HR Strategic Plan Explain human resource practices and functions and their relevance to a HR Strategic Plan

Human resource functions are considerably dissimilar from human resource practices. In particular, functions comprise of transactional activities that can be taken care of in-house or dealt with through outsourcing. On the other hand, practices are half-conceptual, half-execution part of a human resource strategy, made up of systems that follow the normal or traditional way of undertaking business. The human resource functions and practices play a significant role and have great relevance to a human resource strategic plan (Mayhew, 2016). This is largely because, the human resource best practices are the systems encompassed within the HR strategic plan that have the biggest impact not only on the workforce but the overall functioning of the organization and the future direction. HR functions take into account different aspects such as administration of benefits, keeping of records and also the processing of payrolls, all of which are encompassed in the HR strategic plan for any organization (Mayhew, 2016). In addition, HR practices are largely relevant to the HR strategy plan in the sense that they are potent predictors of the organizational performance. The strategic plan plays a great role in the corporate strategy, and HR practices are important as they help in determining the general performance of an organization. Most importantly, through consideration of the HR functions and practices and catering to them purposefully, it makes it possible for the organization to dedicate its attention to the HR strategic plan rather than other issues which are not as important (Mayhew, 2016).

Explain the relevant legislative, regulatory and industrial requirements for the business

The Queensland RSPCA faces different legislative, regulatory, and industrial requirements that are pertinent to it as a business. To begin with, the RSPCA works in tandem with Biosecurity as they share the responsibility and accountability for putting into effect and implementing the Animal Care and Protection Act (Queensland Government Business and Industry Portal, 2015). The Animal Care and Protection Act of 2001 sets the regulations for animal welfare standards. In particular, these regulations are the foundation for the Animal Care and Protection Regulation 2012. More so, the company faces the requirement of having to educate the community regarding responsibilities for animal care and the agreed standards for animal care and use in Queensland (Queensland Government Business and Industry Portal, 2015). RSPCA is expected to adhere to the animal welfare laws in Queensland. These include the following four main requirements (Queensland Government Business and Industry Portal, 2015):

1. To promote the responsible care and also use of animals

2. To provide standards for animal care and employ that

i. balance the welfare for animals and the interests of individuals whose living is reliant on animals

ii. permit for the progressions in scientific knowledge and permit for changes in community anticipations regarding practices involving animals

3. Safeguard animals from untenable, avoidable or unreasonable pain

4. Make certain that the use of animals for scientific resolves is liable, open and accountable (Queensland Government Business and Industry Portal, 2015).

More so, the RSPCA works in tandem with the government and the industry to establish the different standards for animal care. The company runs different facilities for animal care and their adoption, and also endeavors to raise awareness amongst the community with respect to the sensitized treatment of animals (RSPCA Website, 2016).

What is the company's overall human resource strategic direction, objectives and targets and what are some trends and emerging practices that may have an impact on human resource management, including relevant technology and its impact on job roles and where you will source labor?

The general human resource strategic direction of the RSPCA is to have better harmonization and understanding amongst the personnel and their managers. Overall, the HR strategic direction that the company wants to take is to make sure that the culture of the company is one that does not stray from concentrating on the animals, but, in addition, also concentrates on the personnel (Stress Buster, 2008). 'Organizational culture', also referred to as 'corporate culture' is considered to encompass the association and affiliation between members of the organization and the manner in which they interact and interconnect with each other as they undertake their duties and roles for the organizational goals (Stokyo, 2009). The...

Considering this, the company has a number of objectives that it plans to realize and achieve. For instance, for the RSPCA the main goal is to develop a compassion satisfaction and fatigue program. The target of this objective is to cultivate an organizational culture that places emphasis not just on the animals but also on the personnel as well. This brings us to the second objective that is to increase the staff of the company. The target of this goal is to have more animal attendees, as this will increase the amount of resources, lessening the burden on. In addition, this will allow the personnel to have more days, which will increase their work-life balance and also work satisfaction, thereby helping avoid compassion fatigue (Stress Buster, 2008).
There are emerging trends and practices that may have an impact on human resource management. One particular emerging practice is that of owners bringing the pets and animals to the animal care and protection center, for them to be checked. This will have a huge impact on human resource management in the sense that it will necessitate change management. In as much as this might ease the workload of the employees, it potentially demands an increase the level of compassionate strength and resilience to fatigue with more and more animals having to be put down (Lopez, 2007). Another trend is caused by the fact that there is a continuous increase in the expenditure that is incurred in animal care and protection. With this increase in the past number of years, this has had an impact on job roles with employees having to undertake more than what is required of them. In addition, with increasing cuts in government funding and help towards animal welfare, the implication is that organizations such as the RSPCA are forced to source for cheaper labor for sustainability (Lopez, 2007). Finally, with regard to the RSPCA, labor will be sourced through both internal and external recruitment. This will be done to make certain that the personnel of the company can fulfill the requirements being necessitated. However, such sources have to be cheap ones for the organization to manage the organization within its available resources funds. This, in turn, implies avoid making use of options such as intermediaries or recruitment institutions that add costs to the core services of the organization (Lopez, 2007).

What are recent and potential changes to industrial and legal requirements, future labor needs and skills requirements, and options for sourcing labor which have and will impact the company?

There are current and prospective changes to industrial and legal requirements that might influence the RSPCA as a company. One of these requirements encompasses the aspect of dangerous dogs. In particular, it is deemed to be against the law to allow a dog to be dangerously out of control at any area or place, which even includes the home of the dog owner. Therefore, the RSPCA is expected to inspect and identify such dogs, and once ascertained that they are dangerous, will have to take them away and take them down. This will influence the company as the personnel will see a lot more dogs or animals having to go through euthanasia, which might further accentuate increasing incidences of compassion fatigue.

Taking into consideration, the backlog in prevailing number of employees to execute the activities and services required, there will be a need for the company to source for labor. There are different options or sourcing labor, which have and will influence the company in different ways. With regard to the internal sources, this implies that the personnel will be promoted from lower levels to the upper ranking levels. By instituting a policy of promoting the personnel from within, openings other than at the lowest ranking level are occupied leaving behind unfulfilled lower positions. As a result, it brings into motion a sequence of upgradation that can be completed from those lowest in ranks by offering them training to be qualified for upper positions in the company. The other aspect of sourcing labor will be through external sources. It is imperative to note that it is not conceivable to recruit personnel from within at all times. In particular, this encompasses openings at the lowest ranking level or staffing at the time of the expansion of the company or where the existing employees cannot fill all the vacancies or fulfill job obligations. Therefore, for example in this case, the company will have to seek external sources of labor. RSPCA will make use of a number of different sources (Quinn and Hilmer, 1994).

One of the ways will be through contacts obtained from the current personnel. This is a…