Strategic HRM Report: HRM Strategies for International Projects

This report provides a comprehensive analysis of strategic human resource management (HRM) within the context of a newly internationalizing organization, specifically Crawford Healthcare. It explores various strategies and approaches for training employees assigned to overseas projects lasting a year or more, including the construction of a mobility pyramid, assessment of skills gaps, and the implementation of cross-cultural and language training. The report also delves into Hofstede's cultural dimensions theory and ERG motivation theory to understand and address cultural differences and employee needs. Furthermore, it discusses the challenges employees face while working abroad, such as language barriers and cultural differences, and proposes management and HR practices to mitigate these difficulties. The report emphasizes the importance of selecting the right employees and providing adequate support to ensure the success of international assignments.

Strategic HRM

Table of Contents
INRODUCTION..............................................................................................................................3
Mention some of the strategies & approaches adopted by a newly internationalizing
organization for training the groups of employees to in overseas locations on projects for one
year or more. Mention some of the best approaches. ............................................................3
Discuss challenges employees face while working abroad & management and HR practices
can assist in coping with such difficulties..............................................................................6
CONCLUSION................................................................................................................................9
REFERENCE.................................................................................................................................10

INRODUCTION
Strategic human resource management is a process that is helping in development of
connection between objectives, goals and strategies of organisation with its human resource
department. The aim of strategic HRM is to enhance flexibility, development of competitive
advantage and flexibility in organisation. Present report is based on discussion of Crawford
healthcare that is fast growing international brand having innovative treatments & effective
dermatological, diagnostic products and wound-care for skin repair and care (Armstrong, 2016).
This brand is having high growth aspirations and internationalising strategy. Present report is
based on the discussion of approaches and strategies that organisation can use for the purpose of
training and preparing their employees for overseas projects. Further there are some challenges
that employees are facing that can be dealt with effective Human resource management practises.
Mention some of the strategies & approaches adopted by a newly internationalizing organization
for training the groups of employees to in overseas locations on projects for one year or
more. Mention some of the best approaches.
While a organization is willing to internationalize its functions it becomes very crucial to
prepare employees and provide them effective training so that they can contribute towards these
projects that are lasting for a time period of approximate a year. Expatriates are employees who
are relocating with their families or without families in a different country for completion of job.
It is necessary that there has to be selection of a right employee or there can be arising of
different problems such as premature return without completion of the project duration or large
number of complications in international business functions (Wright and Ulrich, , 2017). Many
expatriate assignment can be expensive for a organization so there is a need to work towards
talent management mechanisms to leverage the valuable skills that employees can get through
such assignments.
According to Ronen, 1989 there are main five categories that are part pf success attributes
it includes job factors motivational state, family situation, relational dimensions and language
skills. These five factor's have to be considered for purpose of making a decision on suitability of
a expatriate for a foreign assignment or not. For this human resource managers in Crawford
healthcare can work towards using some specific strategies that can help in training their
workforce for working towards some short term international projects.

Construction of a mobility pyramid is a strategy that can be used by managers where
there can be evaluation of workforce according top their willingness to work in new locations
according to their experience and ability. Many human resource departments posses mobility but
in present global markets this is a concept that is viewed as graduated scale & has to be constant
reassessed according to changing scenario (Barney and Mackey, 2016). This is going to help in
more employees being encourage to opt for these assignments and use in house talent.
Assessment of strength & skill gaps, in this strategy human resource managers have to
compare their characteristics and skills according to ideal requirements that can be defined for
present and future pose. If there is any type of skill gaps then there has to be proposal to fill such
gaps by use of methods such as mentoring, in house training, participation in cross border tasks
and outside courses. There has to be comparison of skills according to personal assessments &
required business strategy.
After this process has been completed in next step there has to be emphasis on using some
specific training method that can help in providing the right guidance to employees on different
international projects in Crawford healthcare.
Cross cultural is a training method in which there has to be fostering of appreciation and
a in depth understand of encounter of host country (Collings,Woodand Szamosi, 2018).
Language training is used to provide the language related knowledge so that employee is able to
establish communication with individuals in form of written, verbal, oral or non verbal,
communication according to culture that is prevailing in host country. Job specific training
method is a type of training in which there are training measures according to specific
requirement of job. This is divided in three major categories such as information giving
approaches that consist of a low level of rig-our, effective approaches that is based on employees
feeling and is also dealing with facts. And last is immersion approach that are in concern with
in depth methods that are covering a wide range of methods and topics. Immersion approach in
craw ford healthcare will consist of a assessment center, simulations, filed experience,
sensitively training and a extensive language training.
Scheduling training, is a type of training where human resource department is working
towards time management skills of their employees. There is differences in time of each country
that varies according to its locations (Caldwell and Anderson, , 2018). So, a sudden change may
affect working cycle of a employees. So in order to cope with this change there has to be

defining of daily schedules. It is going to assist the employee to understand basic differences in
timing perception and can be more Flexible for scheduling of meetings and other such type of
events in new country. Effective approach consist of language training, cultural assimilate
training, role playing, case studies, training based on stress reduction, moderate language training
(Anjum, Mingand Puig, 2019). Information giving approach has also to be used by HR
management of Crawford healthcare where there has to be emphasis on area briefings,
Books/films, Using of interpreters and a survival level language training. Degree of integration
of all discussed approaches has to be based on the time period of stay of a employee on such
foreign location such as if length of stay is for one month or less then integration has to be low if
time period varies from 2-12 months period then it has to be moderate and if time period is for 1-
3 years then integration will be high.
According to the above mentioned points of deciding the different types of training
methods for employees. It can be said that in Crawford healthcare there has to be use of a off the
job training method for purpose of keeping their workforce ready to face challenges of
internationalization of their organization (Junita, 2017). There has to be a pre-workshop
organized for training employees to understand different types of cultural dimensions that can be
part of a future workplace.
There are several dimension of hofstedes cultural dimension theory that can be used fpr
understand of the differences across countries and the way business are being done in different
cultures. There are six types of cultures that are identified in this theory such as power distance
index that consist of power and inequality can differences, encouraging bureaucracy, respecting
authority & rank.
Individualism vs collectivism is considering degree of integration of society.
Individualism is indication attainment of personal goals. Collectivism there is importance on
well being and goals of group.
Uncertainty avoidance index indicates a situation of low tolerance for ambiguity, risk
taking and uncertainty. Low uncertainty avoidance index leads to high tolerance for such factors.
Masculinity vs femininity is regarded as “tough vs tender”. Masculinity consist of
gender roles, assertive & wealth building. Femininity is with modesty, nurturing and better
quality of life.

Long term orientation vs short term orientation where long term orientation is
focusing on delaying of success and gratification for long term success. Short term orientation is
focusing on delivering gratification (Jiang, 2016).
Indulgence vs restraint, here indulgence is indicating that society is leading to a free
gratification and restaurant that is society suppressing of gratification needs & regulating through
social norms.
Above mentioned hofstedes cultural dimension theory is applied in context of Crawford
healthcare. The six dimensions of national culture are based on extensive research that is
understand different cultural perspectives according to individual preferences in a organization.
These dimensions are used for expressing the degree of less powerful members of society and
how power can sometimes be distributed unequally that has to be managed to handle the
inequalities for creation of a positive culture at workplace.
ERG motivation theory:
These are divided in three basic needs that are existence needs, relatedness needs and growth
needs. In context of Crawford healthcare there is discussion based on application of this theory
for the purpose of identification of needs of individuals:
Existence needs: It consist of the basic psychological needs such as water, food, clothing, air,
safety without which a individual cannot survive. These needs have to be identified as if such
basic needs are not fulfilled then it may lead to no contribution towards future motivation needs.
Relatedness needs: It includes external esteem and social esteem needs that are part of creation
of significant relationship with friends, family, employers and co workers. It combines third and
fourth level needs of ma-slow.
Growth needs: These are part of self actualization and internal esteem needs these are impelling
a person to be more productive and creative. In Crawford health care these needs will help in
being more productive and creative employees so that they are able to accept the change with
being more meaningful.
Above mentioned maslow theory will help in identification the level at individuals are
present in Crawford healthcare so that there can be identification of the needs that can further
motivate them to enhance their level of performance. It is going to motivate employees to deal
with cultural challenges and respond in a positive manner.

Above discussed theory will be a great resource for understand the culture impact on life
and work of a individual. It will be accessed to understanding of various dimension of difference
among cultures so that there is no situation of cultural shock for employees in Crawford
healthcare. It is one of the best approaches that can be used for purpose of preparing a employee
for purpose of dealing with cultural differences in a new country across borders.
Discuss challenges employees face while working abroad & management and HR practices can
assist in coping with such difficulties
Business organisations are continuously working towards expand their operation's across
international borders to enhance their profitability and sustainable growth, for improvement of
Competitive position across globe there has to be focus towards various sources of Competitive
advantage, many contemporary organisation have understood that sustained competitive
advantage can arise by application of internal resource of a organisation & resource deployments
that are sometimes imperfectly imitable from the market position of organisation products.
International strategy can be based on using of core competencies for exploiting of opportunity
is that are part of foreign markets (Storey, Ulrich and Wright, 2019). Multi domestic Strategy
is based on foreign subsidiaries operating as autonomous units for customisation of products
according to local market needs, global strategy is focussing on ensuring a control overall global
operations in order to maintain standardisation and last transnational strategy is combing of
staffing policies, expatriate selection, industrial relations, diversity management and training. In
Crawford healthcare there is focus on using of a global strategy that is focussing on having
adequate control overall all the global functions to maintaining a particular standardisation.
There are some challenges that employees are assigned to work on specific projects are
facing while they are working on international projects. Language barriers is related to proper
expressing by a individual to the person with whom the communication is being made. Usually
the barriers is related to not able to properly express in a new language. Even if a employee is a
very skilled communicate there can be issues related to not being able to express properly.
Cultural differences is also a very big issues as moving to a new country involves having a
different types of experience. There is a completely different environment that is experienced by
a individual according to way of living, thinking process, beliefs, values that are posses by
people who are citizens of such country (Das and Kodwani, 2018). It is a scenario of stepping
out of comfort zone and accepting a entirely different culture.

Managing changes in Working life is also a issues a so it becomes difficult to adjust
according to etiquettes of new working environment. Money management can also a be a
challenge for employees where they have to work towards their finances. Such as it Consist of
taxation policies that varies with every country's regulatory framework. Business practices are
closely related to economy, culture and thee related factors. Employees in Crawford healthcare
have to be prepared to get a proper workplace customs and dynamics. There has to be handling
of workplace mechanisms by use of approaches according to job role.
Apart from these challenges there can always be situations of unforeseen challenges
that can arise. There is requirements of courage, resilience and introspection to smooth the
process of transition (Caiazza, 2018). Human resource department of Crawford healthcare has to
work fort enhancing this learning process so that there can be a rewarding experience for
employees who have to work on internationalising projects.
HR management of Crawford have to make arrangement to provide their employees who
were working on such international projects by having repatriation management. In this when a
expatriates is retuning to home county there can be a situation when they experience a “ reverse
culture shock” that may lead to creation of dissonance at family and workplace. In this
repatriation adjustment program the organisation has to work towards providing proper
counselling to employees so that they are able to deal with all types of sudden changes. The
organisation can work towards utilisation of experience & knowledge level of repatriate, being
away for a foreign assignment, career progression of employee and has to be decided in advance
to avoid any type of career stagnation after returning back.
Employee engagement is a technique that can be used as a tool to minimize the negative
impact of challenges that are faced by employees. In Crawford healthcare there can be managing
of employee resistance towards changes by use of internal communication that is a strategy for
enhancing cross functional management.
International compensation is also a criteria that can be adopted by HR managers in
Crawford healthcare where there has to be a specific pay scale that can motivate their employees
to adopt to all changes that are part of the new country to which they are moving. There are
different cost of licensing differences and scenario of “high cost” that can lead to higher
resistance towards accepting such changes. All these have to focussed according to equitable
wage rate of country. Annual compensation surveys can also be a tool to deal with this problem

of deciding the “appropriate compensation level” where there can be own annual
compensation surveys that can be conducted to find such results.
HR managers have to maintain harmonious labour relations so that there can be
avoiding of conflicts with trade unions and labours in host country (Robson and Wihlborg,
2019). Of all these strategies are properly followed and adopted then it can be a source of
competitive advantage for organisation willing to have internationalising projects.
Balance sheet approach is a common approach that is based on formulation of expatriate
pay according to equalizing the purchasing power across borders. The basic idea is that each of
expatriate must enjoy the similar type of standard of living as in their home country. It consist of
providing special consideration to expenses such as income taxes, reserves and basic goods &
services. In practical situation this particular approach is revolving around to build yo the total
compensation of expatriate around five or six components. Base salary has to be Normally in
same range as managers home country salary but with a foreign service operation. This is paid as
executives base salary but part is to compensate the employee for making physical and cultural
adjustments. Allowances can be offered such as education allowance or housing allowance in
situations of family moving with employee.
Above mentioned are some of best suitable approaches that can help human resource
managers of Crawford healthcare to assist their employees in dealing with challenges that they
are facing because of internationalizing process.

CONCLUSION
It can be summarised that managing of human resource for internationalising
organisations is a complex issues. Organisations are striving to work towards improvement of
their Human resource management strategies. Selection of a right incumbent for a foreign
assignment has to be based on holistic criteria of selection and another important aspects is to
focus on cultural adaptability criteria. Training has to be provided before assignment of job
responsibilities so that employees are already aware of challenges and there can be management
repatriation by a proper career progression plan. Counselling of employees is also a focus area of
international human resource management. Right compensation strategy has to be used for
enhancing employee motivation and morale for accepting foreign assignments.

REFERENCE
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Wright, P.M. and Ulrich, M.D., 2017. A road well traveled: The past, present, and future journey
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