Strategic Response to HR Issues for ArcelorMittal

Identification and Prioritization of Key HR Issues

In some locations the company is projecting a forthcoming recruitment crisis[ Not all particulars given in this documentation are factual; selected details have been adjusted to suit this student assessment at NBS.]. They are concerned about their ability to recruit sufficient numbers and quality of people at all levels of the organisation, but especially with regards to their global leadership development pipeline. Many top managers are approaching retirement age and the company must act decisively to put in place sophisticated plans to secure their future.Global trends in ageing workforce are of concern especially in the US, the UK, Japan, Germany, France, South Korea, and China, and this makes the situation of more urgent worry. In many developed countries birth rates are also falling.

At the same time, a number of specialist vacancies, in health and safety and ITfor example, have been open a while and ArcelorMittal have had to employ temporary agency staff and subcontract work to ensure these important roles are covered. Safety is a top priority in the company.ArcelorMittalare keen to fill these vacancies ASAP; it is not clear to them what is hindering their ability to attract suitable candidates.

Finally, in line with the company’s ethos on sustainability, ArcelorMittal want to demonstrate their commitment to social value. This is also a client requirement in key locations where ArcelorMittal want to expand their business activities, including the UK and Australia. The top managers firmly believe in this. April 2017, Lakshmi N Mittal, Chairman and Chief Executive, said:

“Our 10 sustainable development outcomes were designed to ensure we manage to stay ahead of expectations, and also demonstrate our understanding that long-term success lies not only in creating shareholder value but also in actively contributing to society’s needs.”

Despite an element of value-based recruitment being integrated into the HR processes, not all people within the company share this view, and so ArcelorMittal face a development challenge.How to best mobilise resources to ensure all employees work to the company’s ethos on sustainability and social value especially?

ArcelorMittal are looking for support from professional consultants in developing their strategic response to the abovementioned challenges. You have been invited to pitch for work with ArcelorMittal.

Please consult academic literature and carry out extensive research on the company online. Also research other relevant other materials, for example those relating to international business, international HRM, talent management, global trends, etc.

Please follow the business report format and focus on:

·Identifying the key HR issues that the company faces and provide a reasoned analysis of those.

·Prioritising them in terms of their importance and in line with time frames (e.g. short-, medium- and long-term).

·Outlining the impact of key HR issues on the business.

·Putting forward proposals as to how to manage the key HR issues– including HR strategies andtactics and how these integrate with corporate strategy and the company’s approach to internationalisation. Detail the IHRM considerations/implications.