CAIE A-Level Business 7.4.1 HRM Approaches and Flexible Working

Evaluate KF's approach to human resource management (HRM) between 2018-2023.

Please refer to the marking grid at the start of the mark scheme.

Indicative content

Responses may include:

AO1 Knowledge and understanding

Knowledge (max 1 mark) can be awarded for any relevant business knowledge about human resources, including:

- Purpose and roles of HRM

- Workforce planning

- Recruitment and selection

- Redundancy and dismissal

- Morale and welfare

- Training and development

- Management and workforce relations

- Motivation as a tool of management and leadership

- Motivation theories

- Motivation in practice

- Management and managers

- Organisational structure

- Business communication

- Leadership

- The difference between hard and soft HRM

- Flexible working contracts: advantages and disadvantages of temporary contracts or flexible contracts including zero hours contracts, part-time, full-time, annualised hours, flexi-time, home working, shift working, job sharing, compressed working hours, the gig economy

- The measurement, causes and consequences of poor employee performance

- Strategies for improving employee performance

- Management by objectives

- The changing role of IT and AI in HRM.

Knowledge and understanding (max 2 marks) ${ }^{[\mathrm{DEV}}$ can be awarded for any relevant business knowledge and understanding about marketing strategy.

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AO2 Application

Application ${ }^{[m<i]}$ (max 1 mark) can be awarded for any relevant use of context linked to KF's Human Resources.

Application $\stackrel{\square}{\square=1}$ (2 marks) can be awarded for applying knowledge of HR strategy, to KF between 2018 and 2023:

- Small staff - one office manager, 15 kitchen support workers

- Use of full-time contracts and flexi-time contracts

- Objectives of growth and profit maximisation

- New delivery service - 45 riders hired, increasing to 75

- Use zero-hours contracts

- Use of tracking software for staff performance

- Tracks speed, efficiency of deliveries

- Unreasonable time targets

- Bad timing within the app

- Bonuses and performance judged unfairly

- Compliance with new legislation banning zero-hours contracts

- Staff moved to self employed and will operate as part of the gig economy

- Use of performance data to judge staff for restructure.

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AO3 Analysis

Analysis is likely to be based on KF's objectives in 2018 to exploit rapid growth in the sector and maximise profits.

Analysis of the impact of KFs HR strategy ( 41 and and 42 ) including:

- KF operates a simple organisation structure that supports the restaurants renting the space - keeping their costs low to aid profit maximisation and growth.

- Kitchen support workers are supplied on zero-hours contracts - keeping costs low on wages.

- The launch of their own delivery service is easy through the use of zero-hours contracts meaning they do not have to pay full-time wages - keeping staff costs low.

- Expansion (and contraction) of the business has been easy due to the flexible working practices KF uses - it is easy to reduce or increase hours/contracts.

- By using zero-hours contracts KF doesn't have to provide paid holiday or benefits - again saving KF costs and helping keep profits high.

- Office manager will spend a lot of time planning the staff on zero-hours contracts - matching the demand from restaurants to the staff available.

- The use of the zero-hours contracts means that calculating the pay for these workers takes longer - this needs to be accurate.

- The delivery app provides key performance indicators that Liam and Samir can use to evaluate the performance of their riders - this can then be used to help decide who continues to be used for work.

- The new technology in the app may not be working properly or staff may not be using it properly - This may need further investigation - leading to costs of redevelopment and/or training for staff.

- The problems with the app may be causing issues with business reputation - leading to further costs.

- KF are complying with the law change on zero-hours contracts - which has implications on the current staff.

- Once the new legislation starts, KF will have much less responsibility for the staff - decreasing the cost of running the business.

- Once riders are self-employed, albeit with an insecure income, what will the impact be on customer service and efficiency of deliveries - will this increase or will the riders not care as much?

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AO4 Evaluation
Evaluation $\left({ }^{\mathrm{N} 1}\right.$ and ${ }^{\mathrm{N} 2}$ and ${ }^{\mathrm{N} 3}$ ) including:
Evaluation will largely depend on the points raised in the analysis.
- The use of zero-hours contracts has helped KF keep costs down but it may cause motivation issues with staff if there
are not enough hours for people to earn 'full-time' money.
- Aiming for profit maximisation has kept Liam and Samir focused on lower costs - decisions about ZHC, the tracking
app, the business model have all been designed to keep costs low and make this objective achievable. But has the
pursuance of this meant HR has been very 'hard'?
- The use of the gig economy means that expansion is much easier for KF but they have little control over who and how
many riders are available at any one time, this might upset the restaurants who may not have a delivery rider available
to deliver food.
- The issues with the app are causing problems with staff - how useful is the technology if it is inaccurate? Will this mean
less riders log on - they are not employees, so they don't have to. This could lead to KF not having enough riders and
having to use a third party (Deliveroo for example).
- KF are responding to the change in law but this is going to increase their costs - affecting the prices for its clients -
and will require a new training structure and recruitment process this will also influence its profit maximisation objective.
- KF approach to HR has been successful in keeping the costs low. How they approach the HR from 2023 onwards may
need to change given the potential growth strategies.
Accept all valid responses.