This document discusses human resource management and training at Marks & Spencer. It covers learning theories, styles, and the learning curve. It also discusses how Marks & Spencer plans and evaluates training events. Some key points: - Marks & Spencer uses various learning styles like pragmatist, theorist, and reflector to enhance employees' skills and efficiency. Training methods include role playing, workshops, and performance coaching. - Training needs differ for management, operations, and customer service roles. Events aim to improve areas like leadership, decision making, and teamwork. - Training is evaluated using methods like productivity measures, manager observations, and participant feedback. Documentation includes knowledge sharing assessments and customer observations. - The

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An
Assignment on
Human Resource Management
Of
Marks and Spencer
Submitted by:
Name:
Id:
Submitted to:
Date of Submission:

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Executive Summary iv
Task 1:Understand learning theories and learning styles 5
1.1 Learning Styles 5
1.2 Learning Curve 6
1.2.1 Significance of Knowledge Transfer 7
1.2.2 Impact of Learning Curve 7
1.3 Learning Style and Theories 7
1.3.1 Contributions of Learning styles and Theories 7
1.3.2 Relationship among Learning Style, Theory and Event 8
1.3.3 Contribution of Learning Theory and Event 8
Task 2:Be able to plan and design training and development 8
2.1 Training Needs at different level 9
2.2 Training Method 9
2.2.1 Analysing Current Training Method 9
2.2.2 Advantage and Disadvantage of Current Training Method 10
2.3Training Process and Development 10
2.3.1 Training and Development for a Group Training Event 10
2.3.2 Training Process of the Event 11
Task 3Be able to evaluate a training event 12
3.1 Training Event 12
3.1.1 Methodology of Evaluation 12
3.1.2 Process of Documentation of the Training Program 12
3.1.3 Documents Used for Evaluation 13
3.2 Training Event Analysis and Evaluation 13
3.3. Success of the Evaluation Method 14
Table of Content

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Task 4: Importance of Government-led Initiatives 14
4.1 Role of Govt. in Training and Development 14
4.2 Impact of Public and Private Sector’s Contemporary Movement 15
4.3 Contemporary Learning 16
4.3.1 Assessment of Contemporary Training Initiatives 16
4.3.2 Role of Contemporary Learning in M & S 16
References A

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Executive Summary
For 120 years Marks and spencer have been a huge retail store all over the UK. It maintains a
huge number of employees working for the firm around 65,000 in number. Presence of intense
competition led the company to develop core values and strategy which mainly focuses on the
improvement and standardizing of performance of the employees. To bring efficiency & more
customer fulfilment, the firm is arranging training programs to cope up with the individual need.
The HR managers also arrange workshop sessions by providing the employees a practical
experience on job context. The firm’s organizational structure has been made flat rather than tall
in order to cope up with new HR challenges created from environmental and competitive
changes and intensity. To gain the best output in management and operational level more
specific types of training events can be arranged complying with the learning theories and styles.
The UK government has put emphasize and great effort in the development of human assets.
Govt. conducts various training events as per the different training staff needs by the firms.
IV

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Task 1: Understand learning theories and learning styles
1. Learning styles
The intense competitions forces M & S to come out with new strategies to be more competitive.
This challenging environment emphasizes employees to be more skillful and qualified to give a
hard competition to its competitors and make a proper career path that bests suit them.
Different Learning Styles
Organizations choose various learning styles that best fit their employees. Peter Honey and Alan
Mumford suggested four stages of learning. They are-
Activist
Activists involve themselves fully and without bias in new experiences. They enjoy the "here and
now" and are happy to be dominated by immediate experiences. (Begin, J, 1992).They just move
from one experience to another within a short time span. In rapidly changing situations and
experience requirements these learners can engage themselves in altering and wider
responsibilities. But activists they are open-minded, not sceptical, and this tends to make them
enthusiastic about anything new.
Reflector
They are thoughtful people who like to consider all possible angles and implications before
making a move. These people normally don’t participate actively in discussion only listen to
others to make own points. Reflector learners are slow in developing and judging a situation
because they spend a lot of effort in analysing the data, theory and finding. As they make own
points after a long and thorough analysis, the chances of deviation and problems in their
decisions are low. They enjoy observing other people and prefer to take a back seat in meetings
and discussions (Brewster C, 2000)
Theorist

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They attempt to fit everything together into a single jigsaw that encompasses "life, the universe
and everything". They are strict to analytical and rationality of any task or objective to be done.
Their decisions are not from their experience or previous learning. They tend to be detached,
analytical and dedicated to rational objectivity rather than anything subjective or ambiguous
Pragmatist
They are the sort of people who return from courses brimming with new ideas that they want to
try out. They like to get on with things, and act quickly and confidently on ideas that attract
them. They tend to be impatient with ruminating and open-ended discussion(Bauer, K, 2004).
M & S follows the pragmatist approaches of Honey and Mumford model to enhance the
efficiency and technical skills of their employees. M & S also uses some approaches like
performance coaching that helps employees improve their required skills necessary for
performing their job.
1.2 Learning curve:
As another working environment is created, learning curve progressions consistent with the new
learning necessities. Through the procedure of handy experience, learners can keep tabs on
qualities, aptitude changes and setting profession objectives. The changed centre structural
qualities have put employees in new tests and requirements. Through the diagram we can see that
when continuous experience is in progress, the learning and efficiency increases while time
required performing the job. Thus experience brings down the time increasing the expertise level
and more production. To keep pace with the progressions the employees required to experience
new learning curve to advance their specialized aptitudes and useful information. (Armstrong M,
1999). Performance evaluation, useful encounter, instructing and other preparing occasions

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orchestrated by M&S helped the employee enlarges their ability territory and make own
profession way.
1.2.1 Significance of knowledge transfer:
Administrators, supervisors impart new ideas and speculations about the changing work
situation, change criteria, standard and company's desire with the workforces. Line managers,
performance coaches discuss with the employees to share and transfer knowledge about the
performance, areas of improvement and firm’s requirement. Transfer of knowledge through off-
job trainings like workshops, workbooks is very helpful to the employees for the learning and
development of skills.Information exchange through the provision of workshops, workbooks is
exceptionally supportive for the advancement and learning. From the association's perspective,
information exchange is a critical apparatus for the performance advancement and
comprehension the business standards.
1.2.2 Impact of learning curve:
Knowledge transfer is that the transfer of implied and sensible data that's terribly useful in up
their competencies. The right utilization of learning curve and data distribution helps employees
to spot the performance gaps, build an additional sensible career path and deliver the goods
potency in production. (Rea D, 1972).Effective transfer of knowledge and use of learning curve
helped the employees to identify the performance level in technical skill and business
competency, being able to set realistic career path, participate in decision making more
effectively and bring efficiency in performance.The success in achieving the core time unit
values provides a competitive advantage for M&S.
1.3 Learning Style and Theories
1.3.1 Contribution of learning styles and theories:

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Learning theories offer a theoretical and analytical framework for the event of learning events
per learning requirements.But which learning style will be used that depends on which way the
employees prefer the most and how fast the firm want the employees adapt the new condition.
So, before selecting and conducting training events for the employees the learning styles and
theories must be analysed and adjusted according to the firm expectations and desires. Learning
designs observe the designs that followed by people and therefore the ability of staff in new
operating condition.
1.3.2Relationship among learning style, theory, event:
As employees control qualities of distinctive learning styles to diverse degrees; a mix of various
learning styles is needed for an adequate yield. Learning hypotheses characterizes the diverse
learning purpose of perspectives and methods of insight where learning styles characterizes the
fitting methods for disseminating information and preparing systems to distinctive people. Firm
may require improving different capabilities and skills like leadership skills, decision making
ability, efficiency, team work, enhancing responsibility area etc. These needs define the
characteristics of training and development necessities.The learning occasions are the reasonable
suggestion of the learning hypotheses advanced as per the distinctive learning styles.
1.3.3Contribution of learning theory and event:
M&S developed and followed learning theories and design to effectively design learning events
and processes. To arrange and style applicable learning event the preference and learning
varieties of people required to be targeted.Learning style and theories used by Marks and
Spencer is focused on the most effective result can be obtained through learning events. How
each and every employee reacts to an event reflects how successful an event is. To plan and
design such an event the firm must focus on the best learning option prioritized by the
employees. Every individual prefer and accustomed to different learning patterns and ways.
Task- 2 Be able to plan and design training and development

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2.1 Training needs at different level:
For completely different structure levels and positions M&S must style different coaching
events. The coaching desires at management, operational and client level for the managers and
employees area unit given below
Management Customer Operational
Helps to understand job
needs and its
responsibilities.
Supervisors provide feedback
and suggestions for
improvements.
Bring efficiency through
practical learning.
Involvement in different
roles and positions to
understand job context,
widen career opportunities.
Provide practical experiences,
feedback on customer services.
Give courage and motivation
for performance improvement.
.
To find out performance
skill requirements, gap.
Provide learning materials and
effective customer management
tools.
Provide guidelines and
corrective measures on
performance
2.2 Training Method
2.2.1 Analysing current training method:
M&S plans diverse preparing occasions for the workforces. They provide counselling helping
the workers so they can make wonderful career. Performance appraisal is given and it is
identifying their performance level & improvement areas. Role playing helps them to understand
the responsibility and capability in new role and context. Their off-the-job training facilities like
workshop, workbook are designed to develop skills, practical knowledge and efficiency. The
administration furnishes advising for the profession advancement. Performance examination
serves to enhance performance consistent with standard performance level. Connection under

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segment directors helps to comprehend work setting, performance necessities and criticalness.
Workshops furnish the employees a device for expanding their gainfulness level.
2.2.2 Advantage & Disadvantage of current training methods:
Training techniques Advantages Disadvantages
Role-playing Employees can understand
job requirements and its
responsibilities.
Employees might be reluctant
to change their work area and
role.
Workshop Provide practical learning
tools and experiences. It
Increases productivity and
workers’ skills.
Inactive participation of the
participants.
Unskilled, ineffective trainers.
Attachment to manager Understand managerial role,
responsibilities and
significance.
Helps to find out skills
required for the role.
Irrelevant attachment may
confuse and discourage
workers.
Performance coaching Provide corrective measures
on performance.
Inaccurate and inefficient
guiding may cause negative
improvement in performance.
Performance evaluation Identifies the improvement
areas.
Provide motivation to the
employees.
Underperforming
workersbecome demotivated.
Performance may drop due to
inappropriate assessment.
2.3 Training Process and Development
2.3.1 Training and development for a group training event:

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To increase the ability in dynamic work surroundings and skills development a lot of sensible
learning approaches are often introduced. The coaching events are a sensible downside analysis
and determination session. A final assessment will be done by the entire team where the
management and other employees will also evaluate the selected solutions. It’s a continuous
process and employees will be welcomed to come up with any new organizational problem
scenario regarding customer service improvement, production efficiency, employee relation,
motivation, effective management. This training event will energize the employees to take part in
decision making and increase the ability to provide more realistic analysis and solution. The
session is conducted by external trainers at the operating premise. The value of the event won’t
be too high as a result of the session is command at the operating zone and therefore the time
consumed is balanced as to not hamper this output. Managers also will observe the workers
throughout the session to find the matter areas and enhancements.
2.3.2Training process of the event:
Employees from completely different operational levels are going to be invited. They’ll be
introduced with the trainers and correct guideline, support and timeframe are going to be given.
The trainers can offer explicit job connected assignments and tasks with a given timeframe.
Employees can begin operating per the given guideline and perform the tasks for the most
effective potential results, solutions and findings. The initial findings and analysis of the
participants are going to be criticized and solved by the trainers for a stronger performance
output. The staff can a lot of begin competitive their tasks with a more improved methodology
and concepts at intervals the timeframe their findings, output, performance, choices and
understanding are going to be evaluated and stratified by the trainers. Then they will be told to
form a group of 3 members analysing and the solution within a specified time period. This
finding will be disseminated among the managers and they will let them know which area they
need to improve. Again time will be provided to re-shape the findings and the final submission
will be judged and examined by the whole team. Managers can observe the complete activities
and method to search out the structure issues, relations, potentialities and scientific discipline.
They’ll then realize applicable answer to employees positioning and realize the other educational
program needed.

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Task- 3 Be able to evaluate a training event
3.1 Training Event
3.1.1 Evaluation methodology:
Assessment is the system of evaluating the objective arranged activities, discovering the results
and the change zones of the course. The approach ought to be proper which could be
accommodating for the fitting assessment of the preparation occasion. It might help to re-plan
the movement arrange and preparing session for an improved and sought yield. The framework
evaluates a program in five levels and compares the actual outcome with the expected outcome
of the program. The purpose that the program aimed at 5 different stages has met the need or not
is assessed in five tiered approach. The suitable qualitative strategy for assessment that might be
utilized is an arrangement of inquiries which need to be replied:
 Aim of the program: What is the organizational necessity of the training program? Why
the firm need a training program?
 Aim of the employees: What they need from the training facility? What skills they need
to improve and develop? Why the employees need the training event?
 Design of the event: What will be the process and content? How the program will fulfil
both organizational and employee demand?
 Observation: Did the program make a positive output? If not, what are the areas to be
improved or changed?
3.1.2 Process of documentation of the training:
Documentation could be a descriptive method of documenting the happenings of the event. It
will embrace many things and discussion went on throughout the coaching session. The process
of documenting the training event can be like-
 Productivity measure: The chance in the overall output and performance of the
employees can be observed as a view to measure their productivity

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 Observation by line managers: Line Managers can provide the findings in the overall
performance of the participants and their lacking during this particular event.
 Knowledge sharing: The knowledge sharing conducted during this event will be judged
by the interview at the end of this session
 Customer observation: The success of the event can be measured also as the
performance of the employees related to the customer service.
3.1.3 Documents used for evaluation:
For an appropriate evaluation of the training event the following documents can be very helpful:
a. Asking questions: In order to get the real picture following question can be asked to be
answered. How well did the program go? How enjoyable the session was? Did most of
the participants were active in the session? What areas could be better? How was the
performance and improvement?
b. Asking the appropriate persons: For the clear analysis and picture of the experience of
the people who are engaged with the program needed to be considered. Participants,
trainers, managers, customers, observers are the major parties involved in the training.
c. Characteristics of individuals: For a better information about the respondents, certain
basic information can be obtained to make it sure that the questions were asked to a
different group of people (Age, sex, religion or race).
d. Descriptive lessons: A final report on the findings and analysis can be presented to the
participants and management to disclose the outcome of the event. A discussion might
take place about the impact and validity of the training session
3.2 Training event analysis and evaluation:
The training event created a positive impact on each worker and structure aspect. Employees did
with success share their findings and lacking. Managers discovered the ability speed, quality and
therefore the strength areas of people for appropriate positions. Trainers provided adequate
guideline for a far better technique for finding issues. In the discussion session management team

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and the participants had long discussion session which resulted in a more feasible and logical
conclusion. The actual benefit was that during solving the problem and discussion employees
found out what was necessary to be improved in their customer service.
The sensible exercise and task provided the workers with learning expertise and exploring
completely different responsibilities and challenges.
3.3 Success of the evaluation method:
The methodology used for the assessment of the event was quite useful. The technique helped to
analyse the findings and opinions of the connected parties. Any modification and necessary
changes within the coaching event may be created with the assistance of the analysis technique
employed in assessing the event.The system examined all kind of benefits like expected and
actual to sort out the diversion and feasibility of the training event. During the assessment
procedure employees, managers provided their problems and critical activities of the training
event that affected adversely in their development process. Thus it became easy figuring out
deciding the continuation of the procss or improvement need to be made. The management found
it a successful assessment system which critically analysed all the steps and policies taken by HR
managers.
Task- 4 Understand government-led skills development initiatives
4.1Government Role in training and development:
With the expanding essentialness of human asset advancement in associations, the United
Kingdom government has begun to assume an enormous part around there. They start distinctive
training occasions which support the private and open firms in advancing own human assets.
(John W, 2009) They have presented a self-guided learning procedure which is otherwise called

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deep rooted learning method.Marks and Spencer is a giant retailer firm in UK; so UK govt.
should concern about the internal development of the firm’s performance. To do so they have to
take the responsibility to take the performance to a standard level. Lifelong learning is the self-
motivated learning by the employees. Govt. involvement in training can aid the employees to
pursuit knowledge from the working environment. Moreover the firms might not be able to
invest in high amount and design the needed training facilities. In these cases the firms are
benefitted through the Govt. involvement and support in their HR development.
4.2Impact of public & private sector’s competency movement:
Government, employees, administrators, coaches, mentors all impart their learning and
encounters which improve the information profundity and competency advancement. All the
gatherings are helping tremendously in an exertion to make fruitful and positive development of
competency and learning. Firms have a tendency to enhance their administration quality,
performance, benefit, enrolment in choice making and group heading quality. A significant plane
organization in UK ‘Virgin Atlantic’ has a tendency to furnish the best quality client
administrations. As growth in private firm’s performance has an impact on the economy, the
public bodies have also improved themselves to lift up their performance. Public companies in
UK like ‘East Coast Trains’ are making continuous effort to improve the performance and
service quality at a standard level. Movement of competencies and skills are essential part of
learning and effective and improved performance. Higher success rate of the never-ending
process of learning and competency movement in the faster development in activities and
productivity has influenced all the firms to introduce the pattern in their own workplaces. For
this they enhanced their belief system and work environment society for the employees, directors
and clients. They take criticism about the employees' client administration to figure out issues
and institutionalize the administration(Budhwar P, 2000). Open segment is additionally
attempting to overhaul their human asset arrangements and corporate society as to continue
improving their work force with the help various sorts of training office.

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4.3 Contemporary Learning
4.3.1. Assessment of contemporary training programme:
To addition a constant and consistent advancement in the quite aggressive circumstance, the
training procedure was very viable. The learning framework is common sense pointing at speedy
acclimatization and advancement in essential expertise and competency zone.The training is
vocational and aimed at quick learning on different areas of a business. Marks and Spencer is a
leading retailer firm possessing a high impact on the UK economy. The management bring
different facilities for a faster performance adjustment of workers. These helped the firm to stay
and fight in the highly competitive market gaining more customer satisfaction and
loyalty.Having an understanding on the present scenario and future prospect UK govt. designs
different qualitative training programs for different firms. This contemporary training facility is
quicker process of development in the vulnerable working atmosphere.
4.3.2 Function of contemporary learning in M&S:
For M&s the cotemporary training framework is extremely accommodating for the further
advancement and advancement of human assets and their competencies. The training is
evaluated concentrating the expectation of customers, competitive position, market condition,
and future prospect and adaptability factors. The friendly environment aids the workforces to feel
more importance and find out organizational flaws. For different learning requirements and
development necessities, the firm need to identify more critical areas and organizational
problems for effective implication of theories and practices. Faster adaptability is possible with
the active participation and effective implementation of contemporary learning events as per the
firm’s structure and employees require. The workforces at M&s can acclimate to changing
working environment all the more quickly; update the performance according to the prerequisite
through contemporary learning procedure (Boxall, P.F, 1992). The learning additionally served
to achieve the client desire, focused point of interest position and expanded qualities.

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Brewster, C, (2000). Europe. International Storey, J. (Ed.), Human resource management: a
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References
A