Human Resources Management in Coca-Cola - Coursework Example

Introduction Human resource management is no longer the simple task it used to be in yester years. With the ever dynamic global environment of today, companies must brace themselves and make changes whenever such a need arises in order to maintain their competitive edge. In fact, instead of waiting for others to set pace, successful companies take charge and make proactive changes that continuously keep the competitor on its toes. The human resource practically being the most precious of an organization must be well selected, adequately compensated and motivated through different organizational tools. This task requires a human resource department or function that can identify the right people at the right moment in time and come up with working strategies to keep and attract talent to the organization. Overview of the Coca-Cola Company The coca-Cola company is known to be the world's largest beverage manufacturer, marketer, distributor marketer and company. The company which is also one of the largest companies in the United States of America also deals in non-alcoholic concentrates and syrups. Incorporated in 1892, the Coca-Cola organization is best known for its main product - Coca-Cola although it currently offers almost 400 brands in well over 200 countries. The company serves a wide client base with an approximate serving of 1.5 billion clients daily. This figure translates to over 10,450 beverages per second, and 800 million in the USA per year. In 2003 alone, the company achieved earnings in excess of 4.347 billion US dollars. The Coca-Cola Company and its subsidiaries only produce syrup concentrates which are sold to bottling companies who hold Coca-Cola franchise throughout the world. The company has several competitors across the different countries some of which make alcoholic drinks. Global Business Strategy of the Coca-Cola Company The Coca-Cola Company has a franchised distribution network that dates from 1889. It makes concentrate which is later sold to various bottling companies with exclusive territories throughout the world. Bottling companies produce final product in bottles and cans using concentrate, sweeteners and filtered water. With its headquarters in Atlanta, the Coca-Cola Company is listed in the New York Stock Exchange and enjoys a global market. Coca-Cola has used catching themes such as "Drink Coca-Cola" and many other promotional strategies to market its products coupled with a strong, aggressive and effective marketing and distribution network. The company's mission is to refresh and benefit everyone touched by the business. The company mission is simplicity, solidness and timelessness in doing business. The coca-cola Company applies several strategies in order to stay ahead of competition. Differentiation strategies applied help to ensure that clients have a clear distinction between the company's products, trademarks and brands and those of its competitors. Before venturing into a market, the company engages its machinery in conducting vigorous market research. The company has policies that ensure its activities are globally standardized and meet all legal requirements. What this means is that more or less the same quality of product is ensured universally. Further, the company is renowned for recruiting and employing a well trained human resource that ensures its activities are performed satisfactorily. Human Resource Strategies and Programs Throughout the business world, human resource functions are faced with a number of challenges as a result or rapid evolutions in the corporate world. This calls for the adoption of strategies that will help in overcoming problems faced by human resource managers. Firms that do not emphasize on attracting and retaining talent often face dire consequences as competitors seize the opportunity to strategically employ a better human resource (Rohmetra, 2005). The organization must become more resilient, adaptable, customer-focused and agile in order to succeed. The human resource function of the company must hence play a strategic role in the company's success. The human resource professional must evolve to become an employee sponsor, advocate, a strategic partner and a mentor for change in the company (Rohmetra, 2005). While focusing on talent development and strategic personnel retention, the HR must also promote (or sometime fight vices) values, beliefs, spirituality and ethics in an environment rich in diversity Programs adapted by Coca-Cola Company include control and measuring, mentoring, motivational approach ands gain-sharing management programs as highlighted below: The human resource function of the Coca-Cola Company enables it (the company) to meet its strategic goals by ensuring that only the right people from a huge pool of diversity are recruited and employed when needed. Workplace diversity includes but is not limited to ancestry, gender, age, ethnicity, physical abilities/qualities, educational background, race, work experience, geographic location, income, military experience, marital status, parental status, religious beliefs, and sexual orientation (Rohmetra, 2005). In numerous ways, workplace effectiveness depends on how the human resource manager skillfully balances his management of diversity. Also, the human resource must be able to organize talents strategically for the company's benefit from a pool of talent diversity (Armstrong, 2003). In tackling issues such as those related to workplace diversity, the HR function of Coca-Cola Company has developed a diversity mentoring program in which employees are encouraged to integrate and interact freely both at work and during specially organized occasions. Leading the talk - the Coca-Cola HR manager advocates for diversity in the workplace at all organizational levels. Failure to accomplish this mission could easily result in feelings of being neglected among some employees. The HR shows commitment, respect and promotes positive diversity while firmly addressing diversity issues that may rise at the workplace. Controlling and measuring results is one core function of the human resource manager. Issues such as benefits, work environment, pay, promotional opportunities and management are continuously assessed by the HR. The impact of diversity on the workplace must is also assessed through feedback surveys. Failure to insure effective assessment and control may result in long term problems that may be brought about by workplace diversity. The company measures employee performance using a "manpower utilization" measure. Workplace motivation is the influence to do things that are directed towards achieving organizational objectives as a result of employee individual needs being met. Since needs vary from individual to individual, the organization must employ different motivational tools that will result in employees exerting the required effort to increase the company's productivity. Motivational factors include job characteristics, organizational reward system and work environment among others (Armstrong, 2003). The reward system should always be based upon sound understanding of people's motivation at work. The Coca -Cola Company offers its employees competitive wages, allowances and other provisions such as insurance and transport while also rewarding exceptional employee performances. Gain-sharing programs usually refer to the company's incentive plans that involve employees in a united effort to improve the performance of the company. They are based upon the concept that involves sharing incremental economic gains between the company and employees (Armstrong, 2003). Gains are in most cases distributed frequently on the basis of a predetermined formula. Apart from recognizing and awarding good performance to individual employees, the coca-cola company apportions a percentage of its annual profits for sharing by its employees Managing gain-sharing - the human resource manager ensures that those who are to participate in the plan influence in some way the measure of performance significantly by their daily behavior and attitudes at work. The gain sharing targets are usually challenging but attainable and legitimate. On the other hand, if the gain sharing participants hold the view that the targets set are impossible to achieve, the program would ultimately fail because the participants would not be motivated (Bratton & Jeffrey, 2001). Feedback provided to employees should be frequent and objective to encourage behavioral change where necessary. In the case of engineering/Asset Care function, the Coca-Cola Company gives incentives based on periodical "machine down-time" basis. Organizing the Hr Function / Programs Effectively The human resource function plays an indispensable role in the company. In order to establish an effective and performance-based function or program, the human resource manager needs to track employee performance and other data relating to employees. Adapting and managing an EIS (Executive Information Systems) gives managers the ability to make plans and decisions more easily and effectively. With an EIS, the company is easily able to track sales, receivables, and inventory and even compare current and historical records and trends. It is however important that the HR ensures that use of ICT adds value to the organization and is in harmonious alignment with strategic goals of the business. Conclusion The role of Human resource manager must be aligned with the needs of the organization for which he/she works. Successful organizations must become resilient, adaptable, customer-oriented and dynamic. Within such an environment, the HR must know how to effectively manage through planning, leading, controlling, and organizing the human resource. Further, the HR must be knowledgeable of new or emerging trends in employee development and training It is because of Coca-Cola's global strategies that the company has managed to enjoy global success in its operations. The company is known to be greatly dynamic, quickly adapting new technologies, improving its strategic plans every so often, standardizing its processes and products, and employing a human resource that is capable of performing exceptionally well. References Armstrong M 2003 A Handbook of human resource management practice Edition 9 illustrated published by Kogan Publishers Behind the brand 2008 http://www.thecoca-colacompany.com/ Bratton J and Jeffrey G 2001 Human resource management theory and practice Routledge Chan A 2006 The challenges of human resource management http://www.diversityworking.com/employerZone/diversityManagement/id=6 McNamara C 2009 Human Resources Management http://managementhelp.org/hr_mgmnt/hr_mgmnt.htm Rohmetra N 2005 Human Resource Development Challenges and Opportunities Anmol Publications PVT LTD Strategy - Global Business 2007http://www.themanager.org/Knowledgebase/Strategy/Global.htm Read More