Introduction
Company culture is critical for the productive functioning of the organization because it determines the workplace environment. An organization’s culture is its collective set of mindsets, requirements, goals, and actions (Khan et al., 2021). It depicts the guidelines that members of a company adhere to, both formally and informally (Khan et al., 2021).
While collaborating, the collective thoughts, statements, and actions of the HR specialist and their coworkers make up the culture of the person’s company. Even though there are various types of company cultures, the main idea is that all of them should pursue people’s interests. The article by Khan et al., “‘Back to human’: Why HR leaders want to focus on people again. Reflection on a current issue in strategic human resources,” illustrates this claim vividly. The authors state that the corporate culture should focus on the interests of the employees and the environment it creates instead of pursuing business goals (Khan et al., 2021). Business performance may improve when the company’s culture embraces the interests of the employees, which motivates them to work harder.
Human Resource Strategy and Issues Addressed in the Article
The area of human resource strategy discussed in the article chosen for this paper is company culture and the need to pursue the interests of the employees. The researchers discuss the increased interest in the employee-centric culture triggered by the recent COVID-19 pandemic. The critical situation showed human resources that the employees were tired of the rules that restricted their abilities at the workplace (Khan et al., 2021).
In addition, the focus is currently on efficiency and how to evaluate it, particularly in human resources. This sphere has historically been infused with purpose-oriented goals and social relevance that determine recruitment strategy, professional development, and employee training. HR managers need to solve issues related to the particular routines of working with people, the implementation of innovative thinking, and creativity skills (Khan et al., 2021). These qualities are necessary for hiring, personnel training, monitoring, recognizing employees’ achievements, and maximizing personnel management.
Most human resource specialists desired to switch to a paradigm focusing on people. The article by Khan et al. (2021) discusses this topic in detail, relating this shift to the recent COVID-19 pandemic. It emphasized the importance of the belief that the human factor was essential, and it has been missing in these numerous technical breakthroughs. This pandemic increased staff expectations on HR, who had to find employees corresponding to mental and physical requirements and moral worries regarding the business’s general effect on the community (Collings et al., 2021). In other words, the shift from the goal-oriented to the human-oriented strategy in company culture happened due to external circumstances.
Comparison Between the Article’s Strategy and My Organization’s Approach
Therefore, the strategy articulated in the article addresses a human resource issue by paying more attention to the employees and their needs. This approach is people-centric, and it is possible to compare the human resource strategy discussed in the article to the one in my organization. My organization’s corporate culture focuses on the employees’ needs and adopts new rules to satisfy them.
For example, flexible working hours with the opportunity for remote work are one of the people-centric innovations in my company. Managing human resources changed in all organizations during the pandemic due to the increased concerns about employees’ health (Collings et al., 2021). For instance, the company where I work also started to pay more attention to the interests and needs of the employees, understanding that their satisfaction with the job is the essential component of successful organizational performance.
Personal Leadership Perspective: Actions Taken and Alternative Strategies
I would have done the same if I were a human resource leader. Khan et al. (2021) describe the movement from focusing on the processes to concentrating on people as the critical issue in their company culture. The authors write that their organization provides regular video conferences and training to the employees to increase their professional level and to solve the organizational issues that can disturb them.
In addition, the pandemic changed the priority from visits to the office to remote work (Khan et al., 2021). This technique is more oriented toward the employees because it allows them to save time and focus on the tasks without spending much time on the organizational issues (Khan et al., 2021). In the context of the pandemic, remote working aimed at preserving the physical health of the employees, but it showed positive results in establishing close contact between team members.
Conclusion
Company culture determines how employees perceive their responsibilities, motivation level, and eagerness to cope with tasks. It also determines the organization’s attitude toward its employees, which is an essential component of business performance. The recent pandemic emphasized the importance of preserving human health and changed most companies’ work formats.
Remote work and the focus on the well-being of people changed the corporate culture. Human resources were promoted from a goal-oriented approach to one oriented toward the employees. It made the workplace environment more humane and friendly for people, which is the key to professional development and constant motivation.
References
Collings, D. G., McMackin, J., Nyberg, A. J., & Wright, P. M. (2021). Strategic human resource management and COVID‐19: Emerging challenges and research opportunities. Journal of Management Studies, 58(5), 1378–1382. Web.
Khan, T., Komm, A., Maor, D., & Pollner, F. (2021). ‘Back to Human’: Why HR leaders want to focus on people again. McKinsey & Company. Web.