Best Performing HR Functions - Essay Example

In my opinion, the best-performing HR function was that of the John Manville Corporation. This was because the efforts made by HR for the training and development of the employees were really visible. The HR department encouraged the training and development efforts of its employees, and had an open-door policy; it was also felt that the HR department recognized the need for work-life balance and had a relationship with its employees that went beyond just the job function. 

3. Most Comprehensive, Professional, and Effective Project Summary and Presentation

          I think that the presentation made by the team that chose Nordstrom was the most comprehensive, professional, and effective project summary. The various sections of their presentation regarding company history, HR evaluation and the way the company operates, and its guiding principles and investment in HR training and practicability are most clearly shown. They do not hesitate to hide their weaknesses but are keen to learn from them. The balance of text and images and flow of information was also quite effortless and very well made.

4. 
   My Three Greatest Learning Points Acquired From This Project

I think my number one learning point would be the value of teamwork. I appreciated how my team got together for this project, how we discussed ideas for going about the project from start to finish, how we set them out on paper, how to approach the project, who would do what and how, and what would be the outcome and how it would be set out on paper. The other important part was to see that everything was covered as far as possible, and nothing was left out. The last part was in coordinating it all together in the form of a presentation and reviewing it until we felt that we had done a good enough job for a final presentation.

The second learning point that I would mention was that there was a wide variety of the type of organizations covered by this project, from profits to nonprofits, engineering to retail. Yet it was amazing how the HR functions and responsibilities were more or less the same no matter what the organization or its purpose. In the final analysis, employee satisfaction and care were all that mattered from an HR perspective.

The third learning point was that it helped each of us take responsibility for the project. Each team member had certain tasks to perform, with specific output desired and a deadline to meet the same. He or she had to do this so that the contributions to the project could be consolidated and sorted out before making the final presentation.     
The final shape would not have been possible if all the team members did not play their part.

5. What Has Become Powerfully Clear To Me as to the One or Two Most Critical Aspects of Managing Human Resources for an Organization

I think that based upon all the reviews and presentations made in class regarding this project, certain common factors emerged which made it clear to me that the one or two most critical aspects of managing the HR function for an organization are to promote a level playing field where justice and equity are provided for every employee, there are no favorites and nobody can bend the rules and get away with it. This is instrumental in boosting employee morale. Employees know that HR cares when they see these principles in action. Moving from improving employee morale to engaging in employee involvement like in Nordstrom and traveling across the organization to encourage employee involvement and show that you care as practiced in another organization can be a good action for a CEO to make part of his job responsibility.  The point is to treat employees as assets, rather than liabilities.