Introduction
Human resources is imperative to an organizations in various aspects,spanning from strategic planning to company outlook. Experts in Human Resources in large and small businesses provide numerous services employees,services which are invaluable to the company.The areas in which HR maintains control can enhance employees’ experience throughout the workforce while bolstering business activities.Those services include but are not confined to:Strategic Management,Wage and Salary Distribution,Safety and Risk Management,Training and Development,Recruitment,Hiring,Employee Satisfaction…etc.
The utilities and benefits of instating Human Resource Management department into the company are diverse.In terms of Strategic Management HR improves the company's bottom line with its knowledge of how human capital affects organizational success. Adept leaders in HR strategic management engage in corporate decision-making that serves as a principal element for staffing evaluations and implications for future workforce needs.For salary assessment HR compensation specialists develop practical compensation structures that set company wages on par with other businesses in the industry or companies competing for employees with similar skills. They conduct thorough wage and salary surveys to maintain remuneration expenses in compliance with the organization's current financial status and estimated revenue.
Another aspect would be the contribution to the provision of safe working conditions. Workplace safety and risk management specialists from the HR area manage compliance with Safety and Health Administration regulations through keeping records and developing programs that reduce the number of workplace injuries and accidents. Workplace safety experts also impart knowledge upon employees regarding awareness and safe handling of dangerous equipment and hazardous chemicals.
Establishing strong relations depends the HR to a great extent. They are responsible for holding meetings, seminars and all official gatherings on behalf of the management. Apart from core HR role, if required, the department also lends a helping hand in drafting business and marketing plans for the company. All of these HR department helps in building and managing an organization. Thus companies are putting a greater emphasis on setting up rigorous and effective Human Resource Department.
The purpose of this paper is to give the reader a comprehensive account of HR activities’ benefits to an organization,and to investigate the implications human resources in the annual reports.The paper explores the extent to which top companies include information about Human Resources in their annual reports, to do this it examines the annual reports of listed companies using the “content analysis” method. As the premise suggest, some companies are often loath on providing truthful and complete accounts of their activities in their annual reports.A living and working Human Resources Department is the solution to these kinds of practices in companies;transparency and full accountability are only possible through diligent for of a HR unit.
Human Resources in Annual Reports
Company 1-DPDHL
DPDHL is one of the most prominent companies in the field of logistics and it is no surprise to see that they give a great deal of importance to their Human Resources activities.Thomas Ogilvie of DPDHL states:“We’re a service company and we wouldn’t be able to provide our services if we didn’t work together as a team. And that’s doubly important for my human resources team. We have to work together to help other teams throughout the company work together. “1 .Establishing cordial relationships and communications between employees,managers and stakeholders are keystones of setting up a sustainable and successful business, this can be seen through empirical observation and other listed companies hold this aspect in high regard.
According to their annual report , services of DPDHL are characterized by the following central target areas2:
● Efficient processes and services, e.g., in training and recruiting
● Professional HR development tools and qualification concepts
● Intensive integration of the corporate divisions and professional knowledge management
● Professional HR marketing
it is clear that three out of four of these elements, if not all are pertinent to Human Resources.
It is not a secret that a company needs qualified and motivated employees in order to achieve long-term success. However, demographic change could lead to a decrease in the pool of available talent in various markets.
DPDHL uses Strategic Resource Management to address the risks emerging from an ageing population and insufficient capacity that ensue changing demographic and social structures. experience gained is used to continuously improve strategic resource management as an analysis and planning instrument.This function is a sub-function of HR,and constitutes a significant part of the company’s annual report.
Company 2-GNB
The Department of Human Resources provides human resource leadership to make sure that the employees are performing well. The department provides strategic route and advice regarding to government-wide HR policies and initiatives such as diversity and leadership development which develops and implements innovative corporate human resource policies and practices; and fulfils legislative and assigned responsibilities for recruitment, reimbursement, pensions and benefits, employee improvement, organizational health and labour relations.
In 2015-2016, the department employed up to 122 individuals on a full-time, casual or contract basis. This was 11 more than in 2014-2015. The increase in staff was due to the required significant efforts that the department undertook with regard to the centralization of human resource services across3
Company 3-Deutsche Bank
HR plays a role as an instrument in securing the future success of Deutsche Bank. By doing so, the function is led by its vision of working in partnership to create an environment where employees can flourish and are enabled to deliver viable organizational performance. Speci cally, three longer-term strategic priorities have been identified for HR:
● To apply its human capital expertise more assertively to support the business divisions and infrastructure functions in order to deliver results;
● To bolster its role as a control function for the Bank for human capital risks; to build the perks of managers and staff .
In 2015, HR activities were in line with these objectives, which have been set at the crosshair of Deutsche Bank’s Strategy 2020 and its execution over the coming years. 5
Company 4-Apple Inc.
Apple does not open up with company’s HR strategy. It is not hard to understand why company tries to hide their secret because competition is fierce.This is also a reason as to why it is so difficult to define HR strategies of enigmatic corporations, some people were tried hard to analyze HR strategy at Apple. They interviewed HR leaders and talked with former workers to find it out.
Recruiting is something that become they key of success. Apple requires all prospect employees to be hard worker, committed to the company, and get every precise detail perfect. Many times, Apple recruits high-quality workers from other firms.
Apple is known as a different company in many ways. Instead of promising work and life balance, Apple is emphasizing hard work for all workers. Instead of promising career progression, Apple concept is for employees to own their career. Career path is not fully supported by Apple. Employees must seek information about other jobs in different units themselves.
Apple makes things so different in talent management. Instead of providing training and development program, Apple make the employees do it themselves. Trainings are available but
Apple provides competitive packages to attract capable staff. The benefits are provided based on the employment status and the geographical location of the employer (Storey, 2014). Some of the benefits provided by the company include insurance cover, employee stock purchase programs and investment and savings plan. Employees also have the right to products discounts. They are also given bonuses for working with experienced talents in the industry (Grant, 2016). Apple provides flexibility to maintain employee retention. Employees are encouraged to shift from one manufacturing department to another (Storey, 2014). This strategy has motivated employees to commit their effort to the organizational culture since they are in a position to enhance their skills.
Company 5- Amazon
Amazon has implemented numerous practices that depict its changed direction in terms of HR management. Their perception towards under-performing employees has changed. It still has an immense issue though: Amazon is still far from being as open and diverse. In terms of gender and ethnic diversity, Amazon is still an under-performer. However, its step towards buttressing its under-performing employees could mean that Amazon is ready to take next steps towards managing diversity and other aspects of HR.
Amazon’s record has not generally been very good in terms of HR management. It is known to be a white male dominated organization. Despite trying its best Amazon has not been able to control the high turnover rate. There are other difficulties too that arise from poor HR management. The focus has to be on keeping the employees happy and satisfied to keep them longer. The problem with the management styles of Microsoft and Amazon has been that while they are well known companies, they have been very stiff in terms of performance management. This often leads to employee disengagement. Both the organizations have followed a performance oriented strategy which also used to be the norm at Apple.
Just like Apple, Amazon’s HR policies are not publicly disclosed, or often are obscured with open ended statements.This is no surprise, as HR stands out by being on of the ace elements of corporate success.
The HR department in any company can be its most significant function to tip the scales to the organization’s favor, if used strategically. The functions of an HR connoisseur should focus on the company’s greatest resource of all – its employees. Without good employees, the best business plan and ideas will fail.
In business there are experts to oversee and advise you on various areas and departments. For example, a Chief Financial Officer’s sole purpose is to keep their eye on the financial functions and decision for the company. Without good accounting and profound knowledge on your cash flow, investments, and balance sheet you risk making poor business decisions and potentially going out of business.
Likewise, there are many reasons why the role of HR in a company is important to its sustainability and success. The reasons why HR is important can vary depending on if you look at the issue from a manager or employee perspective. Corporations are expected to disclose information relating to the management of human resources in their annual reports.
Many companies reserve a bulk of their annual reports for HR strategies,activities,programs,and plans.The HR factor precludes the creation of a disconnect between subdivisions of a company, and a company should instate a rigorous HR department lest they appear shady and incompetent.
References
http://www.dpdhl.com/content/dam/dpdhl/Investors/Events/Reporting/2018/FY2017/DPDHL_2017_Annual_Report.pdf
https://www.gnb.ca/legis/business/currentsession/58/58-3/LegDoc/Eng/January58-3/HumanResources2015-2016.pdf
https://www.db.com/ir/en/download/Deutsche_Bank_Human_Resources_Report_2016.pdf
http://investor.apple.com/secfiling.cfm?filingid=1628280-16-20309&cik=320193
http://phx.corporate-ir.net/phoenix.zhtml?c=97664&p=irol-reportsannual