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My Response to Setting up an HR Department in a Fledgling firm

By Florence Ibeh, Human Development Catalyst, Nigeria

Sep 1, 2020

INTRODUCTION

Human Resource is essential to corporate governance. Great Human Resource (HR) teams multiply the effectiveness of a firm’s valuable resources which are the people working in a firm. Thus to roll out a successful HR plan, there ought to be an effective HR Department made up of at least two members depending on the number of employees working in the firm. Reasons for setting a Human Resources (HR) Department in an up and coming firm are countless. As a business leader, Human Resources Department is the greatest supporter in recruiting, training, and retaining the best team possible to advance the firm's objective.

PROPOSED HR PLANS

Productivity Solutions: To sustain any firm, human resource needs to be productive, proactive to establish, and maintain work efficiencies while promoting a healthy work environment. Thus, my first and foremost task will be to identify ways to improve productivity of the firm and ensure adequate appraisal of responsibilities and assigned tasks. To arrive at this, three models will be employed:

o   Organizational Diagnosis

o   Leadership & Skills Development

o   HR Strategies

ORGANISATIONAL DIAGNOSIS

Weisbord’s Six-Box diagnostic framework, which consists of six categories can be used to perform an organizational diagnosis: purposes, structures, relationships, rewards, leadership and helpful mechanisms thus will aid in providing basic understanding of the firm. Hence this model will provide a way of looking over the organization to determine the “gap” or variance-between what is and what ought to be. This will help the HR Department to accurately assess the functionality of the firm's operations and processes that drive the factors of growth and success.

 LEADERSHIP DEVELOPMENT

The best companies cultivate talent from within. To do that, any up and coming firm needs an HR team that knows how to identify potential in new employees, and has experience in cultivating that potential to create future business leaders. Hence there is a need to set up an HR team that would be working with me.

 HR STRATEGIES

There are indeed a lot of things that result in the success of every business. Employee productivity plays a huge role in deciding the success of a firm, therefore the HR Department, with help from other departments could ensure that opportunities are made available to every employee to enhance their productivity at work. To harness productivity, effective HR strategies will create a system of human resource practices for the firm's jobs and roles aimed at the best employee performance possible to meet the firm’s ultimate goals.

Thus the following two strategies will be advanced:

o   Implement varied activities that build employee commitment

o   Implement employee appraisal programs to boost employee output

Payroll Solutions: The HR Department will provide full payroll support, including payroll management, direct deposit, & tax remitting & filing.

Risk Management Solutions: To ensure that risks are managed, the HR Department will set up a risk management policy including all relevant regulations, such as Workers Compensation Insurance and Occupational Health and Safety Regulations.

 Workers' Compensation Insurance:

This will be established to provide income protection, medical treatment, and rehabilitation for employees who are injured or become ill as a result of work. Workers' compensation claims and medical treatment records along with other information resources have been used to conduct occupational safety and health research and surveillance and to identify intervention needs.

Occupational Health and Safety Policy:

Measures for protecting workers from exposure to risks and presently the spread of Coronavirus Disease 2019 (COVID-19) at the workplace, depend on the type of work being performed and exposure risk, including potential for interaction with people with suspected or confirmed COVID19 and contamination of the work environment. To ensure that the workplace is safe, appropriate combinations of engineering and administrative controls, safe work practices such as working from home, and the somewhat compulsory wearing of personal protective equipment (PPE) will be relied on to advance safety at work. Specific areas will be looked at with regards to HR Response to COVID-19. Thus, in consultation with management the HR Department will lay out a policy plan for employees of the firm who get sick with covid-19. i.e.

o   Create awareness on the closest covid-19 test center to the firm.

o   Implement Basic Infection Prevention Measures (such as promoting thorough and frequent hand washing, educating staff members on social distancing and respiratory etiquette)

o   Flexible worksites (e.g., telecommuting) and flexible work hours (e.g., staggered shifts)

o   Maintain regular housekeeping practices, including routine cleaning and disinfecting of surfaces, equipment, and other elements of the work environment.

o   What is the plan in case one member tests positive in your organization?

Performance Management Solutions:

The HR Department will deploy a thorough performance management program designed to encourage talent and leadership development within the firm’s workforce. The Department will perform regular evaluations, and enact training programs that allow employees to become proficient in skills that are of value to the firm.

Annual Audit & Strategy Review:

Once per year the HR Department will perform a full audit of all files of workers and processes, including financial accounts. Then after, the department will deliver a detailed report of its findings, and work with management to correct any issues discovered emanating from the exercise.

REFERENCE

https://www.marketing91.com/the-six-box-model/ 
https://www.osha.gov/Publications/OSHA3990.pdf