Restructuring Marketing Unit, New Logistics and Supply Technology - Coursework Example

Human Resource Management Name: Course: Tutor: Date: Human Resource Management FROM: Director TO: Lucy DATE: March 8, 2011 TOPIC: Restructuring Marketing Unit Restructuring in an organization is necessary because it will improve on efficiency and effectiveness. As the head of the marketing unit, measures should be taken to analyze the situation if it needs to be restructured because it will lead to additional cost in the organization. There is no problem wit restructuring but all the stakeholders such as the board and senior management should approve (Burgess et al. 2003 p. 2). Restructuring is important because Sam has been having a lot of problem as the national marketing manager. I believe Sam has been facing many challenges because managing all the states has not been easy because performance in the marketing department has been poor. Restructuring will save the organization some costs and it will improve on efficiency and effectiveness (MacDougall & Pike 2004, p. 79). For Sam to lead Victoria, the Australian Capital Territory, New South Wales, and Queensland states will be manageable for him, as the new appointee will control the other states. Because Sam has experience in marketing, he will be able to guide the new marketing manager. Sam do not need to loose his seniority, the new marketing manager will be managing the marketing issues of other states and reporting to Sam to reduce too much workload on Sam due wider geographical coverage (Salazar et al. 2006, p. 2). Marketing is a crucial department in an organization. If the marketing department is not performing well, then the organization is doomed to fail. Marketing determines the volumes of sales, the number of customers in all target markets, and the profit margins (Stone 2010, 141). Your proposal has no problem but the cost that will be used at the initial stage need to be planned and budgeted for. Restructuring is a good idea and this will increase the organization’s competitive advantage in the market (Swanson 2009, P. 123). The responsibilities will have be redefined and separated so that Sam and the new marketer will not have problems in running their respective units. Duties and responsibilities between the two should be distinct for one to be accountable in order to avoid blame game. Restructuring will ensure market research and analysis is conducted and results are based on facts that can improve the performance of the organization (Burgess et al. 2003 p. 3). Organizational restructuring related to downsizing must fulfill workers health, safety, and well-being. The Australian regulators are keen on companies that restructure their operations because it wants to ensure workers are fired (Salazar et al. 2006, p. 4). The law allows restructuring but employees should not loose their jobs. Therefore, if restructuring is to be done in marketing department, then the rights of workers should be checked in order to avoid lawsuits from worker unions and employees themselves. The guiding principles in restructuring are to improve on service delivery, quality, effectiveness, and efficiency. As an organization, we have to set the modalities for restructuring so that it does not violate the regulations and laws of the country on restructuring process (MacDougall & Pike 2004, p. 87). FROM: Director TO: Wilf DATE: March 8, 2011 TOPIC: Introduction of new logistics and supply technology As the human resource (HR) director, the workforce in the company must be utilized efficiently and effectively. The introduction of the new chain logistics and supply chain technology will mean that the workers roles and duties will have to be adjusted. For some employees or workforce should be redeployed and other face redundancy; hence, the experience and qualifications should be a factor to consider (Salazar et al. 2006, p. 6). You have to look at the academic qualifications together with the work functions in the new logistics and supply chain technology. As the manager of your largest warehouse operations in Sydney, first list down the names and qualifications one need to posses and the number of workers needed (Burgess et al. 2003 p. 4). In the case where there are some employees with similar jobs and objectives, you have to identify them and then select those who are at risk of redundancy. The method should be fair by checking at the record of accomplishment and performance of the employees (Stone 2010, 141). Those who have been problematic, coming to work late, and their general performance low should be laid off or become redundant. As a manager, you need to have an objective measure when selecting these employees fairly in order to avoid biasness and favoritism (Swanson 2009, P. 127). The selection criteria you should apply is last in first out because this is the method adopted in this organization and it is recommended in Australia. However, if there are old people whom you think they are not delivering as expected, they should be the ones to be selected and replaced by the young energetic employees (MacDougall & Pike 2004, p. 89). However, there is still some debate on the discrimination legislation, the High Court ruled in a case involving Rolls Royce that, the last in first out is the best selection method. The judges said that, this should be a contractual benefit and a reward to the old workers for being loyal to the company. The older workers should be protected according to the High Court ruling because they may be left struggling to secure new jobs or other positions in companies following redundancy (Salazar et al. 2006, p. 9). For those who should be redeployed, you have to select twenty employees with same qualifications and choose the ten who meet the job description at the new logistics and supply chain technology then select them. It is advisable for you to select the most experienced ones so that they can lay a firm foundation in the new firm. It is only those who meet the job description that should be moved to the new company and those who may resist should be replaced with those selected to face redundancy (Burgess et al. 2003 p. 5). Unfair dismissal of employees is unacceptable because the Workplace Relations Act 1996 protect all employees. This should be grounded by evidence and facts and not ideology. The regular appraisal records should be analyzed to avoid unfairness when selecting those employees to face redundancy or dismissal (Stone 2010, 141). Any employee can be deployed to any new branch according to the human resource guiding principles on transfers and promotions. In Australia, the human resource department is governed by the Australian Workforce Agreement (AWAs) that determines the relationship between workers and the employers on how hiring, recruitment, promotions, demotions, firing, and deployment are done (MacDougall & Pike 2004, p. 98). As a manager therefore, you should follow the procedure to the later because employees expect justice and fairness in the whole procedure. You should avoid unfairness in redeployment and selection of redundant employees (Burgess et al. 2003 p. 6). FROM: Director TO: Louise DATE: March 8, 2011 TOPIC: Request for flexible working arrangements from Nola As the administrative manager, you need to mind your language and how to communicate with the employees. It is important to understand them by listening to their grievances. Though the job should be performed by a fulltime employee, there are some instances when an employee can be allowed to do the work at home depending on circumstances (Swanson 2009, P. 130). The accounts department is currently busy because the end of financial year is nearing. I do agree with you that, Nola should be at the work place as a fulltime employee due to the nature of work at the accounts department, but there are circumstances that we cannot control such as hers (MacDougall & Pike 2004, p. 111). The government HR policies say that, a parent with children with disabilities should be given time to take care of them. Nola can be allowed to work at home on condition that he will work extra hours on the three days he will be in office (Stone 2010, 142). This is to ensure no work is postponed to the next week. You should assign her some work she should complete by the end of the week so that she can plan on how to accomplish that task. Parental care is essential and it a government policy through the ministry of health that parents should spent time with their children especially those with special needs and when they are young. As an administrative manager, you should not deny her the chance to spend some time with her three-year deaf child because the child needs some special attention (Salazar et al. 2006, p. 12). Nola should be allowed to work at home for those two days but she has to accomplish her weekly work as usual. Bank reconciliation statements need to be accurate in order to avoid errors being made, which can be seen as fraud and lack of accountability in the use of funds. Nola accounts reconciliation statements should be verified by the senior accountant to confirm whether what she did was accurate or not (Burgess et al. 2003 p. 7). Employees who have young children are allowed to work at home for two days because of the parental needs of the young child (Swanson 2009, P. 134). The work schedule should be adjusted for them because they have other added responsibilities. You should not deny them, but ensure the work is accomplished in time. The employees who are at work should do extra work because parental leave does not only affect one person, but it affects all of us in the organization (Salazar et al. 2006, p. 13). There are some instances when one of your team members is admitted in hospital and work will have to be accomplished by the workers present. For the case of Nola, it is understandable and should be allowed two days to work at home. If she will be ineffective and inefficient, she should come to work half day for two days and be assigned some work to accomplish before she goes (MacDougall & Pike 2004, p. 125). The HR policies on such cases protect the rights of parents with children with disabilities (Salazar et al. 2006, p. 15). If her absence at work will increase the workload, then a room should be set aside within the company so that she is allowed sometime to attend her child’s needs in order to save time. She can be attending the child during tea and lunch break in order to save time. This will be economical and it will ensure accounts reconciliation is accomplished in time (Burgess et al. 2003 p. 8). Reference: Burgess, J; McDonnel, A; Bartram, T. & Stanton, P. 2003. Multinational Enterprises, Global Value Chains, and Local Human Resource Management Decision Making Discretion. Centre for Institutional and Organizational Studies, University of Newcastle. Pp. 2-8 Retrieved on 9th March, 2011 from MacDougall, S. L. & Pike, R. H. Human Resource Management. The Journal of the Canadian Council for small Business and Entrepreneurship, 2004 (17) 79-125 Retrieved on 9th March, 2011 from Salazar, J; Pfaffenberg, C. & Salazar, L. 2006. Locus of control vs. Employee empowerment and the relationship with hotel managers job satisfaction. Journal of Human Resources in Hospitality & Tourism. Pp. 2-15 Retrieved on 9th March, 2011 from Stone, R.J. 2010, Managing Human Resources. Wiley, John Wiley & Sons Australia, QLD, pp.141-142. Swanson, R. 2009. Foundations of Human Resource Development: Easy read Super Large 18pt Edition. New York: ReadHowYouWant.com. pp. 123-134. Read More