Human Resource Management Challenges and Strategic Solutions at Speedy Prompt Deliveries (SPD) Limited

Hello,

• This is an MBA course called “Managing People at Work” and I want the best high quality for this paper as it worth 100 % of the marks in this course.

• Word count: 1600 – 1650 (Excluding References and graphs).

• References: 12 references (Harvard Referencing Style).

• Please don’t waste the word count on unnecessary things or unimportant information.

• You will have to read the case study carefully, as the whole report should be based on it. The case study is in the following page, it contains 2 tasks.

• The structure of the paper is detailed in the below pages, please try to do the paper in the same way, as this structure is provided to us by our instructor.

• I have uploaded the slides of the course just to give you an idea about it. And try to bring some theories from the slides and apply them in the tasks.

• I have uploaded a sample from last year, try to do it in the same way, but don’t write the exact same thing as this will lead to plagiarism.

• The topic is in the next page.

Managing People Case Study

Speedy Prompt Deliveries (SPD) Limited

SPD is a UK-based company that specialises in next day business-to-business deliveries throughout the UK. Since its establishment in 1975 it has become a market leader in the express delivery business through organic growth and the acquisition of smaller, geographically-specific companies. SPD now employs some 5000 people throughout the UK with most people based in distribution centres which range in size from 50 to 500 employees. The company’s headquarters, based in Manchester, employs some 300 staff.

Each delivery centre has a manager and a deputy, warehouse operatives and drivers. Goods come into the centres from individuals and businesses or are collected by SPD drivers from businesses within the centre’s area. Goods are then sorted by the warehouse operatives according to their destinations and this sorting mostly takes place during the night so that each delivery van is loaded and ready to set off as soon as possible. The key job in the organisation is regarded as being the Loading Bay Operative (LBO). This individual is responsible for ensuring operatives load the goods onto the correct van, checking the correct bar codes are on the goods to be delivered and ensuring that the vans set off in time to meet deadlines. It is a highly pressured and technical job as the incorrect loading of the goods onto a van means wasted time and money.

The larger depots also have administrative staff who provide customer services such as dealing with complaints and liaising with existing customers and there is also a business sales unit responsible for generating new business. The operation is therefore 24/7 and unpredictable in terms of volumes of business.

The Delivery Centre Managers have a great deal of autonomy on how they run their units including responsibility for staffing issues, appraisal, training and any local practices such as disciplinary handling. The company has a central HR service based at the Manchester headquarters which can be called upon for guidance but the Delivery Centre Managers are expected to run their units like mini-businesses within budget guidelines but with a good deal of autonomy to develop their units and the business they generate as they see fit in the local market. At the same time, they have to achieve the minimum corporate objectives which are given to them each year in relation to turnover, operating costs and profit returned. Most Managers just want to meet these objectives and “do a good job”. They are seen by the headquarters as steady and reliable but not particularly adventurous when it comes to developing the business and exploiting the autonomy given to them.

Corporate objectives are communicated at a series of regional conferences for Delivery Centre Managers which are held annually across the UK. At the most recent conference, the theme was ‘Achieving Growth Through People’. This seems to have signalled a shift away from focussing on the narrow operational and cost issues towards a recognition that the express delivery business is highly dependent on the skill and hard work of its employees. A particular issue followed-up at the conference was the results from some work recently undertaken for SPD by a firm of external HR consultants covering: i) a survey of Delivery Centre Managers and ii) an employee attitude survey. Key points from these two surveys were:

• The positive qualities of Centre staff are often “taken-for-granted” by many Delivery Centre Managers and staff are not being managed in a way that uses, for example, staff suggestions for improving operational efficiencies or spotting new business opportunities in the local area.

• Deputy Centre Managers have complained of “being held back” by their Managers and not being allowed to develop their ideas and expertise to the benefit of the company and their own careers.

• The age profile of the Delivery Centre Managers indicates that most of them have been with the business for many years having started out as drivers or operatives themselves. They don’t see the point of extensive development training in “people management” or “business skills”. Many are now approaching retirement age, or have expressed a wish to take “early retirement” or a move to less demanding jobs in the company. It is estimated that the company will have a significant shortfall in experienced Managers in the next 5- 10 years.

• The employee attitude survey had a low response rate of 45%. Responses on questions regarding their terms and conditions received largely negative replies. For example, when asked whether they believe that appraisals with their line managers effectively discuss objectives, training and development and career aspirations, the replies were 84% Negative. Comments on levels of pay and general conditions of work were even worse with many complaints of unfairness in the allocation of extra work (and therefore pay) to the Managers’ “favourites”. Other concerns mentioned were poor working conditions and lack of facilities for the staff who worked nights.

• The Delivery Centre Managers also complained that rising levels of absence, particularly amongst the night shift operatives and drivers has increased. If too many people are absent, sub-contractors are hired through an agency but this is more expensive in terms of salaries and also because the sub-contractors are likely to make more sorting mistakes so goods end up going to the wrong place.

• Delivery Centre Managers find it particularly difficult to recruit and retain the Loading Bay Operatives who are vital to the operation of the depot. In larger towns and cities, these LBO’s find it easy to get another job with another express delivery service according to which company is offering the best rates of pay and benefits.

Questions

Considering the above information:

Task 1: Identify and discuss the implications for managing people of five areas where human resource management competencies in SPD are deficient. [800 – 825 Words]

For the first task, list the five areas you wish to discuss and then for each give an example of the poor practice from the case study and state why this is likely to result in negative consequences for the company and its operations. You should provide brief references to relevant HR literature or concepts/frameworks to support points made.

Important Note: Link that to your reading centred on what HR practices link to strategy. Thus, say what areas are deficient and explain why that will impact strategic success USING literature in applying this to the AMO model. You might link your analysis of the people centred strategy to an employee stakeholder focus.

Task 2: How would you seek to remedy the deficiencies you have identified?. [800 – 825 Words]

For the second task, indicate how you would suggest the company deals with the five areas you have pointed out and also how other aspects of an integrated HR strategy might be added. Indicate what in HR terms should be done, how it might be done and over what timescale. Indicate the priority of your suggestions. Include references to the HR literature/concepts/frameworks to support your answer.

Important Note: You should link this to the vertical/horizontal debate, and you could base this on the CIPD’s (2021) Employee Engagement Strategy and/ or Schuler & Jackson (1987) and/or Purcell et al. (2003) AMO