Environmental Analysis For Business Issues And HR Policies

As part of your professional education and training, you have studied a number of tools and models that can help organizations analyze their environments as an aid to strategy making, and for anticipating and dealing with change.  

You have been asked by your CEO to write a report outlining what the main issues facing your business currently are. In order to do this, you are required to carry out an environmental analysis within your own organization, drawing on appropriate tools and theory. Your CEO has also asked you to clearly indicate and justify what type of data you need to collect and discuss how you would use them to help anticipate some of the changes that may be required to the HR policies and procedures.  

Environmental Analysis

Resources are an integral part for companies and organizations in terms of producing quality products and services. The effective and judicious utilization of the resources by the personnel adds value to the parameter of “human” in the proposed subject of the discussion. Inadequate stock of human resources relates to the issues, which hamper the efficient execution of the business activities (Boxall and Purcell 2015). This report, through the reference of Blackburn in association with Darwen Borough council, excavates the business issues, which aggravate the complexities of the companies and organizations in terms of effective management of the human resources.

SWOT Analysis

Strengths:

Presence of skilled and efficient staffs enhances the flexibility in the business activities. Along with this, exposure of partnership working helps the personnel to complete the tasks within the stipulated time. An interrupted access to the cities helps the customers to fulfil their needs and requirements (Daft 2014). This access reflects a wider supply chain network; which enhances the stability in the relationship between the company and the customers. To keep up the strength factors, the organization needs to operate at the delivery interface, close to customers, build strong professional communities as well as interchange of solutions, and promote diversity of solutions. 

Lack of orientation in terms of execution of the business activities makes the position of the company vulnerable. This vulnerability questions the role of the personnel. The major drive behind this is the low educational profile of the staffs. Along with this, harsh and orthodox policies limit the scope and arena of the company in terms of efficient execution of the business activities (Desjardins 2007). These limitations stall the entry of innovation within the workplace premises. Differentiation is lacking in case of the local authorities. This drawback aggravates the complexities of the organization in terms of luring large scale customers (Dunleavy, Rainford and Tinkler 2012). This similarity contradicts the aspect of rational approach towards enjoying competitive advantage over the contemporary brands.

Development of new policies for adopting changes paves the way of success for the company (Farnham et al., 2010). Within this, seeking out ways and means for generating income would act as a cornerstone in the achievement of financial stability in the business activities. Typical example of this is the E-Gov ICT initiatives, which improves the communication between the organization and the customers. Introduction of lucrative schemes, discounts and offers would enhances the partnerships with the customers. Provision of training to the employees would prove beneficial for the organization in their future plans and programme. To achieve greater integration across local authorities’ in the highly-siloed departments, there is an increased need of cutting back office staff, as the council are moving towards automating services (Grant 2015).

Variations in the response of the local authorities pose as a threat for the organization in terms of establishing relevancy and authenticity in the business activities. This situation aggravates the difficulties of the organizations in terms of bringing innovation and sustaining the changes. Lack of understanding regarding the scope and arena of governmental policies makes it difficult for the organization in terms of carrying out the business activities. This stalls the process of bringing hange within the workplace environment. Along with this, lack of funding deprives the customers of the quality services, which fulfils their specific needs, demands and requirements (Hales 2001). This relates a poor external image as well as the perception for the brand. Disintegration in the large bureaucracies creates issues of conflits, which makes it difficult for the personnel to maintain their market position. This situation detaches the organization from the services, which nullifies the role of the bureaucratic monopoly providers. This nullification shuns the outsourcing in the industry. Lastly, there is incentivisation compels the personnel to witness issues such as customer turnover and employees turnover, which overpowers the contemporary brands within the competitive ambience (Jacobs 2012).

SWOT Analysis

Political:

Among the key political issues that the local authority face include meeting decent homes standard, access and accommodation strategy, white paper on local government, development of community partnerships, Budget cuts, Inspection bodies, changing parliamentary constituencies, first time buyers’ incentive schemes, up-skilling and development issues of board and neighbourhood agenda. Assistance from the political statutory bodies adds a legal touch to the business activities of the organization. This legal parameter helps the organization to attract large number of customers (Marchington, Wilkinson and Marchington 2012).

Taking assistance from the trade union members helps the organizational personnel to deal with the financial complexities. This assistance helps the organization to judge the feasibility and effectiveness of the proposed plans in terms of the identified and the specified requirements. Applying business models helps the company to excavate its current position. Market research helps the company in terms of manufacturing innovative quality products for the customers. Creation and development of plans, in respective to this research is a gradual progression towards the achievement of customer satisfaction. Within this, focusing on the upliftment of the rural areas enhances the focus of the organization (Rollinson 2008).

Maintaining the pace with the changing needs, demands and requirements of the customers enhances the reputation of the organization among the customers. Carrying out marketing mix helps the organization to identify their target audience, which improves focus of the organization of the execution of business activities. Paying heed to the older people and the asylum seekers would result in the social upliftment of these people. Along with this, this selection broadens the scope, arena, market size, position of the organization. Putting the newly launched products in the social media enhances the brand awareness for the organization (Marchington, Wilkinson and Marchington 2012).

Carrying out market research makes the organization aware of the machines, popular in demand in market. Search engine optimization helps the organization to achieve positive outcomes in this direction. Training programs on the effective and judicious utilization of the devices helps the organizations to complete the tasks within the stipulated time. Along with this, hiring experts helps the organizational personnel to detect the presence of virus or hacking interventions in the devices (Jacobs 2012). This step helps the personnel to bestow quality and technologically advanced machines on the buyers. Adherence and compliance to the IT legislations authenticates the online activities that are conducted by the organization. This ompliane helps the personnel to attain customer loyalty, trust and dependence.

Compliance to the standards and norms of the regulatory framework helps the personnel of the organization to add a legal touch to the business activities. As a matter of specification, this compliance, supports the organizational personnel to reduce the instances of conflicts, harassments and discriminations. This reduction provides a safe and comfortable workplace environment to the staffs, which results in the production of prospective outputs. Revision and amendment, of the standards of regulatory framework upgrades the results in the upgradation of the performance of the organization (Grant 2015).

Lack of developable land for industry,Beacon Council for Fostering Business, Growth, Green Agenda – Climate Change, cutting carbon emissions, Landfill

PESTLE Analysis

The functions of HR help the business to maximize the strategy for improvement.  This strategic improvement results in an enhanced productivity, which is vital to develop better technology that can be helpful to keep careful eye on the project. Change is an inevitable aspect, which alters the predicament of the organizations, such as Blackburn with Darwen Borough Council at the time of operation (Grant R. M., 2015).  Exposure of strategic approach towards the change proves beneficial for the organization in terms of upgrading the current performance of the organization. Within this, the role of the HR is very much significant as effective management of the human resources helps in the efficient execution of the business activities. Hence, it is vital for the organization to cut the cross for adopting most effective approach in order to develop the present budget.  For this, staff downsizing would be helpful to gain competitive advantages for the company.  In addition, proper strategy for developing plan for the organization would be useful to achieve target of the organization. Therefore, minimizing the risks in the organization, it would give benefits for the organization (Grant R. M., 2015).  

The data for the current study was collected from relevant materials such as recently published reports about the organisation. A market research checklist was applied when searching for the appropriate materials. The data collected for the current study was to provide significant information on the council’s responses to specific problems. Factors that were considered in the collection of data include the outcomes that were to be measured, the information needed to indicate success of the council, how and who will use the collected information, the feasibility of colleting the data, resources needed to analyse, interpret, as well as report the data.

When employee’s welfare is given priority, improved performance can be achieved. When Blackburn with Darwen Borough Council implements the transformational HR strategy of change, the existing employees will be motivated to understand the functioning of the HR department, hence increased collaboration among teams. Besides, when the needs of employees are met, the organisation’s performance will improve leading to improved employee retention.

The key role of Human Resource within an organisation, in the context of this paper, is to facilitate change. There is an increased need to have a better understanding of the role of Human Resource in facilitating change within an organisation. A concerned HR should play a critical role in the achievement of the continuous improvements in the not only individual but also organisational performance. Boxall and Purcell (2015, p. 56) argued that one of the key roles of HR professionals is to act as change agent, who deliver both organisational transformation as well as culture change. Fig. 1 presents an example of the various techniques used by the human resource management in facilitating change within an organisation.

Figure 1A figure illustrating an example of techniquesused by the human resource management to promote change within an organisation

Blackburn with Darwen Borough Council needs to understand that the Human Resource (HR) practices used in both private and public sectors nationally continue to evolve and advance. The HR practices and policies are strategically used by organisations to solve challenges that may face them. The relevance of PESTLE and SWOT analysis is that they focus on various aspects of the organisation including political, economic, social, technological, and legal. The wide range of social care, transport, schools, environmental and regeneration services, its current lean and efficient processes of minimising operating cost, the continuous innovation in the services offered, its cost-effective solutions have been identified as the key strengths. On the other hand, the Increasing awareness for social needs and the demand for quality services as well  tie-ups with community centred services are some of the opportunities identified in the study.

While putting into consideration the importance of  effective change management strategies, the CEO should integrate the most efficient HRM practices to achieve success.  While considering facilitating change as the key role of HRM, the implementation of the transformational HR strategy of change will serve as an effective approach to addressing the current staffing challenges at the organisation. Transformation and transformational power in HRM will help address the avoidable consequence of the available HR strategies of managing change. While restructuring can directly affect an organisation, functionality based HR resources teams should be understood in the process as they offer a broad range of support to a “one-team” strategy.

References

Boxall, P.F. & Purcell, J., 2015. Strategy and Human Resource Management. 4^th ed. London: Palgrave.

Crowther, D. & Miriam, G., 2004. Organisational Theory. London: Chartered Institute of Personnel and Development.

Daft RL., 2014. New Era of Management. 11^th ed. South-Western.

Desjardins, J. R., 2007. Business, Ethics, and the Environment: Imagining a Sustainable Future. London: Pearson Education, Prentice Hall.

Dunleavy, P., Rainford, P. and Tinkler, J. (2012). Innovating out of Austerity in Local Government: A SWOT analysis. LSE Public Policy Group.

Farnham, D., Farnham, D. & Chartered Institute of Personnel and Development., 2010. Human Resource Management in Context: Strategies, Insights, and Solutions. 3^rd ed. London: Chartered Institute of Personnel and Development.

Grant R. M., 2015. Contemporary Strategy Analysis. 9^th ed. Wiley.

Hales, C., 2001. Managing through Organization: The Management Process, Forms of Organization and the Work of Managers. 2^nd ed. Thomson Learning.

Jacobs, B. (2012). Blackburn with Darwen Council is splitting its services. [online] Lancashire Telegraph. Available at: https://www.lancashiretelegraph.co.uk/news/blackburn/9827315.display/ [Accessed 11 Mar. 2017].

Marchington, M., Wilkinson, A. &Marchington, L., 2012. Human Resource Management at Work. 5^th ed. London: Chartered Institute of Personnel and Development.

Rollinson, D., 2008. Organisational Behaviour and Analysis: An Integrated Approach. 4^th ed. Financial Times Prentice Hall.

Tarba, S. Y. & Cooper, C. L., 2016. HRM Practices in Strategic Partnerships. International Journal of Human Resource Management, 27(20), 2305-2309.