Response to questions below: What does it mean to say that HRD is strategic? Explain how strategic HRD adds value to an organization. How important is workforce planning to an organization’s success? Are there successful workforce planning examples in the public and private sector? Provide examples.

QUESTION

Response to questions below:

What does it mean to say that HRD is strategic? Explain how strategic HRD adds value to an organization. How important is workforce planning to an organization’s success? Are there successful workforce planning examples in the public and private sector? Provide examples.

Respond to two posts below:

1.HRD is strategic if it contributes directly to important business goals and provides strategic organizational planning and education and learning are responsive to the emergent nature of the strategy (Torraco& Swanson,1995).

Strategic HRD adds value to an organization in the sense that it is performance-based and aims at developing employee’s expertise that will prepare them in advance for growth now and opportunities in the future. It gets employees ready and gives them a competitive advantage in a rapidly changing business environment. As conditions change, businesses that adopted strategic HRD are able to add value to their organizations because their planners and decision-makers will be highly competent people who will embrace a state of the – work systems to achieve business goals and adapt to market demands. This creates the difference between those companies with strategic HRD that customers can rely on to provide innovative products, distinguishing service and best performance (Swanson&Holton,2009).

Workforce planning is important to an organization’s success. As the saying goes, if you fail to plan it means you are planning to fail. In business, you cannot just leave things to chance given that the workforce is the most valuable resource that the organization has. In a rapidly changing socio-economic environment, technology and competitive market, an organization that wants to thrive and sustain growth needs to plan its workforce (Swanson&Holton,20029). This is to enable it to reach its strategic goals and meet market demands in the future. When an organization is able to identify ahead of time the human capital required in the future and are able to develop employees to meet those requirements (NAPA,2000), they gain an advantage. When economic situations change, they are ready to reach organizational performance that others are not prepared for.

A successful workforce planning example that I know is a mining company that kept some employees to mine their materials and stockpile them during the economic downturn in 2008. Two years later when metal prices went up all that they had to do was leach the stockpile that hey had mined at a very low cost and sell at a high price. Those companies that shut down totally during the downturn were now having to mine at a high price to meet market demands.

2.Strategic Human Resource Development (SHRD) has three essential components that include: focus on performance-based needs and outcomes, it demonstrates the strategic capability for education and training to key stakeholders, and it responds to the evolving nature of strategy (Swanson & Holton, 2009). SHRD helps to ensure that organizations are working to provide the tools that are necessary for their employees to perform the responsibilities of their role successfully. In partnership with key stakeholders, HRD practitioners are responsible for evaluating the training needs of the organization and working to develop a plan to provide the skills and knowledge necessary to support the mission and goals of the company. When aligned with the goals and mission of the organization, SHRD contributes to creating firm-specific skills and knowledge (Garavan, 2007).

SHRD adds value to organizations by helping to advance employee expertise and knowledge, which helps businesses to capitalize on their human resource capabilities and strategize to meet the needs of the ever-evolving business environment and meet customer needs and specifications (Swanson, & Holton, 2001). The more training and knowledge employees have to manage their role, the more they are prepared to meet their performance goals successfully and perform their job responsibilities (Yorks, 2004). Generally, employees can operate with increased confidence and pride when they feel that they have the tools and knowledge that they need to do their job. SHRD helps businesses combine different components of knowledge, bridge new knowledge with prior knowledge, and combine external and internal knowledge in order to achieve and sustain a competitive advantage (Garavan, 2007). The real contribution of SHRD to an organization, is to enhance its performance in the long run.

Workforce planning is essential to an organization’s success in order for the business to meet the changing needs and specifications of their customer. The HRD practitioner’s role is vital to help key stakeholders realize the benefit of SHRD, especially during times when businesses are looking for ways to operate as efficiently as possible. With the coronavirus pandemic, we see a plethora of changes that have occurred in a very short time in almost every industry of the public and private sectors. Organizations are having to take drastic measures to enable their employees to work from home when possible, and others have had to resort to layoff and let some employees go altogether. Not many organizations planned for this type of pandemic that will have long term effects on our global economy and the world. The role of HRD practitioners will be even more critical moving forward as organizations look for ways to restructure and develop strategies to move forward through and after the pandemic. Any organization that fails to plan will inevitably experience challenges keeping up with the changing needs of its customers; therefore, planning is essential for the long-term success of an organization (Swanson & Holton, 2009).

An example of workforce planning is work from home opportunities, which traditionally serve many benefits to employers and employees, including flexibility in scheduling and savings to the company. The irony is that because of the pandemic that we are currently experiencing, the survival of some businesses will depend on their employee’s ability to work from home and how well organizations planned for extreme contingencies that could affect their business operations. The recent surge of food delivery services, including Door Dash, Postmates, Uber Eats, and more, are also examples of workforce planning that might not have been intended to serve businesses in pandemic circumstances. However, we have quickly found that these partnerships will help to sustain some restaurants and businesses during this crisis that we are currently facing.

ANSWER

Post 1 Response

I agree with your explanation of strategic HRD and how it adds value to an organization. Strategic HRD goes beyond just providing training and development programs; it aligns with the overall business goals and objectives, contributing to improved performance and competitive advantage. By investing in the development of employees’ skills and knowledge, organizations can ensure that they have the capabilities to adapt to changing market demands and drive innovation.

Your example of the mining company’s successful workforce planning during the economic downturn is a great illustration. By retaining employees and stockpiling materials, they were able to take advantage of the subsequent increase in metal prices. This demonstrates the importance of workforce planning in anticipating and preparing for future needs, even during challenging times. It showcases how strategic HRD can enable organizations to make strategic decisions that give them a competitive edge in the market.

Post 2 Response

I appreciate your detailed explanation of strategic HRD and its value to organizations. SHRD indeed focuses on performance-based needs and outcomes, and when aligned with the organization’s goals, it can enhance employee expertise and knowledge. This, in turn, enables businesses to meet the evolving needs of the market and customers effectively.

Your point about the role of HRD practitioners during times of crisis, such as the current pandemic, is spot on. The COVID-19 pandemic has disrupted businesses worldwide, and organizations have had to quickly adapt and implement remote work arrangements. The ability to work from home has become crucial for business continuity. Companies that had already planned for remote work options were better prepared to handle the crisis and continue their operations smoothly.

Additionally, your example of food delivery services as a form of workforce planning is an interesting perspective. These services have indeed become essential during the pandemic, supporting both restaurants and customers. Although their initial intention might not have been for pandemic circumstances, their presence and availability have proven to be valuable for sustaining businesses and meeting customer needs in challenging times.

Overall, both posts provide a comprehensive understanding of strategic HRD and the significance of workforce planning in organizations’ success. The examples shared highlight how planning ahead and aligning HRD with business strategies can lead to positive outcomes and a competitive advantage.