Development and Integration of HR Strategy and Policies - Essay Example

? An organization’s performance can be improved by careful development and integration of its HR strategy and policies. An organization’s performancecan be improved by careful development and integration of its HR strategy and policies. An organization’s performance can be improved by careful development and integration of its HR strategy and policies. A human resource department assists the organizations and its employees to accomplish their goals and objectives. But, obviously the human resource department is not liberated from challenges (Taylor 2010; Shields 2007). A successful 21st Century firm will not take loyalty of blessed people of its organization for granted. It will continuously attempt to recruit them and keep them part of the organization. This mutual relationship and trust between the employee and employer is the highlighting factor for a firm of 21st Century. Generally, daily these organizations co-operate a major role in our daily lives (Boyatzis 1982). The water we drink, food we eat, the vehicles we use to go from one place to another, the clothes we usually wear are all benevolence of such organizations. The historians of future regard this era as they might view certain organization to be of great achievements. It is the marvel of thousands of people with sophisticated individual skills, backgrounds, and interests that combine together in different organizations to pursue the common institutionalized objectives (Gold et al 2010). Human Resource Planning People or employees are the assets of all organizations. They form the goals or objectives of the organization, the improvements in technology and the achievements for which organizations are known for. From the view point of an organization, its people are its resources. They are not physical assets such as capital or land; rather they are human element of the organization. Without this human element, organizations would perish (Armstrong 2002). The following narration clarifies the concept of human resource in an organization: As people are becoming more passionate and goal oriented, emerging top managers are realizing the organizational success that is dependent upon the meticulous attention given to human assets. Some of the perfectly managed and successful organizations are the ones who make their employees meet the challenges faced by the organizations innovatively. For instance in high-tech firms, to receive the best from engineers, they must come up with creative programs and designs, in bio-tech firms and in research as well; nurturing the free flow and creativity of the ideas among the researchers as it leads to success (Wilton 2011). In the manufacturing firms, the cost controls leads to success. In the service and retail industry, the difference between the extinction and growth is completed by providing the best quality of service. In all of these examples, the employees decide the future of the firm. This way the human element practices are combined with the precise challenges that the firm faces. These challenges are diligently solved by an effective and efficient human resource management by implementing the right policies and strategies (Boxall & Purcell 2008). Today, organizations have become conscious of the fact that strategic human resource management is mandatory for an organization and its importance is focused upon increasingly in most firms. This awareness comprises of a serious arena in the performance of most organizations. The experiences from real life show that there is a constant assumption attached to the idea how businesses operate and how they carry out their activities. The validation of this argument pertains in the fact that the competitiveness of business is a continuous event which is scrutinized by consultants, practitioners, and academicians. There are new approaches to deal with the human resource department now (Gold et al 2010). Armstrong (2009) said that the strategic human resource management focuses on the needs that the HR strategies and plan should be devised within the arena of the whole strategies of the organization and goals should be responsive to the continuous change of the external environment of an organization. This approach needs meanings and explanations off course by the practitioners of this field to make sure the appropriate fit in the strategies of human resource department and its plans. Therefore, the overall themes of this SHRM are to combine all the functions of Human resource management, to adhere to the fact of organizational responsiveness and objectives to external environment of the firm (Armstrong 2009; Taylor 2010). Number of studies proposed in this field is emphasized on wider range of organizational competitive factors of these business firms because of their effort in the world economy. This endeavor to achieve the competitive advantage is the core principal of the field of strategic management (Boam & Sparrow 1992). In the field of business, the competitive advantage is configurationally and this theory has come to known as a capable novel structural framework of the sustainability and the sources which needs to be analyzed in an attempt to gain this competitive advantage. In the Strategic Human Resource Management, internal and external fit are necessary for the research prerequisites (Marchington & Grugulis 2000; Marchington & Zagelmeyer 2005). Unilever, one of the world’s biggest multinational fast moving consumer goods products multinational, is the residence of most innovative employees in the industry. For Unilever, as an enterprise, things are reliable because it focuses a lot on how the employees interact with each other. High standards of corporate behavior outline the corporate culture of Unilever. Ethical behavior is permitted at work and amicable attitude is what is demanded. There are people from diverse cultural background residing in Unilever who follow the code of conduct and make each other feel at home (Unilever. 2012). The Human resource department bolsters and develops the important asset of Unilever- its people. The people play an immense role in delivering outshining business performance. Even if anyone is not part of Human resource department and just a part of Unilever corporate culture, he or she can assist to create it. Employees are empowered at Unilever, both in terms of accomplishing their own career and personal goals and in contributing to Unilever. Human Resource Department ensures that there are innovative people in the organization who care for each other in developing an excellent corporate culture. The control models also play an important role in structuring and enhancing the morale of employees for better performance and sustainability (Unilever. 2012). Performance Management and Appraisal "Performance Management is a systematic process for improving organisational performance by developing the performance of individuals and teams. It is a means of getting better results from the organisation, teams and individuals by understanding and managing performance within an agreed framework of planned goals, standards and competence requirements." (Armstrong 2006 p.1) Baron and Armstrong (2005) say that the collective efforts of the people of an organization, their experiences and abilities are joined together with their capability to organize these in employing firms’ interests are now known as making a considerable amount of contribution to the success of the organization and also making a road to competitive advantage of the firm. The Strategic Human resource management practices such as development and training, resourcing, employee relations, and also management of rewards are needed for those people who are hired in the organization and also managed in an effort to accomplish this competitive advantage via the strategic use of dedicated and able workforce (Armstrong & Baron 2005). Armstrong (2006) focuses on the premise that Human Resource management brings the strategic and transit value of the employees of the organization by contributing to this value added and also towards competitive advantage. The organization emphasizes on all individual human resource elements called as employees. The efficient human resource management strategy takes into account all the measures to affect the attitude of employees in an effective and optimistic manner which leads to its competitive strategy (Armstrong 2006). "Performance Appraisal acts as information-processing system, providing vital data for rational, objective and efficient decision-making related to improving performance, identifying training needs, managing careers and setting levels of reward." (Bratton & Gold 2003 p. 250) Delery and Doty (2000) anticipated the notion that the configurationally idea which emphasizes on the unique elements of these multiple independent variables rely on the dependent variable for their nourishment. The variables aim to realize the best practices in the categories of organization and the Human resource strategy (Delery & Doty 2000). Most firms today, the skills and commitment of the employees that make a competitive advantage for the firm genuinely leverage on the work force as a tool to configure a competitive advantage. Even though most of the studies only talk about the Strategic Human Resource Management skills and practices pertaining to the performance, as if it is a one way process, but this one way communication is not a true picture of any organization (Edwards & Rees 2006; Marchington & Wilkinson 2008) Thus, it is of sheer importance that the performance of organization is a grave theoretical development that elucidates the theoretical explanations in this area; many researchers have given the idea that further studies should be carried out in this regard to understand the link between organizational performance and human resource management In an attempt to highlight these issues and theoretical enhancements in this arena, researchers came up with other studies to bolster their idea. Subjectively, an enhanced comprehension of Strategic Human Resource Management role in making and continuing the performance of the organization and also the competitive advantage should be polished with empirical data and evidence and also development in theory. Many studies relating to this subject have been conducted in United States and United Kingdom (Purcell & Hutchinson 2007; Sheehan et al 2000). Very few researchers have adhered to the idea of mediators and focused on their importance. Most of the work proposed in this field takes a much broader perspective which eschews the contextual variables, mostly the competitive strategies, which manipulate the performance of the organization (Gold et al 2010). The Performance Culture of Unilever is based upon a systematic approach involving engagement of all teams. The message, priorities, and behaviors are clearly laid out and practices are rewarded with performance management, performance is communicated and feedback on behaviors is motivated (Unilever). Bibliography Top of Form Bottom of Form Top of Form Bottom of Form Top of Form Bottom of Form Top of Form Bottom of Form Top of Form Bottom of Form Top of Form Bottom of Form Top of Form Bottom of Form Top of Form Bottom of Form Top of Form Bottom of Form Top of Form Bottom of Form Top of Form Bottom of Form Top of Form Bottom of Form Top of Form Bottom of Form Top of Form Bottom of Form Top of Form Bottom of Form Top of Form Bottom of Form Top of Form Bottom of Form Top of Form Bottom of Form Top of Form Bottom of Form Top of Form Bottom of Form Top of Form Bottom of Form ARMSTRONG, M. (2002). Employee reward. London, Chartered Inst. of Personnel and Development. ARMSTRONG, M. (2006). Performance management key strategies and practical guidelines. London, Kogan Page. 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E., MICHIE, J., CONWAY, N., & SHEEHAN, M. (2003). Human Resource Management and Corporate Performance in the UK. British Journal of Industrial Relations. 41, 291-314. MARCHINGTON, M., & GRUGULIS, I. (2000). 'Best practice' human resource management: perfect opportunity or dangerous illusion? International Journal of Human Resource Management. 11, 1104-1124. MARCHINGTON, M., & WILKINSON, A. (2008). Human resource management at work people management and development. London, Chartered Institute of Personnel and Development. MARCHINGTON, M., & ZAGELMEYER, S. (2005). Foreword: linking HRM and performance - a never-ending search? Human Resource Management Journal. 15, 3-8. PURCELL, J. (2003). Understanding the people and performance link: unlocking the black box. London, Chartered Institute of Personnel and Development. PURCELL, J., HUTCHINSON, S. (2007). Frontline managers as agents in the HRM-performance causal chain: theory analysis and evidence. Human Resource Management Journal. 17(1), 3-20. PURCELL,J.(2001). The Meaning of Strategy in Human Resource Management :A Critical Text. London: Thompson Learning. REDMAN, T., & WILKINSON, A. (2009). Contemporary human resource management: text and cases. New York, Prentice Hall. SHIELDS, J. (2007). Managing employee performance and reward: concepts, practices, strategies. Cambridge, Cambridge University Press. TAYLOR, S., & TAYLOR, S. (2010). Resourcing and talent management. London, Chartered Institute of Personnel and Development. TORRINGTON, D. (2011). Human resource management. London, Prentice Hall Europe. UNILEVER. THE OFFICIAL WEBSITE (2012). Retrieved from:http://www.unilever.com/careers/insideunilever/howwework/ourculture/ WILTON, N. (2011). An introduction to human resource management. Los Angeles, SAGE. Read More