Development of the Strategic Human Resource Plan - Coursework Example

Running head: Strategic Human Resource Management: Department of Human Services. The identified strategic plan is of the Australian Government department of social services, the four year Strategic Plan is the management plan of the years 2009 – 2013 which is intentioned to provide the foundation for the delivery of quality outcome by guiding in development and responses to emerging issues in a dynamic environment and changing circumstances. The plan provides a blueprint for department of social services in working with the stakeholders, associated departments, service delivery agencies and the human resource in the department. Analyses of what is involved in contextualising a business Strategic Plan The organization has several priorities that in endeavours to achieve in the four year period of the strategic plan, an important consideration in the plan is that the department of social services operates in a complex environment with diverse customer needs and stakeholder expectations while focusing on offering effective and customized products in a monetarily responsible framework. This is centred on the purpose of the department which is to provide fundamental coordination position and policy for the offering of services athwart the Human Services Portfolio, moreover the department harmonizes and catalyses progression on service delivery policies and reform to advance inventive and affordable professional rehabilitation services, child support and communal public health of the Australian citizens. Fostering innovation, creativity and incessant enhancement have been identified and emphasized by the department of social services as the requisite incentives for achieving the stated objectives, furthermore cooperating associating and harmonizing operations with service delivery agencies as well as the state organs are vital recipes for the achievement of the plan. According to the departments’ plan, the department emphasizes on promoting innovation constant improvement and to working across service delivery agencies and the government in entirety. There exists a wide range of factors that affect the department’s strategic plan that are probable to impact on its human resource needs, a number of these factors are external to the department while some are internal, these includes the departments objectives, environmental issues and trends, governance framework, the intentioned direction and the Mission Statement of the department as well as collaboration with associated organizations and institutions as argued by Wiles (22 – 26). The objectives of the department affect its strategic plan and these impacts on the human resource needs, the objectives generally describe the domino effect of the envisioned achievements of the department considering the needs and relevant issues. The department aims to play a role in the in the progression of procedures and policies that integrate excellent and pioneering service delivery. In addition, while focusing on decreasing non compliance and fostering information exchange, the department affords advisory services to government structures on service delivery implementation. The programs administered by the department such as child support program influences human resource needs of the department, such services include poignant support to separated parents which requires human resource with expertise in psychotherapy, hence impacted on the nature of human resource needs in the department. The objectives of the department therefore affect its strategic plan and in essence impacts on the human resource needs. The environmental issues and trends also affect strategic plan and these impacts on the human resource needs. The department operates in an environment with diverse and rising stakeholder expectations and client needs, hence the need to focus on offering customized efficient services in an economically viable framework. The environmental trends are envisioned to impact on identifying dynamic customer needs, advancing and attaining government’s policies on service delivery, transformation of the social systems, accomplishing efficiency as well as countering the effects of economic changes. The environment where the organizations operates at presents and envisioned in future affect on its strategic plan, to adapt to the environment requires human resource with qualifications, capacity and characteristics to respond to the demands of the dynamic environment, this in quintessence influences the departments human resource needs. The Governance Framework utilized by the department influences the department’s strategic plan and probably affects its human resource needs; the organizational structure implemented by the department is founded on financial and people management, effective planning, performance monitoring and reporting, and risk. These are put in place to guarantee risk management, resource utilization, accountability and service delivery. The governance structure exhibits centralized management with the secretary playing the chief role and therefore the human resource needed should conform to the governance structure. Collaboration with associated organizations and institutions, and cooperation within the staff is also a factor that affects the department’s strategic plan with consequential impact on its human resource needs as argued by Warner, et al (587). Being a public institution, the staffs at department of social services are expected to conform to Australian Public Service (APS) values and ethical standards. Therefore the human resource needs in terms of standards are a product of the department of social services’ operating principles, APS code of conduct and values. The APS values discourage discrimination while appreciating diversity of the Australian populace, ascertains place of work relations that place significance on employee inclusion, consultation, communication and co-operation. organizations related with the department therefore affect is strategic plan, as the department as to synchronize its operations, to be in agreement with those of the collaborating institutions, this impact is evidently pronounced in the human resource needs, where the department has to structure its human resource to be in agreement with APS values and ethical standards. Key human resource implications Sundry factors have impacted on the human resource, and the implications identified in department of social services are concomitant with the principles of the department. The identified key implications are collaboration and cooperation, training and innovation. Collaboration: advance harmonious working relationship within the department, with contemporaries and related institutions to attain strategic outcomes by exchange of information. Performance management: endeavour to recognize and appreciate the efforts and contribution by accepting responsibility for work done in order to deliver results for government and improve service delivery outcomes for the Australian community. Respect: show respect to opinions and perspectives of others and exhibit professionalism in every working situation to enhance the participation of all staff in decision making. Learning and Innovation: continuously and constructively challenge the staff in the department and others to support ingenious, resourceful and cost-effective innovations that improve knowledge, skills and performance. Background and objectives The four year plan of the years 2009 – 2013 offers an outline for department of social services in working human resource in the department for the delivery of quality outcome by guiding in development and responses to emerging issues in a dynamic environment and changing circumstances. The plan emphasize on collaboration between the staff and with staff of related institutions, ethically motivating of staff through recognizing and appreciating the efforts of the staff Levine (48 -52), by emphasizing on result orientation, while involving the entire human resource in decision making, furthermore the plan accentuates on innovation by supporting the staff to be innovative so as to improve performance while considering the ethical expectations of the served community. Assumptions Diverse assumptions where considered during the development of the Strategic Human Resource Plan, such as:- The percentage of performance targets are arbitrary projections and whereas effort has been made to consider the Department of Human Services annual report 2008/2009, the percentages are fictitious and do not however consider any statistical or mathematical data, hence amendable. The identified strategic HR implications are presumed to portray the greatest relevance to the strategic plan The Department of Human Services were the main considerations in identification of strategic HR implications therefore other Human resource implications may exist, but not identified. Strategic Human Resource Plan Collaboration and Cooperation. The department of human services has been in the forefront in social sector in Australia, (DHS Annual Report 2008-09), over the past, the performance of the Department of Human Services has been hinged on its human resource, which is structured as outputs. The central department has influenced the human resource needs in shaping service delivery policy and management of the Human Services Portfolio Agencies. The existence of several such collaborating institutions such as Central Department, Child Support Program and CRS Australia within the Human Services Department has in the past resulted in unsynchronized approach planning and achievement of strategic objectives. Utilization of collaboration and cooperation within the staff therefore ensures synchronized approach to delivery of quality outcome in the social sector, adoption of a unified approach in collaboration within the staff and with collaborating institutions has implication on the attainment of strategic goals. Collaboration: To advance harmonious working relationship within the department, with contemporaries and related institutions to attain strategic outcomes by exchange of information. Objective Strategy Performance Measure Performance Targets Responsibility 1.1 To develop and implement strategies, technologies and policies within legal framework to ensure that there is consistent collaboration between staff so as to achieve organization’s strategic objectives. 1.1.1 Scrutinize contemporary trends and prolong development and implementation of strategies to guarantee harmonious relationship of all the staff. % of successful staff relationship strategies implemented 09/10 10/11 11/12 12/13 Executive Level 1 60% 65% 73% 80% 1.1.2 Develop and maintain effectual communication stratagem and approach to edify administrators and staff in consideration of industrial matters, human resources policy, and employee relation. % of Staff satisfaction in communication with administration (Employee satisfaction survey) 73 % 78% 83% 89% Executive Level 1 1.1.3 Promote partnership of all staff, where democracy prevails in choosing representatives to foster cooperative working relations. Percentage of staff participating voluntarily in staff representation union. (Staff union records) 50% 57% 65% 70% Executive Level 2B 1.1.4 The management leads in the administration of industrial arrangements and sustaining human resource policies centred on improving lithe work practices, policy development and review, and the development of guidelines. % of employee satisfaction on the working environment 78% 83% 89% 93% Executive Level 2B 1.1.5 The administration to foster the development and acquisition of collaborative software to enhance synchronized communication between members of staff of different departments i.e. Central Department staff, Child Support Program staff and CRS Australia staff % of automation of communication systems which promote collaboration between members of staff 75 % 85% 90% 92% Executive Level 2B 1.2 To sustain a safe, healthy and comprehensive working environment that promotes performance and wellbeing of all staff and appreciates diversity of cultures. 1.2.1 Enhancing the awareness on health and safety of the working environment and having trained personnel to provide staff with assistance on health issues and psychotherapy, while ensuring that the facilities utilized do not pose health problems to the staff while fostering safety management. % decrease in work related health problems Reduce claims on Compensation premiums 88% 90% 94% 96% 1.2.2 Promote and support cultural appreciation, responsiveness and competency in consideration of the diverse background of the staff in the department. So as to shun discrimination in the workplace and recognize and utilize the diversity of community the department serves. % Compliance with Australian Public Service values and Code of Conduct (Disciplinary Records) 88 % 92% 94% 96% Risk and Mitigation strategies Risk Risk Mitigation Strategies High turnover of staff in the Department of Human Services Predicting and implementing strategies and procedures that promote successful training and development, recruitment, retention, endorsement, employment equity, succession, and cultural diversity. Complex working environment and workload due to several correlated institutions striving to achieve central objective Foster labour relations by utilizing the correlated institutions, ministries and departments Lack of capacity and resources to strategically appraise the workforce in order to forecast future workforce competencies Advance capacity by involving experts and consultants to offer professional assessment on optimal utilization of available resources. Learning and innovation The unique challenges and the nature of the working environment of the Department of Human Services require continuous learning on the part of the staff to understand the environment and innovation so as to respond to the dynamic needs of the working environment. The department strappingly emphasizes on promoting innovation in order to achieve its objectives, consequently the department has to be a learning organization and its staff have to drive the innovation envisioned by being creative and innovative, learning and innovation therefore have implication on the attainment of strategic goals. Learning and Innovation: continuously and constructively challenge the staff in the department and others to support ingenious, resourceful and cost-effective innovations that improve knowledge, skills and performance. Objective Strategy Performance Measures Performance Targets Responsibility 2.1 To maintain the progression of the Department of Human Services as a learning organization receptive to organizational and individual requirements 2.1.1 Recognize staff development and progression requirements and grant apposite course that train on area of recognized strategic need. Enhanced staff contribution rates and involvement in staff progression symposiums and forums 09/10 10/11 11/12 12/13 Training & Development section 63 % 74 % 81 % 93 % 2.1.2 Augment employee contribution in advancement programs aimed at developing skills and knowledge, Analyze, plan and organize stratagem to support the development needs of Central Department staff, Child Support Program staff and CRS Australia staff Increased staff publications and researches. % of staff acquiring new professional and academic credentials. 67% 86% 90% 95% 2.1.3 Provide ongoing requisite Information Communication Technology skills training Develop and implement an online web based training module which can be accessed by all staff seeking specific knowledge, this acts as a ‘one stop shop’ of development opportunities % of staff who can effectively utilize emerging technological trends to improve performance 67% 74 % 76% 85 % 2.1.4 To avail opportunities to staff to foster existing knowledge, skills and creativity so as to ensure that the staff are always abreast with technological innovations, trends and developments in their arena of expertise. % increment research publications and presentations made by the department staff. 65 % 75 % 80 % 84 % 2.1.5 To offer opportunities for staff development, learning and career advancement, by development, implementation and coordination of programs, policies and procedures envisioned to improve organizational efficiency and to enhance every employee’s personal potential. Monitoring the percentage of staff development programs and policies 76 % 78 % 85 % 90 % Risk and Mitigation strategies Risk Risk Mitigation Strategies Unwillingness or lack of interest by the staff to learn Training, innovation and development policies and procedures to be clearly set and adhered to Encourage continuous learning by providing incentives such as study leave Low volumes of research and Innovation Reward appropriately innovations which result to improved performance management. Conclusion and recommendation. The department of human services has several priorities that it endeavours to achieve in the four year period of the strategic plan; there are several factors within and outside the department that affects the department’s strategic plan that probably have an impact on its human resource needs, human resource employed by the department therefore plays a crucial role towards the attainment of the said objectives, and experiences the implications of the strategic plan. Teaching and Innovation, and Collaboration and cooperation are among the key sectors in the human resource that are more likely to be affected, the department should therefore promote and enhance training, development and innovation as well as collaboration and cooperation of its staff to attain strategic objectives. Works Cited Department of Human Services, Australia. Annual Report 2008 - 09. 10. Aug. 2010. Department of Human Services, Australia. Strategic Plan 2009 -13. 10. Aug. 2010. Levine David. Reinventing the workplace: how business and employees can both win. Brookings Institution Press, 1995. print. Warner, Burke et al. Organization Change: A Comprehensive Reader. New York : John Wiley and Sons, 2008.print Wiles, Michael. Strategic Planning for the Chiropractic Practice .London :Jones & Bartlett Learning, 2007. Print Read More