Observations of the Current Situation
The Senior HR Manager of Soupcon Ltd aims to provide a brief insight into the current state of the Design Engineering Department and to propose a new approach to ensure its sustainability. In this paper, they will explain why this is essential for the success of Soupcon Ltd in the coming years.
First, the current situation in the Engineering Design Department will be addressed. Currently, it has 25 full-time equivalent (FTE) design engineers, despite needing 30. Over the past two years, the department has experienced a decrease from 27 FTEs to its current number. This decline is attributed to a high turnover rate, with 10 engineers leaving, while we were only able to recruit 8 replacements.
According to Banfield, Kay, and Royles (2018), an understaffed department can lead to inefficiencies and hinder the achievement of corporate goals. Similarly, Bennett, Saundry, and Fisher (2020) emphasize the importance of managing employment relations effectively, which becomes crucial in situations where recruitment and retention are challenging. That is why it is important to change the current situation.
Our recruitment criteria for design engineers are rigorous – they must be post-graduate educated with over five years of design experience. Although all our engineers are British nationals from diverse backgrounds, it’s worth noting that no equality issue exists within the department. Our pay policy ensures that we pay our engineers 2.5% above the national average for their category of work. However, despite this competitive package, some engineers have been lured away by Rolls-Royce, which pays 1.5% above the national average.
Furthermore, our recruitment process is reactive, with our Director of Engineering mainly approaching applicants from a small pool of speculative applications. Mankin (2009) discusses the significance of human resource development, emphasizing continuous learning as a core component. However, in the present moment, this approach often leads to delays in recruitment, as some of these applicants are no longer available when vacancies arise.
The Importance of a Well-Staffed Design Engineering Department
Why is it crucial to have a well-staffed Design Engineering Department at Soupcon Ltd? The answer is simple. We have an ambitious five-year plan to completely redesign all the machinery we sell, utilizing the latest technology. Our market is not just national; it’s global. Our design engineers are the architects of this transformation. They are the key to our innovation and growth, ensuring we remain competitive in a rapidly evolving market.
A well-staffed department can alleviate the burden on individual engineers, reducing stress and overwork. This, in turn, can lead to higher morale and engagement among the team. Engaged employees are more likely to put in their best effort, which translates to better results, increased innovation, and higher job satisfaction.
Proposed New HR Approach
We suggest a comprehensive new plan to address the current personnel issues in our Design Engineering Department, aligning with Soupcon Ltd’s corporate vision. As we work toward global expansion, Brewster et al. (2016) and Stone et al. (2020) emphasize the significance of international human resource management solutions. First and foremost, we recommend switching from a reactive to a proactive recruitment strategy, a change also hailed by Carberry and Cross (2015) as beneficial. To build a strong talent pipeline, this strategy requires identifying potential employees well in advance of job openings, collaborating with universities, engineering societies, and industry events, and partnering with educational institutions to provide programs tailored to our specific needs.
And just as important as our recruitment efforts will be our retention plans. Our existing design engineers’ career growth will be given priority, and we’ll provide them with opportunities to work on demanding projects and offer competitive benefits. A key component of our strategy will be the implementation of employee engagement activities, aimed at boosting morale and fostering loyalty among our technical personnel. Additionally, we will focus more on diversity and inclusion to expand our talent pool by reviewing and enhancing our current efforts.
We can access creative ideas by leveraging the diverse backgrounds of our current engineers. According to Hook and Jenkins (2019), to ensure ongoing development and engagement, the design engineering department will establish a culture of learning and development, providing opportunities for engineers to stay current with emerging technologies. Taylor (2018) concludes by highlighting the significance of resource and talent management, which involves performance monitoring and strategy adaptation. As a result, we will establish a robust system for performance measurement and monitoring, routinely reviewing and revising our plans, and setting key performance indicators (KPIs) to track our progress. This will enable us to achieve continuous improvement.
References
Banfield. P., Kay. R., and Royles. D., 2018. Introduction to Human Resource Management 3rd Ed. Oxford: Oxford University Press.
Bennett, T; Saundry, R; Fisher, V. 2020. Managing employment relations (CIPD), Kogan Page.
Brewster. C., Sparrow. P., Vernon. G., and Houldsworth. E., 2016. International Human Resource Management 4th Ed. London: CIPD.
Carberry. C., and Cross. C., 2015. Human resource development: A concise introduction. London: Palgrave.
Hook. C. and Jenkins, A. 2019. Introducing human resource management. 8th Ed Harlow: Pearson Education Ltd. (Core Text).
Mankin, D. 2009. Human Resource Development. Oxford: Oxford University Press.
Stone, R.J., Cox, A. and Gavin, M., 2020. Human resource management. 10th edn. New Jersey, NY: John Wiley & Sons.