MGT509 - Human Resource Management Mod 1 SLP - Essay Example

Recruiting, Selecting and Onboarding Processes at the Coca Cola Corporation, USA of the of the Recruiting, Selecting and Onboarding ProcessesIntroductionThe field of HR is undergoing changes every day. Far from being a staid discipline, personnel management or human resources remains one of the most talked about departments today. Not only did the recession put a lot of pressure on HR departments, but new technologies and resources like Twitter, Face book and the internet at large has influenced and changed the ways we look at and hire employees.

This paper will take a look at the recruiting, selecting and onboarding processes at the Coca Cola Company today and suggest improvements to some of these processes.Importance of Recruiting, Selection and OnboardingIt is no secret that recruiting, selection and onboarding are some of the most important processes for bringing in new talent in an organization. Companies spend a lot of time, money and energy into selecting and hiring the best recruits and can only hope that they will stay through the orientation programs and beyond and be a good fit with the organizational culture so that they can be contributing to its goals in the shortest time possible.

In some ways, the success of the hiring program also depends to a great extent on the investment of time and energy in planning these aspects. As much as candidates try to show organizations that they are the best talent available, the organization also should try to show potential employees that they are the best employers. Coca Cola should know, it has over 100 years of experience and is a global enterprise having the world’s most recognized brand. The Experience of Coca Cola CorporationAs explained, I interviewed Miss Ceree Eberly, Human Resources Director for Coca Cola, USA.

It was a short telephonic interview, but I think I got what I was looking for. She put me in touch with another HR representative who answered most of my questions on the company’s recruiting, selection and onboarding processes. One of the problems that HR is facing regards the verification of details on the forms and resumes of potential candidates. Like their Face book and Twitter profiles, resumes of candidates may be highly embellished or inflated with experiences and skills that they never had or used and roles they never played.

The second difficulty is that candidates give up too easily during the hiring process and are frustrated because of current economic conditions in the USA. The company understands that this is partly because of post-recessionary trends seen in the economy, but society will have to adapt. They want candidates that are skilled and confident and see the job as a career, not just a stepping stone to another organization (SIOP, 2002). The third issue regards the generation gap between new and experienced employees at Coca Cola.

While we are grateful for their ideas and contributions, the new generation expects progress too quickly in the shape of promotions, bonuses and other material benefits. Perhaps this is the offshoot of instantaneous gratification provided via the Internet, or instant communication via the mobile phone. The world is flat, and these new kids know it. They just expect too much too soon and can’t wait. Consequently there is a clash between the new and old generations- the latter being regarded as dinosaurs.

Suggestions for ImprovementIn the light of these contemporary problems in evidence at Coca Cola, I would ensure that all applications, resumes and credentials be rechecked and re-verified through an independent and qualified agency. HR should not only rely on keywords to select resumes but have its staff read each resume themselves and match it with the candidate’s age, education and other details to find anomalies. Competency based interviewing should be the norm (Weyland, 2011). Regarding the current level of dissatisfaction and frustration given the state of the economy, we need to educate potential candidates that giving up on the first obstacle is not the way to get hired, they should exhibit more fighting spirit and reserve in life in general as well as the hiring process.

Coca Cola expects their employees to persevere through challenges and difficult times (Anonymous, 2009). Regarding the last problem of instant gratification, it also needs to be explained to candidates that Coca Cola did not get where it is today overnight- it is the case of a hard struggle against many odds and obstacles that required tact and tenacity to surpass and conquer them. New entrants would have to change their expectations and learn to survive in this competitive environment. In this way I hope that the current concerns at Coca Cola can be addressed.

ReferencesAnonymous (2009). Onboarding- A Critical Element in Strategic Talent Management, July 22, 2009. Workforce Management, Volume 88, Issue 9, p S-10. SIOP (2002). Selection. Industrial-Organizational Psychology learning module. Weyland, A. (2011). How to Recruit Employees that Fit. www.trainingjournal.com. July 2011.