Managing Employees in an Organization - Essay Example

? Barclay’s Bank Kenya Human Resource Any human resources’ department faces the important task of managing employees in an organization to ensure optimum results of the company. Research shows that human resource management contributes to eighty percent of the success of a business. Therefore, mismanagement of this department is detrimental to the growth and survival of a company. Barclays Bank Kenya for several decades has been standing out as one of Kenya’s best banks. Their services are thorough and the reputation of the bank reaches everywhere. The role of human resource in managing the employees plays a major role in the success of the business (Fisher, et al, 1990). The department is thorough in the recruitment of employees and only goes for the best qualified individuals in the market. Hiring is on merit. The human resource of Barclays Bank Kenya effectively takes part in the strategic plan of the company through ensuring effective communication from the employer to employees on company objectives. Another way the human resource of Barclays Bank stands out is the effective way in which it handles employee problems. They easily voice their concerns to the human resource without fear of victimization. Another benefit Barclays Kenya stands out for in the market is the benefits employees receive by working there. The company maintains a great pension scheme to allow the employees receive a good pension during retirement. In addition, human resource fosters good relations with employees by working on employee welfare. The bank holds an annual Family day to bring together the families of employees for a day of sports and fun. The bank also engages the employees in team building activities such as planting trees and offering community service. Human resource organizes community projects to allow employees give back to their communities. This gives employees a sense of pride and self realization by giving back to society. From the evident strong human resource management team in Barclays Bank Kenya, recommendations to other companies suggest that they borrow some of the strategies of the Bank to improve their own human resource departments. Barclays Bank is an international organization, and therefore has experience with several workers from various parts of the world and over a long period of time. Therefore, the human resource department of the company is mature in comparison to other companies. Many companies, especially in the developing world hire individuals based on prejudices such as ethnicity, nepotism, tribalism and discrimination. However, Barclays Bank Kenya, despite having its location in a developing company has a reputation of fairness in hiring as it takes employees based on merit only. Therefore, this practice ought to be adopted by many companies of the sort. A second recommendation that other companies ought to learn from Barclays Bank Kenya is the skill of listening to the opinions of employees. Many employees face harsh treatment and sometimes-unlawful dismissal due to airing of sensitive issues to management. However, the human resource ought to understand that employee opinion is fundamental in running a company and attaining the objectives. Complaints brought forward by employees require serious attention. Dismissing them as acts of rebellion by employees is naive and only leads to poor relations between employers and employees. Therefore, employee feedback requires encouragement, even if it incriminates the administration. Listening to employees reduces strikes, demonstrations and go slows. Therefore, other human resource departments ought to emulate the ethical behavior of Barclays Bank Kenya of listening to their employees and acting on the issues brought forth. In the long run, it promotes the success of the company due to encouraging good relationships between employees to the human resource department (Bianca, 2013). Companies receive recommendation to emulate the human resource practice of Barclays Bank Kenya of promoting employee welfare. This gives motivation to employees and inspires loyalty from them. This in turn sees the bank get better returns as employees maximize their input in work. Barclays Bank offers a well-planned pension scheme to employees. By keeping a small percentage of their earnings, the bank creates financial security for the employees that aim at ensure their comfort on retirement. This makes many individuals wish to work for the bank as compared to other companies that fail to guarantee an individual’s retirement. Putting effort into employee welfare is a major responsibility of the human resource department (Snell et al, 2010). The management ought to liaise with the financial departments to guarantee such. Barclays Bank promotes the involvement of employees in activities that do not necessarily revolve around work responsibilities. In addition, the bank uses this as an avenue to engage in society building activities. The human resource management organizes programs for employee participation such as tree planting, community development projects, charity events and even family events. This gives employees a chance to give back to society; a task that many find fulfilling and satisfying. These activities make employees feel needed by the company and the society. In addition, they take pride in association with a company known for its kindness to the members of the community. Community projects allow the employees to engage in team building activities that they eventually replicate at work. For these reasons, engaging employees in community activities serves to profit the company (Goss, 1994). Other human resources’ managers ought to adopt this strategy for the good of both their employees and that of their firms. Despite the many great things about the human resource management in Barclays Bank, instances of poor human resource implementation occurred. Recently, the bank adopted a new culture through the change of the current “values and purposes” of the company. These changes were hard for many employees to adapt. The new chief executive, Anthony Jenkins gave an ultimatum to all staff demand they adapt to these changes or leave the organization (Hewett, 2013). While the chief executive did this for a reason, it shows failure on the side of the human resource of the company. They failed to explain and make the employees understand the new structure in the company and the inevitable changes coming with the structure. Therefore, the management of the company and the employees clashed, promoting a poor relationship. Therefore, this problem requires addressing. The human resource management ought to effectively mediate the management and the employees, and also serve as a link between the two. This ensures that the two groups are in perfect harmony for the accomplishment of the company’s objectives. Working through this project as a group made it necessary to share responsibilities. Team work, dedication, co-operation and co-ordination made the project executable. First, all group members availed themselves for group meetings. There was maximum participation from all group members with each coming up with a theoretical framework. In addition, group members showed enthusiasm in research and individuals displayed a high level of initiative. During the research of this project, each member received an assignment. Thereafter, individuals undertook their assignments to thorough perfection through research from various sources. On a different meeting, members of the team shared their findings on the assignments given and an intense brainstorming session took place. The team enjoyed centralized leadership from one of the team members. The group leader coordinated the group in an effortless manner and ensured the participation o each member in this group activity. This facilitated the execution and completion of the project. Bibliography Bianca, A (2013), The Role of Human Resource Management in Organizations, Demand Media Fisher, C. D., Schoenfeldt, L. F., & Shaw, J. B., (1990), Human Resource Management, Boston, Houghton Mifflin Company Gilley, J. W., & Eggland, S. A. (1989), Principles of Human Resource Development, Reading, Mass, Addison-Wesley in Association with University Associates Hewett, A. (2013), Huge Cultural Changes at Barclays as Chief Issues Ethical Ultimatum to Staff, Oak Leaf Snell, S., & Bohlander, G. W., (2010), Principles of Human Resource Management, Mason, Ohio, South-Western Cengage Learning Read More