HR and Communications in Projects: Oakland Rail Project Analysis

This report delves into the human resource management and stakeholder engagement aspects of the Oakland rail crossing project. It begins with an introduction to the project, which aims to improve travel time variability by constructing a rail underpass. The report then outlines the stakeholder register, including roles, responsibilities, and expectations of various stakeholders like construction managers, civil engineers, and government bodies. A stakeholder analysis is conducted to identify key stakeholders and their interests, followed by an engagement analysis to reflect social responsibilities. The report also discusses strategies for controlling stakeholder engagement using techniques such as unaware, resistant, neutral, supportive, and leading. A stakeholder power and interest grid is used to visualize stakeholder influence. The report concludes with references to relevant human resource management literature and provides key insights into effective project management and communication strategies within the context of the Oakland rail crossing project. The report is a comprehensive analysis of the project's HR and stakeholder elements, including a communication matrix and project meeting guidelines.

Human resource management system
in Oakland rail crossing project

Introduction
• The main focus is on the Oakland rail crossing
project that generally has the aim of properly
improving as well as minimizing the variability of
travel times for various vehicles.
• It is found that the project mainly includes
building of a rail underpass under the busy
Morphett road for successfully removing the level
crossing.
• In addition to this, the project also includes
planning of 200 trees plus bushes, 3530 concrete
sleepers, 7800 tonnes of ballast as well as 4730
meters of track.

Stakeholder register
Stakeholders Name Category Expectation Roles and responsibilities Power Interest
Construction
manager
William Smith Internal Executes the
construction activities
Undertakes construction activities. High High
Supervisor Jack Wilson Internal Ensures that all work
are done properly
Checks proper execution and status of the project. Low Low
Civil engineer Taylor Henry Internal Complete all the
construction work
Helps in managing the project and completes project work. High Low
Procurement
manager
Lucus Smith Internal Guiding the different
purchasing agents
Providing guidance to the different purchasing agents. Low High
Operations manager Thomas Lee Internal Proper management of
project work
Manages the project activities. Low High

Stakeholder register contd.
Stakeholders Name Category Expectation Roles and responsibilities Power Interest
Project manager Jackson Henry Internal Management of all the project
work successfully.
Manage the project work for
estimating the time and budget.
High High
Suppliers Boral External Provides all the materials as
well as equipment's.
Supplies different raw materials
and equipment’s.
Low High
Government Australian government External Helps in undertaking the project
work effectively.
Provides approval for the project. High High

Stakeholder analysis
• The stakeholder analysis is considered as an important
technique that is utilized for identifying as well as
analyzing different requirements of the stakeholders.
• It is found that that it is mainly utilized for determining
the key stakeholders who generally invested interest on
different types of issues on which the entire project is
concerned about.
• The main aim of the stakeholder analysis is to properly
develop a strategic plan view.

Stakeholder analysis Contd.
The main benefits of undertaking stakeholder analysis in Oakland rail crossing project are
listed below:
• The various types of issues which can disrupt the project can be determined
• The various key people who are linked with the distribution of the information during the
execution phase is generally determined
• Stakeholder management strategy as well as communication plan is identified during the
planning phase of the project.

Engagement analysis
• The stakeholder engagement analysis which is
undertaken for the Oakland project helps in
reflecting the social responsibilities which the
project authority has towards the project
construction.
• It is quite necessary for the stakeholders to
properly clarify, communicate as well as activate
proper execution of the project. It is found that the
analysis that is done is helpful in identifying the
upstream as well as downstream collaboration.
• In addition to this, the analysis helps in reflecting
the decision of the stakeholders during
construction.

Control stakeholder engagement
For successfully controlling the project stakeholders who are
associated with the project work, it is found that five different
types of techniques can be used
• Unaware
• Resistance
• Neutral
• Supportive
• Leading
It is found that employee retention-based strategy is mainly
used for creating proper framework for successful
implementation of design thinking-based approach for
controlling the stakeholders

Control stakeholder engagement Contd.
Stakeholders Unaware Resistant Neutral Supportive Leading
Construction manager C D
Supervisor C D
Civil engineer C D
Procurement manager C D
Operations manager C D
Project manager C D
Project planner C D
Suppliers D C

Stakeholder power and interest grid
Stakeholder Power Interest As per stakeholder
matrix
Construction manager High High Manage closely
Supervisor Low Low Monitor
Civil engineer High Low Keep satisfied
Procurement manager Low High Keep informed
Operations manager Low High Keep informed
Project manager High High Manage closely
Project planner Low High Keep informed
Suppliers Low High Keep informed
Government High High Manage closely

References
Noe, R.A., Hollenbeck, J.R., Gerhart, B. and Wright, P.M., 2017. Human resource
management: Gaining a competitive advantage. New York, NY: McGraw-Hill
Education.
Bratton, J. and Gold, J., 2017. Human resource management: theory and practice.
Palgrave.
Sparrow, P., Brewster, C. and Chung, C., 2016. Globalizing human resource
management. Routledge.
Berman, E.M., Bowman, J.S., West, J.P. and Van Wart, M.R., 2019. Human resource
management in public service: Paradoxes, processes, and problems. CQ Press.
Brewster, C., Vernon, G., Sparrow, P. and Houldsworth, E., 2016. International human
resource management. Kogan Page Publishers.