Attracting Talent in an International Dimension - Dissertation Example

Evaluation of recruitment strategy and issues of attracting talent in an international dimension During the contemporary period, various multi-national organisations operate in different countries across the globe but of concern is the need to recruit the individuals with suitable competencies as well as successfully retaining them in a complex international labour market that is also characterised by competition. The success of an organisation operating in an international market is mainly determined by its ability to recruit skilled people and this is a process which requires careful consideration. As a point of departure, it is imperative to define what recruitment is in order to gain a clear understanding of the whole concept in identifying and attracting skilled people to the organisation. Recruitment involves searching for and obtaining qualified job candidates and it gives the organisation the opportunity to select the most appropriate persons to fill its job needs (Carrell, R. et al 1995). Effective recruitment often attracts individuals to the organisation and also increases the chances of retaining the individuals once they have been hired. Recruitment efforts seek to satisfy the needs of job applicants as well as the needs of managers. From this assertion, Pfeffer (1989) also concurs that companies which are serious about making profit through people ought to “expend the effort needed to ensure that they recruit the right people in the first place.” The best strategy of recruiting at international level is outsourcing for highly skilled workers who have great influence in making strategic decisions in the operations of the organisation especially in the context of big multinational corporations operating in various countries. Basically, outsourcing refers to the process whereby the organisation hires someone outside the organisation to perform the task of recruiting that can be done by the organisation itself (Kleynhans et al 2006). The recruiting agencies take a leading role in selecting employees particularly using head hunting tactics to identify and attract the best candidates with high skills and experience. These agencies can work hand in hand with the responsible authorities controlling the organisation. For instance, a good example can be drawn from Anglo American which is a mining conglomerate operating in various countries across the globe but it can be difficult for the organisation to successfully recruit the best skilled workers for its companies in various countries across the globe. In this case, recruiting agencies come in handy with the best alternative since they specialise in headhunting for talented workers on behalf of different clients. There is need for careful selection of workers who would be entitled to make strategic decisions that can determine the direction of the organisation’s operations. Indeed, there would also be need to recruit local talent to fill the less demanding positions and this can be done either directly by the organisation or even outsource where necessary. The complexities of operating in different countries and employing people from different nationalities are the main issues that differentiate domestic and international HR management (Jackson and Schuler 2000). Many companies often underestimate these complexities and some evidence suggests that the failure of most companies can be attributed to poor management of human resources. The strategy to be employed ought to be accommodative to a diverse range of cultures since this is one very important aspect that determines the success of an organisation in view of the need to observe and respect the cultural values of the host countries. As a result of globalization, it is possible for multinational corporations to operate in different parts of the globe and it must always be noted that there are diverse cultures with different values in these host countries. It is therefore imperative for any organisation seeking to establish business in a foreign land to take into consideration the value system of the local people. Failure to realize that would negatively impact on the operations of the organisation as the local people may not appreciate the products or services offered by such an organisation. Therefore, recruitment at international level ought to be conscious to these dictates of local cultures of the host countries. Thus, it can be noted that from an international dimension, there is need to select or headhunt workers with talent and this may not only be limited to the process of recruiting but there will also be need to look further and offer incentives that are likely to attract this calibre of workers since there will also be many global companies competing for the same skilled workers. Incentives such as offering attractive perks of benefits such as handsome remuneration as well as staff development exercises are all meant to attract the best workers with talent and skill within a complex international labour market. Skilled workers also ought to be given the autonomy to make decisions that may affect the operations of the organisation. If these people are given the chance to make decisions, they will develop a sense of belonging to the organisation and they will also realise that they are important hence they will be loyal to the company in the long run and are likely to stay for a longer period within the same company. From the above argument, it can be noted that recruitment is a basic tenet of the operations of all organisations which requires careful selection of candidates with exceptional qualities that can lead to an improvement in the operations of the firm. Whilst there are other strategies used by potential employers to select employees, headhunting technique is the most viable one especially in a complex international labour market and is often seen as a reliable form of identifying and selecting individuals with great talent and experience in different fields. Appraisal of the design of selection tools and selection criteria to support international selection. In recruitment of employees, there are various factors that are considered as important and some of them include the following: qualifications, skills or experience as well as ability (Kleynhans et al 2006). The most appropriate selection tools that can be used include the use of computer aided technology such as the internet in advertising the posts as well as using it as a tool to receive curriculum vitaes from different inspiring candidates. The use of computer powered technology is advantageous in that the databases are so big and can store lots of information. It is easier to attract applicants from all corners of the globe since the internet can make communication instantaneous while at the same time reaching a wide range of people. It will also be easier to select the potential candidates from large databases by virtue of using search engines to search the appropriate candidates relatively easier. A preliminary list will then be used as the basis of short listing the likely candidates with appropriate qualifications. Professional as well as educational qualifications are often regarded as the basic selection criteria in recruitment of the employees. In any job, it is always vital for every person to have some level of education depending on the post and position of the job within an organisation. Level of education often ranges from high school qualifications up to degree level. Professional qualifications are also taken into consideration. Some jobs require specific level of education and these qualifications are used as the yardsticks to screen potential employees for specified jobs. Thus, it can be noted that lower positions within the organisation often require lower levels of education whereas higher positions require higher qualifications and experience. Another factor which is important for recruiters is to determine if the chosen candidate would be able to do the job. Some candidates may be highly qualified but with little ability to meet the requirements hence it is very important for recruiters to consider if the potential candidate has any track record which shows that he or she is able to perform to the expected standards. In this regard, the potential candidate ought to show that he has some general knowledge pertaining to the position he will be applying for as a way of minimising the number of desperate people who may lack knowledge about a job. It is very important for international agencies to take into consideration the aspect of higher qualifications and experience for posts which are quite demanding. For lower positions, domestic HR practises can be employed where the locals can be recruited. However, qualifications alone may not be enough to select the best candidate for certain positions. In most cases, skills gained from previous experience are taken into consideration as a measure of trying to identify the most suitable candidate who will not have so many difficulties in performing the task. Positions requiring highly skilled labour also require candidates who are highly qualified and vice versa. High qualifications coupled with high levels of experience often go hand in hand in securing high positions in any given organisation and this is another very important consideration for recruiters in selecting the best candidates. There are also other external forces that influence the international arena such as the type of host government, the state of the economy and business practices that may differ substantially from those of the originating country (Jackson and Schuler 2000). Host governments for instance may insist on the need for global companies to provide training to the local workers or in some instances dictate the hiring procedures. These are some of the considerations that ought to be given due prominence in the selection criteria of potential employees at international level. A critical analysis of the role recruitment and selection play in supporting employee retention and the goals of the organisation. Recruitment plays a vital role in determining employee retention and achievement of organisational goals in various ways. Research has shown that a bigger number of cases of staff turnover is a result of dissatisfied workers leaving the organisation and it has been noted that this can be avoided if the organisation embarks on fair practices that are likely to motivate the workers to continue serving the organisation. In simple terms, retention refers to the ability by the organisation to retain its staff complement or to have low cases of staff turnover (Jackson and Schuler 2000). For instance, offering favourable working conditions has been particularly seen as one of the most viable options that can be adopted by any organisation in order to retain its workers. During the process of recruiting, an HR management tries by all means to select the best candidates from those shortlisted and it would be easier to have measures in place that are likely to appeal positively to the workers so as to give them a sense of belonging. If the workers are proud to identify themselves with the organisation, there will be likely chances that they will stay in the organisation and this would allow the organisation to realise its goals. It is very important to identify the workers with talent to undergo some course of training to take up new strategic positions in the companies established across the globe in a bid to maintain the organisational culture of operation while at the same time promoting a system that would be all encompassing by incorporating the values of diverse cultures based around the globe where the organisation is targeting to penetrate. Having identified talent for such challenging strategic positions, these people would in turn impart their knowledge and skills to the majority of workers recruited for other positions to blend them in such a way that would be accommodative to diverse cultural values. With such a strategy in place, there would be likely chances of retaining the workers. It should be the duty of the organisation to offer incentives that are likely to motivate the workers to be loyal to their organisation. These may vary from financial benefits to medical health schemes as well as educational policies. The workers must be given the privilege to attend to their own business where necessary. It can as well be noted that workers that are given the power to make decisions are likely to be motivated compared to those who are just told what to do every time without contributing anything. A person who is given the power to make decisions would positively identify with the organisation since he would have a sense of belonging and would stay longer in the company. Having recruited the right people, there would be need to continually develop them such that the organisation would be better positioned to achieve its goals. In this case, developing human resources would be more ideal. The process used by an organisation to help its employees to improve the way they work is called human resources development (Kleynhans R. et al 2006). From this assertion, it is highly recommended that any organisation should underscore to take HRD which is primarily concerned with identifying the skills needed by the employees, designing and putting into place training and development programmes that are meant to equip them with the knowledge to cope with often challenging situations in the organisation. In most cases, the job may require some time to learn and often specific training is required. According to Kleyhans (2007), it is a bit difficult for the employer to know the productive capabilities of a person when he is recruited and there is need to ensure that his performance conforms to the expected standards of the organisation. It is against this background that training would be needed to ensure that the employees have all the necessary information. Training and development would be an ongoing process which would enable the employees to gain first hand information about the organisation carrying out their duties. This would also allow them to familiarize with the environment of the organisation which would be a perfect advantage in solving problems that may arise in the future since they would be equipped with the relevant knowledge about the operations of the organisation. Given such a scenario, achieving the organisational goals would be possible since all the workers would have been empowered with various skills that would enable them to perform their duties in peace. A satisfied worker is likely to be productive and likely to stay longer in the company. Evaluation of the way in which hard and soft approaches to HRM will change the recruitment and selection strategy of an organisation The hard approach to HRM mainly derives from Douglas McGregor’s Theory X of 1960. According to this theory, information obtained online (n.d.) posits to the effect that, “people are regarded as lazy and the company ought to use some amount of coercion and force to correct their behaviour in order for it to attain the organisational goals.” However, this approach is contradictory to the nature of human beings since it puts more emphasis on the interests of the organisation than those of the employees. This approach is not recommendable to influence the recruitment strategy of the organisation since it is likely to be the source of conflict instead of solving the problems that may be encountered. On the other hand, the concept of soft approach to human resources refers to the stance often taken by the HR management with regards to the way they view the contributions made by the employees. The soft approach posits to the effect that the employees are valuable assets to the organisation and are a means to productivity. “The soft approach to HRM emphasises the need to gain the commitment –the hearts and minds of the employees through involvement, communications and other methods of developing a high commitment and trust in the organisation where particular attention is paid on the key role of organisational culture,” (Michael 2000). In this particular case, focus is on mutuality where both the workers and the management share the same common goals where they work as a single entity in a team. In this regard, it can thus be noted that the major aim of HRM is to make sure that the organisation achieves success though the efforts of the people in an organisation. Organisations ought to be careful in recruiting their employees in order to cope with the competitive and dynamic environment in which they operate in (Kleyhans 2007). Recruitment in its own is not the end but just a means to a beginning of a new era where talent is nurtured among the employees in order to retain them. The soft approach to HRM ought to influence decision making with regards to recruitment of the employees who ought to be given some degree of autonomy to make some decisions and should also be part of the decision making process. The members of the organisation ought to engage in collective learning that creates norms, shared values and beliefs that become organisational culture. An organizational culture is mainly responsible for shaping the way the organisation operates where the members can learn and gain experience of doing things from those around them in a given situation. This ought to be the guiding principle in recruiting with regards to the context of the soft approach to HRM. The soft approach to HRM that is democratic as well as participatory can enhance the employees to be empowered and there would be likely chances of growth of the organisation. In this regard, the leaders must communicate a vision that is conducive to encourage subordinates to find solutions to problems they may encounter on their own and the HRM should try to strike a fine balance between the workers’ freedom and their responsibilities in the workplace. It can be said that leaders who tend to use the open door policy that is meant to empower individuals in decision making or solving problems in their own way are more likely to produce better ideas from workers and encourage a cordial working relationship. The soft approach can change the recruitment and selection strategy in that the HRM would endeavour to streamline their operations in order to enable the organisation to retain their skilled workers as well as enhancing the development of the capabilities of the employees. References Bates B. et al (2005). Business Management, fresh perspective. CT. Pearson Ltd. Carrell, R. et al (1995). Human Resources Management: Global Strategies for managing a diverse workforce. 5th Edition. NY. Prentice Hall. Kleynhans R. et al (2007). Human Resource Management: fresh perspectives. Cape Town. Prentice Hall. Jackson, S.E. & Schuler R. (2000). Managing Human Resources: A Partnership Perspective. NY. South Western College Publishing. Michael A. (2000). Strategic Human Resources Management: a guide to action. http://books.google.co.za/books?id=qMmc_89e-l4C&pg=PA7&lpg=PA7&dq=soft+approach+to+HRM&source=bl&ots=hTh3h6lGBH&sig=oomEM_zntK7siMzlDoxcGy-Yqgg&hl=en&ei=qdMCS7mnJ5e7jAeU9JW0AQ&sa=X&oi=book_result&ct=result&resnum=7&ved=0CCIQ6AEwBg#v=onepage&q=soft%20approach%20to%20HRM&f=false Accessed 17 November 2009. Pfeffer J. (1998). The Human equation: Building profits by putting people first. Boston MA: Harvard Business School Press. Read More