The Role of HR in Creating Sustainable Organisations: A Report

This report examines the crucial role of Human Resources Management (HRM) in fostering sustainable organizations, focusing on a case study involving an Australian hospital facing operational challenges within its HR department. The report provides a comprehensive overview of the key functions of HRM, including recruitment, selection, training, and compensation, and highlights the negative impacts of an inefficient HR department, such as absenteeism, employee grievances, and reduced staff morale. It offers specific recommendations to the CEO, including implementing training and development programs, establishing a grievance handling procedure, recognizing and rewarding employee performance, and creating a positive working environment. Furthermore, the report outlines the key features of building a sustainable HR capability, emphasizing effective recruitment and selection processes, providing development opportunities, offering training and development programs, and implementing motivation and reward systems. The conclusion reinforces the significance of HRM as the backbone of an organization and the importance of continuous improvement in HR operations to ensure long-term sustainability and success. The report references various academic sources to support its findings and recommendations.

The role of HR in creating
sustainable organisations

EXECUTIVE SUMMARY
Main purpose or objective of this case study is to find out the problems existing in
organisation and recommending some appropriate ways to make improvement in the operations
of Human Resource Management. In hospital, behind the bad operations, there can be many
factors included. To make some improvement in operation of HRM in the first hospital, CEO
takes some actions. There are some features of building a sustainable HR capability. So to make
improvement, it is necessary for CEO to identify the problems or any issues. Regarding this,
CEO can consult or discuss with its consultants ans also with the Human Resource Manager to
make the solution of their issues.

TABLE OF CONTENTS
INTRODUCTION...........................................................................................................................1
TASK 1............................................................................................................................................1
1) Recommendation to the CEO in first hospital as a way to improve operation of HRM at
hospital...................................................................................................................................1
2) Key features of building a sustainable HR capability........................................................3
CONCLUSION................................................................................................................................4
REFERENCES................................................................................................................................5

INTRODUCTION
Human resources serve as the main asset of a business firm. Major roles of human
resource department in a firm are recruitment, selection, training and development,
compensation, payroll, etc. (Dao, Langella & Carbo, 2011). It is the backbone of an organisation.
Present case study is based on the role of human resources in creating sustainable organisations.
There are the case studies given of two hospitals. In this present case study mentions
about the key specifications of building a sustainable HR capability. The first hospital should
make some changes or improvement in the operations of Human Resource Management.
TASK 1
1) Recommendation to the CEO in first hospital as a way to improve operation of HRM at
hospital
In every business firm or hospital, Human Resource Department plays an important role.
The main functions of HR manager are payroll, recruitment and section, job analysis, job
designing, occupational health and safety, performance appraisal and many other functions. In
Australia, there is a hospital in which about 400 staff members are working. In this hospital,
there are different departments like marketing, sales, human resource and finance. But in this
organisation, there is some problem in the human resource department. HR manager and the
team are not sincere and dedicated towards their work. They do not work properly and thus,
operations of this hospital are getting affected badly (Garavan & McGuire, 2010). The
consultants of this company are very good and expert in their respective fields. Regarding this
problem, CEO consults with experts and they also see the effectiveness of HR practices and
policies. From the bad dedication of Human Resource department and bad environment causes
absenteeism, high level of employee’s grievances, reduced annual turnover, industrial dispute
and the minimization in staff. To minimize this impact on business operations, it is necessary
that CEO has to take some act and recommend effective actions (Rimanoczy & Pearson, 2010).
There are some different ways to make improvement in the operations of Human Resource
Management:
Training and development- To make improvement in the HR department, it is
necessary for CEO of company to provide training and development sessions to the staff
members of this division. With the help of training, skills, abilities, capabilities and knowledge
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of employees will be increased by which they will be able to perform well and with the help of
development, there is the overall grooming of Human Resource Manager. If company will do
this then the HR department will get motivated and perform their work properly towards the
hospital and its operations.
Grievance handling procedure- It means that if in a hospital, there is any kind of
dissatisfaction and problem to any employee, then in this case, company conducts a grievance
handling procedure. In this, CEO of hospital asks the reason of bad performance and
dissatisfaction from the HR department (Jackson & Seo, 2010). After knowing reason, it is the
responsibility of Chief Executive Manager to provide proper solution for the same.
Recognition and reward- The reason behind inefficient work or dissatisfaction of HR
department can be demotivation among employees. It is necessary for company to motivate them
regularly and give rewards on the basis of their performance. Recognition and reward are the
best ways of providing motivation to employees.
Working environment- If the working environment of hospital will be good, then
employees will perform their work properly within given period of time. It is important for CEO
to provide positive working environment to the HR department for improving their performance
and providing satisfaction to them.
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Illustration 1: Ways to improve HRM operations
(Source: The Core Functions and Activities of HRM,
2015)

Adopt and use effective HR practices- It is the responsibility of top management to
develop an effective and efficient policies as well as practices. Good HR practices help in
making the work of employees effective. The HR practices can render a positive impact on the
operations and process of hospital.
All these are the better ways to make improvement in operations of HRM in hospital.
With improvement in the operations, growth and profitability of hospital will be increased.
2) Key features of building a sustainable HR capability
A sustainable Human Resource capability refers to all applications of the practices
related to sustainability in business category, environment, agriculture, personal life and society
through managing them in such a way that will give some advantages for the current as well as
future operations of hospital. To make effective business operations, it is necessary for company
to adopt effective and efficient business practices (Ehnert & Harry, 2012). The capabilities of
human resources can be defined in the form of physical and material resources along with
intellectual, information and financial resources. Capabilities of human resources are beneficial
for company. There are some key features of developing capabilities of a Human Resource:
Recruitment and selection process- To retain the capabilities and abilities of human
resources, it is necessary for hospital to make hiring and selection process effective. It is
important for hospital to select the best and capable employees for Human Resource Department
of company which have knowledge about medical field. If they have some knowledge about
human resources then they can sustain for a long period of time in company.
Providing options for development- Getting the most suitable person in right job makes
business operations and strategic contribution effective. It is necessary for the strategic
embedded role to have knowledge , skills and abilities that are varied from those persons which
are necessary of foundation of Human Resource (Ehnert, Harry & Zink, 2013). From giving a
option of development, the main focus is on the developing some skills and knowledge which is
necessary for Human Resource.
Training and Development- It is necessary in every field. To sustain a Human Resource
department in hospital, then in this case it is necessary to management of hospital is to provide
the training and development and also conduct some programmes related to HR (Aggerholm,
Andersen & Thomsen, 2011). Training help ion increasing or improving the particular skills of
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employees and development is related with the overall grooming and it is for the top level. With
the help of this, their skills, abilities and knowledge will be improved.
Motivation and rewards- These two are the important thing. It is a main feature of
maintaining a sustainable capability of HR (Noe and et. al., 2015). It is necessary to give
motivation to employees for improving their level of performance and providing them rewards
on the basis of their performance.
Performance appraisal- It is a best way to motivate employees. Manager should appraise
its staff members according to their performance. With the help of this employees will motivated
and their performance level will increased.
CONCLUSION
It can be concluded from the above case that Human Resource Department is the
backbone and main division of hospital. In this case study studied about the sustainability of
Human Resource Department in company and hospital has to work for improvement of the
operations of Human Resource Management at hospital. For improvement hospital provide
training and development, recruitment and selection of employees, provide positive working
environment etc. There are also discussed about main key features or specifications to building
and maintaining the sustainability of business.
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REFERENCES
Books & Journals
Aggerholm, H. K., Andersen, S. E., & Thomsen, C. (2011). Conceptualising employer branding
in sustainable organisations. Corporate Communications: An International Journal.
16(2). 105-123.
Dao, V., Langella, I., & Carbo, J. (2011). From green to sustainability: Information Technology
and an integrated sustainability framework. The Journal of Strategic Information
Systems.20(1). 63-79.
Ehnert, I., & Harry, W. (2012). Recent developments and future prospects on sustainable human
resource management: introduction to the special issue. Management revue. 221-238.
Garavan, T. N., & McGuire, D. (2010). Human resource development and society: Human
resource development’s role in embedding corporate social responsibility, sustainability,
and ethics in organizations. Advances in Developing Human Resources. 12(5). 487-507.
Jackson, S. E., & Seo, J. (2010). The greening of strategic HRM scholarship. Organization
Management Journal. 7(4). 278-290.
Rimanoczy, I., & Pearson, T. (2010). Role of HR in the new world of sustainability. Industrial
and Commercial Training. 42(1). 11-17.
Noe, R. A and et. al., (20015).Gaining a competitive advantage. Irwin: McGraw-Hill.
Ehnert, I., Harry, W., & Zink, K. J. (Eds.). (2013).Sustainability and human resource
management: Developing sustainable business organizations. Springer Science &
Business Media.
Online
The Core Functions and Activities of HRM. 2015. [Online]. Available through:
<http://ashtopusconsulting.com/the-core-functions-and-activities-of-hrm/>. [Accessed on
21st August, 2017].
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