Importance of HRM business proposals
Human Resources business proposals are significantly important in clarifying a particular business’ position and decision-making procedures regarding the human resources division. The human resources division of a business is responsible for managing and looking after the welfare of employees of an organisation. It is a fact that the human resources division of an organisation is the backbone of an organisation. A strengthened relationship between the HRM division and the other departments of an organisation is essential in order to ensure the smooth functioning of an organisation. Employee management is one of the cores and most important responsibilities of the HRM department of an organisation. Employee engagement can be strengthened through implementing various strategies. Increased employee engagement is also beneficial for the organisation in terms of gaining competitive advantages in the market and the company’s performance enhancement.
The following report will present an HRM business proposal for the organisation Vodafone. The report will mainly focus on employee engagement and discuss the strategies fit for the company’s developmental goals in terms of human resources. The report will also assess the theories and discuss best practices of employee engagement and communication strategies. The current report will also provide a section of recommendations for the organisation.
Vodafone is the first company to launch cellular network services in the UK. The company launched its first network in 1985. Soon after its first network launch, in 1987, the company was recognised as the largest cellular network provider in the world (Vodafone 2022). In 1997, the company went global in terms of its operational expansion. Since then, Vodafone has achieved commendable heights in terms of business growth and other areas like corporate social responsibility. Vodafone contributes to the vast and fast-growing telecommunications industry in the UK.
A clear statement of the employee engagement strategies is the essential part of an HRM business proposal. Building a work environment that encourages employees to increase their engagement in the workplace and also fosters a feeling of recognition and value among the employees is very important for the overall growth of the organisation (McManus and Mosca 2015). In the case of an organisation that operates on such a large scale, such as Vodafone, the organisation needs a clear and sound statement of the strategies for employee engagement. The first employee engagement strategy is that the company plans on conducting regular surveys to evaluate levels of employee engagement. Disengagement of employees increase overtime to cope with that particular issue, and surveys have been proven beneficial. The second employee engagement strategy that will be implemented is forming an employee engagement committee within the HR department. Proper representation of the needs of the employees is essential to properly assess the engagement levels of the employees. The third strategy is dedicatedly related to the engagement of remote employees. Keeping the remote employees engaged is a huge challenge, especially in the current times; the pandemic has disrupted the workflow for organisations, engagement of remote employees has become a more challenging job. Fourthly, the company will try to incorporate more engaging activities for the employees. Engaging activities at the workplace can positively benefit in developing cooperative work values among the employees. Workplace activities and an environment that fosters just and fair treatment of all employees is very important in terms of increasing employee engagement in any organisation (Sharma and Kumra 2020). The organisation intends in building a just and fair work environment that fosters every employee’s personal as well as professional growth. Personal and professional growth both play significantly important roles in employee engagement which in turn helps in organisational growth in terms of both financial and competitive performance in the market.
Overview of Vodafone
Employee engagement with regard to an organisational setup can be understood through the close study of several theories and employee engagement models. Employee engagement models can be described as the blueprints of building a workplace that properly understands and supports the growth of every employee to reach better productivity and profitability. Models of employee engagement mainly are inspired by organisational psychology and also focus on the building of a system in an organisation that improves employee engagement (Shrotryia and Dhanda 2019). One of the most popular employee engagement models is the Zinger Model. The model emphasises the needs of the employees from the ground to the top and also focuses on the roles and responsibilities of the managers and leaders of an organisation. The Zinger model essentially puts 10 actions in the form of a pyramid for the actions to be taken in order to understand the needs of the employees (Hussainy 2020). The model was proposed by David Zinger, and many successful organisations around the world have benefited from the utilisation of the Zinger model of employee engagement. The Zinger model of employee engagement is based on the order of needs of the employees in a workplace. The pyramid of needs is built in ascending order of the needs. While the bottom layer of the pyramid denotes the basic needs such as physical and mental well-being, the topmost layer denotes the achievement of the targeted results. The second and another important model of employee engagement is the Deloitte Model of employee engagement. The Deloitte model puts an increased emphasis on building an organisational culture that fosters an increased level of engagement. The model also focuses on organisations building a culture where employees have an increased sense of both respects as well as a challenge (Jha et al. 2019). Deloitte model proposes five essential elements of building better employee engagement, which is as follows- meaningful work, hands-on management, positive work environment, the opportunity for growth and trustworthy leadership. The most popular theory of employee engagement is the theory propounded by psychologist William Kahn. Kahn’s theory of employee engagement is based on three dimensions, cognitive, emotional and physical. Kahn’s theory of employee engagement has revolutionised the field of employee engagement in many ways (Hu et al. 2018). The psychological analysis implemented through the theory has immensely helped organisations around the world in strategising their respective employee engagement plans. The theory helps managers as well as workers in fostering a culture of better understanding of each other which in turn helps organisations in increasing employee retainment and productivity (Jenkins and Hook 2019).
Every employee engagement strategy has its advantage and disadvantages. The organisations build their employee engagement strategies considering the specificities of their work environment as well as the particular needs of the employees. To be specific, in the context of a multinational organisation like Vodafone, increasing activities to engage employees in the workplace would be a little difficult, considering the size of operations of the company. The company’s operations are huge in size and also spread across several continents. Building a strategy of engagement through an activity that fits for all is a huge endeavour. Tailor-made surveys can be particularly beneficial for Vodafone, considering its huge number of employees who are from different social backgrounds. Surveys can be tailor-made according to the specific needs of the employees working in a particular region. Tailor-made surveys also help managers and leaders of the organisation in locating any particular issues in employee management and also address the issues faster (Battour et al. 2021).
Employee engagement strategies for Vodafone
Effective communication is an essential part of the human resources management of an organisation. Three phases of communication assume important roles in human resources management. Pre-acquisition communication is the first phase of communication. This phase is important in terms of acquiring the fitting talents for the organisation. In the next phase, training attention to the overall well-being of the employees assume importance, and in the third and last phase comes the communication regarding retention. Successful talent retention is hugely dependent upon effective and open communication among the hierarchy of the company. (Mazzei et al. 2019). Communication strategies assume greater importance in relation to building a better image of the organisation in terms of human resources management. The communication strategy of the human resource division plays a huge role in communicating the business and operational goals of the organisation to the existing and prospective employees of an organisation. In terms of its communication approach, Vodafone intends to increase face-to-face communication wherever possible. Increased face-to-face communication between the HRM professionals and the workers have been proved to improve employee management.
The company also plans to increase feedback from the employees on a regular basis to help managers understand the needs of the workers better. Proper and effective communication is essential also to convey the company’s business goals to all the employees. Especially in the case of an organisation like Vodafone that operates globally, the needs for effective communication with remote employees assume greater importance. Open communication is a key element of achieving greater goals in terms of employee management. The example of Rolls Royce can be mentioned here. The company engages with its employees on a regular basis through employee management portals. Feedback system effectively increases productivity of the managers and leaders in terms of shortening the time for identification of issues in employee management.
The main purpose of employee benefits is to increase attention, motivation and job satisfaction among employees of an organisation. Looking after the benefits of both the employer and the employees is one of the most important tasks of the human resources division of an organisation. Employee benefits mainly include paid leaves, insurance and other benefits apart from the salary for the job role that the employee is assigned to. The main goal of employee benefits is to strengthen the relationship between the employer and the employee. Additional benefits apart from the salary have immensely significant benefits in employee management. Benefits such as health insurance and travel allowance have proved to increase loyalty among employees. Additional benefits also help in increasing productivity among employees (Jaworski et al. 2018). It is a proven fact that when employers pay minute attention to the needs of the employees and design the employee benefits accordingly, employees’ sense of recognition and security increases. That, in turn, helps in reaching a higher level of employee retention rate in an organisation. The additional benefits not only help in increasing the attention and motivation of the employees but also help the employers indirectly. Increased employee motivation and increased involvement of the employees helps the employer significantly. Increased involvement of the employees also helps in the brand building of an organisation in terms of future talent acquisition. The work environment that fosters flexibility, creativity and openness attract talents useful for the organisation (Parent and Lovelace 2018). In terms of employee benefits, Vodafone has been attentive always. Vodafone at present intends to increase the coverage of insurance for the employees. Vodafone intends to upscale its compensation packages for the employees. Keeping in mind the importance of the physical and mental well-being of the employees during the global pandemic situation, Vodafone has decided to add mental health monitoring programs to the company’s employee benefits (Jenkins and Sherman 2020).
Employee engagement models
Problem-solving is an essential part of the human resources department of an organisation. Effective problem solving helps all the employees of the organisation in identifying evaluating solving any issues in the operations. Organisations, irrespective of their size of operations, should have a well-planned problem-solving strategy in place. Proper strategies can significantly help organisations in effective solutions to any issues that may arise within the organisation. Representation methods are also an equally important part of an organisation. Every employee should be properly represented to increase participation and involvement among employees. Employee representation is also important in terms of upholding the rights of the employees (Judkins 2020). Proper representation will help Vodafone in increasing employee engagement in terms of job-satisfaction and other factors like work-life balance among employees. In terms of theoretical aspects of problem-solving in human resources management, there are theories that substantially add value to the practices of problem-solving in an organisational context. In relation to problem-solving, the theory x and theory y should be mentioned. The theory was propounded by the social psychologist Douglas McGregor in the 1960s. The theory consists of two contrasting theories which are based on the thought processes of managers regarding the behaviours of the employees. Theory X and theory Y respectively indicate two styles of employee management, which are- authoritarian and participatory (Prottas and Nummelin 2018). According to theory X, managers who believe that the employees are not motivated enough and have less job satisfaction will employ the authoritarian style of management.
On the other hand, the managers who identify their employees as motivated and engaged are more inclined towards implementing the participatory method of management. At Vodafone, the company has all along maintained and also plans on abiding by the participatory method of problem-solving. The method significantly helps in increasing participation and involvement among the employees. This method was chosen for problem-solving also helps in recognising problems quickly and addressing them. Participatory method of problem-solving is particularly beneficial in increasing a sense of trust among the employees which in turn helps the company in increasing employee retention rate.
Fostering an organisational culture that encourages employees to voice their opinions is very important to ensure the growth and development of employees as well as the business (Xenikou 2022). Representation methods assume greater importance in this. Representation of employees through union and other methods are significantly important in ensuring the smooth running of a business. Post-acquisition talent management plays an immensely important role in building the work environment where every employee’s voice is heard alike (Wilkinson et al. 2018). Ensuring that employee voices are heard also plays a significant role in building a good liaison between the managers and the employees. Upward problem-solving include dedicated efforts from the leaders and the managers of the organisation (Subhakaran and Dyaram 2018).
Training and development are one of the major responsibilities of the human resource division of an organisation. Training not only helps employees in increasing their productivities through learning technical and other related knowledge but also helps organisations in establishing a clear goal of their organisational structures and needs. Developmental plans should be made in alignment with the needs of the organisation as well as the individual needs of the employees (Steil et al. 2020). Research shows that organisations that foster an environment of continuous learning reach an increased level of employee retention. In terms of training and development at Vodafone, the company aims to train the newly recruited employees for the purpose of their respective job roles and conduct educational and developmental seminars and sessions to build an organisational culture of better involvement. Better employee involvement can also be reached through regular educational training (Ford 2020). The company also intends to build an environment of continuous learning through regular professional developmental programs. Developmental plans will also be implemented on the basis of identifying specific interests of the employees. Identifying the specific interests of the employees and catering to their specific needs gives the employees an increased sense of recognition. Targeted developmental programs also help increase job satisfaction, which will help the company reach its business objectives faster and more smoothly. Implementing learning goals in alignment with the organisation’s goals is important (Antony 2018). However, giving the employees an opportunity to reach greater heights of knowledge is also important. For example, in Tesla, the employees receive training that helps them be better at their job roles, but the company has also introduced learning beyond the basic job roles. The training at Tesla includes self-paced learning, learning of theory, and having practical experience of that learned knowledge. Implementation of self-paced learning can be hugely beneficial for Vodafone. This will positively benefit the company in creating an environment of continuous learning in the company.
The Zinger Model of Employee Engagement
Training and development play a significantly important role in enhancing the understanding of the parts of the managers and employees of their respective roles and responsibilities (Manresa et al. 2018). The roles and responsibilities of the employees and managers, although different in some areas are alike in some too. Both managers and employees need to have a greater understanding of the goals and objectives of the organisation to be able to perform their job roles properly. In this respect, training and development assume greater importance (Englefield et al. 2019). It is important to mention here that training and development programs such as at Tesla hugely help even the managers to understand the requirements on their part to be able to effectively manage the employees. The leadership qualities among the managers should also be regularly trained through different programs. The employees receive active guidance from the managers and also depend on their guidance to perform at their peak productivity (Mohanty et al. 2019). The training of managers in employee management is essential. The proposed training and development plan at Vodafone will increase the capabilities of the workers and incite further inquisitiveness among them to increase productivity and innovation at the organisation.
Conclusion
In conclusion, it can be said that employee engagement plays a hugely significant role in the HRM business proposal of an organisation. To be specific about the importance of employee engagement, the understanding of theories and best practices by successful organisations assume greater importance. An organisation’s HRM proposal reflects its planning in relation to talent acquisition as well as problem-solving strategies. The HRM proposal also highlights the strategies related to effective organisational communication.
Regarding employee relationships and employee management, Vodafone has some areas that need improvement, and also there are some areas that are commendable. Regarding employee management and employee engagement, a few recommendations can be given.
- The company should introduce an integrated system of employee management through the use of AI.
- The company should introduce increased employee benefits in terms of mental health monitoring.
- The company should pay an increased level of attention to the enhancement of developmental programs for employees.
- Vodafone should revise its talent management strategy by incorporating professional development programs.
- The company should also include positive feedback and correctional systems in order to increase motivation among employees.
- Reward and recognition should be paid more attention to.
- The company should also implement psychometric tests to identify specific mindsets of the employees to gain a better understanding of the employees.
References
Antony, M.R., 2018. Paradigm shift in employee engagement–A critical analysis on the drivers of employee engagement. International Journal of Information, Business and Management, 10(2), pp.32-46.
Battour, M., Barahma, M. and Al-Awlaqi, M., 2021. The Relationship between HRM Strategies and Sustainable Competitive Advantage: Testing the Mediating Role of Strategic Agility. Sustainability, 13(9), p.5315.
Englefield, E., Black, S.A., Copsey, J.A. and Knight, A.T., 2019. Interpersonal competencies define effective conservation leadership. Biological conservation, 235, pp.18-26.
Ford, J.K., 2020. Learning in organisations: An evidence-based approach. Routledge.
Hu, X., Griffin, M., Yeo, G., Kanse, L., Hodkiewicz, M. and Parkes, K., 2018. A new look at compliance with work procedures: An engagement perspective. Safety science, 105, pp.46-54.
Hussainy, S.S., 2020. Review on Motivational Theories & Models: Its application for Employees’ Retention in Organisations. International Journal of Business and Applied Social Science, 6(1), pp.40-46.
Jaworski, C., Ravichandran, S., Karpinski, A.C. and Singh, S., 2018. The effects of training satisfaction, employee benefits, and incentives on part-time employees’ commitment. International Journal of Hospitality Management, 74, pp.1-12.
Jenkins, D. and Hook, C., 2019. Introducing Human Resource Management. 8th ed. Pearson.
Jenkins, K.R. and Sherman, B.W., 2020. Wellness program nonparticipation and its association with employee turnover. American Journal of Health Promotion, 34(5), pp.559-562.
Jha, N., Sareen, P. and Potnuru, R.K.G., 2019. Employee engagement for millennials: considering technology as an enabler. Development and learning in organisations: An international journal.
Judkins, D., 2020. Preceptor as Frontline Leader Utilizing Emotional Intelligence.
Manresa, A., Bikfalvi, A. and Simon, A., 2018. The use and determinants of training and development for creativity and innovation. International Journal of Innovation Management, 22(07), p.1850062.
Mazzei, A., Butera, A. and Quaratino, L., 2019. Employee communication for engaging workplaces. Journal of Business Strategy.
McManus, J. and Mosca, J., 2015. Strategies to build trust and improve employee engagement. International Journal of Management & Information Systems (IJMIS), 19(1), pp.37-42.
Mohanty, P.C., Dash, M., Dash, M. and Das, S., 2019. A study on factors influencing training effectiveness. Revista Espacios, 40, pp.7-15.
n.vodafone.ie. 2022 [online] Available at: https://n.vodafone.ie/aboutus/company/history.html#:~:text=Vodafone%20was%20chosen%20as%20the,to%20launch%20in%20the%20UK. [Accessed on 24th February 2022]
Parent, J.D. and Lovelace, K.J., 2018. Employee engagement, positive organisational culture and individual adaptability. On the Horizon.
Prottas, D.J. and Nummelin, M.R., 2018. Theory X/Y in the health care setting: Employee perceptions, attitudes, and behaviors. The health care manager, 37(2), pp.109-117.
Sharma, P.K. and Kumra, R., 2020. Relationship between workplace spirituality, organisational justice and mental health: mediation role of employee engagement. Journal of Advances in Management Research.
Shrotryia, V.K. and Dhanda, U., 2019. Measuring Employee Engagement: Perspectives from Literature. IUP Journal of Organizational Behavior, 18(3).
Steil, A.V., de Cuffa, D., Iwaya, G.H. and dos Santos Pacheco, R.C., 2020. Perceived learning opportunities, behavioral intentions and employee retention in technology organisations. Journal of Workplace Learning.
Subhakaran, S.E. and Dyaram, L., 2018. Individual disposition and manager behaviour on employee upward voice: mediating role of voice self-efficacy. International Journal of Organizational Analysis.
Wilkinson, A., Gollan, PJ, Kalfa, S. and Xu, Y., 2018. Voices unheard: employee voice in the new century. The International Journal of Human Resource Management, 29(5), pp.711-724.
Xenikou, A., 2022. Leadership and organisational culture. In Handbook of Research Methods for Organisational Culture. Edward Elgar Publishing.
Order an Essay Now & Get These Features For Free:
Turnitin Report
Formatting
Title Page
Citation
Outline
