DHL Express: Strategic HRM Strategies Essay.

1. You have been commissioned by the University of Sunderland to write an academic paper on the topic of Strategic Management of Human Resources, (SHRM).
2. You will research ANY organisation operating at a National or Transnational level from the Private, Public or Not-for-Profit sector.

3. You will conduct a broad overarching critical assessment of that organisation’s Strategic Human Resource Management, (SHRM), analysing that organisation’s approach to managing it’s human resources strategically.

4. Whilst conducting your critical assessment, of your chosen organisation, you will identify any two HRM practices, from those practices experienced throughout the HRM 325 module, which you have judged to be in need of improvement.

5. You will describe and explain why you feel that these HRM practices need improvement before then offering your recommendations for improvement.
 

Global Expansion through SHRM

DHL express refers to the section of Deutsche Post that offers global express services of mail. Originally, this organization was founded in early days of 1969 with the objective of delivering document between two towns that include San Francisco together with Honolulu. Through appropriate set of SHRM, the corporation has been able to expand its services through the global society by late 1970s (Lichtenstein 2013, p. 105). The corporation has had huge interest in offshore along with inter-continental deliveries, but the achievement of FedEx prompted their expansion into US markets that commenced in 1983. Through the use of appropriate SHRM, this company has aggressively expanded to different nations that at one time could not be served by any other service of delivering parcels. Such nations comprised of Eastern Bloc, Individual Republic of China, together with Vietnam. For extended period, DHL Express has been on spirited competition in its business setting with share of market, but because it is a service based corporation, it has concentrated more on its internal factors in improving its market shares. Some of its factors include human resource management strategies with the aim of gaining competitive advantage (Mastracci and Arreola 2016, p. 141). Therefore, this report has the primary focus of examining strategy used by DHL express Company to manage its operations while analyzing that this company uses to manage its human resources strategically.

Appropriate usage of SHRM has enabled DHL express to open different operational branches in about two hundred and twenty countries globally. Apart from having various offices in the entire globe, the corporation still experiences changes in its resource management leading to the need of having appropriate approach in attaining the best management approach in its operations (Nicolaides and Schoenmaekers 2014, p. 54).  The changes happen in operations of DHL express due to several factors. Some of these factors that lead to changes include advancement in usage of technology, improved communication and transport networks, along with the channels of communication that are modernized. Such differences in strategic management of human resources by the company have enabled it to operate within the society that find the alternative, cheaper means, comfortable, and convenient approach in communicating and sending their goods to various destinations. With all changes brought about by SHRM in operations of DHL express, the company is able to focus its operations on the ideas and views that allow the operators at different departments to attain quality work in operations that deal with express deliveries. The strategies have allowed the company to improve in its operations of global delivering of freight through road transport, air, and rails in different places as per the request of clients (So?oducho-Pelc 2013, p. 49). The use of essential strategies has ensured the company to offer appropriate solutions in its warehouse. The improvements in warehouse through the use of SHRM have been evident in the manner different goods and services are offered within the company. The strategies have improved the storage in warehouse, repairs to different machines for operations, improved packaging of customer’s products, and timely delivery of mails internationally, together with involvement of several other services that transacts with logistics.

Improvements in Operations through SHRM

The focus that the SHRM has on operations of DHL express’s supply chain has enabled the corporation to operate while focusing on improving two essential departments. These departments include delivery of mail globally and transport as well as logistics sector (Tadi?, Ze?evi?, and Krsti? 2015, p. 327). Instances of globalization, advancement in information technology, and advanced usage of internet have made the company to use appropriate techniques in human resource management to narrow down the gaps that might exist in operations of DHL Express and other organizations that are dealing with similar services and chain of supply.  All strategies in human resource management have made DHL express to experience progressive changes in its daily operations. For example, operation strategy presented by SHRM of the supply chain of this company stays to be crucial element that leads to achievement of the supply chain of organization (Ward, Berensen, and Daniels 2018, p. 477). The process enables the company to be capable of overseeing the process that deals with integration of every plan in operation of the company. SHRM has emerged in business operations as the vital concern in tandem with the ever-increasing attention being offered by the companies such as DHL express to strategy.  

Economic environment for different business companies such as DHL express is changing rapidly. The strategic changes in management of human resources are characterized by different phenomena as changing demands of clients and investors, globalization, end ever-increasing completion of product and market. To compete successfully in changing environment, DHL express continually focuses its SHRM to improve its performance (Žeželj 2013, p. 402). The Company focuses on attaining effective strategy in managing its human resources through ideas that involve reducing costs, innovating different products and processes along with improving productivity, quality, and speed to market and offer services. Furthermore, strategic human resource management of DHL express represents the relatively advanced transformation in the sector of management of human resource (Akingbola 2013, p. 231). SHRM in this company remains to be concerned with the function of systems that deal with human resource management as the way of attaining competitive advantage. SHRM has made DHL express to become aware that successful policies and practices of human resources might improve performance in various sectors (Dietrich 2018, p. 11). These sectors comprise quality, productivity, and performance of finance. Therefore, SHRM in the DHL express comprises of transactional operations that is possible to handle in-house or easily outsourced.  

SHRM and Supply Chain Operations

 SHRM has offered several advantages to operations of DH L Company in the global market. For instance, SHRM has ensured that the company has able workforce and cost-effective resources for its operations. It has as well led to strong legal framework that company uses in improving its operations. It has also improved information and technology usage in delivering quality products and services to different clients in its areas of operations (Frey et al., 2017, p. 123). The use of SHRM as led to globalization and improving process of consolidation within the operations of the company. The strategy has led to able man fore to support operations of the corporations since the company has a pool of personnel with great managerial, skilled, and technical workforce. It has ensured the company to have both learned and unlearned workforce that supports the company to attain its set objective (Hui, Tongyang and Guonian 2017, p. 1439). Existence of cost-effective operations has enabled the company to be capable of tracking records of advancements especially in the sector of improved services that deals with several parcels. Therefore, SHRM has helped in the provision of a wide variety of bulk that is transported to different destinations that fulfill the basic needs of different persons. Moreover, through SHRM, DHL Express has been able to create a strong legal framework for its operations. The idea has helped that company to have strong competitive powers over its arch rivals in the business of dealing with services of mail.

DHL Express is well-known as an organization that handles worldwide logistics solutions across boundaries and it recruits and employs thousands of individuals in two hundred and twenty nations. Therefore, process of managing as well as maintaining the firm worker-employer connections means that the company has to focus on a number of strategies to be set in place to engage every worker at all levels. The company work by involving a varied range of techniques to combat challenges. Such ideas can contribute to professional together with individual advancements (Clarke 2015, p. 37). It, therefore, means that this company offers its employees the much-needed training that is essential in making them be fit forever more demanding operations or tasks. Such ideas have enabled this company to manage its human resources strategically. It has enabled workers to experience the impact of their operations and that of the team’s initial hand and see their major contributions Appreciated and recognized (Greco and Aiss 2015, p. 127). The company also ensures that its human resources are managed strategically by ensuring that it uses local partnership. The local collaboration help in supporting different signs of progress of nationals in the business of DHL express. The company has also focused on strategizing its position on development of leadership as a way of promoting strategic management of its human resources in markets.

SHRM in Management of HR

 The idea remains to be an essential component that ensures that DHL express manages its human resources strategically. The Company is concerned with several series of different events in order to ensure that the clients get satisfaction with rendered products and services at any specified moment (Keçecio?lu and Yilmaz 2014, p. 6238). The Company has focused on the need for its operators to implement the “parcel 2012 Production” concept. The idea targets at reorganizing process of operations that eventually aid in instances of reducing cases of shifts in operations. the use of such aspects has significantly ensured the existed of efficient sorting along with transportation of emails that lead to improved efficiency while on the other end lowering value for series of supply.

Operations of DHL express have taken wide initiative that targets at developing its talent by introduction of establishments of learning. These establishments comprise DHL Asia Pacific Center for learning together with university for logistics management of DHL. Conversely, DHL express has founded and launched its Deputy Country manager program in early days of 2008 in Singapore (Lin 2015, p. 297). The program launched had started to operate in early month of 2006. It aimed at developing the talent pool that will be groomed with the aim of becoming senior executive. The executive was to be capable of assuming programs of country manager who was assigned the talent to operate in another Pacific nation in Asia. The operator was to operate under the guidance of the local manager of the country. Every program is well designed based on the specific needs of talents in particular skills as well as competencies. The idea of assigning the deputy county manager with the fundamental responsibilities helped them in developing in their areas of operations. Therefore, through effective training and performance, DHL express has ensured that its human resources are strategically placed into usage (Mazi 2015, p. 20).  The mentioned idea ensure that DHL express manages its human resources in a strategic manner by stepping up to advance to advanced heights of performance and  

DHL express operates by use of different HRM practices to manage people effectively for performance. These approaches targets at creating a more flexible, open, as well as caring style of management so that every stakeholder involved in the operation of the industry can be motivated, developed and managed in the manner that they offer their best towards supporting mission of the company. The use of appropriate HRM practices stays to be instrumental in assisting the company to attain objectives of operations while enhancing its productivity (Dietrich 2018, p. 13). Some of the HRM practices that DHL express uses include safe, healthy, and happy working place, recruitment selection, work-life balance, training, and progress, together with compensation. The use of different HRM practices has helped the company to focus on achieving the high level of performance of firm. All the strategies are related to economic outcomes while some are linked more to staff turnover (Nazim-ud 2013, p. 81). The HRM practices aid the company in attaining its operational goals annually. The two HRM practices in consideration include training and development along with work-life balance.

Advantages of SHRM in DHL Express Operations

This practice of HRM in DHL express is vital in supporting the company to attain its set mission and vision in the markets. Training together with development of this company are functions of HR management that comprise of orientation of new workers, training employees on job skills, training of leaders, and improving professional advancements (Trebble, Heyworth, Clarke, Powell, T and Hockey 2014, p. 571). These activities tend to improve job skills of workers in their present posts as well as furnish them with required abilities and capability to cross-practical task that can improve their worth to DHL express Company. Moreover, professional progress supports the succession planning of this company through techniques of preparing future leaders for higher levels of duties or jobs and more responsibility (Muhammad, Azad, Hoque, and Beh 2015, p. 8)Therefore, functions of HRM approach on training and development reflect promotion from within operations together with support of work goals of workers.

The company work by ensuring that every stakeholder operates with the appropriate balance of work and personal life. Implementation flexible schedules of work offer employees with different options of telecommunication and training different supervisors to spot signs of stress of place of work (Tripathi 2014, p. 293). Such moves suggest that the culture of the company supports workers to be capable of attaining balance of work and life. However, these responsibilities develop the results-oriented working settings. Such environment is attained through this HRM practice in DHL express Company since they enable greater efficiency (Yu, Bei, and Butt 2017, p. 248). The attainment of greater efficiency helps in increasing the time workers possess to devote to obligations of their family together with individual endeavors.

There are a number of measures that are recommended to improve HRM practices of the company. The recommendations are necessary as development agencies in the DHL express seek to enhance their internal operational settings (Sorina and Burtaverde 2013, p. 69). Some of the recommendations include the need to establish flexible models of staff. The idea will ensure the right staff is in place for different operations in line with mail services of DHL express.   The other recommendation for the management of company is to focus on developing robust mechanisms of collaboration that make it simple and easier for workers from different apartments of company and different organizational culture to operate as a team. Furthermore, there is a need to create incentives that work with the aim of retaining targeted skills and to motivate workers in the direction of desire business practice together with help (Rosa et al., 2014, p. 5). There is a need to improve ideas that aim at scheming performance supervision structures in approaches that successfully join output of staff to developmental outcomes. The other recommendation on the use of these HRM approaches by this company is that there is the need to overcome the challenge that concentrates on attracting and rewarding quality staff while containing the costs of administration. All these recommendations can help in improving management and outputs of DHL express in competitive business sectors that deals with mail services.

Managing Human Resources Strategically at DHL Express

The company has to concentrate on how it can be capable of introducing best practices for training workers and improving their developments. The need to have appropriate practice can help the company to boost its operations by working as per its set budget (Mazi 2015, p. 24). Therefore, company will be able to automate chares as well as measures of performance by use of different data that can eliminate instances of operating changes. The need to utilize integration system by the company can help it to monitor training and development of different workers across every department of an organization. By focusing on these recommendations, DHL express can be advantageous to perform in more than a single manner (Anda-Bianca and Roxana-Elena 20123, p. 21). The ideas can help in improving the commitments of workers, improved skills together with productivity, decreasing levels of absenteeism and instances of turnover among workers, and further enhance performance and efficiency of workers. Therefore, idea of on through both of the strategies of HRM can help the company to have a fair blend of major SHRM in operations.

All HRM strategies used by DHL express need improvement. The need for improvement arises because, in present business society, it is assumed that the major asset of any department within the organization concentrates on individuals. The need to improve training and development approach is vital in operations of this company (Walk, Schinnenburg, and Handy 2014, p. 997). The need is vital as it can help in improving process of recruitment and hiring or replacement of workers. Such ideas can help in improving the company’s quality, productivity, profitability, satisfaction of its customers, along with the image of the company. The company can improve this HRM practice as it has been having negative effects on process that it uses on coordinating and motivating different workers (Stackpole 2015, p. 15). Therefore, for DHL express to function effectively, it needs to ensure that every individual is composed and understands organizational beliefs, they are ready, willing, and able to operate properly.  The need to improve these HRM strategies as used by this organization is essential presence of less number of individual in management positions have affected operations. It had to lead to myriad issues that have greatly hindered the organization's performance (Schapiro, Gregory, Landau, McCloskey, and Turk-Browne 2014, p. 1742). It has also lead to lack of motivation, lack of internal process of communication, lack of coordination, conflict of interest, undefined responsibilities, and lack of appropriate training during recruitment and orientation process among other factors.

DHL Express Programs for Employee Development

The need to attain work-life balance requires necessary changes to help workers to have effective balance of their operations. Any change that comes in the life of individuals needs to develop the necessary direction and leadership with the commitment to objectives of an organization. The management needs to initiate change as well as develop different expectations that are not met to avoid cases of frustration and worsening such situations among workers (Mastracci and Arreola 2016, p. 142). Therefore, implementation of every HRM practices within DHL express should concentrate to be done professionally. Besides, implementation of work-life balance has to be done after proper diagnosis to choose the appropriate device for every individual case with the aim of improving productivity and well-being of every individual worker. Additionally, HRM practices of this company have to be improved because of the cases of increasing uncertainty in its business settings (Keçecio?lu and Yilmaz 2014, p. 6239). There is a need for many development agencies of DHL express to adjust their internal practices of management to improve the quality and influence of their policies and programs of operations.

Improvements of the HRM practices in DHL Company have to be improved in order to boost its supply chain in different destinations.  The improvement of these practices can help the company to be capable of incorporating varied discounts or gifts to their freights together with charges of transportation of different mails (Hatch 2013, p. 86). Such improves can be essential in attracting a large number of customers to the company’s systems. The idea can aid in maintaining loyal customers that can continue with their operations of seeking different services that the organization offers such as freight transportation along with mail deliveries. The need to improve HRM practices is useful as it allows the company to incorporate several applications of advancements in technological techniques like internet with e-commerce to offer best services. The improvement can help the company to use different services in their process of chain of supply to enable it to work efficiently while transferring data from one region to another (Dietrich 2018, p. 15). Besides, improving HRM practices is essential as it helps in ensuring that workers get time for their personal advancements rather than concentrating on Company for extends period without having time for their personal issues and families.

Conclusion

From this research work, it is evident that strategic human resource management plays an essential part in operations of DHL express around the global marketplace. This SHRM perform vital functions that help in improving the company’s transactional operations.   Such transactional functions comprise of huge benefits to the company’s administration, record keeping, together with new worker and processing of payroll. Besides, it is clear that good HRM practices within an organization are useful. They help an organization to attain set departmental goals as well as objectives.

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