Human Resource Processes
The U.S. Social Security Administration (SSA) is committed to creating a robust and functional human resource management (HRM) system. SSA's HR system is composed of several components designed to help the HR department discharge its responsibilities effectively. These components include acquisition/staffing, HR development, and maintenance. With regard to acquisition or staffing, job openings in the SSA are often found on its website and the Office of Personnel Management (OPM) website. The agency usually outlines specific qualification requirements for all entry-level positions. According to Alcázar et al. (2013), having the right number of employees in the workplace is vital to achieving the organizational goals. To achieve its core objective, the SSA ensures it has the right number of employees, is committed to attracting skilled employees, and has created a thorough recruitment process to ensure the organization recruits the best employees.
After the selection process, the SSA board embarks on employee training. But first, it takes them a week of orientation. During the training process, the employees are imparted with knowledge and skills to help the recruits get attuned to their new roles (Alcázar et al., 2013). This way, the organization can improve the future performance of its employees. With regard to maintenance, the SSA is committed to retaining its valuable and productive employees. Retaining employees is highly essential for the SSA as they are the pillar of the organization's success.
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Besides, the SSA has an HR system (HRS), a computer-based, multi-file personnel records system designed to help the organization collect data and information pertaining to its workforce characteristics. SSA's HRS serves as the database for "staffing, promotion plan operations, personnel research and program evaluation, management information, planning and budgeting for training, position information, and performance management" (SSA, n.d, n.p). The system collects and stores a wide range of information relating to personnel actions and determinations. The information is then used for personnel-related actions, such as SSA staffing, position control, workplace harassment prevention, and promotion plan operations.
In addition, SSA's HRS has several subsystems, including Agency Skills Inventory (ASI), Equal Employment Opportunity Case Management System (EEOCMS), and Training Online Nomination System (TONS), among many other subsystems (SSA, n.d.). With regard to ASI, this subsystem contains the inventory of employees' current competencies and skills for job series within SSA. EEOCSM gives SSA workers the ability to track equal employment opportunity complaints. Lastly, TONS helps the agency's supervisors create, approve, and print nominations for SSA employees. In short, SSA's HRS and its subsystems are designed to help the organization hire and retain a diversified workforce.
Implications for Human Resource Workforce
SSA is committed to ensuring it has current and future access to human capital. However, there are a number of implications that impact SSA's when it comes to achieving this. In other words, several implications are impacting SSA's current employment trends, growth, and service delivery. One of the implications is acquiring competent personnel. SSA is committed to acquiring the best employees. However, the organization has not been able to attain this. This can be attributed to a number of factors, including the limitation of qualified candidates to fill key open positions. Due to the negative impacts induced by the ongoing Covid-19 pandemic, SSA's "employment gap" is highly likely to become more complicated.
Secondly, employment laws and regulations are ever-evolving. This poses significant implications for employers as they are forced to abide by these laws and regulations during the hiring process ( Countouris, 2019) . As a governmental agency, SSA is mandated to provide equal employment opportunities to all people. In this respect, the organization implemented the EEOCMS system to achieve this. To ensure transparency, it advertises all its job openings on its website and on the OPM website. In addition, the SSA board also screens job candidates during the recruitment processes.
With regard to service delivery, the SSA emphasizes the delivery of quality services when administering social security services like retirement, disability, and survivor benefits. The agency is committed to meeting customer demands and achieving customer satisfaction. With the advent of the Internet, the agency has taken advantage of it and provides some of its services online. According to Zhang et al. (2012), the Internet has made it possible for organizations to offer their services online, thus increasing access to a wide range of customers. Customers can now maneuver through the organization's website and access the SSA's wide range of services.
Succession Planning for Human Resource Management
Many challenges face the SSA board, and one of them is the acquisition of competent employees. The SSA often finds it challenging to recruit candidates with the right skills and competencies. This section's principal focus is to recommend several managerial and professional skills and competencies that the SSA board should focus on to improve its workforce. To strengthen its workforce, the SSA ought to recruit candidates who have proficient communication skills. This skill is very essential, especially for individuals that hold managerial positions ( Bharathi. 2016) . SSA is a governmental agency and serves a wide range of clients. Leaders and employees must be proficient in communication skills to be better placed to build rapport with clients. This way, the organizational leaders and employees would be able to develop good relations within the organization and with their clients.
Secondly, filling managerial positions with candidates who can act as agents of change is key to SSA's success. First, the SSA needs such leaders in its organizational leadership structure since such leaders have the ability to make dramatic organizational changes to its service delivery. Secondly, the SSA board needs change agents to adapt to not only the changing work environment but also changing organizational and consumer needs. More specifically, change agents can implement programs that can prepare skills that invisible in the SSA. Such leaders can advocate for the implementation of training programs to identify candidates that can help improve the organization's service delivery. Besides, implementing a performance appraisal program will be key to advancing current employees. To motivate them, the SSA should implement employee promotion programs that are designed to promote hardworking employees. This will, in turn, act as an incentive for all employees to work harder.
Job Analysis and Design
Consultants are main responsible for providing expert advice professionally. At SSA, I am a business consultant. To acquire this job, one must fulfill several key job specifications, one being having a broad knowledge of how agencies operate. Ideal business consultants tend to have vast problem-solving skills. This includes solving problems that pertain to employment. An ideal business consultant should be able to help his organization hire the most competent workers. In the case of the SSA, a business consultant ought to be able to help the organization recruit employees who can help the organization successfully and efficiently deliver social security services. Secondly, business consultants ought to be able to provide in-depth analysis of existing organizational practices and provide recommendations to improve these practices. At the SSA, I specialize in HR.
As a business consultant, I can be very helpful to the organization. First, I will help the HR department to recruit competent candidates and retain valuable and productive employees. The SSA HR department will rely on my advice to recruit candidates with the right skills and competencies to help the organization achieve its organizational goals. In addition, the SSA HR department will use my services to train, develop, and improve the skills of the newly hired and existing workers. Besides, as their business consultant, I will share with the SSA board and HR department ways of creating an effective employee development program. This way, the organization would be able to improve the overall performance of its employees.
References
Alcázar, F. M., Fernández, P. M. R., & Gardey, G. S. (2013). Workforce diversity in strategic human resource management models. Cross Cultural Management: An International Journal, 20 (1), 39-49.
Bharathi, A. V. (2016). Communication skills–core of employability skills: Issues & concerns. High. Learn. Res. Commun. 6 (4).
Countouris, N. (2019). Defining and regulating work relations for the future of work. ILO , 18 .
SSA. (n.d.). Human Resources System. [Online]. Retrieved February 28, 2021, from SSA, https://www.ssa.gov/privacy/pia/HRS%20PIA.htm
Zhang, L., Wang, H., Cao, X., Wang, X., & Zhao, K. (2012). Knowledge management component in managing human resources for enterprises. Information Technology and Management , 13 (4), 341-349.
Appendix
Interview Forms
What are the key components of your agency's HRM?
The U.S. Social Security Administration (SSA) is committed to creating a robust and functional human resource management (HRM) system. SSA's HR system is composed of several components designed to help the HR department discharge its responsibilities effectively. These components include acquisition/staffing, HR development, and maintenance.
Which factors significantly influence your workforce?
SSA is committed to ensuring it has current and future access to human capital. However, there are a number of factors that impact SSA's when it comes to achieving this. In other words, several implications are impacting SSA's current employment trends, growth, and service delivery. Some of these factors or implications are the limitation of competent personnel and the ever-evolving employment laws and regulations.
What are some of the qualifications that you consider during the hiring process?
During the hiring process, there are many managerial and professional skills and competencies that the SSA board usually focuses on to improve its workforce. Basically, we focus on the following skills and competencies: Proficiency in communications skills and managers or candidates who can act as agents of change. Proficiency in communication is very essential in our organization, given that we serve diverse clients and work with a diverse workforce. Managers and organizational leaders who are proficient in communication are better placed to build rapport with clients and workers.
