| 1. Introduction | | | | strategic objectives and visibly illustrates that the |
| "Organizational effectiveness depends on having the | | | | human resources function fully understands and |
| right people in the right jobs at the right time to meet | | | | supports the direction in which the organisation is |
| rapidly changing organizational requirements. Right | | | | moving. A comprehensive HR Strategy will also |
| people can be obtained by performing the role of | | | | support other specific strategic objectives undertaken |
| Human Resource (HR) function. Below is an outline and | | | | by the marketing, financial, operational and technology |
| explanation of how to assess the HR functions of an | | | | departments. |
| organization by using HR activities in an architectural | | | | In essence, an HR strategy should aim to capture "the |
| firm as an example. Human resource management | | | | people element" of what an organisation is hoping to |
| (HRM), as defined by Bratton, J. & Gold, J. (2003), | | | | achieve in the medium to long term, ensuring that:-o it |
| is | | | | has the right people in placeo it has the right mix of |
| "A strategic approach to managing employment | | | | skillso employees display the right attitudes and |
| relations which emphasizes that leveraging people's | | | | behaviours, ando employees are developed in the right |
| capabilities is critical to achieving sustainable | | | | way. |
| competitive advantage, this being achieved through a | | | | If, as is sometimes the case, organisation strategies |
| distinctive set of integrated employment policies, | | | | and plans have been developed without any human |
| programmes and practices." | | | | resource input, the justification for the HR strategy |
| According to this definition, we can see that human | | | | may be more about teasing out the implicit people |
| resource management should not merely handle | | | | factors which are inherent in the plans, rather than |
| recruitment, pay, and discharging, but also should | | | | simply summarising their explicit "people" content. |
| maximize the use of an organization's human | | | | An HR strategy will add value to the organisation if it:o |
| resources in a more strategic level. To describe what | | | | articulates more clearly some of the common themes |
| the HRM does in the organization, Ulrich, D. & | | | | which lie behind the achievement of other plans and |
| Brocklebank, W. (2005) have outlined some of the | | | | strategies, which have not been fully identified before; |
| HRM roles such as employee advocate, human capital | | | | ando identifies fundamental underlying issues which |
| developer, functional expert, strategic partner and HR | | | | must be addressed by any organisation or business if |
| leader etc. | | | | its people are to be motivated, committed and operate |
| An important aspect of an organization's business | | | | effectively. |
| focus and direction towards achieving high levels of | | | | The first of these areas will entail a careful |
| competency and competitiveness would depend very | | | | consideration of existing or developing plans and |
| much upon their human resource management | | | | strategies to identify and draw attention to common |
| practices to contribute effectively towards profitability, | | | | themes and implications, which have not been made |
| quality, and other goals in line with the mission and | | | | explicit previously. |
| vision of the company. | | | | The second area should be about identifying which of |
| Staffing, training, compensation and performance | | | | these plans and strategies are so fundamental that |
| management are basically important tools in the human | | | | there must be clear plans to address them before the |
| resources practices that shape the organization's role | | | | organisation can achieve on any of its goals. These |
| in satisfying the needs of its stakeholders. | | | | are likely to include:o workforce planning issueso |
| Stakeholders of an organization comprise mainly of | | | | succession planningo workforce skills planso |
| stockholders who will want to reap on their | | | | employment equity planso black economic |
| investments, customers whose wants and desires for | | | | empowerment initiativeso motivation and fair treatment |
| high quality products or services are met, employees | | | | issueso pay levels designed to recruit, retain and |
| who want their jobs in the organization to be | | | | motivate peopleo the co-ordination of approaches to |
| interesting with reasonable compensation and reward | | | | pay and grading across the organisation to create |
| system and lastly, the community who would want the | | | | alignment and potential unequal pay claimso a grading |
| company to contribute and participate in activities and | | | | and remuneration system which is seen as fair and |
| projects relating to the environmental issues. Common | | | | giving proper reward for contributions madeo wider |
| rules and procedures of human resource management | | | | employment issues which impact on staff recruitment, |
| must be adhered to by the organization which forms | | | | retention, motivation etc.o a consistent performance |
| basic guidelines on its practices. Teamwork among | | | | management framework which is designed to meet |
| lower levels of staff and the management should be | | | | the needs of all sectors of the organisation including its |
| created and maintained to assist in various angles that | | | | peopleo career development frameworks which look |
| would deem necessary in eliminating communication | | | | at development within the organisation at equipping |
| breakdowns and foster better relationship among | | | | employees with "employability" so that they can cope |
| workers. The management should emphasize on good | | | | with increasingly frequent changes in employer and |
| corporate culture in order to develop employees and | | | | employment patternso policies and frameworks to |
| create a positive and conducive work environment | | | | ensure that people development issues are addressed |
| Performance appraisal (PA) is one of the important | | | | systematically : competence frameworks, |
| components in the rational and systemic process of | | | | self-managed learning etc. |
| human resource management. The information | | | | The HR strategy will need to show that careful |
| obtained through performance appraisal provides | | | | planning of the people issues will make it substantially |
| foundations for recruiting and selecting new hires, | | | | easier for the organisation to achieve its wider |
| training and development of existing staff, and | | | | strategic and operational goals. |
| motivating and maintaining a quality work force by | | | | In addition, the HR strategy can add value is by |
| adequately and properly rewarding their performance. | | | | ensuring that, in all its other plans, the organisation takes |
| Without a reliable performance appraisal system, a | | | | account of and plans for changes in the wider |
| human resource management system falls apart, | | | | environment, which are likely to have a major impact |
| resulting in the total waste of the valuable human | | | | on the organisation, such as:o changes in the overall |
| assets a company has. | | | | employment market - demographic or remuneration |
| There are two primary purposes of performance | | | | levelso cultural changes which will impact on future |
| appraisal: evaluative and developmental. The evaluative | | | | employment patternso changes in the employee |
| purpose is intended to inform people of their | | | | relations climateo changes in the legal framework |
| performance standing. The collected performance | | | | surrounding employmento HR and employment |
| data are frequently used to reward high performance | | | | practice being developed in other organisations, such |
| and to punish poor performance. The developmental | | | | as new flexible work practices. |
| purpose is intended to identify problems in employees | | | | Finding the right opportunity to present a case for |
| performing the assigned task. The collected | | | | developing an HR Strategy is critical to ensuring that |
| performance data are used to provide necessary skill | | | | there will be support for the initiative, and that its initial |
| training or professional development. | | | | value will be recognised by the organisation. |
| 2. Affirmative action has assisted many members of | | | | Giving a strong practical slant to the proposed strategy |
| minority groups in creating equal opportunities in | | | | may help gain acceptance for the idea, such as |
| education and employment. Who could object to | | | | focusing on good management practice. It is also |
| assisting these minorities, who suffered years of | | | | important to build "early or quick wins" into any new |
| discrimination, in getting the equal opportunity they | | | | strategy. |
| deserve? The problem is, affirmative action promotes | | | | Other opportunities may present the ideal moment to |
| racial preferences and quotas which cause mixed | | | | encourage the development of an HR Strategy:-o a |
| emotions. One time supporters of affirmative action | | | | major new internal initiative could present the right |
| are now calling out "reverse discrimination". If we want | | | | opportunity to push for an accompanying HR strategy, |
| a stronger support for affirmative action we need to | | | | such as a restructuring exercise, a corporate |
| get rid of the preferential treatments. | | | | acquisition, joint venture or merger exercise.o a new |
| The back bone of affirmative action began with the | | | | externally generated initiative could similarly generate |
| ratification of the Thirteenth Amendment. The | | | | the right climate for a new HR strategy - e.g. Black |
| amendment abolished slavery and any involuntary | | | | economic empowerment initiatives.o In some instances, |
| labor, is showed there was a calling for equal | | | | even negative news may provide the "right moment", |
| opportunity for all South Africans. | | | | for example, recent industrial action or employee |
| A comprehensive Human Resource Strategy plays a | | | | dissatisfaction expressed through a climate survey. |
| vital role in the achievement of an organisation's overall | | | | |