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Can you give me an example of HRM at the company?

Transforming a company from a multi-activity operation into a more defined business can mean major changes for managers and staff. How these are dealt with can be crucial to the future success of the organisation. During the year 2002-03, Boots engaged in a programme of focus group meetings for all of their retail employees, with the aim of informing and engaging everyone in the business; this involved more than 52 000 staff. The key objective of the meetings was that all staff develop a better understanding of Boots' markets, customers and competitors.

Dealing with staff and union negotiations over redundancies in 2003-04 and beyond, will be a more serious test of Boots' attitude to human resource management. The omens do not look good at the time of writing. In mid-January, Amicus, the UK's largest private sector union which represents Boots' staff was less than impressed with the lack of consultation over the planned 900 redundancies at the company's Nottingham headquarters. The union had a series of complaints about the planned job cuts:

• Lack of consultation. Amicus said that this case shows the need for a strengthening of UK employment law.
• Staff learned of the job losses through the media. Nev Jackson, Amicus' East Midlands Regional Secretary said, "To read (in the paper) that your job is under threat is soul destroying and totally unacceptable".
• The effect of the job cuts in Nottingham will be multiplied through the community, causing local suppliers and other businesses to lose jobs.

It seems as if 'Getting in Shape' runs the risk of alienating the very people on whom Boots relies to improve the company's performance: its employees.

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