Challenges and Future of HR Function - Omnicom Media Group - Case Study Example

Challenges and Future of HR Function Name: Institution: Challenges and Future of HR Function Abstract Omnicom Media group operates as a leading data and analytics company through OMD Worldwide and PHD Networks. The company also operates as specialist organizations in areas such as digital trading platform, content collection group and as a direct response agency. The HR department in this organization plays the policing role considering that it ensure that all employees understand their professional codes of conduct and they act accordingly. These activities are often meant to ensure that the employees maintain a high level of performance according to their levels of expertise. It is important for the HR to ensure that its functions its actions are parallel to the desires of the employees and the needs of the dynamic organization. Key words: human resource, Omnicom, employee, training, management Table of Contents Abstract 2 Table of Contents 4 Introduction 5 Section I 5 Objectives of the report 7 Section II 8 HR department organizational chart 8 Mission of the HR department 8 The roles of HR in the process of realizing its mission include 8 Current HR policies at Omnicom Media Group 9 Objectives of HR 10 Initiatives of HR 10 Section III 11 Alignment of HR practices and company strategy 11 Possible evolution of HR functions within Omnicom Group Media 12 Conclusion 13 References 15 Introduction Omnicom Media Group is a leading company in the communication sector in UAE and in other countries on the international platform. The HR department of this organization plays the role of addressing matter related to the wellbeing of the employees. In addition, this department is also concerned with the advocacy of the interests of employees in relation to the development and implementation of organizational strategies. The main objective of this paper is to conduct an assessment on the challenges and future prospects of the HR in the management of the operation of the organization. Section I In the United Arab Emirates (UAE) HR functions as a strategic partner in organizational management considered its essential in handling matters related to the welfare of employees. It is important to note within different organizations in UAE the culture of HR is evolving to include the responsibility of addressing matters related to the development of organizational strategy (Gralpois, 2010). This is subject to the laws defining organizations. This is based on the assumption that frequent interaction with employees helps HR in understanding their strengths and weaknesses in the realization of organizational goals (Omnicom, 2012). Omnicom Media Group is a leading company in the field of advertisement, marketing and corporate communication. The company operates in more than 100 countries and it has the capacity to drive leadership and innovation in every media platform (Pringle & Marshall, 2012). One way through which the company maintains its position within UAE and on the global platform is through attracting highly skilled and talented employees to enable the maximization of market leverage for the company’s clients. It is important to note that as a multinational Corporation, the operations of the company in different countries are highly dependent on the type of service that is in demand. For example, Omnicom Media group operates as a leading data and analytics company through OMD Worldwide and PHD Networks. The company also operates as specialist organizations in areas such as digital trading platform, content collection group and as a direct response agency (Pringle & Marshall, 2012). The human resource (HR) department in Omnicom Media Group is headed by a human resource manage who is an expert in matters of HR. the management has the responsibility of overseeing all matters that affect the wellbeing of the employees in relation to the execution of their responsibilities (Gralpois, 2010). The HR manager is responsible to the managing director of the company. The HR manager also sits in the strategic planning and development meetings as a representative of the interest of the employees. The department has HR assistants whose role is to provide the necessary assist the management in addressing issues related to employee wellbeing (Omnicom, 2012). The major role of the HR at Omnicom Media Group is to recruit, orient, train and organize employees within the company to execute their responsibilities. There are additional roles which include the establishment of suitable policies and procedures for compensating employees (Omnicom, 2012). The HR also ensures that the employees are provided with a suitable working environment in terms of safety and the availability of working materials. The HR department in this organization plays the policing role considering that it ensure that all employees understand their professional codes of conduct and they act accordingly. These activities are often meant to ensure that the employees maintain a high level of performance according to their levels of expertise. This is considered essential for the development of the organization and the career development among employees (Omnicom, 2013). Objectives of the report 1. Explore and engage in a critical evaluation of the functions of the HR in the UAE in the current economy 2. Develop and understanding of the theoretical approaches and concepts that are associated with the functions of the HR 3. Engage in the assessment of the functions of HR in ensuring that organizations realized their goals and objectives 4. Engage in proper identification and critical discussion of the main challenges tha affect the operation s of HR 5. Engage in an assessment of the evolution of HR functions in UAE 6. Assess the future of HR function in UAE in relation to improvements in technology and the complexity of organizations. Section II HR department organizational chart Mission of the HR department HR department at Omnicom Media Group exists for the provision of comprehensive and professional human resource services as a way of assisting the management of the organization. This is through the provision of a multi-functional team of experts who act in the capacity of internal HR consultants (Omnicom, 2006). The mission of the HR department is to provide excellent services and assist in the recruitment, retention, compensation, benefits, training to the employees at Omnicom Media group (Gralpois, 2010). The roles of HR in the process of realizing its mission include 1. The provision of educational opportunities for lifelong learning as a way of enhancing the personal and professional growth of employees. 2. Assists in the recruitment, retention and the development of a competent and diverse workforce that supports the mission, values and vision of Omnicom Media Group. 3. provide essential services to a differentiated group of employees 4. provide support to employees in making decisions that affect their wellbeing in the organization 5. abide by affirmative action hiring practices as a way of encouraging racial and ethnic diversity in the organization’s workforce 6. provide professional guidance to the management in the promotion, recruitment and retention of qualified employees 7. create and protect an environment that supports, develops and cares for the wellbeing of the employees in the organization Current HR policies at Omnicom Media Group The core policies of the HR at Omnicom Media Group are aimed at the provision of a strategic direction and the content for the policy statement. This is intended to also provide the necessary guidelines to human resource management practices in all sectors of the organization. 1. Omnicom Media group is supported by a professional body of employees tha has the knowledge , skills and the ability to realize current and future objectives 2. The HR department promotes a safe and healthy workplace with the aim of supporting the wellbeing of employees. 3. The employees at Omnicom Media Group understand their roles, how their job description contributes to the realization of organizational goals and is focused on the results. 4. Omnicom Media Group has a versatile workforce that can adapt to meet changing needs 5. Employees at Omnicom Media Group exhibit high standards of conduct in relation to the code of ethics. Objectives of HR 1. to help in the determination of employee training needs and creating and conducting training programs for the employees 2. To help in screening potential candidates and in the making of hiring decisions when filling open employment positions. This helps in the realization of the organization’s recruitment objectives 3. to ensure tha the company complies with the laws and regulations regarding equal employment opportunities and just wages 4. to implement programs that help employees in the realization of a work-life balance Initiatives of HR The HR department at Omnicom Media Group has introduced the education reimbursement program which endeavors to assist employees to develop and grow professionally. Through this program the organization provides to accomplish future roles within the organization and accomplish self-improvement (Gralpois, 2010). HR in the process of promoting employee relations within the organization has introduced the management conference which endeavors to ensure tha tall the managers across different departments attend regular meetings. This not only promotes cohesion but also acts a as a learning platform where employees share their experiences (Omnicom, 2013). The company through the HR has also introduced a tenure recognition program. This program endeavors to show that the employees are the greatest assets of the company and the importance of recognizing different individuals for their years of service to the organization. With the administration of the HR, the program recognizes fulltime employees by presenting them with gifts. This is considered as techniques of motivating senior employees to continue working for the organization while at the same time motivating junior employees on matters related to their future in the company (Omnicom, 2012). Section III Alignment of HR practices and company strategy Omnicom endeavors to boost its presence in the Middle East and in the larger Asian region. This requires the organization to improve in terms of capacity and ability to handle more responsibilities. This is in line with the objective of the HR department of the organization which has introduced training programs to enable the current group of employees to improve in terms of their ability to engage in more and relatively sophisticated responsibilities (Omnicom, 2013). In addition, the role of the HR is to advice the organization on the best techniques to apply in the process of hiring and promoting qualified employees. This is important in the realization of organizational strategy considering the role of qualified personnel (Gralpois, 2010). The organization also endeavors to improve in terms of capacity by being the leading media company in the world. This is only realizable through the development of a satisfied and well-motivated workforce. It is the responsibility of the HR to ensure that the wellbeing of the employees is made a subject of focus (Omnicom, 2012). Highly skilled personnel are considered as assets for the realization of the organizational strategy, failure to cater for their needs may generate to the loss of these employees considering that the communication field is relatively competitive and there is need by the competitors to hire qualified personnel. HR department at Omnicom Media Group has introduced packages and initiatives aimed at retaining senior personnel and attracting more experts to join the organization as their skills and knowledge are important for the realization of organizational strategy (Omnicom, 2013). Part of the organizational strategy of Omnicom Media group is to ensure the diversification of services. These services can only be realized through innovation within the organization. Innovation in the operations of the organization not only requires skills and knowledge but also talent. The HR department at Omnicom Media group in the process of recruiting new employees, it advices of the consideration of talent as an added value to job applicants. This is done with the objective of developing a pool of talented employees to drive innovation agenda in the organization (Omnicom, 2012). Possible evolution of HR functions within Omnicom Group Media The role of HR within the organization is in constant evolution considering the dynamic nature of the competitive market environment and the realization that the department of HR must play a more strategic role in the success of the organization. A major factor that must characterize future initiatives of Omnicom is the attraction and retention of talent. Failure to introduce such initiatives may lead the organization into dire consequences considering that the organization’s competitors may outwit them in strategic employment initiatives (Omnicom, 2012). The increasing level of competition on the local and global platform requires that the HR department must become more adaptable, resilient and focused on customer interest. These are considered essential for the success of the organization. These changes will require the HR to evolve and become a strategic partner, an advocate of employee interests and mentors of change within the organization. In addition, the HR will be required to perform its business driven function through an elaborate understanding of the organization’s strategic plan to facilitate its role in influencing key decisions and policies (Gralpois, 2010). Conclusion Omnicom Media Group is a leading company in the field of advertisement, marketing and corporate communication. The company operates in more than 100 countries and it has the capacity to drive leadership and innovation in every media platform. The organization also through the HR endeavors to improve in terms of capacity by being the leading media company in the world. This is only realizable through the development of a satisfied and well-motivated workforce. The role of HR within the organization is in constant evolution considering the dynamic nature of the competitive market environment and the realization that the department of HR must play a more strategic role in the success of the organization References Gralpois, B. (2010). Agency mania: Harnessing the madness of client/agency relationships for high-impact results. New York: SelectBooks, Inc. Omnicom. (2013). Omnicom Group Case Study. http://www.forescout.com/wp-content/media/FS_CS_OmniCom.pdf Omnicom. (2012). Annual Report 2012. http://files.omnicomgroup.com/ReportManagement/UploadedFiles/130101917408182500.pdf Omnicom. (2006). Omnicom Group: The Holding Company Breakthrough: Omnicom at 20 years. http://brandedcontent.adage.com/pdf/OmincomSection.pdf Pringle, H., & Marshall, J. (2012). Spending advertising money in the digital age: How to navigate the media flow. London: Kogan Page. Read More