Hrm Practices Align with Business Strategy

1.Determine if and how the HRM practices align with the company’s business strategy. Dowling & De Cieri 1993, Beatty & Schneider 1997). Existing SIHRM frameworks describe policies and practices focused on aligning the strategic initiatives of the organisation with the development of global managers while simultaneously managing the tension between integrating global operations and achieving local responsiveness (Schuler et al. 1993, Taylor, Beechler & Napier 1996). Within these frameworks, a SIHRM system is viewed “as a way for MNCs to effectively manage and control their overseas operations” (Taylor et al. 1996: 560). Moreover, existing SIHRM models, although systematic in their assessment, inadequately address strategic international human resources management in the network form of organisation. Rather, the primary focus is on explaining the practices and policies that MNCs use to coordinate and control the hierarchy of their dispersed global operations (Welch 1994, Tayeb 1995).

Global human resource managers are required to enact HRM systems within socially rich cross-border network structures (Welch & Welch 1993, Tung 1994, Stroh & Caligiuri 1998). The primary activities of a global human resource manager involve selecting appropriate global human resource strategies, influencing the operating context of the global organisation, and providing a leadership role in the cultural change of the organisation under conditions of accelerating strategic ambiguity. When enacting a HRM system, human resource managers within global organisations are obliged to manage collaboratively while maintaining their discretion and responsibility for human resource function within their individual organisations. Such a global network model of management and organisation of a firm’s global human resource systems facilitates operating flexibility, capacity for innovation, and development of a unique and valuable relational capability (Schneider 1988, Lusch & Brown 1996). The HRM policies that would align with the company’s business strategy include: Training and Development

Training-related changes should result in improved job performance and other positive changes (e.g., acquisition of new skills; Hill & Lent 2006, Satterfield & Hughes 2007) that serve as antecedents of job performanceKraiger 2002). the most effective training programs were those including both cognitive and interpersonal skills, followed by those including psychomotor skills or tasks. Training effects on performance may be subtle (though measurable). In a qualitative study involving mechanics in Northern India, Barber (2004) found that on-the-job training led to greater innovation and tacit skills.

Tacit skills are behaviors acquired through informal learning that are useful for effective performance. Benefits of training are also documented for technical skills. For example, Davis & Yi (2004) conducted two experiments with nearly 300 participants using behavior-modeling training and were able to improve computer skills substantially. Although behavior-modeling training has a rich history of success (e.g., Decker & Nathan 1985, Robertson 1990), a unique aspect of this research was that training was found to affect changes in worker skills through a change in trainees’ knowledge structures or mental models (see also Marks et al. 2002 for an examination of mental models at the team level). Specifically, mentally rehearsing tasks allowed trainees to increase declarative knowledge and task performance,

Training for your recruiters to understand the specific needs of female candidates is invaluable especially in hard-to-fill positions. Adapting your company standards and recruiting practices to be reflective of your diverse workforce might be the difference in attracting more female high potential employees. Fujitsu Services redesigned their recruitment literature for job fairs. The company feels that it has doubled the number of applications from women for their graduate programs since re-doing their brochures. The recruiters also describe what they do at their job instead of just saying they are technology consultants.

This simple communication style change when delivering the message has made a huge impact. Another important aspect to include in interviewing is to explore the transfer of knowledge by asking for real-life examples. This will help find quality candidates who may have been out of the work force at different intervals in their career. Even widening the range of college degrees that qualify for a certain job may provide you with more candidates in the pool. Some computer companies have added Latin, Philosophy and Law as potential backgrounds in one IT company. They have seen a 46% rise in female applications for their company. The point, one size might not fit all.

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Compensation

2.Discuss how hiring more women and promoting them could improve the competitive advantage of this company. In recent years, McKinsey has done extensive work on the relationship between organization and financial performance and on the number of women who are managers at the companies we’ve studied. Our research has shown, first, that the companies around the world with the highest scores on nine important dimensions of organization—from leadership and direction to accountability and motivation—are likely to have higher operating margins than their lower-ranked counterparts do (Exhibit 1).5 Second, among the companies for which information on the gender of senior managers was available,6 those with three or more women on their senior-management teams scored higher on all nine organizational criteria than did companies with no senior-level women (Exhibit 2).

These findings suggest that companies with higher numbers of women at senior levels are also companies with better organizational and financial performance. Although the analysis does not show a causal link, our research argues for greater gender diversity among corporate leaders. 3.Prepare a recruitment and retention plan for this company that specifically targets women employees. The first step toward marketing and recruiting women to work at your company is to review your company’s strategy. A comprehensive recruiting plan should include retention and community involvement. Flexible work arrangements have been listed as a main factor in what attracts women to a company and why they would stay with a company. Many companies are now developing female specific and targeted recruiting plans. Top companies with the best record of promoting women, outperformed competitors on average from 41 to 116 percent. In a study conducted by Pepperdine University. Another study indicated that companies with the highest representation of women in their senior leadership had better financial performance as a group than those with the lowest number of women. Leadership and Organizational Culture

Fire Chief Robert Osby (1991) captures the importance of leadership support for diversity recruitment efforts. Osby states the role of the Fire Chief is more than just a supporter of diversity recruitment, rather the Fire Chief must be the advocate if these efforts are to produce successful programs and outcomes. In the 1993 A Handbook on Women in Firefighting, the United States Fire Administration built on Osby’s words and further defined the role of the Fire Chief. According to the Handbook, executive management must “demonstrate leadership by representing the program positively to elected officials in order to obtain their support, and by making public statements, particularly in the media, in support of the recruitment effort and ofhiring women and minorities”. Recruitment encompasses supportive leadership and culture, a marketing plan to attract female candidates, candidate preparation, and valid testing processes.

Recruitment, Hiring, and Retention
•Establish a departmental hiring plan with specific, concrete goals and timetables for recruitment and hiring of women. •Make recruitment, hiring, and retention of senior women faculty a departmental priority, proceed with efforts to obtain funds for the creation of an endowed chair for a woman faculty member, and establish funds and resources for recruitment and hiring of women to fill science faculty positions. •Identify and target administrative officials to monitor the status of women faculty and establish new policies and recommendations to improve the environment for women and people of color. •Educate faculty regarding issues such as affirmative action, reverse discrimination, and the benefits of diversity.

Hold workshops, presentations, brown bag lunches, dinner forums, and informal discussions on these topics. •Develop a clear sexual harassment policy that effectively creates a safe and respectful environment for women faculty, staff, and students. •Search aggressively for women candidates by networking with graduate schools and other organizations that might have information about women and people of color. •Define new positions in departments in broad terms of expertise and identify the range of scholarship and skill that will contribute to the department. •Advance the visibility of women at all levels in academia. Invite distinguished women scholars to present research results and give presentations at conferences, seminars, and during other opportunities. •Offer women salary and benefit packages equal to their male colleagues. •Offer adequate childcare services and after-school programs and/or activities for children. •Respect faculty members’ commitment to family and personal obligations.