hr challenges compare and contrast ginger drehmel

8/3/2019 HR Challenges Compare and Contrast Ginger Drehmel

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Running head: COMPARE AND CONTRAST: HR CHALLENGES 1

Compare and Contrast: HR Challenges

Ginger Drehmel-Leland

Globe University

MG554 Case Studies in Human Resources

10/31/2011


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COMPARE AND CONTRAST: HR CHALLENGES 2

Compare and Contrast: HR Challenges

In this paper, I identify three human resource challenges that will have a strong impact on

the future of HR. I present my reasoning as to why I believe the three challenges I identified will

have such a strong impact in the future. Lastly, I compare those challenges to the challenges that

Christensen identifies in chapter seventeen of his book,Roadmap to Strategic HR.

Three Human Resource Challenges

We were asked to identify three challenges identified by Armstrong in his book, Strategic

Human Resource Management: A Guide to Action, which we felt would present the most

challenge to the future of HR. The three challenges that I identified were attracting, developing

and retaining a qualified workforce, strengthening engagement, commitment and motivation, and

improving the working environment (Armstrong, 2008).

Personal Perspective

I chose attracting, developing and retaining a qualified workforce for several reasons.

Advertising costs, candidate appraisal costs, hiring expenses (such as relocation benefits), and

initial training costs are considerably high. Development and retention of current, qualified

employees can also be expensive; yet, the lack of this activity will increase human resource costs

through additional hiring activities. Other retention benefits include efficiencies of throughput,

retention of business knowledge, and the ability to develop employees for succession planning.

Simply put, if you do not put in the effort to develop and retain your qualified workers, someone

else will attract them away.

I chose strengthening engagement, commitment and motivation because if you do not

have an engaged and committed workforce, both the business and the employee are not

benefitting from the relationship. If the employee is not engaged, they are not personally


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growing from the experience and the business is losing an opportunity to identify innovative

solutions to their problems.

I chose improving the working environment because of current and future diversity

challenges. A US Census Bureau report projects there will no longer be a majority racial or

ethnic group by the year 2042 (Johnson & Borrego, 2009). A study by the Hudson Institute

found that 85% of new entrants in the next decade will be women, minorities, and immigrants

(Allen, 1991). Generational attributes will also impact the dynamics of the workplace. These

changes will require HR executives to address changes to working environments, schedules,

employee relations, benefits, and other environmental elements.

Challenge Comparison

Christensen identified ten challenges that affect the ability to implement strategic human

resource initiatives (Christensen, 2006). I compared the three future challenges that I identified

with Christensens challenges and I identified a few similarities.

Christensen identified a category of line managers who are disconnected from people

(Christensen, 2006). If they view employees as simply a means to an end, they miss the ability

to engage and motivate them through intellectually challenging opportunities. This environment

could also impact attraction and retention of resource.

Christensen also identified the need to link all work accomplished within the company

with organizational objectives (Christensen, 2006). Engaging employees to solve business

problems or meet organizational objectives is the goal of all employees. Making the link helps

employees to understand their role and how it contributes to the success of the business. This

creates an environment where attraction, retention, engagement and motivation occur much more

easily.


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Finally, Christensen also identified sharing the vision with new employees when

implementing a new approach to human resources (Christensen, 2006).When you create an

environment that opens up the relationship between employees and the human resources

department, you can engage then in helping to identify environmental factors that can improve

the work environment.

Summary

In this paper, I identified three challenges that I believe will strongly impact the future of

HR. I presented my reasoning on why I believe these challenges are important to the future.

Finally, I compared those challenges with the ten challenges to implementing strategic human

resource management identified by Christensen.


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References

Allen, G. (1991). Valuing Cultural Diversity: Industry woos a new work force. Communication

World, p. 1. Retrieved from http://www.allbusiness.com/human-

resources/workforcemanagement-hiring/160671-1.html

Armstrong, M. (2008). Strategic Human Resource Management: A Guide to Action (4th ed.).

London: Kogan Page.

Christensen, R. (2006).Roadmap to Strategic HR. New York: AMACOM.

Johnson III, R., & Borrego, E. (2009, June). Pulbic Administration and the Increased Need for

Cultural Competencies in the Twenty-First Century.Administrative Theory & Praxis,

31(2), pp. 206-221. Retrieved October 31, 2011, doi:10.2753/ATP1084-1806310204

hr challenges compare and contrast ginger drehmel

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