Impacts of environmental factor on HR planning, job design, and quality of work practices
Australian retail industry is focussed on maintaining momentum by social and economic developments. Major factors that impact the growth of retail industry in Australia includes increased economic growth and increasing purchasing power (Armstrong & Taylor, 2014). The growth in the Australian retail industry is influenced by certain changes in the market trends, progress, challenges and technologies in use. The HR practices in Australian retail industry is focussed on transformation of a major part of the sector within an organized setup and the HR practices serve as the catalysts for enabling any establishment to attain organizational objectives.
The objective of the paper is to analyse the ways in which an external environmental factor from “Environmental Influences Model” and analyse the ways in which a recent or proposed change in the factor. Moreover, the report will also analyse the ways in which change in the environmental factor has resulted in changes within HR planning, job design and work practices quality in the Australian retail industry. Moreover, being an HR practitioner a set of recommendations will also be provided to the top management based on which they can respond to changing environmental influences affecting provided HR practices.
Impacts of environmental factor on HR planning, job design and quality of work practices
The different changes in the retail sector of the Australian markets have affected the employee morale as per the Fair Work Commission (Galpin, Whitttington & Bell, 2015). The retail industry is planning to bring forth changes in the cultural of the same in order to enhance the profitability of the same. However, the modifications in the cultural aspects that are undertaken by the industry have altered the HR planning, job design and quality of work practices. Culture plays a major role in maintaining the smooth functioning of the organization as per the objectives of sustainability of the same (Ravella, 2014).
The technological innovations and the enhanced competition in the global markets impacted on the growth of the retail sectors. Therefore, the industry is bringing forth different changes in the cultural affluences in order to enhance the sustenance options while operating in diverse global economies (Jackson, Schuler & Jiang, 2014).
The retail industry is moving towards automation of the different processes and thereby promotes a competitive culture in the workforce in order to enhance the productivity of the same. On the other hand, the induction of competitive culture in the workforce has affected the collaborative functioning of the workforce, which has affected the growth of the retail sectors in the nation. However, the automation of the different practices in the retail industry has drastically brought about changes in the HR planning, job design and the work quality (Brewster, 2017).
The automation of the different processes has helped the retail industry in enhancing the operations of the same. On the other hand, the induction of competitive workplace culture has affected the quality of work and employee retention initiatives of the sector. Implementation of the automation resulted to maximization of the turnover rates in the retail sectors. Shao, Feng and Liu (2012) stated that the workplace culture plays a vivid role in maintaining the efficacy of the operations that are planned by the management in the retail sectors. However, the technological changes in the global markets have forced the companies in the retail sector to induce competitions in the workforce for the enhanced profitability of the same.
Recommendations for top management
On the other hand, the induction of the technological innovations in the retail sector has brought about changes in the job design and the processes that are framed by the retail organizations. The development of the retail sector is dependent on the efficacy of the technological changes that are planned by the business (de Menezes, 2012). The implementation of the automated technologies in the retail sectors has brought about significant modifications in the organizational processes. However, the Corporate Social Responsibility (CSR) of the retail industry has suffered through the induction of different technologies, as it affected the interests of the relevant stakeholders.
Lee, Lee and Kang (2012) stated that the HR planning initiatives and the design of the job roles are undertaken by the management through an evaluation of the changes in the sector. However, the cultural changes in the industry bring about significant modifications in the workforce operations. Chow (2012) stated in a research that more than 57% of the employees are affected through the changing culture in the retail industry. It has been reported that the rate of employee turnover in the retail industry in Australia has grown by 0.29% through the induction of the different technological changes (Jiang et al., 2012).
The changes in the cultural aspects of the retail industry have affected the quality of work. The smooth functioning of the workforce is based on the element of trust and mutual growth perspectives, which is supported through the collaborative functioning of the employees with the management. Frequent resistances to the technological changes that are planned by the retail industry have affected the smooth functioning of the business units. Posthuma et al. (2013) stated that the key changes that are encountered by the retail industry have affected the smooth functioning of the workforce as per the objectives of the business. The modifications in the design of the operations and processes have induced confusion that affected the workflow.
Employee resistance Impact on HR planning, job design and work practices- On implementation of billing automation technology in retail industry of Australia, employee resistance taking place as a result is intended to impact the HR planning, job design and work practices in the retail sector. Through analysing the issues faced by the employees in operating the automated billing system, the HR planning of the company will involve implementing the change in several steps. The HR planning steps in such scenario will include preparing for the change, taking actions on the change and making plans for managing the change to support employee performance.
Job design or structural changes in the company is also impacted from employee resistance to the technology change in Australian retail sector. Based on the employee behaviour towards change, job design will be developed in a manner that can offer employees with team development and special development activities with new team members before implementing proposed changes (Snell, Morris & Bohlander, 2015).
This is particularly in a scenario where billing automation technology implementation will lead to employees changing departments or teams. Moreover, work practices are also impacted in case employees resist change as observed in case of automated billing systems implementation in Australian retail sector. Work practices are affected as employees in such scenario tend to delay their job responsibilities and might deliver poor performance against their respective job roles.
Conclusion
Recommendations
As the automaton technologies come into play, there will be a huge threat of men losing their jobs. This is mainly because of the fact that robots will be much faster and efficient in their work. There is a chance that the employees which are actually appointed for this work might feel that they will have to thrive for their survival. They will be losing their jobs. It is for this reason that the organizations must make sure tom find out some alternative job opportunities for their employees. They have to develop special skills training sessions like creativity, people management, negotiation, emotional intelligence. The employees are one of the most important essential internal environmental factors of the industry. Thus, it is the duty of the organization to make sure that they are trying their level best to deal with this problem.
HR planning
- The department has to arrange for many training sessions that will help the employees to learn the new skills. The employees have to be made sure that they are still valued within then organization. They have to be given proper training so that they can carry in with their jobs even in future. The communication system has to be developed so that the employees can be made assured about their job security.
- The employees have to be taught several new skills that will help them to find new and alternative jobs in future. They have to make sure that the employees are being able to find new jobs. They must also be able to grasp many new critical skills that will help them to manage the critical
Job design
- The job design will also change due to the arrival of the automaton technology in the billing of the retail industry. The job design will also change because the HR department needs to recruit new employees who are experts in handing the advanced technologies. This indeed is vey essential because the existing employees will surely not be much well developed on the art of using the automated technology.
- The HR department has to focus on then recruitment if the new employees who will be skilled in the handling of the advanced robotic and automated technologies. Apart from this, the existing employees will have to be given proper training s that they can easily match up with the changes. There are many job lines in the retail industry.
- The employees who used to manage the billing system manually can be given proper training and sent to the quality assurance department. They can be trained how to check the quality of the products before they are being stacked on the shelves. This will bring a variety in the job role and will also help the employees to get motivated and will not suffer from monotony.
Quality of work practices in your organization or an industry
- The organizational culture will be affected as the employees will get demotivated. The emergence of the automatons means that the employees will be suffering from the fear of losing their jobs. This might make the employees feel very discouraged. This will also make the employees idle and they will stop giving their output. This will have a negative impact on the overall output of the organization. In order to solve this HR department of the retail industry will have to establish many new job responsibilities. Apart from this, the older employees will have to be given a proper pays ale so that they can be able to survive properly.
- The older or the aged employees will be in a fear that they will not be able to find any suitable job roles after the arrival of the automaton. As a result of this the HR department must introduce many new job roles for these employees. The HR department must also start introducing many new and alternative job roles so that the employees can find good jobs for themselves. The emergence of the new forms of technology must be used or the overall development of the organization. However at the same time it is the duty of the retail industries to make sure that they are able to establish new alternative job roles for these employees.
- Implementing a better framework that puts high value on the employee interestwill be initiated in order to retain uninterrupted goods and service quality in business. Moreover, it can be stated that the process of implementing high value on the interests of the employees will foster good moral for the organization and helps to build a sustainable business for future.
- In addition to this, briefing the change with the entire work forceis also an important aspect on which the organization must cast its concern. Based on this, it can be stated that the primary purpose of the company is to increase its profitability by implementing automation in the working process. Therefore, incorporating the entire workforce into the change is also required to fulfil the purpose of the retail company.
- Furthermore, it can be argued that keeping an eye on the workplace cultureis also required in order to deal with the change in the organizational process. In this regard, it can be stated that the main objective of the company is to enhance the quality of services. Therefore, workplace culture will play a significant part in course of making the situation friendly and relevant enough.
- Putting an in-depth understanding on the mechanism and efficacy of the newly implemented automation system is highly required in order to maintain and continue the flow of supply and services. Therefore, training will be effective enough to highlight every aspects of the automation system so that in future the employees can handle it swiftly and maintain effectively.
- As intense competitiveness is a key feature in the Australian retail sector. Therefore, emphasizing the entire mechanism process of changeis important for the retail organization. In this context, the company can rely on the third party intervention to advise them about the way to make this new change an advantageous factor. On the other hand, the company can build up the understanding inside by envisaging the future scope of the new change.
- As a matter of fact, recruiting new people who have previous knowledge and experience on the newly implemented mechanismcan be fertile for the organization because the company can exploit that experience and step forward to maximize the profit and quality of the services. In this context, it can be asserted that the HR policy and job description has to be changed in accordance with the changing situation and more specific and accurate job details can mitigate the problem as soon as possible.
- Moreover, the job insecurity of the employees due to implement the automation process has to be curb down because it is detrimental for achieving the goals of the company. An induction process and verbal communication with the employees can eradicate this crisis situation.
Conclusion
The report will also analyse the ways in which change in the environmental factor has resulted in changes within HR planning, job design and work practices quality in the Australian retail industry. Moreover, being an HR practitioner a set of recommendations will also be provided to the top management based on which they can respond to changing environmental influences affecting provided HR practices. It was gathered from the report that the automation of the different processes has helped the retail industry in enhancing the operations of the same. On the other hand, the induction of competitive workplace culture has affected the quality of work and employee retention initiatives of the sector. Implementation of the automation resulted to maximization of the turnover rates in the retail sectors.
The workplace culture plays a vivid role in maintaining the efficacy of the operations that are planned by the management in the retail sectors. However, the technological changes in the global markets have forced the companies in the retail sector to induce competitions in the workforce for the enhanced profitability of the same. HR planning initiatives and the design of the job roles are undertaken by the management through an evaluation of the changes in the sector. However, the cultural changes in the industry bring about significant modifications in the workforce operations.
References
Armstrong, M., & Taylor, S. (2014). Armstrong’s handbook of human resource management practice. Kogan Page Publishers.
Brewster, C. (2017). The integration of human resource management and corporate strategy. In Policy and practice in European human resource management (pp. 22-35). Routledge.
Chow, I. H. S. (2012). The roles of implementation and organizational culture in the HR–performance link. The International Journal of Human Resource Management, 23(15), 3114-3132.
de Menezes, L. M. (2012). Job satisfaction and quality management: an empirical analysis. International Journal of Operations & Production Management, 32(3), 308-328.
Galpin, T., Whitttington, J. L., & Bell, G. (2015). Is your sustainability strategy sustainable? Creating a culture of sustainability. Corporate Governance, 15(1), 1-17.
Jackson, S. E., Schuler, R. S., & Jiang, K. (2014). An aspirational framework for strategic human resource management. The Academy of Management Annals, 8(1), 1-56.
Jiang, K., Lepak, D. P., Hu, J., & Baer, J. C. (2012). How does human resource management influence organizational outcomes? A meta-analytic investigation of mediating mechanisms. Academy of management Journal, 55(6), 1264-1294.
Lee, S. M., Lee, D., & Kang, C. Y. (2012). The impact of high-performance work systems in the health-care industry: employee reactions, service quality, customer satisfaction, and customer loyalty. The Service Industries Journal, 32(1), 17-36.
Posthuma, R. A., Campion, M. C., Masimova, M., & Campion, M. A. (2013). A high performance work practices taxonomy: Integrating the literature and directing future research. Journal of Management, 39(5), 1184-1220.
Ravella, R. P. (2014). Exploring Enterprise Modeling and Leadership with Automata Theory and Cellular Automata. Northcentral University.
Shao, Z., Feng, Y., & Liu, L. (2012). The mediating effect of organizational culture and knowledge sharing on transformational leadership and Enterprise Resource Planning systems success: An empirical study in China. Computers in Human Behavior, 28(6), 2400-2413.
Snell, S., Morris, S., & Bohlander, G. W. (2015). Managing human resources. Nelson Education.
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