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This is all with respect to the most vital resource of an organization; its employee. It is defined as a “department that organizes and coordinates everything related to the employees within an organization and the overall workplace” (Data, 2013). Human Resource departments often act as a middleman between employees and management and should be where employees go for basic company information. Classical Animal Hospital is an organization that undertakes HRS planning very well.
Their HRS department relies on its core responsibilities of personnel recruitment and hiring, application management, training and development programs, benefits administration and compliance with legal and federal regulation. The HRS department for Classical Animal Hospital also plays as a strategic and comprehensive approach to managing people and the workplace culture and environment. It enables employees to contribute effectively and productively to the overall company direction and the accomplishment of the organization’s goals and objectives.
What defines a good human relations organization? It is important that every organization has clear understanding when it comes to defining what a good human relations organization is. There are many aspects off company that help to define them as a successful company. One of the most important defining aspects of a successful company is that they have a high performing and truly successful human relations organization. A successful human relations organization develops advanced workforce planning capabilities helping to ensure the continued success Of the organization.
Organizations have to incorporate strategic workforce analytics and forecasting into their human resources processes too. When this is accomplished, it enables the organization to be able to translate business ATA, company-wide talent and external workforce segment data into workable insights that can be used and shared with business leaders within the organization. It is necessary for an organization to implement the right human resources philosophies. Additionally, it is common to see organizations committing themselves to create work environments that enable employees to thrive as individuals as well as company contributors.
It is also mandatory for a successful organization to create a positive and motivating employee environment. To be successful at this, the organization as to clearly communicate their expectations to all levels of their employees in their human relations philosophy and mission. Human relations philosophies are most effective when they focus on fostering collaboration and innovation. It is important that these philosophies create a pleasant work environment. In contrast, less successful philosophies focus on cost-cutting or efficiency efforts (Bothered & Armadas, 2005).
One important role of human relations professionals is to be a liaison between the business leaders of the organizations and the inherent human relations functions of the organization. When the correct person or people are enlisted, it allows human relations to improve their credibility across the organization. This credibility improves working relationships throughout the organization and cultivates a mutual understanding thus gaining influence and belief in the policies and ideas brought forward. Successful organizations implement human relations organizations that by design are flexible and agile.
However, often it is possible that human relations organizations may often neglect the proper development of their own team; developing internal skills are important to avoid this issue. Being that human relations solutions are constantly changing, organizations have to invest the time and money to ensure human relations competence grows and to also ensure there is adequate discipline pertaining to change and relationship management (Calibrate, 2005). Therefore organizations have to focus on developing business acumen, industry knowledge and command the best practices in all areas.
A common downfall for many human relations functions is attempting to meet the need of all stakeholders. When this is done, it may limit many human relations resources. It is better to prioritize more focus on human relations resources ND building the capabilities of supervisors and managers. Making proper decisions allows better working relations pips and competence within the organization. Effective human relations organizations understand that in order to gain a competitive advantage there are many internal factors that have to come into play.
The human relations team has to add value to the organization by properly demonstrating how their functions impact the business (Calibrate, 2005). By developing human resource strategies, policies and practices human relations can respond to objective and needs within the organization. The company assessed in this paper is Classical Animal Hospital located in Lass Cruses, NM. Classical Animal Hospital is a full service, small animal hospital and boarding facility which provide comprehensive medical, surgical, and dental care.
Classical Animal Hospital offers a wide range of veterinary services from diagnostic and therapeutic services, surgical services, dietary counseling, and boarding services for small pets: dogs, cats, exotic animals, and other similar sized animals. They treat pets when they have illnesses and they also help pet owners learn how to keep their pet happy and healthy. Classical Animal Hospital has a staff size of 36 employees consisting of 4 doctors, 3 surgery technicians, 6 hospital technicians, 6 room technicians, 3 phone personnel, 5 receptionists, 8 boarding workers, and 1 computer technician.
In order to make huge impacts within the organization, Classical Animal Hospital motivates and engages employees. Key skills used are communication skills, business understanding and influencing skills, data literacy and analytical skills, and coaching and interpersonal skills. When utilizing communication skills, communication is clear and concise both written and verbal. Without these skills human relations cannot productively engage with organization leaders or employees. Business understanding and influencing skills are linked in order for the human relations team to influence the organization.
These skills require a sound understanding of the organization’s needs and wants. To be able to question figures and reports the human relations team understands that data literacy is the key to addressing future needs. The team has to be able to understand and interpret a bigger picture when identifying underlying factors that influence what Classical Animal Hospital reads. Coaching and interpersonal skills enable managers within the organization to be confident in people management and this act is supported by individual coaching.
Interpersonal skills are paramount in order for human relations to gain feedback from employees being coached (Lealer, Bothered, & Norman, 2006). Classical Animal Hospital also coaches their human relations professionals randomly to identify their developmental needs. This coaching is provided because the organization understands that human relations has to be the main team in the organization to step up to be a holistic player within the organization. The unman relations team has to be able to bridge the gap between understanding and conveying the value of good employees and the significant impact they have on the business.
This organization knows that at the end of the day, the human relations team is the prime business of managing people, meaningfully. HRS Strategy and HRS Programs – Culture A great strategy is no guarantee of long-term business success; there are many other factors that impact organizational performance. One such factor is corporate culture which helps an organization create a high performance environment which supports business strategy implementation. Because culture is so important to the success of a firm, human resource professionals need to increase their competency at impacting culture.
Compensation, Benefit, and Reward System Total compensation package offers are not only to attract employees, but to also retain and reward them. As part of these packages organizations offer base salary and possibly other perks to employees. These compensation benefits can include and attractive base salary, which must be competitive to help to not only entice new hires but to also retain existing employees, potential for promotions, and in today’s environment more and more people ant to be able to continue to grow and develop in order to move up the ranks in companies.
Calcite’s HRS program is designed so that it encourages employees to strive to improve themselves, and bonuses are offered to reward high performing employees. Firms are being challenged to look at better ways to reward and motivate their employees due to the fact that a company’s employees are key to the success of the organization. As Mellon (201 1) notes there are a number of items organizations must consider when rewarding their employees. Organizations are now beginning to reward employees not merely based on seniority but more so based on their competencies and their performance.
According to Mellon (2011 competencies include attributes such as skills, knowledge, abilities, and behaviors, whereas, performance deals with holding individuals accountable for specific objectives. Considering these rewards to include much more than just pay or a pay raise in today’s tough environment. Companies now need to offer competitive pay, but also good benefits, including health care, tuition reimbursement, continued training and development opportunities, as well as fitness centers. According to Mellon (201 1 total rewards systems include base pay, variable pay, benefits, training, career development, and coaching.
These help to make a complete package for the employee and help to provide something for everyone. This also encourages employees that are more educated and are more willing to better themselves and in turn making the company more profitable and up to date with modern techniques. Therefore, allowing the organization to provide not only extrinsic but intrinsic benefits for employees. Organizations face a number of key strategic issues in setting their compensation policies and programs. Organizations taking a strategic approach to compensation realize the need for creativity to meet strategic objectives.
Also, within a given organization, different compensation programs may be needed for different divisions, departments, or groups to employees. Compensation systems must grow and evolve in the same manner as the organization to ensure that what is actually being rewarded is consistent with the organization’s strategic objectives. This link between strategy and compensation is essential for ensuring optimal performance. (Mellon, 201 1). Compensation plans are a source of consternation for both employers and employees.
Some employers fail to develop a compensation plan that fits their company and employees, believing instead that good pay decisions are simply market-driven. Even small companies can benefit from a basic compensation plan, by utilizing a system that links employee pay to performance. As a company grows, the lack of an organized approach to compensation based on sound compensation practices invariably result in lower morale and higher turnover. Either or both situations can cost a company dearly. A key to getting the biggest bang for the buck is rewarding the employee when the success occurs.
Employers need to take measures to discipline staff for poor performance or misconduct. This means holding your employees accountable for their actions. Conversely, it is the responsibility of the employer to recognize and reward achievements in a timely manner. If we wait too long to reward employees for a positive action the reward can lose affect (Mellon, J. , 201 1). We must also remember that all individuals are unique and thus have different ideas of what a reward means to them. One person may like extra pay whereas another may prefer an additional day off work to spend with their family.
Another example may be one person likes to be recognized in front of their peers whereas, another may prefer to be recognized one on one. Finally, companies must strive to align their total reward systems with the goals and strategies of the business. If they do this then the employees and business alike are striving to attain the same end result. A compensation strategy should reinforce your organization’s needs and values and can strengthen workforce alignment. A sound compensation plan will position your organization in its market, contribute to its reputation, and help you attract and maintain employees.
Compensation plans often include a range of components such as: wages, salaries, commissions, and bonuses. Equal Opportunity Equal Employment Opportunity prohibits discrimination against anyone. It attempts to ensure that all applicants, regardless of their sex or race, have a fair opportunity in a hiring process, in competing for promotions, and equal access to training and professional development opportunities. Classical Animal Hospital strives to be a company that is free of discrimination by hiring people based on experience and not sex, race or disability.
HRS Succession Planning Succession planning systems allow companies to deter nine the most critical positions in the organization and to identify current and future competencies for positions. Succession planning systems also help companies to create important assessment and selection tools that will allow the human resources department to make the best decisions possible when a vacancy occurs. The objectives of resource planning include: preventing overstuffing or understanding; maintaining the right employees with the right skills; and responsiveness to environment (Mellon, 201 1).
Succession planning is an specs of Classical Animal Hospital, where the company seeks to examine the current situation and the future needs of the business in order to ensure effective talent management throughout the organization. This process involves not only the development of internal employees, but also the acquisition of appropriately talented employees. Recruiting and Training Successful recruiting is an important aspect of effective human resources management.
For all organization, ineffective recruiting and hiring can result in significant costs incurred by the organization and even have the possibility f becoming a point of contention with respect to the potential for litigious action. Small companies often tend to rely on “word of mouth” recruiting to find qualified job applicants. Although not altogether a waste of time, this form of recruiting can lead to spotty results. Even a small employer should develop a staffing or recruiting plan that serves as the basis for its staffing activity.
Training and in fact continued containing is an important aspect of ensuring the future success of any organizations employees. However, training is often overlooked by employers or is the first expense to be cut when economic conditions trend down. A modest investment in training can create significant returns for an employer by signaling to their employees that they are important, contributors to the organization, which in turn builds employee loyalty. Employee Handbook Classical Animal Hospital believes that one of the most important attributes to the success of any business is a trustful relationship between the employer and the employee.
The way this organization communicates and establishes this relationship is through the employee handbook. Calcite’s employee handbook creates policies, procedures and expectations that serve to avoid potential misunderstandings and conflicts. Additionally, this handbook establishes a structured work environment that builds company loyalty (MOM, 2014). Included in Calcite’s policies are sexual harassment, anti-discrimination policies, and proper codes of conduct. This organization feels that is vital that the handbook states that we have zero tolerance for harassment or discrimination of any kind.
Being that Classical has an open door policy, it is enforced within the handbook how employees can report complaints and how the organization will address these concerns. Leave policies are discussed in the handbook as well. The handbook discusses permissible leave ouch as vacations, sick days, jury duty and maternity leave. Restrictions are discussed when it comes to leave of absence. One rule Classical follows is that employees can be terminated for excessive time off. Employees are required to get approval for vacation time within a reasonable timeshare.
Calcite’s disciplinary policies are thoroughly outlined in the handbook. Classical believes any inappropriate or unproductive employee behavior is unacceptable. Any other behavior proven to be harmful or detrimental to the company or other employees could be punishable by termination. Other important policies that re listed in Calcite’s employee handbook are problem resolution procedures, workplace violence and conflict resolution, workplace bullying and sexual orientation discrimination. There are many other policies listed but these are some of the more important policies to the organization.
All policies are aligned with Calcite’s goals and mission statement. This organization understands that poorly written policies and procedures can cause severe issues within the organization such as creating a hostile work environment (MOM, 2014). Payroll and Benefits Employers have several options concerning payroll and benefits for employees. Options include the usage of a traditional in-house payroll system to a fully outsourced payroll service, each choice has its merits. Responsibilities for employee benefits also include a wide array of choices.
Most employers find that engaging the services of a professional consultant or benefits broker is the best first step toward making cost-effective choices from the large selection of benefits possibilities that exist today. As with the option to outsource payroll services, benefits administration is also another candidate for outsourcing. Healthy and Happy Workplace Creating a safe workplace where workers can actually enjoy their work day is an important component of employee retention, reduced turnover, and increased efficiency.
Human resources professionals, as well as all managers, should strive to make the workplace safe and health. A safe and happy workplace can be characterized by many factors including as a place where workers know that all OSHA regulations are in place and they don’t have to worry about injuries on the job. Additionally, the workplace should also be a place where employees’ needs are met, and the human relations department can make that happen. Performance Rewards Performance based rewards can be an important tool in the human resources professionals arsenal of employee retention.
Human resources professionals should strive to implement reward plans for employees as part of employee benefits packages. Employees like to feel valued, and employees that feel like an important member of an organization are less likely to depart that company. Value is often determined by payment or other forms of compensation. Incentives and performance-based bonuses are a great way to show employees that their work is valued by management. Employer provided benefits exist in numerous forms and are key considerations employed by human resource professionals to attract talent.
Efficient benefits management strategies are an important part of any successful human resources department, and can lead to the development of benefits packages that are very appealing to job candidates and don’t increase costs to the company. In fact, competitive benefits packages (in contrast to competing employers) can actually be a very cost effective way for companies to attract great talent and retain loyal employees. Successful companies realize the power of effective employee communications programs, which always include a feedback loop of some mind.
When supported from the top, effective, two-way communication helps ensure that employees clearly understand a company’s direction and goals, what is expected from them in their jobs, and the current condition of the particular business the company is involved in regardless of the economic climate. Performance feedback is a significantly important tool in the “bag of tricks” of human relations professionals. This kind of system helps in identifying people who can perform well as leaders at higher levels in the organization.
Each person in the team is responsible for giving constructive feedback. Even senior level managers can use this system to their advantage, as a tool to improve themselves. The opinion of everyone matters, especially for someone who is in a leadership role at any level. Knowledge Collaboration Knowledge sharing is a wonderful strategy that helps in the betterment of employees and their work. Knowledge sharing can be enhanced by keeping all the pertinent information in central databases that can be easily accessed by authorized employees.
For example, if an employee is sent to an external training program, the knowledge that is acquired by that employee can be stored in these databases for others to learn from it. Even innovative ideas that the management deems fit for employees to see, can be stored here for all to see. Knowledge, and more importantly shared knowledge is power. It is apparent that human relations within this company play a major part Of how Classical Animal Hospital operates. This organization prides itself in ensuring that employees frequently work together on projects and communicate their ideas.
Motivating each other is what gets things done at this organization. Classical Animal Hospital knows that without an inviting and stable workplace culture, challenges can arise not only with managing employees but also with the bottom line of the company. This company prides itself in the business aspect by operating an engaging workplace filled with well-trained employees. A well-trained employer is more likely to attract and retain qualified employees. Classical Animal Hospital also fosters loyalty with their customers and quickly adapts to meeting the needs of a forever changing marketplace.
This organization knows that the quality of workplace retention is most critical to employee retention. The managers within this organization are trained to understand that turnover for the company can be costly. Therefore, Classical Animal Hospital ensures that every new employee requires a substantial investment of energy as well as time in their recruitment and training. This organization also ensures that quality employees remain engaged and interested. This is done by showing patience, flexibility and passion to all employees and their concerns.
In order to maintain productivity, this organization understands that proper workplace relationships are the main source of employee motivation. When employees are interested in not only their work but also the well-being of other employees, these employees tend to be more productive than those who are tot. Classical Animal Hospital builds relationships both by recognizing employee’s values to the company and understanding employee needs. Poor Human Relations Policies within companies are a more common occurrence than the preferred state of human relations policies.
One of the most disturbing issues that many organizations that have poor relation policies face is the need to increase employee productivity. It is often believed that productivity improvement results from fundamental reform of employee relations. It is necessary to make changes in both the organization and structure of employee training and motivation. A personal interview was conducted by one of the authors of this paper David Owen with Michelle Moody, General Manager Of Classical Animal Hospital. The interview goes as followed: 1. In this industry there is not a large ladder to climb.
How do you promote employees? 1 . We still promote based on performance. We usually start off with people entering reception then working to rooms then treatment then surgery then supervisory technician positions. Eventually, we look for people to promote to senior technicians who would be inserted into any of the previous positions at a higher rate for training purposes. 2. What expectations do you set and monitor in terms of the performance of subordinates? 1. Our expectations are set by the employee handbook, but it also comes down to motivation and self discipline. . What is the most challenging part of manning the H. R. Helm in such a small organization? 1. The most challenging part would be finding the time to do everything. The management position hold is meant for 4 different people so I have a lot of tasks under my responsibility. 4. In terms of benefits and salary, do you stay updated on the competition at other facilities? How do you feel Classical Animal Hospital ranks overall? 1. No I really don’t but feel we offer a lot to our employees as we are large by industry and local standards. 5.
In your own experience, what is critical for developing an effective team? I. E. How do you build trust, respect, and cooperation? 1. I feel that having an effective team communication flow is critical as well as leading by example and giving your employees the tools to succeed. 6. What kind of strategic recruitment practices do you implement in your hiring process? 1 . We utilize working interviews and thoroughly checking references.