Tapomoy defines human resource management as “the strategic and coherent approach to the management of an organization’s most valuable assets the people working there who individually and collectively contribute to the achievement of the objectives of the business” (23). The author continues to point out that a business’ human resources are a key determinant of how successful it is going to be and how long it will last. As the labor markets get more and more competitive and the need for talent becomes more obvious for optimum performance, human resource managers are facing major challenges as they try to get the best in the market, retain them, and ensure they have consistent performance.
One major challenge facing businesses today is dealing with slowed results. In the case of Bushwood Count, the boss and the assistant greens-keeper seem to have a communication breakdown. The boss is not constantly updated on the details or progress of the problem. The burrowing rodents are proving a major obstacle in the employees’ efforts to maintain the course. The best approach for such a situation is for the boss and the assistant to discuss the solutions available, which ones have been tried out, and the results they have offered. If the current solution is not producing any results, the boss should give a go-ahead for the implementation of a new strategy and have different solutions tried out.
When a boss is only interested in results and not the entire process, it might be frustrating to both the parties and lead to too much pressure on an employee, leading to under-performance. Another effective tool towards ensuring employees deliver results is using encouragement instead of criticism. This allows employees to be more comfortable and open up about issues and challenges facing them in their efforts to implement various duties. Efforts such as staying late to solve a problem like in the case of the assistant manager must be acknowledged.
As Salaman and John put it, “pay-for-performance programs, bonuses and sliding pay scales are good individual motivators” (154). However, it is important to note that when such incentives are not tied to specific goals, they may not be helpful to the business as it may not be possible to tell who performs and who doesn’t. The strategy must also be used carefully to ensure that it is not the only motivator for employees. In Clark Griswold’s case, the CEO seems to be using bonuses or lack of them as a punishment for under-performance. In such a situation, the employee may lose motivation in his project anytime the bonuses lack. Employees may also get into the habit of doing projects in a hurry for the sake of timely completion without caring about quality as they try to chase the bonuses.
The best solution would be for the CEO to have different timelines set for different stages of the project to make it easy for him to monitor progress rather than look at the final completion. The business must also set more strict measures than withdrawing bonuses for employees who miss deadlines. Open communication between the CEO and the researcher will also ensure that the boss understands where the problem lies and how it can be solved.
Another major challenge facing businesses is ensuring talented employees stay motivated and disciplined. A good employer must be courageous enough to let go of employees who affect a business’ results negatively (Malik 35). For Bonnie, even though she is a talented employee, her tardiness affects the quality of the show she hosts. Such a situation is caused by a lack of strict discipline measures in a business and a lack of professionalism among employees. The show’s quality may be destroyed and the business may lose profits. In such a case, an employer must give room for such employees to improve by giving them warnings. If such measures fail, holding on to employees simply because they are talented may be costly for a business. It is important for an employer to realize that talent needs to back up with many other good habits and professionalism for it to be converted into results.
Gaining a competitive advantage has become a major challenge for businesses today. As markets get larger and more competitive, strategic human resource management is a key recipe when formulating effective strategies. Employers must be able to establish what works in their human resource management efforts and what doesn’t, to eliminate those strategies that waste time and cost the business. Ensuring open communication channels between employers and employees is the first step towards identifying problems and implementing solutions. Incentives, recognition, rewards, and strict discipline measures are key strategies towards ensuring that employees deliver, keep in line with a business’ timeliness, and stay disciplined. When such measures lack, the business’ efforts to have the best talent in the market may not be rewarding.
Works cited
Malik, Nadeem. “Emergence of Strategic Human Resource Management Historical Perspective.” The Academic Leadership 7,1 (2009): 30-100. Print.
Salaman, Graeme and John Storey. Strategic Human Resource Management: Theory and Practice. London: SAGE Publication, 2005. Print.
Tapomoy, Deb. Strategic Approach to Human Resource Management. New Delhi: Atlantic Publishers, 2006. Print.