Development of HR Policy
Consider the prevalence of social media, both as an official means of organisational communication and
its �unofficial� use by staff in and outside the office. Consider the rise of remote working, flexible work
assignments, outsourcing and other trends.
Have you worked in an organisation that has implemented strategies such as virtual work teams, perhaps
crossing departmental, organisational or even national borders? Or perhaps you have worked in an
organisation that has incorporated corporate social responsibility or sustainability into its business
strategy?
All of these developments can have important implications for HR policy. This essay gives you an
opportunity to investigate one of these trends and its potential impact on HR policy in greater depth.
Introduction
Technology has had enormous changes on the way people and organisations execute
businesses. The advent of technology has had more effect with the decentralized nature of the
internet and increased production of desktop and mobile computing. The modern business
environment cannot be productive with the exclusion of modern technology. The effect is also
evident in all business areas such as human resource and how HR practices are executed. The
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paper evaluates how organisational trends such as the increased technology impact the
formulation of HR policy.
How can HR leaders use HR policy to take advantage of opportunities posed by the
trend you identified?
Recruiting: Advents of the internet have altered the way employees are recruited by
companies. In the past, HR recruiters relied on print media; however, this is not the case
anymore as technology has made it possible for employers to post a vacancy and get
innumerable views from various geographical regions (Boxall & Purcell 2016).
Training: With the advent of ICT, the HR department has the ability to train new recruits
rather effectively. Furthermore, the capacity to access the firm’s data and training schemes from
different locations excludes the need for instructors to work with new recruits throughout the
entire training period. While interaction is necessary at some point, virtual classes enhance the
training of many employees effectively by way of computer-based tests (Deloitte Consulting
2014).
Advanced data storage and recovery: Modern technology has eliminated a lot of
paperwork. With the advent of electronic imaging, it is now possible for organisations to store,
retrieve and print files stored electronically.
Performance Management: Modern technological tools have made it possible for
organizations to evaluate employee performance and get a response that would enable the
company to enhance performance (Armstrong 2014). Various applications can be employed to
evaluate performance at the corporate level using indicators to determine whether or not
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standards are being met. When certain employees fail to measure up, they may undergo
additional training.
How HR leaders use HR policy to mitigate risks posed by technology?
The main goal of current approaches to the human resource is maximising opportunities
related to increased technology while reducing risks that are likely to arise. With this in mind, the
HR policy associated with employee mobility often breeds a desire from employers and workers
alike to ensure that there is significant flexibility in conducting their duties and managing virtual
organisations. In addition, there is a need to modify the HR policy particularly social media
technology, which allows workers to share ideas. Therefore, it is necessary for the human
resource department to adopt a proactive standpoint for the firm to be competitive. Much as
human resource should be proactive in encouraging sharing of ideas, organisational guidelines
must be enacted about the use of social media to safeguard the firm and individual from the
increasing “instant” places of work (Jacobson & Tufts 2013).
How does the organisation’s HR Policy need to be revised or changed in light of
technology?
It is crucial for the organisation to re-examine the cost-based human resource policy that
has a major impact on the labour needs (Deloitte Consulting 2014). Another area that should be
revised is the use of human resource information system (HRIS) to hire and recruit workers
through online techniques. These techniques will allow potential candidates to apply directly or
register with expert online bureaus (Bamberger, Biron & Meshoulam 2014).
Implications
Failure to address technology via HR policy is likely to contribute to inefficiency. For
instance, the absences of technology will intricate matters for the HR managers to recruit and
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select workers. This is because the absence of print media such as magazines makes it hard for
HR leaders to post jobs in many locations for millions of individuals to see them with a click of a
button. In addition, without technology in HR policy, it becomes challenging to monitor the
progress of new workers while making it difficult to for the organization retrieve and store
information. Without the right technology, HR managers will be compelled to go through all the
files to get the required information; hence, this is not just time-consuming, but also inefficient.
References
Armstrong, M. 2014. Armstrong’s handbook of human resource management practice, 13th Ed.
London: Kogan Page.
Bamberger, P., Biron, M. & Meshoulam, I. 2014. Human resource strategy: formulation,
implementation and impact, 2nd ed. London: Routledge.
Boxall, P. & Purcell, J. 2016. Strategy and Human Resource Management (4 th Ed.) London:
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Palgrave Macmillan
Deloitte Consulting 2014. Global human capital trends 2014’
