Retaining Talents For Dynamic Business Environment

The Need for Retaining Talents

Discuss about the Retaining Talents for Dynamic Business Environment.

Apparently, human resource is a critical function in any organization obligated with enhancing success (Jing & Huang, 2005). It is a function that creates achievements through recruiting employees with relevant skills and influencing their determination and commitments (Armstrong, 2007). Currently, the dynamic business environment requires flexibility in the organizational strategic goals to align them with situational demands.  These technological advancements and the hostility of the external environment, therefore, requires the organization to heavily rely on the human resource management as well as strategic planning to hire talented, motivated and qualified individuals to work for the organization. Furthermore, people are trained and imparted with essential skills that align them with job requirements and organization culture (Eyre, 2007).  

However, this discussion has succinctly explored human resource management subject and narrowed down to the importance of recognition schemes as part of efforts of retaining employees in an organization. Additionally, the critiques, postulations, and presumptions discussed in the essay are based on Mc Donald’s, a famously known organization in Australia with best employee management practices. The reader should, therefore, prepare to get the deeper understanding of the role of human resource and its practices, particularly, employee retailing practices employed at Mc Donald’s.  Also, the essay will discuss some motivation theories that are appropriate in supporting the recognition schemes applied at Mc Donald’s. Finally, the discussion has contrasted the human resources practices at Mc Donald’s with non- profit making organization, “Spastic” to gauge if the same practices can effectively work in a different business setup with antagonizing goals.

The revolution experienced in the labor markets and organizational demands obligates firms to execute a revamp in the administrative processes and human resource process. The Austrian labor markets have many graduates seeking employment to serve in various positions. The government, however, has streamlined the labor markets by enacting labor laws means to maintain sanity and transparency by employers. These laws are intended to ensure that discriminative policies are not practiced by employers and further, enhance fair compensation to workers. Among other metrics that have created the need for government involvement in employment and labor matters is to foster adherence to ethical requirements. Consequently, streamlining of all the mentioned factors promotes a good co-existence between the government, the employees, and the employers. Such healthy relationship can translate into improved performance in the organization through individuals’ commitments to designed responsibilities.

Retaining Talents at Mc Donald’s

Perhaps, most firms find it cumbersome to retain its hardworking employees. The hardness is posed by the close rivals who entice innovative, talented and hardworking employees with attractive reward systems (Chugh & Bhatnagar, 2006). Mc Donald’s indeed is a firm recognized just because of the pretty human resources practices aimed to influence employee commitments and retain future leaders positively. It is paramount to note that future leaders require coaching, training, mentorship and a solidly build a culture that every individual should comprehend from the beginning. Mc Donald’s is well known to nature talents through various schemes that have resulted in a stellar performance. A clear understanding of the organization strategic aims, its capabilities, and environmental imperatives gives the human resource and strategic management team an insight of the expected measures to pursue (Chhabra & Mishra, 2008).

Mc Donald’s restaurant has enacted different techniques to promote employee retention. Just to mention, the top management is outputs of the retention programs utilized by the organization. They gained intense experience out of the current culture that still exists. It thus implies that they are also wizards in maintaining the culture and even establishing latest measures to make the system more appropriate. Mc Donald’s program exposes employees to various practices. For instance, focusing on workers through training of frontline crew, succession planning and employee recognition for good results has significantly helped.  Notably, the transparency in the recruitment process ensures that the right people join the organization. The hiring of young individuals and exposing them to various training programs imparts in them knowledge and skills that are destined to achieve organizational purposes. However, fixing employees issues is a long process that needs a well established workable system that only changes to incorporate the new requirements brought by technological, economic and legal environment changes (Rasins et al., 2007).

Unlike the public sector where the directors and management devalue the need for employee retention, training, and development programs are limited. The performance management practices are limited, and people work the way they want. Contrary to profit making institutions like Mc Donald’s where all the constructive deeds of the employees are distinctively recognized. The monetary rewards schemes motivate employees to work harder to receive more benefits and recognition. The important point to note from the recognition scheme at Mc Donald’s succeeded because of the implantation of the culture in young and talented individuals with determination to excel in managerial positions. Since the culture transfer starts the time, one is recruited to join Mc Donald’s community. It is fantastic that the unique reward system adopted by Mc Donald’s succinctly informs the employees about the organization expectation and usually stresses on productivity, better runs operations, quality, customer satisfaction and culture maintenance (Smithers & Walker, 2000).

Motivation Theories to Support Retention Schemes

 The success of this reward system depends on a certain motivational strategy (Lo & Lamm, 2005). Sometimes, people can be exposed to different training program and culture, but resistance can be portrayed due to some factors like curiosity and complexity of human nature (Allen & Helms, 2002). Mc Donald’s can rely on different motivational theories to enhance the success of the recognition scheme.  First and foremost, there are signs for the applicability of Maslow needs theory. This theory entirely recognizes different categories of needs that if catered for by the management, the worker’s efforts and determination in achieving better results are enhanced (Cianci and Gambrel, 2003). These motivational needs arranged in a hierarchy whereby the satisfaction of one gives birth to the other. They are aligned as follows; self-actualization, esteem, belongingness, safety and physiological needs. With this arrangement, the lower needs require a great consideration and should be satisfied first then afterward, the other need arises. At the work setup, employees are usually provided with the base salary that forms the bulk of physiological needs. Then safety follows. Most companies usually ensure that workers are adequately protected from physical harm, and the security further extends to job security as well as health insurance. Also, employees value to belong in either one of the organization group dynamics. One feels recognized to be attached to team, department, clients, subordinates or supervisors. It is apparent that entrusting someone to fulfill a certain responsibility or lead a team can positively impact on the morale. Notably, these three motivational needs are provided by most organizations because they fall at the basic level.

 It is impractical to find a company that caters to self-actualization and esteem needs before belongingness, esteem, safety and physiological needs. Being crowned the best on matters regarding employee practices means all human practices in the organization must be perfect (Cameron & Quinn, 2005).  At Mc Donald’s, the employees’ achievements are recognized in various ways. For instance, high status is accorded to others based on the results and others entrusted with key responsibilities that end up building individuals confidence. Similarly, the company has moved up to the further steps of ensuring self-actualization needs are accorded to individuals. For Mc Donald’s, employees are taken through different training, development, growth and creativity programs meant to align with current job requirements and technological needs (Kamalian et al., 2010). Indeed, the management of Mc Donald’s can significantly apply Maslow theory of motivation to ensure appropriate employee reward system is established (Cianci and Gambrel, 2003).  

Contrasting Employee Retention Practices at Mc Donald’s with Non-Profit Making Organizations

Also, the cognitive evaluation theory can superbly work at Mc Donald’s. This theory simply postulates that intrinsic and extrinsic motivation can be applied in various proportions to enhance the realization of the firm objectives. Some individuals tend to work hard just to achieve success, others love responsibility, and others value competence (Steers et al., 2004). The work culture and Conducive environment created at Mc Donald’s substantially supports intrinsic motivation. It is thus up to the management to identify such employees who value these factors and accords them the mandate to execute their roles (Isaac et al., 2001).  

However, such scheme can efficiently work if performance management processes are established to monitor results so that a slight deviation can timely be detected and be handled before impacting on the outputs (Datta et al., 2005). Also, extrinsic motivation involves promotions, pay increase, good working conditions and others. The use of extrinsic motivation has received some criticism because of their negative impacts on intrinsic motivations. But the truth of the matter, however, is that the current society needs financial empowerment people to meet daily demands whose prices keep fluctuating due to economic influences like inflation. On the same note, young individuals are greed and dream for initiatives that can make them rich within a short period. In this regard, extrinsic motivation can be appropriate for the young individuals employed by Mc Donald’s. However, the application of extrinsic motivation is criticized and justification given. I have suggested that the young and talented individuals should be motivated by some sorts of monetary benefit to enhance their morale. Doing this can cultivate a bad culture in the staff and individuals determination will base on the reward scheme associated with the achievements. Therefore, the final stance concerning the applicability of cognitive evaluation theory is based on the enacted policies that reflect the criteria to base in selecting those who qualify. But it should not be part of the culture since employees can relax and reduce their commitments if the benefits are reduced.

Besides, the management practices and cultural preservations between profit making and not-for profit making organizations significantly differ. If one talks about a profit making enterprise, the first thing to ring the mind is competitive advantage. It thus implies that profit making organization and for this case, the strategies applied at Mac Donald’s to retain the customers and retain employees are totally different. The justification for the difference is because of the difference in goals. Being a profit making company, one has to apply all management techniques to ensure profits are earned. As a matter of fact, the human resources approach applied at Mc Donald’s cannot be that appropriate if used in a not for profit making organization (Spastic center). Here is where employees are motivated by monetary rewards, recognition, promotions and other for their commitments in enhancing the achievement of organization short and long term objectives (Frank et al., 2004). The rewards system is also meant for quality and efficiency and maintenance of the organizational competitive edge (Schroeder, 2012). This system however, intends to get results from workers rather than pleasing them.

It is contrary to the Spastic center where such organization runs for a specific agenda and the existence depends on the availability of donors and project duration. Also, the time allocated for the period doesn’t give the human resources time to experiment with various rewards systems. It is apparent that employee performance is not debatable and once appointed one has to execute roles failure to which dismissal is inevitable. People tend to stick on the salary bracket and benefits highlighted in the appointment letters and results are always uniform and are based on the annual projections. Simply, the difference in human resource practices and organizations purposes justifies non-application of a joint employee motivation structure between profit-oriented institutions and non-profits making organizations (Guest, 2011). Therefore, rewards are limited in not for profit-making organization since the employees has only time to examine the effective ways to implement the project. The funds available is majorly planned to meet projects costs rather than motivating employees.

However, one should not quote me wrong and conclude that the human resource managers for the not for profit making organizations are or should be exposed to a different training because the management practices applied in such organizations is different with profit making enterprises. No! It is not like that. The differences are just to create efficiencies in the not for profit making organizations to win the confidence of the donors and keep the project going. The training for human resource managers is the same. Naturally, we expect the human resource and performance management practices to vary in the two sectors because they have parallel objectives and the sources of funds in not associated with the determination of the employees.

Conclusion

In conclusion, the human resources practices are essential in ensuring an organization timely achieves its goals. Some include employee motivation and rewards systems that are established to influence employee work behavior in different ways.  It is clear that the reward and motivation systems applied in the profit making organization differ with those used in not for profit making organization. The reason to substantiate this postulation is the differences in the organization purposes and sources of funds between the profits and not for profit making organizations. In addition, inculcating a culture in the employees’ at the moment they join the organization enhances preservation, and if such employees are developed through training, empowerment and other programs reduce cases of resistance and staff can be willing to support positive change just to increase the inputs.

The realization of the fundamentality of human resource management in the modern business setup has redefined most processes and aligned them with strategic objectives. Most importantly, qualified employees have been hired and have been assisted to comprehend their role in propelling the organization towards successfully. It is quite clear that motivation is a vital subject that significantly influences employee productivity. It is through this analysis that the importance of establishing unique organization culture and practices and inculcating them to employees from the time they join the organization. The human resource management schemes sometimes vary in applicability between profit and non-profit making organizations as explained in the essay. Therefore, employee retaining practices applied at Mc Donald’s are reflections of the benefits organizations, and particularly profits making organizations can get if the workers contributions are valued. Lastly, the human resource ability to identify one reward system that aligns with organizations’ objectives creates conducive environment for the implementation. Most importantly, retaining talents is the only way to keep an organization competitively fit for a long period.

References

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