Evaluation of Department of Homeland Security Management - Research Paper Example

Evaluation of Department of Homeland Security Management Human Resource Processes Among the components of the Homeland Security’s human resource system, three stand out in terms of factors that contribute to enhanced processes of a performance evaluation plan for hiring and retaining a diversified workforce. The first of them has to do with the inclusion of agency human capital strategic planning into the performance plans and program performance reports (Schwemle, 2004). This component provides that the whole process of human resource planning is undertaken from an external and non-biased perspective whereby only limited power is given to internal administrators to run the process. It will be noted that the human capital strategic planning is in place to ensure that processes concerning human resource planning such as hiring, pay programs, and retention are undertaken through a more holistic model that provides an integration into the larger strategic plan of any organization for which it works (U.S. Executive Office of the President, 2004). Consequently, it can be said that this inclusion process ensures a more compact human resource planning program. The second component of the agency’s human resource system that can be analyzed is the rate of emphasis that the agency places on internal hiring. Hiring is a very important aspect of all human resource management roles as it sets the tone for the human resource base of an organization to be established. Consequently, the actual structures of the human resource base of an agency, including the weaknesses and strengths of the agency depend largely on the mechanisms that take place during the hiring process. As a part of the homeland security’s human resource management policy, preference is always given to internal employees from lower ranks whose competencies and experience permit for them to occupy vacant positions that exist on top of their hierarchy (U.S. Department of Homeland Security and U.S. Office of Personnel Management, 2004). This does not mean, however, that no room is created for external hiring, but that this is minimized until the time when internal placements have been exhausted. In effect, the most likely position to hire from outside the organization is in very low divisions. Finally, the agency has a locality and special rate supplements in relation to retention that is used as a major human resource planning policy to ensure the retention of diversified workforce. With a labelling of locality and special rate, the commonest idea that comes to mind is that this form of rates is different from the generalized rates used by all other governmental agencies and institutions (Schwemle, 2004). In the case of homeland security, this provision has been made to ensure a form of motivation that would guarantee that there are employees who would want to put up specialized roles and work with the agency for long, so as to be beneficiaries of the rate. Imperatively, the locality and special rate supplements in relation to retention is an internal mechanism, together with the internal hiring process to ensure that there is an absolute retention among the labour force of the agency. Implications of Human Resource Workforce The three components of human resource planning discussed above come with three major implications, which could all be summed up into a common terminology known as increased productivity. This is because the inclusion of an external agency in hiring ensures fairness and adherence to state principles, which brings about a highly credible hiring process that is devoid of all forms of biases (U.S. Office of Personnel Management, 2003b). Once this is achieved, productivity can be guaranteed because the issue of putting square pegs in round holes will be done away with, thereby, ensuring that people are placed at positions where they can perform to their utmost best. The internal hiring mechanism also makes sure that employees who enter the agency can have a guarantee and an assurance that they will certainly be allowed to go up through the ranks of the agency’s job openings, and, so, they will not be in a rush to look for higher positions from outside the agency. This also provides an increased productivity because continuing employees would certainly have a better understanding of the organizational culture and will not need much orientation to adjust to higher positions as compared to people who will enter the organization newly (Schwemle, 2004). Finally, the specialized rate is also a form of motivation that implies that workers will be equipped to perform best to increase productivity so as to qualify for these motivational incentives. Succession Planning for Human Resource Management Interpersonal Relationship The kind of relationship that the staff of any given organization or institution have among themselves is referred to as employee-employee relations (U.S. Office of Personnel Management, 2003a). This form of relationship is very crucial in the human resource set up of any organization if success is really what the organization seeks to achieve. This is so because the employees themselves serve as a major ingredient in the successful running of the organization and, therefore, need to relate to each other in a manner that promotes healthy co-existence. But for employees to have this skill of coexisting healthily, they ought to possess a highly skillful interpersonal relationship. Once this comes in, workers are sure to complement each other in terms of the execution of basic roles and responsibilities. It is, therefore, recommended for a period of interpersonal relationship program to be instituted as a part of the integrated training and enhancement program of the agency. International Human Relations The staff of the homeland securities comes into contact with as many people from different international backgrounds as possible. During each of these meetings, the kind of interaction that the employees have with the people amounts to the level of success that can be achieved in the handling of managerial and professional roles. It is, therefore, recommended that as a way of improving the agency’s workforce, international human relations skill and competence are most needed. These international human relations skills will ensure that as often as there are relations with people from different local and international backgrounds, the staff can critically express themselves in a manner that meets professional standards. This international human relations skills will also make the workforce highly versatile in the performance of roles because they will bring about an era where the workforce are not only acquainted with the organizational provisions of their job specifications, but also with the provisions that exist for the universally accepted paradigm of human relations. This should, therefore, be implemented by undertaking a specialized international human relations workshop for continuing employees and ensuring that incoming employees have the skill at forehand. Job Analysis and Design The description of the consultant position includes several points. Job Title: APPRENTICESHIP CONSULTANT Job Specifications: 1. Development of an in-depth analysis of the current human resource management system at the homeland security. 2. Evaluation of the effectiveness of the existing human resource management system. 3. Outlining action driven recommendations for improving homeland security’s human resources management system and processes. The position may be used within the hiring and placement team to find effective ways of ensuring that job recruitment and placement are done in accordance with the models of organizational goals and development. The position will also be used at the training and enhancement level for the training of employees to acquire some of the major skills and competences outlined above. References Schwemle, B. L. (2004). Homeland security: Human resources management. Retrieved from http://www.ndu.edu/library/docs/crs/crs_rl31500_20feb04.pdf U.S. Department of Homeland Security and U.S. Office of Personnel Management (Feb. 20 2004). “Department of homeland security human resources management system.” Federal Register, 69 (34), 8029-8071. U.S. Executive Office of the President, Office of Management and Budget (2004). Budget of the United States government fiscal year 2005. Washington: GPO. U.S. Office of Personnel Management (June 13 2003a). “Organization of the government for personnel management, overseas employment, temporary and term employment, recruitment and selection for temporary and term appointments outside the register, examining systems, and training.” Federal Register, 68 (114), 35265-35270. U.S. Office of Personnel Management (May 24 2003b). OPM Director announces members of the New Chief Human Capital Officers Council. Retrieved from http://www.opm.gov/pressrel/2003/EB-CHCO.asp Appendix An Interview Form Used for Data Collection 1. What are some of the major components that the human resource management system of your organization entails? Response: three outstanding components of the HRS of the agency are inclusion of agency human capital strategic planning in performance plans and program performance reports, the use of rate of emphasis that the agency places on internal hiring, and, finally, locality and special rate supplements in relation to retention. 2. Does the organization have both internal and external hiring programs? Response: Yes, it has. 3. Which of the two, internal and external hiring, does the agency have its focus on? Response: Internal hiring. 4. What are some of the reasons for the selected model of hiring? Response: Internal hiring helps to ensure that the core organizational culture of the homeland security is maintained. Experience of the existing employees is also easily continued when old employees are used instead of new employees. 5. How has the agency ensured that the organization attains retention at all levels of the organizational operation? Response: motivation has been a central focus when it comes to employee retention. To this end, there is a specialized retention premier and rate given to hard working and pioneer employees. 6. What are some of the specific outcomes that have been recorded as a result of implementing the current system of employee retention? Response: The agency has been able to retain most of its long serving employees and has also led to a situation where most prospective employees seek to work with the agency because of the assurance that promotional avenues will be provided for them. Read More