Transforming the Human Resources Management at PAC - Essay Example

Introduction “Successful leaders see human resources as assets that need to be managed conscientiously and in tune with the organization’s needs,” (Jackson and Schuler, 2010, p.2). Proper HRM practices often determine the success of the organization in its operations. As such, this paper seeks to review the human resources practices carried out by PAC. The paper starts by outlining the summary of findings obtained from a critical analysis of the case study of this organization. This will be followed by an outline of the suggested recommendations as well as the action plan that can be taken to implement these. The paper will also discuss the metrics of implementing change in the HR operations of the organization. Summary of the findings of PAC’s HR operations As a recap of the SWOT analysis conducted, it has been observed that the main weakness being faced by PAC is that the management styles used by the HR department are divisive. As a result, the employees are not motivated and the other issue is that in the staffing department, only one person is responsible for performing various tasks related to recruitment along with another recruit. The other weakness is that the employee grievances are not addressed on time. The leaders lack understanding of the needs of the employees and this contributes towards low morale among them. The major threat witnessed from this analysis is that the benefits and compensation structures are significantly high and they strain the financial status of the organization. The company is paying large sums of money to cover the benefits of the employees and this scenario may not be sustainable in the long run. Summary of recommendations From the findings outlined above, it has been recommended that cost cutting measures particularly in the area of labour force should be implemented. This will go a long way in helping the company to save money while at the same time improving its operations. The human resources department should be tasked with assessing the viable measures that can be taken in order to make necessary changes that would not negatively impact on the operations of the company. The other issue is that in order for the company to operate viably, it is recommended that it should adopt change especially in the structure of human resources management. During the contemporary period, it can be observed that change in the operations of the company is inevitable due to the dynamism of the environment in which the company operates (Jackson and Schuler, 2010). Thus, enlightened leaders should anticipate change and act accordingly and they should also take a leading role in implementing necessary changes that can impact on the operations of the organization. For instance, change should be implemented in the area of staffing and employee motivation. It is also recommended that the company should make an effort to involve the employees when making pertinent decisions that would impact on the overall performance of the whole organization. Collective decisions are made if the employees are involved in the decision making process. This entails that the decisions will be entrenched in the culture of the organization which helps to create a sense of belong among the employees to the firm. This will also significantly help to strengthen the mission and vision of the organization. This strategy helps the members of the organization to share ideas and knowledge which in turn can be utilized to form effective strategies. According to HRCS (2015), employee involvement in the decision making process helps the company to “prepare competency-based developmental action plans in order to increase its impact on performance.” The senior human resources management should take a leading role in fostering the creation of employee centred decisions in the company. To implement this particular change, it takes about four to five weeks given that the organization is already operational. The process does not require a revamp of the human resources management system. Metrics for evaluating the results of transformation All the changes mentioned above are specifically designed to transform the human resources within the company so that they can put optimum performance in their operations for the betterment of the organization as a whole. There are different measures that can be taken in order to carryout performance evaluation. According to Islam and Rasad (2005, p.1), “it is important to identify which objectives are not met and to develop action plans to ensure they are achieved in future.” Essentially, the extent to which a member of the organization contributes towards the attainment of the desired goals and objectives constitutes their performance. Therefore, the management has a role to monitor the performance of the employees to ensure that the desired goals and objectives are achieved. On the other hand, performance appraisal which entails identifying, evaluating and developing the work performance of the employees so that the goals and objectives are achieved while giving feedback and recognizing their effort can be used as a metric to measure performance (Lansbury, 1988). Feedback from the employees about their perceptions towards their work is essential since it helps the management to gauge the level of employee satisfaction towards their work. Mani (2002) also posits to the effect that improvement in communication as well as employee motivation can be used as yardsticks to measure performance improvement. Motivated workers often display high morale and they can speak positively about their work. Risks of not implementing change Change in the operations of any organization is inevitable as a result of the fact that the environment in which they operate constantly changes. Robbins (1993) suggests that an organization that fails to adopt change in its operations is doomed. PAC is not an exception in this case and it should ensure that proper changes are implemented so as to help improve its operations especially in the area of human resources management. All the work in the company is performed by human beings and this is the major reason why changes that suit their needs should be implemented. This helps to add value to the employees and the workflow since they would be operating in real time. When appropriate changes that are designed to improve the operations of the employees are implemented, there are likely chances of positive development of the way the company operates. When the policies are not rigid, it becomes easy to monitor and control workflow within the organization. Failure to implement change in the operations of the organization can negatively impact on its operations since it may not be able to keep pace with the changes that would be taking place in the environment. Significance of both the strategic and administrative role of human resources function It can be seen that successful leaders view human resources as valuable assets that need to be carefully managed in line with the organization’s needs. Employees who are treated well in the organization add value to it and this helps the firm to gain competitive advantage. According to Jackson and Schuler (2010), one means through which employees can add value to the organization is by enhancing customers’ perception of the products and services it offers. Thus, satisfied employees result in satisfied customers and this cannot be possible when the employees hate their jobs. This strategic role of human resources function entails that employees feel a sense of pride and belonging to the company if the customers they serve are happy. Proper management of the human resources in the company helps the employees to put optimum effort in their performance which contributes towards growth and development of the company. Resources needed for transformation Since this transformation is all about human resources, the major resources required are the people themselves. The senior management ought to take a leading role in initiating and implementing change. However, they need to engage the employees so that they can contribute towards the decisions that would be made in the organization. The employees at PAC ought to be grouped in teams so that they share their ideas which can be used to formulate strategies that can be implemented in order to turn around the fortunes of the company. The employees need morale support from the top in order for them to freely express their views which can help to improve the way they perform their work. Summary and conclusions Over and above, it can be noted that PAC is facing some challenges especially in the operations of the human resources department. As discussed, the company’s HRM strategy is divisive and the employees are not happy about the treatment they get. The employees are also not consulted in as far as decision making is concerned. Therefore, it has been recommended that the HRM within the company should adopt change and try to involve the employees in the decision making process. It is essential to treat the employees as valuable assets to the organization so that they in turn can also add value to it. Changes within the HRM department can be implemented within five weeks as illustrated in appendix 2 below. References Islam, R. & Rasad, S.M. (2005). “Employee performance evaluation by AHP: A case study.” Retrieved from: http://www.isahp.org/2005Proceedings/Papers/IslamR_RasadEmployeePerformanceEvaluation.pdf Jackson, S.E. & Schuler, R.S. (2010). Managing Human Resources: A partnership perspective. Boston: South Western College Publishing. Lansbury, R. (1988) “Performance Management: A Process Approach,” Human Resource Management, Australia, 46-55. Mani, B.G. (2002) “Performance Appraisal Systems, Productivity, and Motivation: A Case Study,” Public Personnel Management, 31(2), 141-159. Robbins, S.P. (1993). Organizational behavior: Concepts, controversies and applications. Engel Wood Cliffs, New Jersey: Prentice Hall. The Human Resources Competency Study (2015). Viewed from: http://hrcs.rbl.net/hrcs/index/faq Appendix 1: SWOT ANALYSIS FOR PAC Strengths -Organizational structure is functional, each manager is responsible for a specified function. -In-house training about issues such as sexual harassment that are rampant in other organizations -The company pays salary at market rate -Safety procedures are given priority Weaknesses -The HR management leadership style is divisive -The bonus plan has no support of the employees -Staffing issues are controlled by a single person across the whole department. This entails that the load is too much for him. -The benefits are too high to be sustainable in the operations of the company. Opportunities -HR development helps the company to recognize the continuous dynamics of the high tech industry. -The use of idea blog is an opportunity for the employees to exchange information. Threats -Training for first line supervisors not well received. -The compensation and benefits structures are too high to the sustainable in the operations of the organization. High labour costs pose a serious threat to the viability of the organization. -The HR department lacks proper communication with the employees. This is a threat since it can lead to unrest among the employees. Appendix 2 Period Activity Week 1 Action research about the changes that need to be implemented Week 2 Teams are formed to brainstorm different HR issues that needs to be addressed Week 3 Feedback from different groups Week 4 Strategic decisions made Week 5- Implementation and monitoring of the changes made Appendix 3 Organizational Chart for PAC Read More