A knowledge of the Workforce is the Best Resource
A working HR Framework for the Company
Apply a Resource Management Approach
Companies Prosper Through Better Human Resource Management
In existence are well documented issues surrounding human resources in all industries. By nature most employees tend to be transient and as such implementing programmes which can add value to the company from an HR perspective is difficult. Nonetheless, through better working practices and good top – down leadership, HRM can bring considerable benefits to employer and employee, and in some cases advert industrial disputes.
They include:
Once the foundation is built you can then move into other traditional HR functions, such as implementing a talent management system, resourcing including budget management, employee relations, reward structure, learning and development, and a strategy for knowledge management.
Although some industries pose tough issues for HR professionals, they are not impossible to conquer provided you can get senior management on your side. The benefits and selling points of a more long term, sustainable business is there, and you should use these to sell your ideas to them.
The key is to make them recognize that if they ignore their best resource, the business will fail.
Taking the Resource Based Approach
Like the medical profession, construction is heavily dependent on the skills of its labor force. It is important to recognize that the resources are the construction workers themselves and their skills. Therefore, by offering to hone these skills and adding new skills to what they already have is an incentive.
The fact to remember is the better and more skilled the workers of a construction company are, the better the company will perform. Completing projects on time or before the end of a deadline, taking on more complex better projects, and forging a reputation for competence and professionalism all helps sustain the business over the long term. In effect this will become the building blocks for the company to establish its brand.
Overhauling Recruitment
One aspect which often needs attention is the recruitment process. Some companies have come under fire for having a woefully inadequate recruitment policy in regards to its workforce. Here, as an HR professional your role is to work with senior management to develop these policies.
The aim should be to aim for high – performance management, implementing recruitment policies which adhere to planned recruitment, selection, and training. This should be swiftly followed by implementing communication systems, crystal clear job descriptions and reporting structures, appraisal systems, grievance and redress systems, monitoring attitudes in the workplace, and strategic use of the workforce.
Although none of this is new, it is new to some construction companies that have a “quick profit” attitude. Invariably, these companies go bust quickly, or incur financial difficulties.
