Human Resource Management
There is a great need for managers to develop a highly strategic approach to human resource management. This encompasses supporting the general mission of the organization, the organizational culture that we embrace and advocate for personnel and consumers, and also for supporting individual needs as a manager.
Strategic human resources management (SHRM) is delineated as the practice of articulating HR strategies and execution procedures that are aligned and underline the organization’s business approach. SHRM necessitates the development of a wide-ranging set of managerial undertakings and responsibilities linked to growing and sustaining a competent workforce. This labor force, in sequence, adds to organizational efficacy, as delineated by the organization’s strategic aims and objectives (Fottler and Fried, 2016). The main purpose of an organization outlines its basic intention for existence. The purpose of a hospital may be to provide high-quality medical care to the inhabitants in a particular service region. The mission of an organization is fashioned by the board of directors and senior managers. The mission stipulates how the organization aims to manage itself to most successfully accomplish its resolution (Fottler and Fried, 2016).
Reward Systems
There are four elements that must be integrated so as to support the overall mission of the organization, the culture that that we espouse for our employees and consumers, and my own needs as a manager. First, reward systems are multidimensional, consisting of both financial and non-financial elements. They play a significant part as tools that help shape the organizational behavior for individuals and also groups by increasing intrinsic and extrinsic motivation. Nonfinancial components can encompass different aspects such as job design over flexible operational hours to being present at courses or seminars. Nonetheless, reward systems can only operate and be considered as impartial if there is high transparency and constancy within these systems (Noe et al., 2007). Rewards ought to be apportioned on the team level. This is because individuals concentrate more on the team objectives rather than individual goals and objectives. Reward systems will be enforced to reinforce knowledge sharing. When employees perceive a personal benefit, there is a greater likelihood of knowledge sharing. In addition, if more knowledge is shared between various teams, as well as across teams involved in preceding and advanced stages of the production cycle, mistakes in the course of ramp-up phases can be stopped. Approaches for appraisal can be 360 degree performance evaluations (Heine et al., 2016).
An efficacious reward system should be connected with the performance development system, which lays emphasis on performance-based pay and offers sufficient learning chances together with a healthy work setting. When this sort of system is executed, it gives rise to greater employee retention and higher profits for the organization (Jain, 2014). A well-organized administration of a reward system may have a valuable influence upon the performance in numerous ways. These include: inculcating a sense of ownership amid the employees, enabling longstanding emphasis with incessant improvement, decreasing service operating expenses, and promoting team work. It also curtails employee discontent and improved employee concern in the financial performance of the company (Jain, 2014). Marx et al. (2015) lay emphasis on having a reward system designed to focus on product innovation. Strategies founded on innovation and new product development have been progressively utilized by organizations to offer more value to their customers, and therefore to make them more competitive.
Employee Development
Second, there is a need for a fitting employee development system. The efficacy of team performance hinges on the effectual achievement of various developmental phases. Teams experience difference stages of development, including forming, storming, norming, performing, and adjourning. This model can be applied to enhance performance. For instance, the creation of team-building events can facilitate the norming stage, where employees form relationships. A constructive relationship between team members is valuable for effectual dealing with conflicts. What is more, a workshop for lessons learnt can be established prior to their separation and this can be undertaken when celebrating the efficacious accomplishment of a task (Heine et al., 2016).
In addition, it is necessary to have an employee development system. This system is beneficial for personnel by making them more adaptable and therefore more eligible for promotion, augmenting their self-confidence and adding more focus into their jobs. As managers, we benefit from employee development as it cultivates a workforce that is more tractable and knowledgeable. In order for organizations to continue being competitive, it is necessary to aid employees in acclimatizing to the swift sequence of change in the contemporary. A development system augments self-esteem and motivation and enhances employee retention, efficiency and service quality. What is more, this is beneficial to us as managers because as employees become more competent, work delegation becomes easier. Therefore, managers are able to have more time to focus on important tasks (Mcconnell, 2014).
Recruitment and Selection
The main objective of employee selection is the forecast of individual job performance. The basis for selecting employees is the ascertainment of which competencies are necessitated to indicate high job performance. With respect to organizational behavior, employee selection should be based on their fitting to three levels: the individual, team and organizational levels. Employee selection on an individual basis is most beneficial as it considers the individual proficiencies of employees. However, there is need to have a fit to all the three levels (Heine et al., 2016). The benchmark job performance hinges on the specific job and must be well-defined and operationalized. The most effective estimators for general job performance have been and diligence. If employee selection is on the basis of specific individualities, various methods of selection can be undertaken. These approaches consist of interviews, questionnaires, and assessment centers. Therefore, managers that have been systematically selected for a certain project demonstrate better performance in comparison to those selected devoid of systematic selection (Heine et al., 2016).
Appraisal
Employee appraisal is imperative to assess whether the personnel are achieving the set organizational goals with respect to their performance. The recommended appraisal method is the 360-degree performance appraisal. One of the key advantages of this approach is that it offers a wide-ranging perspective on the employees. It liberates the personnel as an individual and as an organization from being held captive by the opinions of their superiors. It is of great benefit in obtaining significant value with regard to the perspective of consumers and direct reports. In addition, having a 360-degree standpoint, the managers are able to perceive the performances in all areas (Taylor, 2011).
Employee performance appraisal helps in instilling an ethical organizational culture. It is imperative to note that all individuals work for rewards, regardless of whether it is financial, emotional, or physical. The recommendation is to establish and cultivate an appraisal system that rewards personnel for behaving ethically and castigates those with unethical behavior. This is beneficial in reinforcing an ethical culture and climate within the workplace setting. In addition, integrating the implementation of ethical behavior into the reward structure of managers will also be beneficial in encouraging a cohesive message (Werner, 2008).
Ethical Culture
Another recommendation is support for the organizational culture espoused for employees and customers. It is imperative to officially examine the organizational culture to ascertain the organization’s ethical climate. One of these ways is to conduct employee surveys to determine the kind of behaviors that are being regularly rewarded and strengthened, the values and outlooks widespread within the organization and how strong the pressure to participate in misconduct is. Subsequent to unearthing the prevailing culture, steps ought to be taken to eradicate and dissuade reasons for misbehavior and instigate reasons for ethical behavior. Another approach that generates an ethical culture is training. Training is necessitated to ensure that the code of ethics is adequately instilled in the minds of employees as a guiding principle in (Werner, 2008). Another recommendation is the use of communication with the staff to convey the ethical message and required organizational behavior. Modes of communication that can be used include intranets and bulletins. It is imperative for this message to emanate from senior managers like us. For instance, openly questioning top managers and officials regarding their views on ethical organizational culture can facilitate reinforcement of the message (Werner, 2008).
Conclusion
In conclusion, so as to develop a highly strategic approach to human resources management, I recommend various practices that include a rewards system, recruitment and selection processes, appraisal systems and employee development systems to be incorporated and assimilated. To begin with, reward systems play a vital role for not only individuals but also groups within the organization with regard to enhancing intrinsic and extrinsic motivation (Fottler, 2016). Rewards that are based on teams rather than individuals for knowledge sharing amongst and across teams indicate better performance. Secondly, employees should be selected on an individual basis as it considers the proficiencies of individual employees. However, such selection should also be appropriate for the team and organizational levels. Therefore, systematic selection of personnel is indicative of better performance (Heine et al., 2016). Third, an employee development system is recommended. This system is beneficial for personnel by making them more adaptable and therefore more eligible for promotion, augmenting their self-confidence and adding more focus into their jobs.
References
Fottler, M. D., Fried, B. (2016). Strategic Human Resources Management. Association of University Programs in Health Administration.
Fottler, M. D. (2016). Strategic Human Resources Management. EBSCOHost.
Heine, I., Beaujean, P., Schmitt, R. (2016). Improving Production Ramp-Up Through Human Resource Methods. American Society for Quality, Inc.
Heine, I., Beaujean, P., & Schmitt, R. (2016). Conceptual Framework for Analyzing the Fit between Organizational Strategy and Culture. Procedia CIRP, 51, 79-84.
Jain, M. (2014). Performance Management: Linking Rewards to Performance. Journal of Social Welfare and Management, 6(1).
Marx, R., & Soares, J. P. F. (2015, August). Organizational context variables to be considered in the design of rewards system oriented to product innovation. In 2015 Portland International Conference on Management of Engineering and Technology (PICMET) (pp. 1641-1656). IEEE.
McConnell, C. R. (2014). Umiker’s Management Skills for the New Health Care Supervisor. Burlington: Jones & Bartlett Learning.
Noe, R. A., Hollebeck, J. R., Gerhart, B., Wright, P. M. (2007). Fundamentals of Human Resource Management. Boston: Mcgraw-Hill Irwin.
Taylor, S. (2011). Assess Pros and Cons of 360-Degree Performance Appraisal. Society for Human Resource Management.
Werner, S. (2008). Managing Human Resources in North America: Current issues and perspectives. New York: Routledge.
