Please reply to the following discussion question and include the sources. No minumum word count. Does not have to be long 100 words each is ok

#1- Beverlys Discussion

Human  resource managers along with organizational leaders collaboratively seek  to find ways to obtain strategic objectives that are set before them  through a planning process of determining organizations short-term and  long-term goals. The process involves an in-depth analysis of current  and anticipated conditions that may affect the organization’s ability to  achieve its mission (Bagga and Srivastava, 2018). Recognizing and  implementing workforce strategies in a challenging global economy is a  growing concern for today’s executives. To effectively attract and  retain human capital, quantitative and qualitative approaches must be  developed. In an organization, this is done by linking such HR  activities as recruiting, training, performance management, and  rewarding personnel (Bagga and Srivastava, 2018). Therefore, the human  resources personnel play an integral part in the development of an  organization. Thus, empowering HR departments to add value to business  strategies, ensuring it affects its functional activities in a manner  that supports growth and success (Oppong, 2017). Plus, an HR department  that understands the demands of the business strategy can help ensure  the right people are in place to deliver and support growth. HR  departments integrated into the senior strategic management team can  work across the organization providing that human resource  requirements be considered equally with other organizational  investments. With that, organizations are affected by numerous external  and internal factors that can change the nature of individual job roles  or place new demands on individuals skill sets (Oppong, 2017).  Consequently, an HR strategy linked to the organizational strategy is  better positioned to anticipate any such changes and, therefore, can put  in place a targeted training and development plan to help the  organization more quickly adapt to new circumstances.

References

Bagga, T. and Srivastava, S. (2018). EmeraldInsight. SHRM:  alignment of HR function with business strategy, Strategic HR Review,  Vol. 13 Issue: 4/5, Retrieved from  https://www.emeraldinsight.com/doi/full/10.1108/SHR-03-2014-0023

Oppong, N. Y. (2017). Exploring the importance of human resource  activities-strategies alignments: Interactive brainstorming groups  approach. Cogent Business & Management, 4(1)  doi:http://dx.doi.org.proxy  library.ashford.edu/10.1080/23311975.2016.1273081

#2- Marcias Discussion

In  order for a business to be successful, it is important for strategic  human resources (HR) processes to align with business objectives both  consistently and effectively (Hunt, 2014). When this alignment exists, a  company can benefit from long-term growth and profitability but when it  doesn’t, the company can suffer from high turnover and slow profits  (Hunt, 2014). Strategic HR processes include such things as staffing,  compensation, and employee development which are all designed to ensure  the best employees are working for the company in order to assist in  reaching company goals and gaining a competitive advantage. The ultimate  goal of the HR managers is to ensure that their methods support and  even improve business goals and results (Hunt, 2014). Furthermore, a  “strategic fit between a business strategy and a human resource strategy  can help retain and motivate employees and translate into  organizational performance and competitive advantage” (Hsieh & Chen,  2011, p. 11).

Unfortunately, many businesses still view HR as an administrative  function and do not understand the value that the department’s  strategies bring to the table (Hsieh & Chen, 2011). They do not see  that the HR department is involved in gaining a competitive advantage  through their strategic choice of new-hires and desirable compensation  packages. The HR department, however, understands that they have a duty  to provide quality employees who have the necessary knowledge, skills,  and abilities to greatly contribute to the success of the company (Hunt,  2014). Routinely, they must evaluate and train these employees in order  to ensure they continue to perform to the best of their abilities as  well (hunt, 2014). As businesses become more competitive in their given  industry, it becomes more vital to have the HR strategies and business  activities aligned (Hsieh & Chen, 2011).

Hsieh, Y. H., & Chen, H. M. (2011). Strategic fit among business  competitive strategy, human resource strategy, and reward system. Academy of Strategic Management Journal, 10(2), 11-32. Retrieved from: https://search-proquest-com.proxy-library.ashford.edu/docview/886543033?accountid=32521 (Links to an external site.)Links to an external site.

Hunt, S.T. (2014). Common Sense Talent Management.  Retrieved from https: https://ashfordu.redshelf.com/course/course_details/46501/ (Links to an external site.)Links to an external site.

#3 Discussion 2 Beverlys 

Business  leaders have begun to recognize that their workforce is one of their  most significant competitive advantages. Recruiting and nurturing the  best talent is crucial for ambitious organizations hungry for continued  success (Oppong, 2017). Talent is also one of the primary problems  organizations across the world are faced with today (Hunt, 2014). Rather  than focusing solely on the products that are sold, organizational  leadership has identified that the focus needs to switch to the  employees first then the products being sold. A powerful employee brand  can help you to dominate the talent market (Oppong, 2017). Increasingly,  organizations are turning to their HR departments to help them improve  their recruitment operations and increase efficiencies. The ultimate  goal of employers is to recruit more and better candidates for their  organization. To bring in the best and brightest employees and keep  those employees for the long-haul, it is essential to have a supportive  company culture (Hunt, 2014). Also, to have lower turnover and higher  productivity, the senior leaders need to take personal responsibility  rather than spreading the blame. When employees can respect and trust  the leadership team, they feel secure. This means that leaders are  accessible, communicate well, and listen to employees are crucial to job  satisfaction. Money and benefits are important factors in attracting  and retaining people, but rewards and recognition help to meet that  basic human need of feeling appreciated and rewarded for what one does  (Hunt, 2014). Another factor that concerns potential employees is having  the flexibility to have work-life balance. That could mean remote work  locations or flexible hours. Maintaining a good work-life balance is  essential to many employees.

References
Hunt, S.T. (2014). Common Sense Talent Management. Retrieved from https://www.vitalsource.com

Oppong, N. Y. (2017). Exploring the importance of human resource  activities-strategies alignments: Interactive brainstorming groups  approach. Cogent Business & Management, 4(1)  doi:http://dx.doi.org.proxy-library.ashford.edu/10.1080/23311975.2016.1273081

#4 Marcias discussion 2 

The  organizational chart on page 18 of our textbook shows the flow of the  “four R’s” related to attracting, developing, and retaining quality  employees (Hunt, 2014). The first of the “four R’s” is related to hiring  the right people which means that the business needs to be concerned  about who they are hiring and what those new hires will bring to the  company (Hunt, 2014). They need to have the right knowledge, skills, and  abilities to make a significant contribution to the goals of the  company. The second of the “four R’s” is related to the new employees  performing their job duties the right way (Hunt, 2014). Performing a job  correctly means that they are contributing to the company to the best  of their abilities. The third of the “four R’s” is related to focusing  on the right things which means that the new employees are concentrating  on the things that will allow them to meet their goals and support the  company’s overriding purpose (Hunt, 2014). The fourth of the “four R’s”  is related to right development, which means that the company needs to  be providing the necessary training to develop the new employees further  and towards career advancement (Hunt, 2014). Human capital is one of  the most valuable assets of any successful company and as such,  strategic processes to maximize human capital are of the utmost  importance for continued success and competitive advantage (Hunt, 2014).

I’m focusing my capstone project on mega-store Walmart, Inc. because  I’m curious to see how their newly increased minimum wage, which is  still considered lower than it should be, will influence the retail  industry that they currently dominate. When hiring for any business, it  is always important to focus on quality people who will contribute to  the company’s overall well-being and goals (Hunt, 2014). When a retail  store is involved, a whole set of unique challenges arises because  staffing needs to focus on sales people, administrative people, cleaning  and maintenance people, warehouse people, etc. (Miya & Takakuwa,  2010). There are also generally many shifts and possibly seven-day work  weeks to consider. It is suggested that the retail hiring needs be  broken down into three main categories: priority operations, scheduled  operations, and non-scheduled operations (Miya & Takakuwa, 2010).  Once the store needs are determined, the human resources department can  strategize as per standard guidelines and the “four R’s” would be a  useful resource as with any other company or industry.

Hunt, S.T. (2014). Common Sense Talent Management.  Retrieved from: https://ashfordu.redshelf.com/course/course_details/46501/ (Links to an external site.)Links to an external site.

Miya, K. & Takakuwa, S. (2010). Optimization and analysis of staffing problems at a retail store. Proceedings of the 2010 Winter Simulation Conference, Simulation Conference (WSC), 1911. https://doi-org.proxy-library.ashford.edu/10.1109/WSC.2010.5678879 (Links to an external site.)Links to an external site.