Lynette Harris

The devolution of HR responsibilities – perspectives from the UK’s public sector

This article examines the reallocation of human resource management responsibilities from HR specialists to line managers in UK public sector organisations in an increasingly regulated working environment. It uses evidence about the extent and scope of HR devolution in a large unitary city council, the British Library and a county probationary service. Based on the perceptions of senior managers, middle managers, HR specialists and the trade union representatives, it specifically explores: the issues devolution raises about the HR responsibilities of line managers; the experience of HR devolution in the public sector; and the impact of a more externally regulated and litigious workplace on continuing devolution.

Home‐based teleworking and the employment relationship: Managerial challenges and dilemmas

As home‐based teleworking grows in the UK, more evidence is needed of how working from home shapes the employment relationship and the implications this may have for those line managers responsible for a home‐based workforce. The reported experiences of a sales team and their line managers at one large international drinks manufacturing company of teleworking during its first year of operation revealed the importance of developing understanding of the complex interface between the domains of work and home life. The findings suggest individual circumstances require close attention before implementing home‐based working with line managers recalibrating perceptions of the boundaries between home and work for positive employee relationships to develop within a new paradigm of “home‐work” relations.

Small firm responses to employment regulation

Examines the impact of employment regulation on owner‐manager approaches to the employment relationship at the level of the individual firm. While there was no reported principled opposition to extending employment rights as suggested by a number of earlier studies, the cumulative effect of recent legislation was perceived by owner‐managers to be reducing their competitiveness by placing costly and time‐consuming demands on the smaller business. The case study companies were increasingly formalising their employment processes largely to defend their decisions against potential litigation. Despite certain acknowledged benefits, this increasing proceduralisation was held to be detrimental to the informality and flexibility viewed as essential to effective working relationships in the smaller enterprise. Continuing recruitment difficulties combined with the costs associated with expanding regulation led the majority of the case study companies to identify an investment in automation and labour‐saving equipment as a preferable long‐term option to the expansion of the workforce.

UK public sector reform and the “performance agenda” in UK local government: HRM challenges and dilemmas

Purpose – To examine how an external performance review process introduced as part of the public sector modernisation agenda in England and Wales has impacted on HR service provision and processes in local government and the extent to which it has acted as a catalyst for the development of more integrative and innovative HR practices to support organisational performance.Design/methodology/approach – A case study analysis of the Best Value Review (BVR) process of HR services at two county and two unitary authorities generated data from multiple sources including interviews, focus groups, consultative meetings as well as internal documentation. This approach was adopted to offer perspectives from different stakeholders in the employment relationship.Findings – There was found to be a frequent lack of synergy between organisational goals, departmental plans and the performance objectives of individuals combined with an absence of shared understandings about human resourcing priorities or commitment to the p...

Procedural Justice and Perceptions of Fairness in Selection Practice

Demonstrating procedural justice through a focus on the psychometric job-related approach to selection continues to be the most effective means for employers to meet legal requirements and potential claims of unfair treatment. A study of selection practice in a large local UK City Council reports how a structured, highly ‘job-focused’ approach can result in negative perceptions about the fairness of the process, its outcomes and effectiveness. Its findings reveal an organizational dilemma – how to develop selection systems that are sufficiently robust in terms of demonstrating maximum procedural fairness and objectivity to withstand potential litigation but are sufficiently flexible to accommodate those other factors which influence individual perceptions of fairness. It considers the future of the highly structured approach in the light of pressures to develop selection processes which can meet the needs of rapidly changing organizational structures as well the expansion of anti-discrimination legislation and litigation.

Employment regulation and owner‐managers in small firms: seeking support and guidance

As the volume and complexity of employment legislation increases, small and medium‐sized enterprises (SMEs) without access to internal human resource expertise are increasingly vulnerable to litigation and its associated costs. The disproportionate impact of employment regulation on the small firm has long been a concern of SME owner‐managers and is expected to increase as a result of the recent rapid expansion of labour law in the UK. This paper will consider evidence from a recent survey of small businesses, which examined their main employment concerns and the sources of advice they use on employment relations matters. The survey’s findings illustrate the particular challenge increased employment rights presents to the smaller organisation. It identifies a need for more intensive support tailored to the specific circumstances of individual firms in developing proactive approaches to human resourcing which not only comply with but also reflect the spirit of the legislation.

Aligning talent management with approaches to equality and diversity: challenges for UK public sector managers

Purpose – The purpose of this paper is to examine the implementation of talent management interventions in UK public sector organisations.Design/methodology/approach – This paper draws upon the findings of a qualitative study of talent management in two UK public sector case study organisations.Findings – Implementing talent management was found to present particular tensions for public sector managers, particularly in terms of its alignment with well‐embedded diversity and equality policies and their own perceptions of fair treatment in the workplace. Despite an acknowledgement that the sector needs to attract, develop and retain the most talented individuals to achieve its modernisation agenda, interventions which require singling out those individuals for special treatment challenges many of its established practices for recruitment and selection, employee development and career management.Practical implications – Public sector organisations need to invest both time and effort into developing appropria...

The changing nature of the HR function in UK local government and its role as “employee champion”

Purpose – Public sector reforms and external performance review has meant that the HR function in UK local government is not only expected to continuously review working practices but is also facing major changes in its role and its own service delivery. This paper explores how changes driven by the pursuit of efficiency and cost cutting may impact on the functions ability to fulfil the employee champion role that Ulrich identifies as essential to it making a valuable strategic contribution.Design/methodology/approach – The findings are drawn from interviews, focus groups and desk research conducted in three large local authoritiesFindings – The emergent concerns, tensions and dilemmas across the case study organisations suggest that changes, both planned and actual, to HRs role and services will impact on the functions ability to act as an “employee champion” due to reduced employee contact and more fragmented HR roles.Research limitations/implications – The findings are based on three case studies, s...

Employee loyalty: an exploration of staff commitment levels towards retailing, the retailer and the store

Securing the commitment of employees can generate a number of organisational benefits, such as reducing recruitment costs and improving interactions between customers and employees. For retailers, a loyal workforce can therefore represent a source of differentiation and competitive advantage. Despite this, few retail studies have explored employee loyalty and have instead focused upon the loyalty of customers. This quantitative and qualitative exploratory study of store employees in three UK retailers aims to explore how employee loyalty manifests itself in a retail context. It proposes that employee loyalty in this industry is multi-faceted and can be understood in relation to commitment to the retailing industry, the retailer and the store. The findings also suggest that, due to their domestic circumstances, female general assistants are more likely to be loyal to their store than men.

Maximising women's potential in the UK's retail sector

Purpose – The purpose of the paper is to show that a defining characteristic of the UK retail sector is the high number of women it employs but there remains an enduring under‐representation of women in its management positions. The majority of women in the industry work part‐time and this paper aims to explore the factors that impact upon the career progression.Design/methodology/approach – In the paper, 1,000 questionnaires were completed by store staff in three leading retailers, supported by interviews with store staff and SME retailers in the UKs East Midlands region.Findings – The paper finds continuing barriers to career progression for women working part‐time in retailing. Despite family friendly employment policies becoming an increasingly important feature of modern work organisations, career progression was informed by a traditional concept of a career based on full‐time working.Research limitations/implications – The paper was limited to one sector. There is a need for further studies into wo...