Philosophy of Human Resource Management

Philosophy of Human Resources Management As all of you are aware, the role of Human Resource Management has greatly increased over the last twenty years, as a rule we are no longer simply responsible for the basics like interviewing new recruits, doing payroll and scheduling work hours. To a large degree the human resources department has begun to be seen as the hub of the corporation.

Advances in technology have in many ways increased our productivity but have also cause an exponential growth in the role of the human resources department. One of the greatest changes that has taken place within the field of human resources and specifically within the human resource department at every successful organization is the focal point for the implementation of change.

(Walker), (Bechet & Walker), (Clinton, Williamson & Bethke) All of you present have been chosen for your present positions, in large degree because management has recognized your ability to adapt and change to meet customer needs. Don't worry; we are not merging with another company. We are no implementing massive cutbacks nor are we going to go through a massive financial restructuring. However, we are going to implement some changes.

To put your minds at ease, one of the conditions of my acceptance of this position included a promise from the owners that there will not be a massive employee turnover in the foreseeable future. Our new goals do not include interviewing present employees for their own jobs or laying off massive numbers of personnel in order to reduce overhead.

In many ways the changes we are implementing are fundamental, but they are not going to completely change the way the company is run or the way our product is produced, sold and delivered. As you are also probably aware there has been a massive effort in recent years to expand the role of customer service to mean not just a department within the company, where customers register grievances and Quality Assurance professionals reevaluate the production and engineering process.

(Clinton, Williamson & Bethke) Customer service has now become a company wide philosophy for accountability to quality and satisfaction. I am not saying this is not true of this company, because it is. Every effort of every man and woman in the company is focused on satisfying customers' needs. Internal functions begin to blur. Customer service? It's not somebody's job. It's everybody's job." (General Electric, 1990). Walker) I am certainly not saying this is not true of Graymatter.

The owners, managers and workers at Graymatter have made continuous strides toward a goal of complete customer satisfaction, as evidenced by our continued growth in a challenged industry and a weak national and global economy. Company shareholders have learned to feel confident about the long-term growth of our stock and therefore their profit. Even the company mission statement, which you are all aware of denotes the desire to meet 100% customer satisfaction.

However, the implementation of a plan to further meet the goal of the customer service team including every employee of the company must be put into place and the Human Resource Department here at Graymatter has been assigned the task of not only implementing this new plan but also modeling it. (Walker), (Bechet & Walker), (Clinton, Williamson & Bethke) I am certain that most of you have heard of Total Quality Management.

Essentially it is a management plan that has a fundamental goal of complete customer satisfaction through a goal of zero percent defects in product and services. Clinton, Williamson and Bethke) Percentages of defects even as low as 5 or 10% still create astronomical waste and reduction in satisfaction based on a scale of quantity, such as we see in our production line. The historical success of Graymatter is an inherent incentive for the continued growth and improvement of the organization.

One point that is well made with regards to TQM is that the failure of the HRM's to value and implement the tactics needed to implement TQM strategies is a loss of opportunity for better company production and strength.

(Clinton, Williamson and Bethke) According to three of the leading minds on TQM and HRM Clinton, Williamson and Bethke "HRM should act as the pivotal change agent necessary for the successful implementation of TQM." In order to implement Total Quality Management our department will act as both a guide and an example of TQM policies and practices. Understanding what this means will begin with a more complete understanding of the TQM philosophy.

The TQM Philosophy: Implementing a total quality management system has become the preferred approach for improving quality and productivity in organizations. TQM, which has been adopted by leading industrial companies, is a participative system empowering all employees to take responsibility for improving quality within the organization.

Instead of using traditional bureaucratic rule enforcement, TQM calls for a change in the corporate culture, where the new work climate has the following characteristics: An open, problem-solving atmosphere; Participatory design making; Trust among all employees (staff, line, workers, managers); sense of ownership and responsibility for goal achievement and problems solving; and, Self-motivation and self-control by all employees. Clinton, Williamson & Bethke) Many of you already possess the necessary personalities and management styles to implement these strategies today.

However, the HRM team will begin by posting these five points as well as the following five themes within our offices and within the corridors of the administrative buildings. HRM in partnership with all the line managers, will also orient the entire existing staff over the next two months on this five point plan.

The new staff or potential new staff, as they are recruited will be oriented on these points and will also be evaluated in interview based on their theoretical ability to both work within these guidelines and implement them, personally.

The five themes or focuses as outlined by Clinton, Williamson & Bethke are: Focus on customers' needs; Focus on problem prevention, not correction; Make continuous improvements: seek to meet customers' requirements on time, the first time, every time; Train employees in ways to improve quality; and, Apply the team approach to problem solving.

Clinton, Williamson & Bethke) The needs of customers will be identified through the existing QA systems and then implemented in an environment that empowers each employee and each point of contact to meet the needs of the customer. (Clinton, Williamson & Bethke) Additionally Company policies and procedures will be evaluated.