Human Resource Management College

1. Discuss the challenges faced by HR management when significant staff cutbacks occur and how they should be addressed.

In my opinion one of the most difficult challenges faced by HR management when significant staff cutbacks occur is having to lay off fellow co-workers that do not deserve to lose their jobs. When laying off part of your work force you have to find a way to get the same amount of work done but with less people. This is very hard because once a layoffs occur other workers tend to lose morale, trust and productivity suffers. Mainly because the remaining employees are always waiting and wondering when and if there time will come to. As cutbacks occur employees start looking for other jobs, resistance could become a factor, their commitment to the company and its goals become overshadowed by the employees own survival and security needs. Also, to those employees that are left they can go thru a period of anger, guilt, depression and even loneliness. I believe it is just as hard emotionally on the people that are cut, as those that are not.

HR Management needs to be understanding and supportive and try to get their remaining employees to accept the new changes and regain their hope and trust within the company. I believe that this could be an opportunity for HR management to engage and challenge their employees to find efficiencies and innovative solutions which can have a huge effect on motivation, morale and commitment. HR Management needs to use this time to communicate with their employees more. They need to insure that communication is frequent, consistent and honest.

2. Use of technology, employee retention, and HR development have been at the core of HR becoming more strategic at Xerox. Why have those areas been so key?

I believe that the use of technology, employee retention and HR development has become key with all business today, because there has been such a change in the work force today. With the economy being as it is, it is very important to ensure that employees are still committed to the company. HR needs act as mentors and guide their employees with training and educating them on how the company works and what its goals are for the future. If you have well trained and competent employees this helps the company by increasing customer satisfaction, adding credibility and by adding to the reputation of the company.

Showing employees that there is still hope and there are still advancement opportunities helps in reducing turnover, and employee dissatisfaction within the company. I would be willing to take a lower wage to be happy in my work day, with a company that is honest and straightforward with me than I would to have a job with a company that I am completely miserable at.

1. Discuss why the various diversity efforts of McDonald’s and Starbucks are good business practices.

In the world today we are a mix of every race and let’s face facts people are disabled. Why should any of these be an issue with being employed and having a job? I have worked with many type of people from other races to the disabled and as long as you have the want to and the desire to work you will succeed and should succeed. I think it shows great initiative for these large corporations to not only hire but to train all of their employees in there diversity efforts. By teaching and using diversity as a good business practices they are positioning themselves to be a more competitive organization. According to the “Bureau of Labor Statistics, 2004,” a rapid growth of the minority and disabled labor force will happen over the next 10 years.

I believe that if these companies train and continue to expand their diversity they will lead the global market for employees.

2. Describe what HR efforts are needed by employers such as Cracker Barrel and Denny’s to reduce discrimination charges and complaints when they occur in individual locations.

It is my belief that in order to reduce discrimination charges and complaints within a company, employers need several guidelines for
prevention. They need to hold people accountable for their actions and they need them to understand that in no way will it be tolerated. Employers need to have a strict policy, they need to train their managers and need them to understand that it prevention of this is their responsibility, they also need to respond to any and all complaints no matter how small they seem because these issues can escalate. HR should create a compliance document that everyone employee must sign not matter their status. They need to be vigilant and pro-active when they receive notification regarding any type of discrimination. HR should exert their efforts in announcing its policy and insuring everyone adheres to it.