Human resource is an essential department in any organization that has the potential of defining the company’s overall performance. The company featured in the case presented is facing human resource crisis following its poor human resource strategies. In particular, lack of a clear mission and function is attributable to the challenges that are facing the company. In this regard, there is the need of creating an effecting HR plan that will enable the company attains the desired job growth. The subsequent HR plan is proposed to correct the identified challenges and foster growth in the company.
Functions and Challenges in the HR Department
The major role of the HR department includes recruiting, fostering safety, managing employee relations, remunerating, overseeing compliance and training and developing employees. The department should formulate policies and establish ground that could see successful and effective execution of each of these important functions. The HR department is challenged by the major problem of aligning strategy and action to establish a situation often regarded as an “employer of choice. This is a situation where employees mainly feel motivated to work because the organization has a management that acknowledges employee’s talent, a just work environment and desirable compensations and benefits (Waldrop, 2008). In particular, the HR department faces challenges such as employee retention, problem in offering competitive compensation and benefits, diversity management, talent management and HR outsourcing among others (Lengnick-Hall & Lengnick-Hall, 2003).
The Purpose of HR Metrics and Their Effect on Senior Management
The main objective of HR metric entails evaluating HR program and their efficiency in attaining the intended goals and objectives. However, these goals and objective should be designed in line with the organization’s mission and overall strategy. HR metrics are also essential in enabling the HR department to identify deficiency to understand areas that need further attention. In this context, HR metrics act as a driver that senior management utilizes to plan. The senior management should value metrics such as employee productivity, attendance and engagement among other aspects like communication, turnover, recruitment efficiency, reward system and measurement and retention (Waldrop, 2008). The metrics practiced should connect appropriately with the company’s objectives. This means that the HR department should initially have a clear knowledge of the organization’s mission and value before setting the metrics. Furthermore, the department should first engage in thorough consultation with the senior management.
How the HR Planning Process Will Be Applied
Initially, the HR planning process must state clearly how the organization will identify the staging support essential in attaining the company’s needs and clients’ demands. The process will be influenced by various considerations that will include the impending retirements and transitions, the accessibility of employees with particular skills and renovations in the environment that my demand training for the existing workforce. HR planning process will be applied by focusing initially on the four major phases of planning that include collecting and evaluating information regarding the expected demands in relation to the company’s future plan (Noe, 2013). The company will then seek to establish it specific human resource objectives. This will be followed by the stage of planning that include designing and executing plans that are linked with company’s objectives. The final phase will include monitoring and evaluating the efficiency of the adopted HR plan and imposing changes where necessary. The implementation of the HR plan will also account for factors such as forecasting demand, succession planning and the future of the company.
Determination of a Strategic HR Plan
In determining the essential elements to include in a strategic HR plan, the department will work closely with the organization’s leadership. However, the subsequent aspects will inform the determination of the company’s HR plan. Initially, the management will consider a factor of compensation to ensure that employees’ remuneration short and long terms needs are addressed. Furthermore, the company’s metrics will inform the adopted HR plan accordingly. This will include establishing the industry-standard requirements and goals for an effective HR metrics such as employee retention and turnover to be at the position of rating the company against others. Desired performance is a vital aspect that will determine the adopted HR plan (Noe, 2013). This will entail defining performance standards needed in attaining the organization’s goals and objectives. Lastly, the aspect of development will be accounted for by defining career paths for workers at every level of the company.
Recruitment and Selection Methods
Recruitment and selection methods will focus on realizing a positive outcome in relation to ensuring that the best candidate is recruited at any time. The strategy will also emphasize the need of accounting for the needs of the organization and effective utilization of the time of the selection panel individuals. Furthermore, the strategy will adopt interventions that are aimed at increasing the likelihood of attracting suitable applicants. The strategy will always follow a clearly stipulated procedure. The first step of this procedure will include workforce planning that will be followed by vacancy identification. The endorsement to recruit will be sought after which the duties, tasks and responsibilities of a vacant position will be defined. The final stages of the procedure will be advertising the position and interviewing the candidates against the set standards to recruit the best candidate. The selected candidate will later go under orientation and training where necessary to familiarize him or her with the assigned duties.
In conclusion, a strategic HR plan is necessary in correcting the situation presented in the case. The person tasked with the role of human resource management (HRM) should be highly skilled and experienced to be at the position of addressing diverse challenges that characterize this role. It is through effective HR management that an organization can establish a favorable and desirable work environment thus realizing high productivity. The presented HR plan will help the featured Travel Agency Company address the identified crisis to accomplish job growth.
References
Lengnick-Hall, M. L., & Lengnick-Hall, C. A. (2003). Human resource management in the knowledge economy: New challenges, new roles, new capabilities. San Francisco: Berrett-Koehler.
Noe, R. A. (2013). Fundamentals of human resource management. New York, NY: McGraw-Hill/Irwin.
Waldrop, S. A. (2008). The everything human resource management book: Attract and keep the people who will drive your company's success. Avon, Mass: Adams Media.
