Examining the HR policies and practices required to improve employees engagement with the firm and improve productivity.

Assignment Summary

Title: Examining the HR Policies and Practices Required to Improve Employees` Engagement with the Firm and Improve Productivity

What the Assignment Is About

This assignment is focused on looking at how Human Resource (HR) policies and practices can help make employees feel more connected, motivated, and involved in their work, also known as employee engagement, and how this can lead to better productivity in the company.

The aim is to examine:

• What HR is currently doing to engage employees

• What more can be done to increase engagement

• How these changes can help the business work better and faster

You are expected to look at real examples, apply relevant HR theories and models, and give ideas that are backed up by research or academic sources.

Key Areas to Cover in the Assignment

1. Understanding Employee Engagement

Start by explaining what employee engagement means.
It includes things like:

• How interested employees are in their work

• How committed they are to the company

• How much effort they put into their tasks

Engaged employees are usually happier, work harder, and stay longer with the company.

2. The Role of HR Policies and Practices

Explain how HR plays a major role in building employee engagement.
You should explore HR areas such as:

• Recruitment and selection – hiring the right people who fit the company culture

• Training and development – giving employees chances to learn and grow

• Performance management – setting clear goals, giving feedback, and rewarding good work

• Employee recognition – saying thank you and showing appreciation

• Work-life balance – offering flexible hours, mental health support, or remote working options

• Communication – making sure employees feel heard and informed

3. Link Between Engagement and Productivity

Show how better engagement leads to:

• Higher work quality

• Faster results

• Lower staff turnover

• Fewer absences

Explain that when employees feel valued and supported, they do more for the company.

4. Use HR Models and Theories

Support your discussion with relevant HR and motivation theories. Examples include:

• Maslow’s Hierarchy of Needs

• Herzberg’s Two-Factor Theory

• McGregor’s Theory X and Theory Y

• Employee Engagement Models like Kahn’s Model or Gallup’s Q12

These theories help explain why certain HR practices work better to engage employees.

5. Real-Life Examples or Case Studies

You can give examples from real companies that improved engagement and productivity by changing their HR practices. For instance, you could mention companies that introduced flexible working, better training, or reward schemes, and saw good results.

6. Recommendations

After analysing what works and what doesn’t, give clear suggestions for:

• How to improve current HR policies

• What new practices could be added

• How to measure if engagement and productivity are improving

Sample Answer

Introduction

Employee engagement is one of the most important factors in a company’s success. When staff feel connected to their work and the company, they are more likely to work harder, stay longer, and perform better. Human Resource (HR) policies and practices play a key role in building this engagement. This report will examine the HR strategies that help improve employee engagement and explain how these strategies can increase productivity in the workplace.

What is Employee Engagement?

Employee engagement means how much employees care about their job, how committed they are to the company, and how willing they are to give extra effort. An engaged employee is not just doing the job because they have to, but because they feel involved, valued, and motivated.

Engaged employees:

• Take pride in their work

• Support company goals

• Work well with others

• Stay with the company longer

• Go beyond their basic duties

How HR Policies and Practices Affect Engagement

Human Resource Management has a big influence on how employees feel about their job. The right HR policies can improve communication, support, training, and recognition. Below are the main HR practices that help increase employee engagement.

1. Recruitment and Selection

Hiring the right people from the start is very important. If the new employees match the company’s values and goals, they are more likely to feel connected and engaged. HR should make sure job roles are clear, interviews are fair, and selection is based on both skills and attitude.

2. Training and Development

Employees need opportunities to learn new skills and grow in their careers. HR can provide training sessions, online courses, workshops, or mentoring programmes. When staff feel they are developing, they are more likely to stay motivated and committed.

3. Performance Management

Regular feedback, clear goals, and fair evaluations help employees know how they are doing. HR should make sure managers have one-on-one meetings with staff, help set achievable targets, and recognise good performance.

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