Human Resource Management in the 21st Century Organization Report

This report analyzes human resource management within a 21st-century organization, focusing on an interview with an HR professional from a local supermarket. The report is divided into four parts, starting with a reflection on the interview, followed by an overview of the organization's structure and human resource management challenges. The organization, registered as a Pty Ltd company, faces challenges related to unstable sales, departmental conflicts, and workplace injuries. The HR professional's role in addressing these issues, including employee turnover, forecasting difficulties, and departmental disputes, is discussed. Solutions such as hiring casual employees, promoting open communication, and ensuring workplace safety are proposed. The report concludes with a reflection on the interview, highlighting key learnings about career advice, organizational growth, and the importance of continuous learning in the HRM field. The report emphasizes the crucial role of HR professionals in managing human resources and adapting to the evolving demands of the 21st-century workplace.

Running Head: BUSINESS AND CORPORATION LAW 0
Human Resource Management
4/4/2020
Student’s Name

Human Resource Management
1
Contents
Part 1................................................................................................................................................2
Part 2................................................................................................................................................4
Part 3................................................................................................................................................5
Part 4................................................................................................................................................7
References........................................................................................................................................9
Appendix........................................................................................................................................10

Human Resource Management
2
The objective of this report is to gain an understanding of human resource management in
a 21st-century organization. To gain this understating the report will be divided into four parts
where the first part will be a reflection based on an interview with an HR professional. The other
two parts will outline the details of origination and HRM challenges to the organization of HR
professionals selected under part 1. The last part of the report will again be a reflection where
learning and other details to interview conduct under part 1 will be discussed.
Part 1
I have selected the HR professional of the local supermarket, which has good business
and customer base. Mr. John holds a professional HR position in this supermarket and I have
taken his interview over the telephone. I have asked him many questions related to his previous
experience in this field in addition to a question related to his current position.
Starting the discussion over these questions, this is to state that he has provided a detailed
description of his previous HE experience. He has completed his MBA diploma in HRM before
7 years and then after the given interview to 3 organizations for getting a job of Human resources
manager however ended up by joining Excel Group of accounting professionals as an assistant
HR professional and worked there for initial 3 years of his career on the same position. He had
very little knowledge of the field at that time as it was his first job but the other senior HR
professional of his entity guided him appropriately.

Human Resource Management
3
He was happy and satisfied with his job but had to change the organization due to some
restructuring of the entity where another audit firm has taken over that. Soon after this job, he
has joined a toy manufacturing company named childhood creation Pty Ltd. Here he started
working as an HR manager where the lead profiles him to hire employees and to conduct their
interview. The department manager used to give him a schedule about interviews and hiring
process and he used to work accordingly. He worked for 4 years on this profile whereas in the
meanwhile received job offers for the same position from other organizations. However, he did
not want to switch to other organizations for the same position hence rejected those offers and
continued with the same company. Later on, after 3 years, he received a job offer for the position
of professional HR position from the "All in one supermarket”, the organization he is currently
working with. Here he has joined 2 years and has a higher position in the HR department where
he is responsible to take all the decisions related to human resources of the organization. He has
also highlighted some of the achievements that he gained during his career. Firstly, in his first
job he has received an employee of the month award as he has provided his best assistance.
Further, in a second job i.e. in a toy manufacturing company, he has given star performer
of the year award. He has also been appreciated many times from the management and therefore
he has a positive experience with his previous jobs. As he has nearly 7 years of experience in this
area, I found him suitable to ask about certain advice that he can give or want to give to the
newcomers to the HR profession and hence I have asked this question to him, where he has
provided some great tips. He first stated that a person-pursuing career in HRM must put
him/herself in a position where potential employers can find them. The selection of an
organization plays an important role in every person’s career and therefore it is very necessary to
join an organization where they can explore their talent. The second piece of advice was given

Human Resource Management
4
about learning where he believed that newcomers need to focus on learning. They should not
stop by completing after their formal education, as consent learning is very important for HR
professionals where they can learn new skills and methods to resolve HRM issues.
Part 2
The organization of HR professionals is engaged in a retail business where it is operating
in the form of the supermarket. The organization is registered as Pty Ltd Company. The
company provides a variety of goods for improvement as well as outdoor living. The
organization is situated in Ontario State and has a good market reputation in the opinion of
customers and other stakeholders. To discuss the details of this organization this is to state that
the same has a long history and established before 15 years. Now at present, the company has
more than 300 employees and has various departments such as the purchasing department, stock
management department, sales, and marketing department, human resource management
department and some others too. Each of these departments has a manager and an assistant
manager. The manager is responsible to take all the decisions about related activities of their
department, coordinating with other departments and to develop plans and policies accordingly.
David's brother, who holds the position of director and control the management, owes the
company.
The company mainly deals in groceries but in addition to it also sells other products such
as clothes, footwear, and electronic products. It can state that this supermarket can fulfill the
daily life needs of people. Groceries stores often face labor costs, inefficient processes, inventory
management, changing customer demands and so on (completecontroller.com, 2020). To discuss
the issues of “All in one supermarket”, this is to state that it faces challenges related to unstable
sales. In some of the months, many customers visit the supermarket and buy products whereas

Human Resource Management
5
some of the months are not as good. This instability does not affect only purchase but also
disturb the stock management of the same. Where one side excess inventory block funds,
similarly less inventory creates an issue of unavailability of products at the time of heavy
demand. In addition to this, conflicts between different departmental managers also is a
challenge for the organization's overall performance.
Part 3
Basic job responsibilities of HR include forecasting hiring needs and to ensure that at the
time of need, the appropriate staff is available (resources.workable.com, 2020). Further, to
discuss the role of HR in retail stores or supermarkets, this is to state that the same also includes
risk management and maintenance of good relationships among human resources across the
organization (Reynolds, 2020). Here HR has to review strategies of all the departments and to
forecast the HR requirement in the best possible manner. Further HR of this organization also
needs to develop strategies such related to hiring, conducting of interview and promotion as well
as to manage resources for the same as posting of advertisement and others.
HR professionals in this organization facing many challenges. The very first challenge that the
HR of the organization is facing is related to employee turnover. As already discussed the sales
pattern of the company is very fluctuating, it also influences the demands of human resources. In
some of the months, more employees are required to manage stores and customers whereas in
some of the months they only create additional cost burden for the company. Nevertheless, the
company cannot remove them as per their demands. The second issue is difficulty in forecasting.
It does not seem possible for HRM to plan its activities.

Human Resource Management
6
Further disputes among managers of different departments disturb the harmony and
overall strategies of the organization. This issue is very recent. For instance, if the sales
department requires products, it becomes the liability of the purchasing department to respond in
the given time. HR facing issues where the departments are not coordinating due to their issues.
In recent times, few employees have been injured in the warehouse and initiated claims of
workplace injuries. The HR professional is also facing this legal. Employees of the organization
have protection granted under national as well as state legislation. The workplace injury cases do
not only bring additional cost to the company but also can affect the goodwill of the company in
the future. These are some major challenges that HR of this entity needs to be resolve as soon as
possible.
By my understanding of some solutions to these issues is presented here. The very first
issue i.e. availability of employee can be resolved by hiring casual employees rather than
permanent employees. These employees charge remuneration as per hourly rate and
organizations can call them whenever they require them. A firm employee’s casual employee for
a specified period (canada.ca, 2020). The second issue i.e. conflicts between department can also
be addressed and resolve. The best way, which seems available, is communication. HR
professionals can arrange open communication between department heads and can identify what
kind of challenge they are facing or what are their issues. Since the issue is recent, it is clear that
there must be some factors behind it, which can be resolved through communication. The best
option to resolve conflict issues is to resolve them openly and immediately (Kuligowski, 2019).
Secondly, by resolving specific issues of department heads too, these gaps can be fulfilled.
Lastly, the issues of workplace injuries can be managed by ensuring a safe workplace.
Here HR professional is required to review the workplace healthcare and safety policy. By

Human Resource Management
7
adding some additional security measures to it, such injuries can be reduced in the future. Further
HR professionals can also review previous cases and check the causes of incidents. Considering
the issues raised in these incidents the causes can be checked and resolved. Safety programs can
also be developed here in addition to providing safety training to employees (shrm.org, 2019).
Part 4
The interview conducted with the HR professional seems significant to understand how a
person can start his career in the HRM sector. The major learning point was the pieces of advice
that he provided. I feel that he has given correct for the newcomers by stating that learning is an
important and never-ending process. Secondly, I have learned that people must join those
organizations where they can grow their skills. Further, I have reviewed the HR experiences of
the interviewee and feel that if I would have receive offers from other entities providing better
opportunities in the same position then I would switch to the other organization. Further, this
person has been employed with a single organization at a time but if I would have received the
opportunity to work part-time in other entities then I will opt the same. Further, the other
learning point that I have gained from this interview is that one should not wait for a higher
position and at the initial level of career one may start with a junior position as it can give at least
a start. I hope that simian to Mr. John I would also do good work and will receive recognition for
my work.
In seven years of his career, he has achieved great success as from joining as assistant HR
manager to becoming an HR professional he has provided satisfactory performance. I also hope
to do the same progress in my career. In addition to this, he has worked in a variety of
organizations and I feel that the same added value to his skills and talent hence I hope to do the

Human Resource Management
8
same. I would be loyal to the organization and will perform my duties in the best possible way. I
will surely keep myself at a place where potential employers will be able to explore my talent.
Conclusively, this is to state that in the 21st century HRM is an important area of the
organization where HR professionals play a crucial role in b managing activities such as hiring
and managing existing human resources. Further, they are likely to face many operational
challenges. Different solutions can be thereof a problem and these professionals can resolve them
by using different methods. HR professionals are required to take timely actions of these issues.

Human Resource Management
9
References
canada.ca. (2020) Casual Worker. Retrieved from: https://www.canada.ca/en/treasury-board-
secretariat/services/staffing/public-service-workforce/casual-worker.html
completecontroller.com. (2020). Top challenges faced by local grocery stores. Retrieved from:
https://www.completecontroller.com/top-challenges-faced-by-local-grocery-stores/
Kuligowski, K. (2019). Workplace Conflicts? 4 Tips to Improve Communication. Retrieved
from: https://www.businessnewsdaily.com/8766-resolving-workplace-conflicts.html
resources.workable.com. (2020). Retail HR Manager job description. Retrieved from:
https://resources.workable.com/retail-hr-manager-job-description
Reynolds, M. (2020). What to Know About HR in a Retail Store. Retrieved from:
https://smallbusiness.chron.com/hr-retail-store-61545.html

Human Resource Management
10
Appendix
Question Answer
1 Tell me about your
starting the journey in
HRM
I have completed my MBA diploma in HRM in
2013, Joined Excel Group of accounting
professionals as an assistant HR professional and
worked there for initial 3 years, let in 2015 due to
restructuring of their business, won the title of
employee of the month twice
2 Which was your second
Job
Joined childhood creation Pty Ltd as an HR
manager, worked for 4 years, won star performer
of the year award, left in 2018
3 Which was your third Job Joined All in one supermarket as a professional
HR
4 What advice would you
give to newcomers
I would like to give two major pieces of advice,
first to be to put him/herself in a position where
potential employers can find them. Secondly,
they should not stop by completing after their
formal education, as consent learning is very
important for HR professionals
5 Any additional
opportunities that you
have came across during
Yes, while working with childhood creation Pty
Ltd I have received job offers for the same
position from other organization but I did not

Human Resource Management
11
these seven years but did
not pursue
want to switch to other organizations for the same
position hence rejected those offers and
continued with the same company.

Human Resource Management
12