Human Resource Management Term Project

Nicole Cavallo

LIM College

Executive Summary:

Strategic Planning: When you are informed that your small startup accessories company is in need of a Human Resource Department, there are numerous aspects and strategies that are essential. I was informed on September 15, 2011 that this plan of action as well as my proposal will be due on November 1, 2011 so there is only a small amount of time to strategize and implement my ideas and actions. When determining this plan, I must first examine all of the components that my company is currently running on. For example, “The Company Store” is an accessories company that specializes in pocketbooks and belts. We are located in Pennsylvania; outside of Philadelphia. We have three hundred employees that work in the Marketing department, production/distribution, Finance, Administration, and the in-house cafeteria. Overall we are able to produce $2.1 million dollars for their salaries. However the benefits are outsourced and it has been noted that some employees are not thrilled with their benefit packages. We are also a very “Go Green” company that takes the environment into consideration in all aspects of the company. We have currently broken even this past year and have an intention to grow. In order for growth to begin however it is imminent that we develop a Human Resource department.

After graduating from LIM College as a Management major, I have gained experience with Human Resources and got my first job at “The Company Store.” I have currently been a Management Assistant for the Marketing Department here for about a year now. However I do not have elaborate knowledge and experience to implement this department so there are priorities I must focus on. I need to set both short-term and long-term goals that will help highlight the company.

Priorities: The first priority I have to address is meeting with management. I have met with one of the owners, Mary Ellen O’Connor Shyne, on several accounts to understand the basis and make-up of what exactly should be taken into consideration when creating an HR department. It is imperative to take notes and list all the functions of a Human Resource department in order to create a strategic plan for my proposal. The department must identify and value the company’s mission and goals. This will help me shape the expectations of the organization.

She explained to be the different legal aspects that must be researched and acknowledged when developing the HR department. Legality is one of the most important issues because there are numerous laws and regulations that have to be incorporated to ensure a legitimate working environment. We must protect the rights of the people and the company. This will go hand in hand with verifying the job descriptions and job specifications of the employees.

Also these laws will help me understand how to compensate employees that are overtime, part-time, or fulltime employees. Once the legal aspects have been covered I must then talk with other HR generalists/professionals and people within the administrative group to help me make my assessments. They can give me possible suggestions and incentives to help gain further knowledge of the priorities and responsibilities that HR requires. They also can give me any feedback that they think will be necessary for me to add or refine within the company since HR is a massive part of the company. Human Resources remains the backbone for the company so when establishing the department I must define a concise, organized, and fact-based, thought out plan of action. The needs of management overpower the needs of the workforce when developing a Human Resource department. It is critical to allocate the needs and wants of Management to guarantee a stable workforce. Also by using other relevant companies as a benchmark, I can better