Strategic Plan and Diversity

Strategic Plan Proposal Each department within an organisation contributes significantly to the achievement of the organisation's strategic plan. Therefore, it is important that each department is considered in the strategic plan. A particularly important department is the human resource (HR) department, which is involved in critical processes such as employee selection and recruitment, training and development, compensation and benefits management, performance evaluation, as well as managing labour relations.

As the organisation embarks on preparing its next five-year strategic plan, a number of aspects relating to the HR department ought to be taken into consideration. This paper outlines these considerations by resorting to the established method in management practices of the department's SWOT analysis, its goals and objectives, and a plan for monitoring the achievement of the goals and objectives. SWOT Analysis The SWOT framework is an important tool in the strategic planning process (Bplans, 2014). It enables more informed decision-making.

One of the major strengths of the HR department emanates from its robust personnel management practices, which can be attributed, in large part, to the support of the overall management. With the backing of the executive team, the department has in the last five years implemented more effective policies and procedures for employee recruitment and selection, orientation, training and development, compensation, and performance management.

The organisation now boasts a highly-qualified pool of employees, more comprehensive training and talent management programs, more flexible work schedules, regular fun-filled team-building programs, occupational health and safety guidelines, as well as benefits such as paid vacations and sick leave. Strong employee-management practices have seen the organisation ranked as one of the best organisations that workers prefer. As a result, the organisation has recorded reduced employee turnover and employee satisfaction in the last three years.

The department strongly believes these outcomes have substantially contributed to the overall performance of the organisation. Other important strengths include a competent HR manager, knowledgeable and experienced HR staff, as well as technology integration. The department has taken advantage of technology to conduct and manage processes like employee recruitment, selection, task allocation, employee surveys, and performance evaluation. In spite of the aforementioned strengths, a number of weaknesses prevail. First, the issue of workforce diversity has not been given the attention it deserves.

Presently, over 90% of the organisation's senior and middle-level management positions are held by men. Second, there is widespread underrepresentation of minorities in the organisation, with approximately 85% of the overall workforce coming from a single racial background. Lack of generational diversity is also a major problem. Majority of the employees, close to 60%, are baby boomers. This phenomenon is worrying for a number of reasons. Workforce diversity has been marked as an important source of advantage in today's increasingly complex workplace.

It offers an opportunity to tap into perspectives from various backgrounds, which can drive innovation and creativity. Furthermore, lack of generational diversity may soon place the organisation at a disadvantageous position. A significant portion of the baby boomers are expected to retire in the next two years. This may leave the organisation without adequate individuals with a reasonably lengthy professional experience.

Most importantly, continued disregard for workforce diversity has the potential to water down the substantial gains the organisation has made in the last five years in terms of personnel management. Indeed, it may hinder the organisation's aspirations to become the employer of choice. Another important weakness relates to budget constraints. As the organisation increasingly seeks to make its operational budget leaner, getting the management to fund some of the HR activities has been quite challenging. This weakness is particularly crucial in the wake of the forthcoming strategic plan.

There is concern that resource constraints may further hinder the department's activities in the coming strategic period. Other notable weaknesses include shortcomings in setting performance targets, ineffective communication within and across departments, teamwork difficulties, instances of role ambiguity, and inadequate employee recognition. If not well addressed, these issues may further hinder the effectiveness and efficiency of the department. There are a number of opportunities the department can capitalise on improve its effectiveness. Workforce diversity is both a weakness and an opportunity.

In fact, it is a trend in the present workplace. It is important for the department to be cognizant of the disadvantages if the organisation is to become an even better employer. Furthermore, the organisation expects to significantly expand its operations in the next five years. Expansion is indeed an important element of the organisation's strategic plan. This provides important opportunities for the HR department, particularly in terms of enhancing diversity and talent development. Nonetheless, some threats may hinder the department's ability to take advantage of these opportunities.

Though the department has remarkably improved personnel management practices in the last few years, it still faces a major threat from organisations that offer their employees better wages, benefits, work schedules, and working conditions. This affects the ability of the department to attract and retain highly qualified employees. In fact, existing employees may be readily poached, which can be costly to the department and the organisation as a whole. The possibility of more stringent employment legislations is also a major threat.

Employee wellbeing is an issue that has increasingly attracted legislative attention, with the government introducing laws touching on issues such as wages, benefits, and discrimination. Stricter laws may be disadvantageous to the organisation. Furthermore, the organisation may be subject to litigation filed by employees due to complaints arising from employment legislation and other HR issues. The table below summarises the department's SWOT analysis.

Strengths • Highly qualified employees • Comprehensive training and talent management programs • Flexible work schedules • Regular team building programs • Occupational health and safety guidelines • Competitive remuneration and benefits • Positive public reputation • Reduced employee turnover and employee satisfaction • Competent and experienced HR personnel • Technology integration Weaknesses • Little attention to workforce diversity • Budget constraints • Shortcomings in setting performance targets • Ineffective internal communication • Teamwork difficulties • Role ambiguity • Inadequate employee recognition Opportunities • Workforce diversity • Expansion Threats • Organisations with better employee management practices • Employment laws • Litigious employees Goals and Objectives The overall goal of the HR department is to make the organisation the employer of choice.

This goal is difficult to achieve when the organisation does not ascribe to workforce diversity as an organizational practice. It may also be unachievable with inadequate funding, little attention to employee recognition, as well as the prevailing performance management shortcomings. In view of these weaknesses and the opportunities identified in the above SWOT analysis, the department targets to achieve the following in the next five years. 1. Increase the proportion of women in senior and middle-level management positions by 30%; 2. Increase the proportion of minorities in the organisation's workforce by 30%; 3.

Increase the proportion of non-baby boomers in the organisation's workforce by 30%; 4. Increase gender, racial, and generational diversity in work teams by 30%; 5. Raise the awareness of the importance of workforce diversity throughout the organisation; 6. Increase the frequency of performance reviews; 7. Prepare all high-performing employees for more complex tasks and responsibilities; 8. Improve employee satisfaction by 30%. Evaluation Plan Any strategic plan must be evaluated to determine its success in achieving the stated objectives (Virtual Strategist, 2012).

Evaluation helps in identifying successes and areas that require improvement; it also helps as a means of feedback and assessment: determining whether the time, effort, and resources invested in the goals and objectives were worthwhile. The above goals and objectives will be the basis of evaluating the progress of the department. As can be seen, the objectives have been formulated on the basis of the SMART (specific,.