The Chief Human Resource Officer as the Workforce Strategist

Introduction 

The Human Resources Department is one of the most significant departments in any institution organization. The department is responsible for the initiating and developing a structure that enables the organization's meet its business requirements by providing a suitable working environment by managing valuable resources. In an instance where an organization is moving to a new state, the HR department is commissioned to oversee the recruitment and performance of the managerial functions, operating functions and advisory functions. The entire goal of these roles is to ensure that employees in the new state are effective and efficient in the workplace. As the Chief Human Resource Officer (CHRO), it is mandatory to know governing the human resource management in the new state which the organization is set to expand business operations. It is equally essential for the CHRO to understand the employee roles that should be filled in the new state, the qualifications of these employees, the selection devices to be utilized in the recruitment process, and the testing used during the recruitment process ( Belcourt et al., 2017) . This paper outlines the significance and roles of the CHRO as pertain to the functions mentioned above. 

Legal statutes in the selection and hiring process 

States acts and Federal Laws 

According to the United States of America Federal Law, all job applicants have constitutional rights even before their employment by any organization. The employees are protected against any manner of discrimination during the selection and hiring process. The Federal law is evident that there should be no discrimination by colour, race, origin, gender, religion, disability, or pregnancy. The job applicants are further protected against social classes such as sexual orientation and financial capabilities ( Burnham, 2016) . The Civil Rights Act of 1964, Title VII protects all job applicants against any discrimination based on their race, colour, gender, national origin or religion. Additionally, the Pregnancy Discrimination Act of 1978 gives s guideline on the condition of pregnancy and pregnant job applicants. According to the act, any form of special treatment granted to pregnant women or any disregards for pregnant women are prohibited. Pregnancy-related conditions have grouped a subset of the discrimination law ( Burnham, 2016) . 

As the Chief Financial Human Resource Officer, I will be compelled to abide by specific acts, laws and regulations during the selection and recruitment process. For instance, I will observe the Age Discrimination Act of 1967 and the Americans with Disabilities Act of 1990 which is based on covering the employees against gathering and sharing of genetic information ( Guerin & DelPo, 2013) . During the execution of my roles, I will operate within the boundaries of the Civil Rights Act of 1866 that protects employees that are hired from performing their assigned tasks in a new organization such as conducting job training against race and other discrimination that are within the circumstances of the organization. 

Labor Unions Act 

As the Chief Human Resource Officer (CHRO), it is in line with my duty to read, understand, apply, and operate within the confines of the foreign state's labour act. The act should provide a guideline on employee operation after being hired and the procedure to be followed to ensure the recruitment process is free, fair, and efficient. In the Labor Unions Act of 2006, the principles governing the freedom of association and the rights of the employees are highlighted. The Labor Unions Act also spells out the benefits the employees are entitled to in the organization ( Collins et al., 2012) . The California Union of Workers is a good example that enumerates that potential employers are required by law to cater for the healthcare, safety, wages and employee development for their respective employees upon recruitment and hiring ( Guerin & DelPo, 2013) . 

Positions and Job Descriptions 

The foundation and adequate performance of the new offices will be built on the principal positions to be filled based on qualifications, experience, and the level of education attained. These positions are significant as they will forecast and translate the development activities to be taken up in this new competitive environment ( Schmitt, 2014) . The key areas that will be focused on during recruitment are majorly administrative positions. These positions include the branch manager, head of marketing, financial positions headed by the financial head officer, human resource personnel, and the supportive staff. 

Branch Manager 

The branch manager has a significant role to play in the establishment and administration of the new offices. They are essential office planners and leaders who are depended upon for the provision of visionary strategies that uphold the vision and mission of the parent organization. The general manager is required to report directly to the head office stating the progress of the state office, the challenges faced, and the proposed solutions to those challenges. The branch manager is also expected to develop short-term and long-term goals that will be achieved at the state level. They are supposed to be a team player who would ensure adequate performance of the employees through orientation, communication, coaching, counselling, planning, developing strategies and assigning roles to specific employees. The branch manager is also in charge of co-coordinating all the parts and teams within the organization starting from developing plans, setting up budgets to overseeing resources allocation ( Berman, 2016) . Through undertaking the highlighted roles with dignity and diligently, the manager will be ensuring that the mother organization achieves greater heights by establishing new markets, building the image of the organization, and relations of the organization. 

Branch Manager's Skills and Qualifications 

The organization will consider an applicant to fill the branch manager's position if they meet the given qualifications. First, the branch manager should have the ability to perform management roles, has to show understanding of the various staff positions and requirements, can coordinate functions, develop strategies, be a proficient financial planner and decision maker. The branch manager should have served in a managerial role for a minimum of ten years in a highly competitive environment and have attained a master's degree in business management or a related field from a certified and recognized institution of higher learning. 

Financial Officer 

The financial officer is responsible for all the major financial decision and transactions conducted by the state office. They are expected to provide financial projections, preparing growth plans, overseeing business operations, accounting services, and directing the office on economic matters. It is also the role of the financial officer to accomplish financial, human resource strategy through the determination of financial accountability, developing business strategies for the organization, drafting an implementation of the budget, performing economic analysis, and recommendations with regards to the objectives of the organization. The financial officer is expected to monitor all financial transactions and the financial performance of the organization, keeping the entire organization in check by ensuring that excessive expenses are minimized, and the organization is operating within the budget provided ( Berman, 2016) . The head office of the mother organization expects to be receiving a financial report from the financial officer about the economic status of the state office. 

Skills and Qualifications 

The financial officer should have the ability to draft financial plans, develop economic strategy, ability to manage profitability, high financial proficiency, knowledge in financial forecasting and corporate finance. They should be able to verbally express themselves, exercise visionary financial implementation, analytical thinking, ability to draft budgets, and deal with complex financial pressure. The applicant must have a masters degree in finance or accounting, have met the certified public accountant's certifications (CPA) and must be a member of a registered accredited accountants body. The financial officer is expected to be accountable and as such should have a certificate of ethical conduct and documents from business workshops and seminars they have attended ( Berman, 2016) . In additions, the applicants are expected to have work experience ranging from eight to ten years serving in an active financial role of an organization. 

Office Human Resource Personnel 

The human resource personnel officer has bestowed the role of administering compensation, benefits, and performance management systems in the new state offices. The holder of the title is also expected to ensure safety and initiate development programs that will enable the adequate performance of employees in the new environment. It is the role of the Office Human Resource Personnel officer to maintain work structures, develop job schedules, and prepare employee assignments. In addition to that, they are expected to conduct an environmental evaluation at the office, propose suitable applicants that will be productive in the areas, and ensure that vacancies are filled. The allocation of the human resource, provision of the current prospective employee information and policies, job duties and required working conditions also feature in the job description ( Berman, 2016) . The Human Resources Personnel officer is also expected to advise the manager on policy matters such as the significance of equal employment opportunities and sexual harassment. 

Skills and Qualifications 

The human resource personnel must have the ability to perform rational resource management functions, develop operation communication processes, develop employee compensation, and wage structure. They are also expected to master and understand the labor laws, regulations governing employees, and employment laws ( Berman, 2016) . The interested party to fill this position should be a masters degree holder in human resource management and have at least eight years' experience in a prospective area and a competitive environment. 

Selection and Hiring 

As the Chief Human Resources Officer, I am expected to oversee the selection and hiring process which entails services and activities that I will systematically complete. I will deliberate on the necessity of the recruitment; prepare job descriptions and expectations of the employer. In the execution of my roles, I will develop a profile which will operate as a scale for the applicants' level of competency. The assessment will weigh their experience, qualifications, operational skills, knowledge level, and a description of their various responsibilities ( Cushway, 2009) . The applicants who meet the requirements will be shortlisted and contacted to appear for a job interview where suitable applicants will be hired. Successful interviewees will be offered jobs and asked to sign a contract with the organization ( Cushway, 2009) . The orientation process is shown below, and a staff development procedure will ensure high productivity levels in the day to day operation of the organization. 

Employee testing 

Integrity and Job Knowledge Test 

During the selection and hiring process of the job applicants, they will be tested on their attitudes and experiences with regards to transparency, dependability, reliability, honesty and pro-social behaviour. The branch manager, financial officer and human resource personnel will be asked questions on ethics and integrity related to their past working experience. All the applicants will be asked questions on their interest, preferences, and forecasts then inferences will be established about their future behaviours. The role of the integrity test is to determine employees likely to engage in unethical, irresponsible, and dishonest behaviour that might cost the organization its reputation. In addition to that, job knowledge test is also conducted where multiple choices are provided to job applicants to evaluate their technical skills in the workplace ( Schmitt, 2014) . A drug test is also necessary depending on the position to be filled by the applicant. 

Strengths and Weakness of testing Techniques 

The integrity and job knowledge tests have been proven to be very useful in predicting the behaviours of applicants who would have cost organizations a lot given their counterproductive behaviour. The experiments show the significance of integrity when expanding offices to a new state. Nonetheless, the integrity approach is characterized by weaknesses such as the presentation of the desired picture to the interviewer instead of the accurate description of the job applicant ( Berman, 2016) . The employer is therefore presented with a false impression of the employee. In addition to that, the knowledge test is also notorious for requiring a frequent update to ensure the test is related to the current job being interviewed. 

Conclusion 

The Chief Human Resources Officer has a significant role to play in the selection and hiring process. In a way, the success and effectiveness of the new state offices entirely depend on these decisions and how the roles are undertaken. I believe that the steps are taken as enumerated in this paper guarantee open and active hiring and selection process for the new offices as the organization expands to anew state. 

References  

Belcourt, M., Bohlander, G. W., Snell, S., Singh, P., & Morris, S. (2017). Managing human resources . 

Berman, E. M. (2016). Human resource management in public service: Paradoxes, processes, and problems . 

Burnham, W. (2016). Introduction to the law and legal system of the United States . 

Collins, H., Ewing, K., & McColgan, A. (2012). Labour Law . Cambridge: Cambridge University Press Textbooks. 

Cushway, B., & Cushway, B. (2009). The employer's handbook 2009-10: An essential guide to employment law, personnel policies, and procedures . Philadelphia: Kogan Page. 

Guerin, L., & DelPo, A. (2013). The essential guide to federal employment laws . 

In Schmitt, N. (2014). The Oxford handbook of personnel assessment and selection . New York: Oxford University Press.