Challenges faced in aligning strategic and HR planning at Westpac
The report throws light on the overall analysis of the relationship between the strategic organizational planning and human resource planning which is applied at Westpac. The potential challenges which are being faced by the HR professionals in Westpac are required to be identified while aligning the strategic organizational planning and human resource planning. Additionally, the effectiveness of human resource planning methods and process used by Westpac is required to be analyzed with specific examples.
The potential challenges which may affect the HR professionals in planning the human resources need at Westpac can be identified conclusively. In developing high performing and global mindset employees and managers, the high-performance work model is required to be recognized along with specific examples to understand the different aspects which can be followed by Westpac. Proper recommendations are needed to be analyzed in developing a global mindset workforce which can be applied by Westpac to improve the overall scenario.
Analysis of Relationship between Strategic Organizational Planning and Human Resource Planning in Westpac in Developing People-Centered Workplace
In maintaining the people-centered workforce in Westpac, proper relationship between the strategic organizational planning and human resource planning plays a vital role in managing the overall efficiency in the firm. As commented by Al-Haddad and Kotnour (2015), the strategic plan is the process which helps in determining the steps to pursue the long-term goals with the resources which are expected to be available. On the contrary, Wolf and Floyd (2016), have opined that human resource planning is the estimation of future demand and supply of the human resource activities which will be essential for the accomplishment of the stated organizational goals. As opined by Westpac Group (2018), social resource planning is useful as it includes the different activities such as training and development of employees, motivation, and development of human resource in the organization which will be beneficial for the overall success of the firm.
There is a strong alignment between the strategic organizational planning and human resource planning at Westpac as there is a proper correlation between delivering the customer service and motivating the employees working in the organization. Firstly, the primary motive of Westpac is to provide the customers with strategic flexibility to offer the different solutions that meet the individual customer demands. Similarly, for the employees, Westpac offers flexible working options including the flexible hours working from home and together with different leave options which have been one of the significant advantages which have been provided by the company to the employees (Sparrow, Hird & Cooper, 2015).
Effectiveness of HR planning methods at Westpac
For instance- Westpac provides customers with personalized services which focus on needs and exceeding their expectations. The usage of digital technologies helps control the finances. To improve diversity issues,
Secondly, Westpac has introduced diversity practices wherein more than 47% of the women are included in higher authority. In the survey which was conducted by Westpac Bank, it was being noticed that Westpac embraces workforce diversity and it shows the commitment of organization towards diversity as well. To support the vision, the organizational structure of Westpac is designed to align divisions with customer segments which is concerning employees and customers (Rothwell et al., 2015).
For instance- Communication plays a vital role in managing the different kinds of difficulties faced by customers and employees as for the company both employees and customers are the topmost priority and their needs are being valued.
Challenge I
While aligning the human resource planning and strategic organizational planning, it can be analyzed that from the survey it was being noticed that there were different requirements of the employees which created an imbalance in the company (Noe et al., 2017). For instance- More than 23% of the employees required adjustment to their job as providing them with extra equipment. From the example, it can be identified that higher officials of Westpac were not able to meet the demands of the employees as it was creating an imbalance between employees and management.
Challenge II
The other challenge which was faced while aligning the Human Resource Planning and Strategic Organizational Planning, it was being noticed that there are different diversity issues among the different employees working at Westpac (Bailey et al., 2018). For instance- It has been noticed that there is the inclusion of internal gender biases which was a huge disadvantage for the organization. However, Westpac tried to recognize the need to keep the wheels turning on diversity-related issues (Mathews, 2016).
The Human Resource Planning is strongly effective in developing the people-centered workforce at Westpac as there are different kinds of flexibility in the effective options which are provided to the employees working at Westpac. The primary motive of Westpac is to improve the overall scenario through motivating employees. The two primary reasons can be explained in the following manner:
Firstly, there is the inclusion of proper diversity training and development which can prove to be effective in keeping the employees updated in the job which are being performed by them. With the help of the diversity training, the employees in the organization will be more diverse with the different employees from other cultural backgrounds that can prove to be beneficial for the overall survival of the firm (Kerzner, 2019). For instance- It has been identified that there is a sphere of diversity in the corporate space wherein Westpac is trying to recognize the different issues and keep the wheels turning on the diversity-related different problems.
High-Performance Work Team Model – STAR Team Model
Secondly, employee engagement is the other approach which is used by Westpac Company which increased the morale of the employees. There were the inclusion of flexible working options and the different kinds of leave which has helped the employees in improving the overall well-being of the employees (DeCenzo, Robbins & Verhulst, 2016). The employee engagement is one of the most effective processes which can be adopted by Westpac as it will be essential for reducing the turnover among employees and it will retain the different customers at a higher rate. For instance- In Westpac Company, there are different kinds of leaves such as wellbeing and lifestyle leave, retirement leave and purchased consent which can be beneficial for the overall success of the organization.
There are different kinds of potential challenges which are faced by HR Professionals in the planning human resources needs at Westpac as there can be different opinions of the employees that can affect the overall morale of employees and there are different kinds of lack of proper guidance from the higher officials which are described as follows:
Firstly, it was being noticed that there was a lack of support from all the employees as there were different requirements of the various employees working at Westpac. Planning is generally performed to improve the overall efficiency; however there can be differences in the opinions of the individuals working in the company that can affect the global growth of the company negatively (Taylor, Doherty & McGraw, 2015). For instance- While surveying the employees working at Westpac, it was being seen that there were different demands of employees which includes 40% do not require adjustment to perform their job, more than 25% of the employees’ necessary workforce flexibility.
The other challenge which may be faced by the HR professionals in planning the human resources needs at Westpac is resistance among the different employees. It can be seen that the employees may feel that they are not included in the process of decision making which can affect their morale and it will lessen the overall productivity of the organization as well (Collings, Wood & Szamosi, 2018). For instance- At Westpac, there is the inclusion of diversity programs. However, there can be employees who may feel that they are not involved in the process which can affect their morale.
The High-Performance Work Team Model which can be selected by the Westpac Company is the STAR Team Model. Galbraith has developed the model in the year 2011, and the critical elements of the model are as follows:
Suggestions for Westpac: using the SMART approach and fostering collaboration with the team
Figure 1: STAR Model
(Source: Galbraith 2011)
- Strengths- It applies the strength based thinking the approach and recognizing the different areas of work wherein the individuals can improve and they are good at it. To enhance the performance quickly, the people need to work on their strengths which will contribute towards achieving the goals of the team (Cassidy, 2016).
- Teamwork- It is the combination of strengths which will complement one another, and it can build the sense of togetherness as good cooperation are required to be aligned wherein the overall results of the team can be achieved.
- Alignment-It is one of the critical tasks related to leadership wherein the three elements such as teamwork, strengths, and results are aligned with the achievement of goals (Cascio, 2015).
- Results- The teams need to be clear on the different effects and monitor the overall progress towards achieving the different results.
- Other Factors- Leaders in organizations need to align along with adopting surroundings in which the team may operate, and the overall goals can be achieved (Bryson, 2018).
Detailed Suggestions to Westpac
Suggestion 1
Firstly, the top officials need to use the STAR Model to get the team performing accurately. With the help of the SMART approach:
Specific- Through the implementation of the model, there will be an articulation of vision and achieving the goals. There should be an inclusion of a particular purpose and the reasoning behind the goal is necessary.
Measurable- Additionally, the teamwork needs to be accomplished through proper surveys which are conducted among employees to understand the reviews.
Achievable- The progress of the employees should be tracked along with actions need to be implemented and keeping the team motivated.
Relevant- Motivation is one of the crucial elements through which the different employees can be motivated, and it will provide a bigger picture.
Timely- Goals must be, and it can be done by motivating the staffs as it will help them in improving their morale.
For instance- While implementing diversity in the workplace, the SMART Objectives need to be included in improving the team spirit and morale of employees.
Suggestion 2
Secondly, the company needs to offer and foster collaboration with the team as it will help achieve goals such as:
Specific- Provide more growth and learning opportunities for each employee
Measurable- Providing feedback to each employee two times a week
Achievable- The manager needs to provide input
Relevant- Improving communication which is company wide and feedback culture
Timely- Provided before the end of next quarter
For instance- All the employees should be included in the change management programs as it will motivate them as they are the part of the organization.
The Global Mindset Model has been considered which was being developed by Mathews in the year 2016.
Suggestion 1
- To improve the diversity-related problems in the organization
Specific- Proper recognition of cultural biases and values
Measurable- It should include elements of progress, awareness, appreciation, and flexibility which will help in measuring the cultural aspects
Achievable- Proper training is required to be provided to employees for analyzing the diversity aspects
Relevant- Completion of goal within six months is essential
Timely- There should be a time limit in completing the goals appropriately
For instance- It has been noticed that there are different issues related to diversity as the employees are not able to manage with different individuals from various cultural backgrounds.
Suggestion 2
- To build strong intercultural relationships
Specific- To include all the employees in the management process to lead to high-performance teams
Measurable- To measure success through surveying the candidates whether they are being involved in the work process
Achievable- To achieve the diverse work groups with the help of the proper teamwork and leadership skills
Relevant- It should be seen that goals are related to company-wide aims
Timely- The goals should be achieved timely with the help of teamwork and leadership prospects
Conclusion
Therefore, it can be inferred that both strategic organizational planning and human resource planning plays a vital role in the organizational setting as it will improve the overall wellbeing of the company effectively. There are different kinds of flexible working options and leave options which are being provided to the employees in motivating them. In developing a people-centered workforce, Westpac has included various aspects such as the inclusion of a diverse workforce which has been successful. With the integration of the Star Model and Global Mindset Model, the different leadership aspects and high performing teams have been created.
However, there are various issues such as the employees were not happy with the progress of work and these were resolved with the help of multiple suggestions that will help improve the overall scenario. The different human resource planning and methods have been used such as employee engagement which is one of the most effective techniques to improve the work quality of the organization. Additionally, it was noticed that the potential challenges which affected the growth of the firm was relating to the lack of support from the employees and resistance to change among employees that influenced the growth and efficiency of the firm. With the implementation of SMART objectives, all the goals have been achieved.
References
Al-Haddad, S., & Kotnour, T. (2015). Integrating the organizational change literature: a model for successful change. Journal of Organizational Change Management, 28(2), 234-262.
Bailey, C., Mankin, D., Kelliher, C., & Garavan, T. (2018). Strategic human resource management. Oxford University Press.
Bryson, J. M. (2018). Strategic planning for public and nonprofit organizations: A guide to strengthening and sustaining organizational achievement. John Wiley & Sons.
Cascio, W. F. (2015). Managing human resources. McGraw-Hill.
Cassidy, A. (2016). A practical guide to information systems strategic planning. Auerbach Publications.
Collings, D. G., Wood, G. T., & Szamosi, L. T. (2018). Human resource management: A critical approach. In Human Resource Management (pp. 1-23). Routledge.
DeCenzo, D. A., Robbins, S. P., & Verhulst, S. L. (2016). Fundamentals of Human Resource Management, Binder Ready Version. John Wiley & Sons.
Galbraith, S. (2017). Jay R. Galbraith: Master of Organization Design–Recognizing Patterns from Living, Breathing Organizations. The Palgrave Handbook of Organizational Change Thinkers, 1-20.
Kerzner, H. (2019). Using the project management maturity model: strategic planning for project management. Wiley.
Mathews, J. (2016). Toward a conceptual model of global leadership. IUP Journal of Organizational Behavior, 15(2), 38.
Noe, R. A., Hollenbeck, J. R., Gerhart, B., & Wright, P. M. (2017). Human resource management: Gaining a competitive advantage. New York, NY: McGraw-Hill Education.
Rothwell, W. J., Jackson, R. D., Ressler, C. L., Jones, M. C., & Brower, M. (2015). Career Planning and Succession Management: Developing Your Organization’s Talent—for Today and Tomorrow: Developing Your Organization’s Talent—for Today and Tomorrow. ABC-CLIO.
Sparrow, P., Hird, M., & Cooper, C. L. (2015). Strategic talent management. In Do We Need HR? (pp. 177-212). Palgrave Macmillan, London.
Taylor, T., Doherty, A., & McGraw, P. (2015). Managing people in sports organizations: A strategic human resource management perspective. Routledge.
Westpac Group. (2018). Westpac Group’s Principles for Doing Business. Australia: Westpac Group.
Wolf, C., & Floyd, S. W. (2017). Strategic planning research: Toward a theory-driven agenda. Journal of Management, 43(6), 1754-1788.
Order an Essay Now & Get These Features For Free:
Turnitin Report
Formatting
Title Page
Citation
Outline
