The given case study shows the transformation of Lloyd, a global insurer based in London, to become a leader in HR strategy. The company appointed Suzy Black as the HR Director in the year 2009. Black’s approach was to create an HR strategy that was business-focused, value-adding, and cutting edge that was different from the traditional office style functioning. Black engaged the senior managers at the company who got on board with the company’s vision. She successfully created a challenging environment, incentive programs, and community outreach programs that had multiple benefits like improving employee satisfaction. Black’s success can be analyzed by considering the skills needed to be successful in HR, outcomes due to a good HR strategy, and the challenges global organizations can face when establishing HR policies.
Skills Needed to be Successful in HR
The skills observed by Suzan Black are critical for HR professionals that want to succeed in their field. Black observed that HR professionals of the future should be commercial, focused on delivery, excellence, and challenging. The HR professionals should also excel at operations, understand change and transformation, and balance strategic and tactical acting and thinking. The modern work environment can be challenging, and one should navigate through organizational ambiguities and complexities. The observations by Black are valid and are critical skills required for success in HR.
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The contemporary human resource practitioner faces several challenges like the incorporation of technology, change management, and strategic thinking. According to Mcdonnell and Sikander (2017), the HR practitioner is to be a change steward and a strategic business partner. Additionally, one was to further their education in business fields and training in fields like finance, information technology, and marketing. The skills identified were similar to the skills identified by Black in her observations of the skills required by HR professionals.
Outcomes from a Good HR Strategy
There are several benefits and positive outcomes of a good HR strategy. From the case study, one of the outcomes identified was that there was an improvement in the employee’s job satisfaction. The employees observed that the conditions placed had helped them develop their careers, and they found value and meaning in their work. The employees also appreciated the transparency regarding creating a better employer/employee relationship. The employees also observed that they enjoyed working for the insurance giant because of factors like a challenging work environment, meaningful community outreach programs, and healthy incentive programs. The result was that the organization was named in the Sunday Times Top 100 Best Companies to Work For in the UK, and it was hailed as one of the UK’s Top 40 Business Brands. Such recognition was mainly attributed to the company’s effective HR strategy.
A good human resource strategy can have a positive effect on job satisfaction that ultimately leads to an improvement in employee performance and productivity. According to Rodjam et al. (2020), a good HR strategy makes the employees satisfied that the organization caters to their needs and provides the proper facilities. The more the employees are satisfied with their work, the greater their motivation to undertake different organizational projects. The overall outcome is a general improvement in the productivity of their employees. Satisfied employees were also more likely to serve customers better, and the result was an improvement in customer satisfaction.
Challenges Global Organizations Face When Establishing HR Policies
Global organizations face several challenges when establishing HR policies. Different countries have different cultures, geographies, languages, and employment laws. The cultural diversity of organizations can be challenging in creating balanced policies. Customs can vary from one culture to another in terms of gender roles, assigning job positions, and the role of gender. In some countries, having female executives can be considered comparatively low, and men could find it challenging to report to a female boss. Different countries can have different labor practices and laws. Cultural diversity is considered a higher priority in organizations to ensure that organizations can establish policies that meet the needs of all employees (Feintzeig, 2020). Harmonizing the labor administration laws, industrial relations laws, and employment policies can be difficult for multinational businesses. The safety standards in some countries can be different compared to those in the United States. A business may be required to purchase more equipment when conducting training on its HR policies compared to the home country. According to Dias et al. (2020), intercultural sensitivity and intercultural competence are critical to ensure that there are adequate policies to manage the workforce effectively.
Conclusion
The analysis of the case study showed that there are different approaches and strategies to realize successful outcomes in HR. Black’s success could be attributed to her skills in managing a modern organization. Black observed that the HR professional needs to work in a challenging work environment. One should also be focused on delivery and excellence. The outcomes of a good HR strategy are that it can lead to job satisfaction and improved employee performance. It will also motivate employees, ensuring better service to customers and improved customer service. Global organizations can also encounter different challenges when establishing their HR policies. There can be cultural diversity challenges and labor laws challenges when establishing HR policies. The recommendation for organizations when establishing their policies is that they should consider the multicultural challenges of the modern world. HR professionals should also be equipped to have the skills required to navigate the modern workforce.
References
Dias, D., Zhu, C. J., & Samaratunge, R. (2020). Examining the role of cultural exposure in improving intercultural competence: implications for HRM practices in multicultural organizations. The International Journal of Human Resource Management , 31 (11), 1359-1378. http://web.a.ebscohost.com/ehost/detail/detail?vid=0&sid=db2afaa4-bd08-4555-a040-9c9ac30eb974%40sdc-v-sessmgr02&bdata=JnNpdGU9ZWhvc3QtbGl2ZQ%3d%3d#AN=143223868&db=bth
Feintzeig, R. (2020). Your Company Says Diversity Is a Higher Priority. Now What? Wall Street Journal https://www.wsj.com/articles/your-company-says-diversity-is-a-higher-priority-now-what-11595163600
Mcdonnell, L., & Sikander, A. (2017). Skills and competencies for the contemporary human resource practitioner: a synthesis of the academic, industry, and employers' perspectives. The Journal of Developing Areas , 51 (1), 83-101. http://web.a.ebscohost.com/ehost/detail/detail?vid=0&sid=1b2085f9-9f65-47ab-9eee-a64c61ccbf5a%40sdc-v-sessmgr02&bdata=JnNpdGU9ZWhvc3QtbGl2ZQ%3d%3d#AN=122332295&db=a9h
Rodjam, C., Thanasrisuebwong, A., Suphuan, T., & Charoenboon, P. (2020). Effect of Human Resource Management Practices on Employee Performance Mediating by Employee Job Satisfaction. Systematic Reviews in Pharmacy , 11 (3), 37-47. http://web.a.ebscohost.com/ehost/detail/detail?vid=0&sid=d35d0953-fddb-4d45-aa36-35fdd286b0f8%40sessionmgr4008&bdata=JnNpdGU9ZWhvc3QtbGl2ZQ%3d%3d#AN=144418860&db=a9h
