Human Resource Planning and Organizational Strategy

Elements of HR Management and Planning

Every company is concerned about the adequate filling of its positions with capable and dedicated professionals willing to move the business forward to success. Notably, looking for suitable employees might require careful planning and selection process in order to find individuals that will do their work effectively. Akhigbe (2013) argues that human resource (HR) planning is a key factor in ensuring the efficiency and effectiveness of an organization. The author claims that HR planning should be closely connected with the company’s goals and that it is critical for achieving the business’s aims. Akhigbe also (2013) states that considering the profound impact of HR planning on attaining the set objectives, “Without [an effective HR planning] the goals are as good as dead” (p.388).

Once the HR planning and selection process is established, the company has to assign the people responsible for filling the positions with individual members that can transform into a well organized team that will facilitate the organization’s growth and development. The responsibility of finding suitable personnel belongs to HR or hiring managers. HR managers should identify professional and personal traits and qualifications needed to turn departments into well functioning units where employees can grow and evolve together with the company, and where individual needs for professional development will be met. Moreover, HR workers should establish guidelines or criteria that help to identify what qualities are required to fill particular positions within the organization. When faced with the dilemma of choosing suitable candidates out of the pool of many seemingly qualified applicants, HR manager can narrow the choice down to the few most appropriate individuals. To do this, one has to review the company’s objectives that definitely have to be considered when making decision about the best and the most promising choice for a particular position.  

Importantly, the task of the HR unit is beyond merely looking for the employees necessary for the organization’s departments. HR professional has to be fully aware of and competent concerning the needs of particular departments in regard to the talent, experience, and educational level of the personnel required for staffing the unit. It is also important to take into consideration the existing training opportunities that will help to develop individuals and improve their skills in order for them to grow into professionals needed for the company. The HR assessment and planning is a process that starts with evaluating the current employees, forecasting future trends and needs, and determining the requirements of the staff (see Appendix A). It might be possible that new talent, skill, and expertise are required to meet the company’s goal. Thus, it is obvious that the organization needs more employees. However, there is also a chance that the business might need to reduce the number of workers and learn to do more with less. Therefore, HR department has to evaluate the situation regularly, plan accordingly and make suggestions about hiring or dismissing workers (Plunkett, Allen, & Attner, 2013). Systematic HR evaluation and planning is a must since the company’s development is contingent on the quality of its workforce and the organization’s ability to attract and retain qualified workers.

HR Planning and Its Alignment with the Company’s Goals

            Once the HR professionals are ready to recruit new personnel, they need the input from the department managers about the goals and the needs of their units in regard to hiring new workers. Having such a contribution will prevent from attracting unqualified candidates and staffing positions with people who are not suited for the task. Selected applicants are screened and tested by the HR professionals, heads of the relevant departments, and, sometimes, by the upper management to see if they are likely to fit well into the positions. However, it is critical to provide relevant information about the company to potential candidates since being informed about the organization’s policies and practices will help them to determine whether they feel that the business suits them and whether they are willing to work for it.

When planning to meet the organization’s staffing needs, HR managers must be well aware of their company’s plans and available personnel (Plunkett, Allen, & Attner, 2013). Current jobs are studied by performing job analyses. An example of conducting one is preparing current descriptions of each position ad reviewing it in the context of the present and future staffing needs. During the examination, managers evaluate the company’s former personnel needs, appraise current workers and their effectiveness, and forecast staffing needs in connection with the organization’s strategic goals. Comparison of the current workforce with the forecasted needs indicates whether the company’s employee roster should be expanded, left unchanged, or the number of jobs should be reduced (see Appendix A).

HR planning is useful in that it helps to identify not only the objectives that employees will have to strive to achieve, but also to determine the need for adequate tools to help workers to reach their goals. Trainings should not merely teach an individual how to complete regular tasks, but should be tailored to help employees grow and develop within the company. The professional growth may be measured via performance reviews that indicate how well one is doing his or her job and what instruments can be employed to help workers to do their work easier and more efficiently. Performance reviews may indicate situations where promotion or greater compensation will help to motivate individuals to grow and fulfill their responsibilities even better. However, such reports may also demonstrate drawbacks and poor performance and lead to suggestions to reduce wages or fire the inefficient employee. It is the management’s responsibility to establish the company’s vision and engage in project and strategic planning. Depending on the organization’s needs and goals, the management chooses to employ some of the following HR activities: planning, recruiting, selecting, orientating, training and developing personnel, as well as conducting performance evaluations and making decisions to reward for good performance and penalize for the poor one.