09/2023, 11:55pm IMPORTANT INFORMATION: READ BEFORE YOU START SUBMISSION 11.55 pm. A 1-hour grace period is provided to students who experience a technical concern. DOCUMENT PREPARATION REFERENCING UNACCEPTABLE ACADEMIC ACTIVITIES MARKING Question 1 | [12 marks] Download the spreadsheet data that

Read More »

ENTERPRISE LAW LAWS1001

Assessment task 3 Individual Case Study This task is the result of your individual effort, so students must not discuss their work with anyone else, otherwise it may lead to an allegation of collusion. Weight: 15% Due: Before 5 pm on Wednesday 27th September. Late submissions will incur a penalty

Read More »

International Business INBU01-7

Module International Business INBU01-7 (NQF LEVEL 7) FORMATIVE ASSESSMENT – ASSIGNMENT C Assignment C (INBU01-7/DLO4 10/2023) Exam Date 20 October 2023 Marks 50 Assignment C (INBU01-7/DLO4 10/2023)   Total: 20 marks SECTION A (10 MARKS) – PARAGRAPH QUESTION Question 1 (10 marks) Coca-Cola is marking its 70th year in Nigeria

Read More »

Summative Assessment Help

Summative Assessment Brief: Learning Outcomes: LO1: Construct a problem/issue/need identified from practice that impacts on individual outcomes LO2: Formulate a focus-based enquiry on the identified problem/issue/need utilising an area of individual learner interest LO3: Critically evaluate the evidence base to support the proposal of the solution focused initiative LO4: Develop

Read More »

EDU30067 Teaching English

Assignment 2: Folio Template INTRODUCTION:         LESSON 1 Lesson title:   Year level: Topic:   Duration of lesson: Curriculum links: Strands & sub-strands Content descriptions       Students background knowledge: What is your starting point – what do the students already know, what have they done

Read More »

Edge Computing Security and Privacy

Proposal Background Title: Edge Computing Security and Privacy Proposal The new computing paradigm in the Internet of Things domain is known as IoT edge computing which functions by processing calculations at the edge of the network (Alli & Alam, 2020). The current technology aided by cloud and fog computing has created

Read More »

Foundations of Communication Assessment 2 Instructions

Discussion task (Total grade – 10%)   Process Work (Steps to complete the task) Answer on the Assessment 2 Submission Document – Do not upload this instruction document. Requirements (important elements to include) lastname_firstname_studentID_COMS_Assess 2_semester_year. Process for Assessment discussion tasks NOTE: If you do not participate in the class discussions then

Read More »

Assessment Two Dos and Don’ts (Internal)

Do: Read the assessment instructions carefully Read the marking rubric carefully Understand the question – break it down Conduct research – record the reference details Read the topic materials about communication theories, forms and factors and refer to them Contribute to the discussions in class or no marks for the

Read More »

Unpacking the Question: Assessment Two

Studying at university requires you to become familiar with strategies to un-pack or breakdown a variety of assessment questions/tasks throughout your studies.  Task Example of integrating the discussion, research and theories. In the group discussion my group members (name them) stated that an advertisement for a beauty product would most

Read More »

MGMT0001 Introduction to Commerce Assessment

MGMT0001 Introduction to Commerce Assessment 2 (worth 30%) Due date:                  2:00pm (AWST) Friday 15th September 2023 Submission:              Via Turnitin assessment submission link (see ‘Assessment 2’ folder in ‘Assessments’ section of Blackboard). Additional Instructions: Part A (42 marks) Nathan is a well-known chef with years of experience cooking various cuisines. After

Read More »

ACCT5011: Accounting Systems in the Digital Age

Practical Assignment Guide, Semester 2, 2023 Due Date for Submission: Monday 11th September 2023 at 5.00 PM Please note that the Folio Assignment for ACCT5011 Accounting Systems in the Digital Age is an individual assessment task worth 30% of your total marks in the unit. Please refer to the online

Read More »

EC229- Review session

Assume two cities, A and B, that can’t trade between them. Each city produces its own coconuts for its local market. If suddenly trade is possible then: D) As we saw in class, the new price will be somewhere between the original price 𝑃_𝐴,𝑃_𝐵. Hence it is impossible for consumers

Read More »

Computing Theory COSC

Computing Theory COSC 1107/1105 Assignment 1: Fundamentals Assessment Type Individual assignment. Submit online via Canvas → As- signments → Assignment 1. Marks awarded for meeting re- quirements as closely as possible. Clarifications/updates may be made via announcements/relevant discussion forums. Due Date Week 6, Sunday 27th August 2023, 11:59pm Marks 125

Read More »

BE279 Applied Statistics and Forecasting

Strategy, Operations, & Entrepreneurship Group Essex Business School Module Code BE279 Module Title Applied Statistics and Forecasting Assessment Type Individual Report (2,000 word) Academic Year 2022/23, Spring Term Submission Deadline Refer to FASER Task Specific Guidance Please note that: Module Learning Outcomes On successful completion of the module, students will

Read More »

Learning Design Tool: Little Learners Level 1 sounds

Learning Design Tool: Little Learners Level 1 sounds. Prepared by Sara Hart Date 30th August, 2023 (feel free to leave this date as it is the AT2 due date) Brief description of Learning Design   Chooseit Maker: Create, edit and play personalised learning activities that can be used in your

Read More »

HUMN1041 PEOPLE, PLACE AND SOCIAL DIFFERENCE ASSIGNMENT

HUMN1041 PEOPLE, PLACE AND SOCIAL DIFFERENCE ASSIGNMENT 1 TEMPLATE This assignment is made up of three (3) parts, plus a reference list and appendix. Marks are allocated for each section, as follows: – 1 mark Please ensure that you provide your answers in this template, and provide a Reference list

Read More »

Model 3 Launch in Australia

Client Information Company Name Tesla Contact Name   Email   Phone Number   Address Level 14, 15 Blue St. North Sydney, NSW 2060 Australia Ad link & image Project Information Project Title Model 3 Launch in Australia Project Description (100 words) Highlight the uniqueness of the car. Show the superior

Read More »

MKT10009 Marketing and the Consumer Experience

School of Business, Law and Entrepreneurship Assessment Task – Assignment 2  MKT10009 Marketing and the Consumer Experience Semester 2, 2023. Assessment Type Analytical Report Associated Unit Learning Outcomes (ULO’s) 2, 3, 4 Group or Individual task Individual Value (%) 25% Due Date Monday 20th September at 10:00 AET – Enterthis

Read More »

ASSIGNMENT – 1st Evaluation

ASSIGNMENT – 1st Evaluation Date of Submission- 4TH SEP 2023 25 MARKS COMPARATIVE PUBLIC LAW Q. You are the new Central Minister for Urban Development who is keen to make major Indian cities as smart cities. You visit different countries like USA, UK, European Countries, Japan and other developed countries

Read More »

Corporate & Financial Due Diligence Report

[Name of the company] Note: Students should keep in mind that application of legal provisions (including Securities Regulations) and analysis of the same is important. Merely putting the facts and figures won’t fetch even a decent mark. Note: Students should only mention the broad area of business. This part should

Read More »

ECON1000 S2 2023 – Marking Guidance and FAQs on GTP

Students will be marked on the extent to which they specifically answer the question and provide clear, logical, well-reasoned and sufficient explanations. Here is a summary breakdown of how marks are allocated in this GTP: Part 1 [15 marks] §  Providing relevant observations from the information provided in the articles

Read More »

ECON1000 S2 2023 – GTP Brief

ECON1000 S2 2023 – GTP Brief A.  Context and Overview The Game Theory Presentation (GTP) is worth 30% of the final mark. GTP is a ‘take-home’ exercise with a set of tasks to do. The GTP is based on Lecture Topics: L1 and L2. You will have twenty (21) days

Read More »

Order #35042 Human Rights Research Essay

Draft due 26th Aug 2,500 words (excluding references and bibliography) Instructions: Structure: Title – The Tigray War: A Critical Analysis of What the Future Holds for Human Rights in the Region What can be done to ensure human rights violations will cease and be prosecuted? Expand on different actors and

Read More »

PMC1000: Applied Pathology

Assessment Task Sheet: Poster Presentation Date: Thursday 31st August 2023 | Weighting: 30% Assessment Task 2 You are required to develop a handout style resource (pamphlet or brochure) on a selected pathological condition which is aimed at first year student paramedics. You will need to use high quality peer reviewed

Read More »

Detailed Information: Reflective Assignment

Indigenous Peoples, Law and Justice Detailed Information: Reflective Assignment Due Date:                   Tuesday 5th September 2023 at 4:00 pm (AWST). Marks:                       30% of the total marks for this unit. Assignment:              The assignment will comprise two questions. Students must answer all parts of both questions. Examinable topics: The cultural immersion exercise and/or

Read More »

Can't Find Your Assignment?

Open chat
1
Free Assistance
Universal Assignment
Hello 👋
How can we help you?