HR Policies and Recommendations for Standard Bank of South Africa

This report analyzes the HR policies of Standard Bank of South Africa, evaluating their ethical code of behavior, employee involvement, and corporate social responsibilities. It examines the alignment of these policies with the bank's business strategy, emphasizing the importance of a skilled and motivated workforce, goal planning, ethical conduct, and effective communication. The report critically evaluates the policies, highlighting the need for a revised employee handbook, improved employee benefits, and a more effective interview and hiring process. It also recommends increased use of online platforms and e-commerce systems to align with current societal trends. The analysis underscores the interconnectedness of HR policies and business performance, providing insights for HR leaders seeking to investigate and communicate this link across various workplace contexts.

Running head: HR POLICIES
HR POLICIES
Name of the Student:
Name of the University:
Author Note:

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Introduction:
The HR department of a company is responsible for the recruitment, selection,
maintenance, planning and providing the policies of an organization. The important role of
the HR department is to set the guiding policy for the organization. The policies involved
within an organization guides the organizational system and the organizational processes of
the organization (Ackers, and Eccles. 2015). Therefore, in the following report, the HR
policies of the Standard Bank of South Africa, will be analysed, through, the following
questions. It will critically analyse the HR policies and will further provide recommendations
for the organization.
Identify your chosen organisation and specify the HR policies that you will
evaluate.
Recruit and selection are the two most important role of the human resource
department of an organization, other than this, the HR department also involves into the
organizational conducts, for example, setting the policies, ensuring the ethical conducts
within the organization, maintaining the codes of behaviour within the same, and also
ensuring the collaborations and the strategic management regarding the social
resposnibilities.
The Standard Bank of South Africa Limited is a South African financial services
groups and is the biggest lender of assets in the country since the year 1862, and had
expanded since. One of the major reason, according to the market analysts, for the growth
and expansion of the bank, is primarily the business strategies and the policies of the
organization (Ackers, and Eccles. 2015). The organization has a great human resource
department which essentially focus on the following three most important policy aspects.

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Policy 1: Ethical Code of Behaviour
The human resource department of the Standard Bank Group is committed to uphold
an ethical code of behaviour and includes the constitutional principles and the legal structure
in their organizational conducts and organization activities and processes (Hall. 2013). The
organization incudes all the ethical codes that are needed to preserve the constitutional
aspects of the country. One of the most important aspects is the diversity management, since
the country is faced with a diverse population, and the organization includes all the diversity
management approach thus enriching its workforce and making them skill based(Ackers, and
Eccles. 2015).
Policy 2: Employee Involvement
The organization tries to maintain an employee involvement process within the
organizational setup. It involves the employees in the decision making process and essentially
plans for Employee involvement within the organization activities by the inclusion of the
employee rights and the employee management policies (Ackers, and Eccles. 2015).
Mitigating and managing the adverse impacts of the human rights that are directly linked with
the business operations, and the financial decisions and services, and the organization tries to
maintain a positive atmosphere within the organizational environment (Newenham-Kahindi.
2013).
Policy 3: Corporate and Social Responsibilities
The organisation includes sustainable approaches into the organizational processes
and conducts. The organization essentially decides upon the social responsibilities that it
needs to include into its activities. It aligns its activities according to the activities and the
principles and the guidelines of UN, while being involved into social responsibilities. The
organization also includes the guidelines related to the human right abuses (Ackers, and
Eccles. 2015). The organization also follows the guideline that the business enterprises or the

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state enterprises should respect and follow the human rights. The organization also follows
that it is the responsibility of the business houses to respect, follow and protect the states
against the human rights abuse. The organization also works towards maintaining and
providing remedies for the human right impacts, caused out of due- diligence process
(Newenham-Kahindi, Kamoche, and Chizema. 2013). The human rights department of the
organization also works towards the maintenance of the fundamental labour rights, and
upholds ten reeds of the maintenance of a safe, healthy and positive work atmosphere by
maintaining a positive work place ambience within the organizational set up.
Critically Evaluate the HR policies for their Alignment with the
Organisation’s Business Strategy.
The human resource strategies and policies are primarily a prat of the business strategy
of an organization. It is important to evaluate the key elements of a successful business
house, which are, a skilful, and dedicated and motivated employee base, having a detailed
goal plan and proper strategies to acquire those goals, and practicing ethical behaviour within
the organizational structure, and maintaining a code of ethics into the system (Adams et al.
2017). Also, the human resource system of an organization is responsible for undertaking the
communication system within the organization. Therefore, to evaluate the human resource
processes it is important to evaluate the human resource policies.
Policy 1: Ethical Code of Behaviour
The management and the remedies of the human right abuses are also a part of the
human resource strategy of the organization which contributes effectively and positively in
the corporate social responsibilities of the organization, which increases the customer loyalty,
and the customer base of the organization (George et al. 2016). The organization includes the
Consequentialism approach in this perspective. Therefore, all these upholds that the human

4HR POLICIES
resource strategies contribute effectively, and help in the maintenance of the business
strategies of the organization (Horwitz. 2015).
Policy 2: Employee Involvement
Upon observing the human resource policies of the organization, it can be said
organizational strategies and the human resource strategies of the organization are closely
related. They work conjointly (Adams et al. 2017). The business strategies are developed to
maintain the basic human resource principles and the ethical considerations of the
organization. And, the human resource strategies, included by the organization, work towards
the achievement of the business strategies.
Moreover, the business strategies of the organization related to the sustainable approach
and the long term profit planning all are achieved through the human resource strategies of
the organization, the maintenance of the ethical codes of behaviour under the supervision of
the human resource team, help the organization to achieve its organizational purposes
(George et al. 2016). The organizational purposes, as mentioned before, are one of the most
important aspects of the organization. Therefore, the organization includes effective goal
planning and effective human resource measures to practice this goal planning properly
(Horwitz. 2015).
Policy 3: Corporate and Social Responsibilities
The sustainable development and the approaches are the primary aspects of the
organizational conducts. The organization also include a detailed purposes and detailed goal
planning processes in order to conduct their business better (George et al. 2016). The
organization includes the Golden Rule of Ethics which states that if you look after the
customer, then they will look after you. Therefore, the organization included sustainable
approaches into their long term goal planning, to practice the code of ethics. The organization

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is more driven by a long term profitability (Horwitz. 2015). Also, the organization includes
maintenance of the relationships with their customers, their stakeholders, the employees and
the administrative department of the organization.
Recommend changes to specific aspects of HR policies and/or practices
based on your analysis and provide a justification for each
recommendation.
The human resource department of the Standard Bank of South Africa, is well
measured, and well organised, and are well managed and well researched human resource
team. The organization are doing business over 150 years now, therefore, it can be said that
the organization has modified its codes of conduct and its policies in a very polished manner
that had made the organization to sustain for such a long time.
However, certain recommendations can be made upon the organization. If the recent
business profit chart of the country can be observed them it can be seen that the organization
has scored the fourth place in the chart. It can be said that, although, the organization includes
a very good business strategy, yet there are certain drawbacks which is hindering the
expected growth and the profitability of the organization (Binuyo, and Aregbeshola. 2014).
Therefore, the recommendations for the Standard Bank of South Africa are made according
to their policy structure.
Policy 1: Ethical Code of Behaviour
Develop or reform the employee handbook. This refers to the policies, benefits,
amendment and the company procedure, that guide the organizational conducts and
organisational behaviour (Binuyo, and Aregbeshola. 2014). Therefore, it is important for the
organization to consider a redressal of the employee handbook. In a very simpler manner the
organization must consider revising some of the policies.

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Policy 2: Employee Involvement
The organizational must also revise the benefits that it is providing to its employees.
Since being an age old organization, it is seen that the organization, has not revised the
benefits that it provides to its employees. Rather it can be said that the organization does not
provide as good benefits, that the other organizations provide to it employees, considering the
time frame of today’s century. Therefore, the organization must focus on this aspect (Binuyo,
and Aregbeshola. 2014). The interview process and the hiring process should also be
addressed and redressed. The changes in the perspectives of the customers and the changes in
the business requirements, all are in need of different aspects of conducting the work
(Oluwajodu et al. 2015). Therefore, it is important for the organization to change their job
description, and put it as per the business or the industry requirement as it will help the
organization to select the potent employees.
Policy 3: Corporate and Social Responsibilities
Lastly, the organization must use the online platform rigorously. The organization
must understand the need and must put into use the e- commerce system and the online
platform, and incorporate them into the organizational procedure (Maduku. 2013). They must
also understand the current needs and trends of the society, and therefore, must include
approaches and strategies to address the same.
Conclusion:
The Standard Bank of South Africa, is one of the organization with tailored HR
policies. However, the organization must consider revising the policies, as they are affecting
the organizational process and the structure.

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References:
Ackers, B. and Eccles, N.S., 2015. Mandatory corporate social responsibility assurance
practices: The case of King III in South Africa. Accounting, Auditing & Accountability
Journal, 28(4), pp.515-550.
Adams, K., Nyuur, R.B., Ellis, F.Y. and Debrah, Y.A., 2017. South African MNCs' HRM
systems and practices at the subsidiary level: Insights from subsidiaries in Ghana. Journal of
International Management, 23(2), pp.180-193.
Binuyo, A.O. and Aregbeshola, R.A., 2014. The impact of information and communication
technology (ICT) on commercial bank performance: evidence from South Africa. Problems
and perspectives in Management, 12(3), pp.59-68.
Binuyo, A.O. and Aregbeshola, R.A., 2014. The impact of information and communication
technology (ICT) on commercial bank performance: evidence from South Africa. Problems
and perspectives in Management, 12(3), pp.59-68.
George, G., Corbishley, C., Khayesi, J.N., Haas, M.R. and Tihanyi, L., 2016. Bringing Africa
in: Promising directions for management research.
Hall, R., 2013. The next Great Trek? South African commercial farmers move north. In The
New Enclosures: Critical Perspectives on Corporate Land Deals (pp. 217-238). Routledge.
Horwitz, F., 2015. Human resources management in multinational companies in Africa: a
systematic literature review. The International Journal of Human Resource
Management, 26(21), pp.2786-2809.
Maduku, D.K., 2013. Predicting retail banking customers’ attitude towards Internet banking
services in South Africa. Southern African Business Review, 17(3), pp.76-100.

8HR POLICIES
Newenham-Kahindi, A., 2013. Human resource strategies for managing back-office
employees in subsidiary operations: The case of two investment multinational banks in
Tanzania. In Effective People Management in Africa (pp. 202-225). Palgrave Macmillan,
London.
Newenham-Kahindi, A., Kamoche, K. and Chizema, A. eds., 2013. Effective people
management in Africa. Springer.
Oluwajodu, F., Greyling, L., Blaauw, D. and Kleynhans, E.P., 2015. Graduate unemployment
in South Africa: Perspectives from the banking sector. SA Journal of Human Resource
Management, 13(1), pp.1-9.
Student’s Note:
Sharing ideas about the ways in which HR leaders can investigate and communicate
about the linkages between HR policy and business performance that could be useful
across a range of workplace contexts.
The HR policies and the overall business performances are much related, as the later depends
upon the firmer. Therefore, as according to the mentions done by the first student, it can be
said, that the changes in an organization, that motivate the business performance of an
organization, are essentially included by the HR policies of the organization. Also, the
student was right to mention that the appraisal process which evaluates the employee
performance, that, influences and decides the organizational performance, is also done by the
HR team of an organization, therefore, its can be said that the HR team and the HR policies
drive the performers of the organization as a whole (Hoque. 2013).

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Also, it is important to understand that the human capital is the driving agent for the
organizational performance, and it is essentially the role of the leaders and the HR team of an
organization to manage the human capital. Rather, it is the HR department which is
responsible for the hiring and the selection process of the employees (Hoque. 2013).
Therefore, the human resource team is much responsible for and acts as a motivating agent
for the organizational performance.
Also, the student, had rightly understood that the absenteeism and the organizational
behavioural processes, all are motivated by the HR policies of the organization (Noe et al.
2017).
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.
Hoque, K., 2013. Human resource management in the hotel industry: Strategy, innovation
and performance. Routledge.
Proposing ways in which HR leaders and line managers can work together to assess the
impact of HR policies and practices on business performance.
It is the basic understanding that the HR leaders and the line managers work together. The
line managers and the HR leaders should work together as both of them are interested in the
growth and the expansion of the organization. Achieving success is the major objective for
both the parties, and the line managers can understand the management policies and the
management tactics from the HR leaders (Noe et al. 2017). The HR leaders are the ones to
select and recruit candidates, therefore, they need the help of the line managers there, in order

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to understand the core job requirements which can be provided by the line managers, on the
other hand, the line managers need the insights of the HR leaders in order to understand the
psychograph of the selected members. Therefore, the second student was right in his or her
orientation to have understood the impacts of the HR leaders in the business management.
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.
Supporting another student’s views or providing an alternative perspective on the
challenges HR leaders would face, in general or in specific organisations, and ways of
overcoming those challenges.
The HR leaders, while managing the business, come across plenty of challenging situations.
The third student has rightly approached that there are many disadvantageous position for the
HR leaders while managing the business. Therefore, the major challenges that the HR leaders
face in an organization, are,
 Regulating and maintaining the legal structures and procedures within the
organizational structure (Butler et al. 2013).
 Managing change within the organizational setup. This is the most challenging aspect
for the HR leaders. As the organization expands, it becomes more difficult to manage
the organizational processes and conducts, and then kit becomes more difficult to
include and manage change within the organizational structure (Butler et al. 2013).
 Also, it is the responsibility of the HR leaders to manage the leadership structure
within the organizational set up. Therefore, in this aspect the HR leaders face
difficulties in the communication management process (Butler et al. 2013).

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 The HR leaders also face challenges while planning for the training management
within the organizational structure. They come across with managing the employees
and the leaders, and employing an effective communication program that will help the
HR leaders to manage the training development and to manage the employees as well
as the leaders (Butler et al. 2013).
Therefore, the HR leaders can only avoid these challenges, by the implementation of updated
policies, effective communication management, effective selection processes, and
maintaining ethical code of conducts within the organizational structure (Noe et al. 2015).
References:
Butler, S.Z., Hollen, S.M., Cao, L., Cui, Y., Gupta, J.A., Gutiérrez, H.R., Heinz, T.F., Hong,
S.S., Huang, J., Ismach, A.F. and Johnston-Halperin, E., 2013. Progress, challenges, and
opportunities in two-dimensional materials beyond graphene. ACS nano, 7(4), pp.2898-2926.
Noe, R.A., Hollenbeck, J.R., Gerhart, B. and Wright, P.M., 2015. Human resources
management. Instructor, 2015.