Human Resource Management Self-Reflection: Practices in Australia

This essay provides a self-reflection on human resource management (HRM) practices within the Australian context, particularly focusing on the author's experiences as an HR manager at Woolworths. It explores the importance of aligning HRM practices with organizational goals, emphasizing the use of technology, stakeholder interests, and ethical considerations. The essay discusses the strategic aspects of HRM, including the role of technology, employee engagement, and leadership development, along with challenges like change management. It highlights the importance of policies regarding equal employment opportunities, workplace safety, and ethical conduct. The author also addresses the difference between HRM and strategic HRM, emphasizing the alignment of organizational strategies and culture. The essay concludes with a discussion of the importance of a diverse workplace and the implementation of policies to ensure workplace equality and safety, aligning with relevant Australian legislation and the organization's commitment to ethical business practices. The author reflects on the critical role of an effective HR manager in monitoring and evaluating organizational performance through strategic implementation.

Running head: HUMAN RESOURCE MANAGMENT
Human Resource Management
Name of the Student
Name of the University
Author Note

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Introduction
In this assessment, self reflection about the human resource management is explained.
The details about the strategic human resources practice is also illustrated in this essay. The
management practices are explained in context of Australia. This essay also highlights some of
the personal experiences regarding some incidences and practices that demonstrate the effective
human resource management practices. The major aspects that is followed in this essay is
description of the learning experiences, analysis of the experiences and its significance along
with evaluation of some successful learning experiences that leads to the scenario of self-
knowledge. I am explaining this self reflection as my position as a HR manager in the concerned
organization.
Discussion
Human resource management in Australia
I have learned that human resource practices are adapted in order to influence the
employee’s behavior, performance and attitude. Some organizations are there who values the
employees and working personnel as important asset of the organization and thus refer human
resource practice as people management. However, I also come to learn that all the practices and
decision should be aligned properly with the aims and business objectives of the organization.
Woolworths is one of the leading retail organizations and the major functions that HR managers
are- stock taking, forecasting the supply of labor, forecasting the demand for employees and
implementing the chosen strategies along with monitoring the same process. I think that this
process is necessary as evaluating the number of employees currently has and number of

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employees leaving the organization and availability of the quality employees is important. This
allows the HR to estimate the total productivity of the organization.
Alfes et al. (2013) stated that the framework for the human resources environment
comprises of technology that is implemented in the workplace, organizational culture, values
and attitudinal trends, managerial trends, demographic trends and HR utilization trends. I
have witnessed the importance of technology in the workplace of technology in the working
environment of Woolworths. Initially all the work in the retail organization is carried out
manually that hampers the overall productivity of the organization. However, when the
technology is incorporated in the Woolworths, number of handling customer increases and the
accuracy in the work is also attained. In addition to that, the supply chain process is also
enhanced and customer now gets their desired products within lesser amount of time. The
incorporation of technology allows them to assist 3 million customers each day on average
(Reiche et al.2016). Budhwar and Debrah (2013) moreover stated that the role and competencies
that human resources of an organization should possess are- fact based decision making,
effective leadership ideas and visions, administration control and interpersonal teamwork.
In my case other factors like stakeholder interests, HRM policy choices and HR
outcomes should also be valued in formulating effective human resource management. I always
follow ethical stakeholder experience in Woolworths in which the organization includes local
farmers to grow and supply fresh fruits and vegetables. This human management system is not
only beneficial for the organization as they can get fresh items at lesser cost but the local farmer
also getting financial benefits that on the other hand enhances the CSR activity and economic
development in Australia. This can be termed as fact based decision making. Moreover, HR
professionals should also provide operational support in Woolworths. All the employees with

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personal and professional problems and concern come to the HR and get necessary solutions.
Human resource department identify the skills and competencies of the employees and offer
them training session if they required it for personal development (Marchington et al. 2016). In
Woolworths, as a human resources managers I am liable to monitor and implement early career
program, which is also categorized into different training activities- on job training, regular e-
learning training activities and classroom training for comparatively weak employees, master-
class training for the productive employees. I have also noticed that Woolworths have jot down
all the year’s performances and assess whether an employee need further assistance. An effective
HR leader also celebrates the achievements and failures of every employee and provides
productive feedback so that everyone can improve in their future.
The greatest challenge that I have face is the change management, when I have taken the
decision to implement a new technology system in the organization. The technology is the
‘virtual store’ concept that requires extensive IT supports and effective monitoring team that can
evaluate the performance and profitability of the organization. In addition to that, in that situation
I have to make the employee also aware of the concept and train them about the basic knowledge
for handling the monitoring process. In think this is required as customers, who are visiting the
physical store and ask the low-end customer regarding the concept and usage of the virtual
stores, any employee can assist them with accurate information. Employee and customers
engagement is also my department where I have to suggest some effective strategies so that we
can develop a good business relationship with the customers as well as employees. Another
problem that I face is the leadership development. Urtasun-Alonso et al. (2014) also depict that a
leader as to be flexible to handle all the major and minor issues related with the workplace. The
reason is that not all the employee has the same competencies to accomplish task under pressure.

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In such cases, the leader has to motivate them according to the employee’s performances. Some
motivated through financial benefits and some motivated by non-financial benefits and as a HR
manager I have to assess the preferences of the employees and implement policies in the
organization. In Woolworths I have introduced the concept of incentives after employees have
achieved their target and a level system in which all the employees are rated a level based on
their skills. In later case, new employees may get assistance from the existing employees that on
the other hand improve the leadership skills of the mentors and we can find the next leader in our
organization. I have witnessed that in this way, the person who are motivated through financial
benefits, intends to work beyond their capabilities and the person, who are motivated through the
non-finial benefits and self- development, show their leadership skills.
In addition to that Woolworths follow many policies for providing equal employment
opportunity, anti-bullying, anti-harassment, ethical code of conduct and occupational health
and safety. The couture in Woolworths illustrated that everyone should be treated with dignity,
courtesy and respect. Bullying, harassment or unlawful discrimination is not allowed within the
organization. As a HRM manager I emphasized more whether or not offensive or demeaning
statements, abusive or offensive language is used in the office premises. Taken for instance, once
a night duty manager sexually harassed by the store manager as a result the victim took
antidepressant and even committed to suicide (Whitbourn 2017). As a manager I had taken the
steps for assessing the meeting with the store manager and listen to his statements and also
provide compensation to the victim. I have also monitor the rules and procedures that are
formulated for bag checks, glass breakages, food sampling, return policy for goods, security and
good fresh food practices.

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Strategic human resource management
The difference between the human resource management and strategic human resource
management is that the former aspect influences the employee’s intention and performances;
whereas, the latter aspects highlighted the activities that are implemented to achieve the business
goals (Cho and Poister 2013). I have also learned that a company has to emphasize on the legal
and ethical issues of the organization, occupational health and safety measures, industrial
relations, effective job designs, human resources panning and information system. Moreover, the
hiring process, diversity management within the workplace, performance and career
management, rewarding employees, retention management and evaluation of the effectiveness
of HRM practices are also a part of the strategic HRM activities.
Assessing the aspects of the human resources management, I have gathered much
information and desire to be the future leader and one of the decision making management
members in the organization Woolworths. The concerned organization has adopted a process
where the human resources are liable for aligning the organizational strategies and organizational
cultures. On the other hand, the financial resources are assessed by the HR through monitoring
the competitive financial environment and current organizational situation. I have also learned
that in SHRM the primary goal is to improve the employee’s productivity by not focusing on the
problems. Brewster et al. (2016) also depicts that the HR also identify the key areas to
implement the strategy. At Woolworths, all the employees are treated with proper respect
irrespective of their gender and cultural or traditional beliefs. In Australia, Work Health and
Safety Act 2011 (ACT), Fair Work Regulations 2009, Sex Discrimination Act and Equal
Opportunity for Women in the Workplace Act 1999 (Cth) and these legislations are followed in
Woolworths. As a HR manager I have formulated a policy, where some reservation are there for

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elderly people, physically challenged people and women can also recruited as managerial
position based on their skills and competencies. In this way, the policy of workplace equality can
be achieved. In addition to that, people get hired from other cultural background so that a diverse
workplace can be formulated and a sense of ethical business can be obtained. This allows the
customers to get attracted towards our organization. I have focused on recruiting people with a
disability, age diversity and LGBTI inclusion. I have developed collaboration with Australian
Network on Disability (AND) that help us to provide skilled disabled candidates. I have also
encouraged the concept of age diversity in the working environment, where not only people with
older ages can include but the younger employees are also counted. This inclusion of age
diversity has shows a great result in the employee’s variations and this can be witnessed through
over 79,000 employees of fewer than 25 ages, more than 20,000 old employees and more than
1,000 employees, who belongs to the group of Lesbian, Gay, Bisexual, Transgender and Intersex
(LGBTI). I am hoping that this strategic human resource idea will make us eligible for being a
Gold Tier employer in the Australian Workplace Equality Index (AWEI).
As an effective leader in the human resource department, I have implemented the rule of
“Destination Zero”. According to this policy, the aim for zero affected people will be obtained. I
have decided that every job roles and responsibility should be accomplished safely and
employees are allowed to stop a work immediately if they think the concerned work is unsafe to
proceed. In this case, I have also initiated training classes for the employees regarding the uses of
safety measures so that they can utilize the knowledge in the emergency situation.
Li et al. (2015) also depict that an effective human resource manager is also liable for
developing safety rules and strategic direction to accomplish all kind of work. Kramar (2014)
have mentioned that an effective HR practice should also consider the aspect of “conflict of

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interest”. I have thus, highlighted some points to avoid the conflict among the employees within
the workplace. According to this policy, all the employee can share their perspective and disclose
information whether they are doing business with any competitor of Woolworths, doing business
with which the Woolworths Limited have major interests, taken gifts from any supplier, holding
a public office that impacts the company or have an immediate family member employed by a
direct competitor in a senior role. All the employees’ perspective are valued properly and
respected. Strategic decisions are taken so that future adversity can be overcome.
Conclusion
Thus it can be stated from the entire discussion that an effective human resources
manager have to monitor everything and evaluate the performance of the organization by
implementing those strategies. Some of the effective HRM strategies discussed in the essay are-
inclusion of new technology within the organization provide training to the employees, training
regarding safety measures, formulation of policy that defines the work and safety practices,
recruiting diversified teams within the organization. Regular monitoring of the benefits by
implementing these policies should also evaluated by HR manager.

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