9-1 Final Project Submission: Human Resources Strategy Proposal And Professional Reflection

Final Strategic Plan 30

The Arc of the United States Strategic Plan Final Proposal and Implementation

I M Great

The Arc of the United States Final Strategic Plan

Southern New Hampshire University

Table of Contents

Cover Letter………………………………………………………………………………………….. 2

Vision and Mission…………………………………………………………………………………… 5

Analysis and Decision Making………………………………………………………………………. 7

Outlook and Approach……………………………………………………………………………….. 9

Risk Management…………………………………………………………………………………….11

Customer Service and Negotiation……………………………………………………………………14

Data Analysis…………………………………………………………………………………………16

Acceptance of Strategy………………………………………………………………………18

Talent Development and Workforce Planning………………………………………………19

Return on Investment………………………………………………………………………..21

HR Strategy………………………………………………………………………………….24

Ethics and Legality…………………………………………………………………………..25

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References…………………………………………………………………………………………… 28

Human Resources Department

1825 K St. NW Ste. 1200, Washington, DC 20006

T: (202)123-4567; E: imgreat@arcus.org

Peter Berns/ Executive Director

1825 K St. NW Ste 1200

Washington, DC 20006

September 20, 2017

Re: The Arc of the United States Strategic Plan

Dear Peter Berns,

The Arc of the United States has been instrumental in promoting and protecting the rights of individuals with Intellectual and Developmental Disabilities across the United States. In addition to legislation and advocacy, The Arc of the United States strives to open opportunities for the people they support to be fully included in their communities.

As we look to expand globally, The Human Resources Department seeks to be a key partner in reaching our strategic goals and be a support in the future direction of the organization. The Human Resource department will align the needs, mission, and goals of the organization with a strong, capable workforce. We will take a cross-cultural approach and offer cultural training to put the right talents and skills in place so we can continue to assist people with developmental and intellectual disabilities have the opportunities and have full inclusion in their communities here in the U.S. and abroad. Our employees are the key to our success in this endeavor and our goal is to create a workforce that will enable us to meet our strategic goals.

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Strategies

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The Human Resource Department will use evidence-based strategies and data-driven analysis to study the demographics of our employees, identify a changing skills base, and study trends to see if there are any gaps that need to be addressed. We will also use the HRIS to monitor hiring

practices, turnover, and retention. The HR Department will be a critical member in the strategic plan and by utilizing these evidenced based strategies, we will position ourselves to have a workforce that is both competent and culturally diverse. This will allow the organization to support the mission, vision, and goals and attain departmental goals and objectives.

The Arc of the United States has proven themselves as an organization that puts integrity and transparency at the forefront of everything we do. The Human Resource Department will take an integrity-based approach to ethics. Not only will we remain in compliance under the law, we will emphasize the importance that management plays in the ethical behaviors of our employees (Harvard Business Review, 1994). The Human Resource Department will focus on encouraging good behavior as opposed to punishing bad behavior (State Services Commission, 2002). Not only will we maintain compliance in ethics from a legal standpoint, we will offer guidance through training and education to all employees. Our Core Values will guide us and influence the work we do.

In summary, the Human Resource Department will be an active team member in The Arc of the United States strategic planning team. We will support the mission, vision, and goals through our most valuable resource, our employees. We will work to meet our goals through:

1. Creating a SWOT and using this as our starting point to determine the areas where we need to improve and where there are opportunities for us as we look to expand into the global market.

2. Creating a performance and employee management system that includes policies and procedures that encourage positive, ethical behavior.

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3. Evaluating our current workforce as well as future needs and be sure we are hiring and placing the right employee in the right positions to ensure we reach our goals and meet future demand.

4. Creating a succession plan to ensure that we are recruiting and developing employees for future roles and positions within the company.

5. Analyzing current data that we have collected through our HRIS as well as existing data to ensure we have a competent and culturally diverse staff to meet the needs of the individuals we support. We will also analyze the competition and monitor environmental factors (economy, attitudes toward work, financing and governmental regulations and statutes).

6. Increasing our Return on Investment by reviewing our compensation and benefits program, tracking and reducing turnover, and training and development.

7. Offer cultural diversity training and hire staff that are culturally diverse to meet the needs of the people we support.

We look forward to discussing our role as a strategic partner and meeting our mission and goals one employee at a time.

Sincerely,

I. M. Great

Human Resources Director

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The Arc of the United States

Vision and Mission

The Arc of the United States is a nonprofit organization that believes in the inherent value of all people and works daily through advocacy and legislation to ensure that people with developmental and intellectual disabilities are included in every aspect of their communities. The Arc of the United States has proven itself as a respected leader in promoting the rights of people with developmental and intellectual disabilities. The Arc of the United States mission statement reads as follows: The Arc promotes and protects the human rights of people with intellectual and developmental disabilities and actively supports their full inclusion and participation in the community throughout their lifetimes. A mission statement is ultimately a statement of purpose. The Arc of the United States believes that every person should have the same rights and be fully included in the community in which they live.

The Arc of the United States is also guided by nine core values:

1) Equity

2) Community

3) Self-determination,

4) Diversity

5) Guiding Principles Participatory Democracy

6) Visionary Leadership

7) Public Interest

8) Collaboration

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9) Transparency, Integrity and Excellence (arc.org, n.d.).

It is important that the HRM strategic plan take these core values and mission and hire create a workforce that can help us reach our goals and continue to effectively support people intellectual disabilities around the world.

The Arc of the United States has a strategic framework for their future that covers the dates from 2010- 2019. In this strategic plan they identify eight goals that they want to accomplish by 2019 and the strategies they need to take to reach those goals. In addition to these goals, the Strategic Framework for the Future of the Arc lists the strategies they will take to reach each of these goals. As The Arc of the United States looks to expand across borders, these goals will impact the people we support and guide us. The Arc’s goals over the ten year period, 2010 – 2019, are to ensure that:

1. Infants, children and youth with intellectual and developmental disabilities (I/DD) have access to the supports and services they need to live in their family homes, to succeed in school and to partake in all of the experiences of childhood (TheArc.org).

2. Adults with I/DD have the opportunity to lead lives of their own choosing, free from poverty, to be employed, to reside in the community, and to live independently with ready access to whatever services and supports they need (TheArc.org).

3. People with I/DD have the opportunity to participate in civic activities, volunteerism and community service, religion, arts, culture and recreation alongside their peers without disabilities (TheArc.org).

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4. Individual members of the public value, respect and accept people with I/DD as equal members of society (TheArc.org).

5. Quality health education, health promotion and health care are widely available and accessible, enabling individuals to avoid known environmental causes of I/DD and to prevent secondary health problems for people with I/DD (TheArc.org).

6. The Arc is a powerful advocate for people with I/DD, leading a vibrant, engaged, and growing movement of people with I/DD; their family members, friends, and colleagues; and the nonprofits organizations that serve them, committed to the full inclusion of people with I/DD in society (TheArc.org).

7. The Arc is a catalyst advancing best practices among all community-based service providers and the preeminent provider of inclusive services and supports for people with I/DD and their families (TheArc.org).

8. The Arc is a household name, well-known and responsive, well-managed, responsibly governed, and sustainable nonprofit federation (TheArc.org)

It is important that the leadership be committed and be the example for the mission, goals and core values. Leaders of this organization, including human resource leadership, must create a vision that helps employees see the possibilities that are in front of them, make sure that everyone is moving in the same direction, and effectively execute the vision until it becomes a reality (SHRM, n.d.). The human resources department believes in promoting the mission and values of The Arc of the United States through leadership, recruitment, high performance, and effective business processes. We will let the mission guide us to continue to provide excellence in service and advocacy.

Analysis and Decision Making

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The Human Resource department must determine our human resource needs and recruit and train employees who can help this organization expand and meet the goals for the future. In

order for the human resource department to make decisions regarding our workforce, we must start with completing a SWOT analysis and determine any competency gaps. We understand that our expansion will require us to take a close look at our policies, procedures, job descriptions, employment laws so they align with the needs and regulations of the population we serve in these areas.

The SWOT analysis will help us consider what strengths the HR department has that can be used to help lead the organization in the direction desired by the leadership team, what opportunities, what weaknesses we need to overcome so we can recruit, retain and offer appropriate trainings (SHRM, 2012). We must also look at the external factors that offer us opportunities and pose possible threats to our organization. We will look for opportunities such as new technology, unfulfilled needs of customers and beneficial changes in employment laws (SHRM, 2012). The threats will be analyzed so we can identify areas that could cause difficulty in the future. Some threats that we must look at are federal regulations that affect the people we support, employment laws, and a changing workforce.

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Once we complete the SWOT analysis we must determine where there are competency gaps. Conducting a gap analysis for human resources gives leaders a reading on future employment requirements by identifying the competencies their vision requires and comparing them to those available from current employees (Brunot, n.d.). This analysis will allow us to plan and make informed decisions regarding our staffing. We will be able to project for future staffing needs. We will look at what new jobs will we be implementing and what skills and competencies are needed and in what timeframe do those positions need to be filled. In our field of nonprofit that is very regulated and our hope to expand across borders, we will also need to consider if there are any employment policies or legislation that will affect recruitment and

retainment efforts. The gap analysis will allow us to take a closer look at our current staff and take inventory of what positions we currently have, look into the workforce and plan for any retirements or promotions, and turnover rates.

Once the gap analysis is completed, we will see where the gaps between our current staffing and what staffing needs will arise in the future. The human resource department will strategically make adjustments and restructure our workforce as necessary so we have the right people with the right skills in the right places to minimize risk and maximize our resources (Brunot, n.d.).

Outlook and Approach

While considering expanding globally, we must be sensitive to the different cultures of the employees and the people we support. We must also be aware of the trends and issues that may affect our employees and our organization. The Human resource department will hire employees from different cultural backgrounds so that we have the diversity that is in the best interest of all stakeholders. There are many steps that the Human Resource department will take to ensure we improve cultural responsiveness and capitalize on diversity.

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The first step we will take is conducting a PEST analysis. Although not all of the information is related to culture and diversity, understanding these elements will allow us to look at different aspects of the different cultures. By conducting this analysis, we can better understand the market and align our strategies and hiring procedures to our mission and goals. We will look at the political factors that may impact our industry and the people we hire. We know that this industry is heavily regulated by the state and government and that much of our funding comes from the federal level. The Human resource department will look at the funding sources and the regulations on a global level to be sure we understand the laws, policies that

affect our industry as well as our hiring practices. The economy of other countries can have an impact in our success to reach our strategic goals. We must take time to look at recession, employment and unemployment rates, and the funding climate that will have an effect on our budget. The social aspect of this analysis will give us idea of the demographics and the cultural trends of different countries help us determine how a society feels about the inclusion of people with intellectual disabilities and be able to recruit those who have the same beliefs that align with ours. Technology will be important because as we expand, it will be important to have a system that can track the aspects as they pertain to our workforce such as recruitment, turnover, pay and benefits. It will be important for the human resource department to have the technology that will allow them to meet our employee needs from across the country.

Cultural training will be of high priority as we will be hiring people from different cultures and supporting people from different cultures. An inclusive work environment requires a clear understanding of both the inherent and acquired diversity within an organization (Ollila, 2017). While staying within employment laws, the human resource department will utilize social media and our HRIS to expand our pool of applicants and potential employees. We will be sure to update all of our material and forms to be sure that all cultures are represented.

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We will offer cultural training and start a cultural diversity committee in each location. The cultural diversity committee will send out Topics of the Quarter so that supervisors can discuss relevant cultural topics. The committee will set annual goals that address cultural diversity throughout the organization. Policies and procedures will be updated regularly and our system will be updated and fields added to our electronic system. We will become an organization that celebrates differences by encouraging people to discuss differences and as we become global, we will need to be sure that all holidays are celebrated accordingly.

Risk Management

It is the responsibility of the HR department to be sure we are operating morally and legally and attending to the safety and well-being of all people who are involved with the organization bit internally and externally. Not only do we need to act within the law, we also need to make difficult decisions that can affect the integrity of the organization. We must look at all areas where problems can occur and look into how we can eliminate or lessen the risk to our organization. Some areas that we will are minimizing risk are the areas of compensation, hiring, health and safety, supervision, employee conduct, and how to deal with employees who are leaving the company.

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In the area of compensation, we will have performance evaluations that are reflective of the job that the person is doing but also one that relies not only on job duties but have goals that drive the employee to engage in ethical behaviors and that promote collaboration and teamwork. Incentives must be carefully thought out and must beneficial and financially feasible for the organization. We will create a performance evaluation that focuses on job performance but that will also focus on safety efforts of the employee, how well to they communicate and get along with others in their department and if they are utilizing best practices while at work. We will implement SMART goals to each performance evaluation. SMART stands for, specific, measurable, achievable, result-oriented, and time-bound. This will help the HR department in determining that the goals are not only beneficial and dependent on pay incentives but they are clearly written to assist the organization and the employee in meeting our strategic goals. We must be sure that not only can we offer incentives based on the organizations financial ability but also that we offer incentives that foster collaboration and teamwork.

In our hiring processes, we must minimize risk by making sure we are abiding by all employment and discrimination laws that are in place in all areas we serve. We must also employ the right people with the right skills for the right job. We will implement 30-60-90 day performance reviews to be sure that the employee is meeting all expectations in the probationary period. The 30 day review will be a simple review of whether or not the employee is grasping the job duties and understand the policies and processes of the company. At the 60 day review, we will look at whether or not the employee is meeting the expectations of the position and put goals into place that can help the employee succeed in the position. At the 90 day evaluation, we will determine whether or not the employee is a suitable candidate. If not, we will terminate employment at that time. If they are a good candidate, we will set the SMART goals for them to begin working on for the remainder of the year.

In the area of health and safety, we will be sure that there are effective safety measures to protect our employees and minimize risk. Every geographical area will have risks that are specific to that area and we need to have a safety committee to address any safety needs or issues. We will conduct regular safety checks and provide the necessary equipment needed to remain safe. The safety committee will report on safety concerns and issues each quarter and the information will be related back to the HR department so that safety measures can be implemented and so that we can protect the agency form rising insurance claims as well as abide by the regulations set by OSHA and any other regulating body.

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We must also mitigate risk through our managers by training them on the important role they play. The supervisor must follow the performance management process as outlined above but they must also meet with their staff at a minimum of monthly and be sure that their staff are receiving the necessary training. We will conduct regular training to managers and supervisors

to discuss areas of concern, issues that have arisen and employment laws that must be adhered to in order for the organization to remain compliant and to keep employees’ safe.

Employee conduct is always a difficult task because employees deal with issues related to the job and issues related to their personal life that can affect their performance and conduct. We will be sure that each employee understands the policies and procedures, signs the employee handbook upon hire, provide ongoing training and development and be sure they understand the expectations of the job they are performing and the larger organizational goals. We will give each employee the opportunity to correct their behavior unless the infraction was one that requires termination. We will coach each employee in ways that they can improve their performance and set goals so they clearly understand the expectations and have a guide to help them correct the issue.

We must also minimize risk by making sure that we have a solid process in place for exiting employees. All employees whether resigning or terminated will go through an exit interview. There will be a set of standard questions asked as well as the opportunity to discuss the issues behind their departure. We will take this information and use it to improve our processes and address any issues found. We will have a process for collecting any company property (keys, computer, phone), be sure that they are immediately deactivated from the electronic system including passwords, access to client information, and client files. We will also be sure that we are adhering to the payout of any unused vacation or leave and abiding by all employment laws.

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In addition to all of the items listed above, succession planning is another important part of mitigating risk. Having a succession plan in place can decrease disruption within the company and reduce turnover and recruiting costs. Having a plan to replace key employees

internally can decrease disruption when they leave the company but it also keeps the company stable and secure in times of change. We will work closely with leadership to identify and develop talent. We will assist in identifying potential candidates for certain roles, put a plan in place to develop the necessary talent, and track and monitor the process closely. HR has access to and communicates with employees often so we can more easily identify potential candidates and share our thoughts with leadership. We will put mentoring processes in place and offer trainings that offer internal candidates the opportunity to grow and develop into future roles.

The HR department will continually assess for risks because our employees and the people we support are our greatest risk. We will continue to monitor all risks and make decisions about what risks need to be avoided, what risk we are willing to accept in order to meet the goals of the organization while staying compliant and within the law, and look into areas where we need to make adjustments in our practices. This is an ongoing task that will require the HR department to continually monitor to keep the company safe and minimize risk.

Customer Service and Negotiation

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The success of an organization does not come from one employee, it comes from the collective work of all members of a team. Although we have incentives for employees based on their performance reviews, it is important that we put goals in the performance evaluation that reflect and encourage teamwork. To foster teamwork, we will focus on having regular departmental meetings to discuss and gather information form the whole team and get ideas from the team on ways they can improve together. We will offer incentives that foster teamwork such as offering the department a pizza party or a day where they can all come in late or leave early. The HR department has to encourage teamwork by making sure that the suggestions and ideas are acted upon and that the employees feel their ideas and concerns are being heard. We have

many different departments from direct support professionals to our public policy department where the goals are very different. We also have several employees that work remotely so it is our responsibility to help them to understand how their work affects the larger organization.

Trust is a very important part of the success of any organization. If an employee trust the HR department and its management, the retention rate will improve. To ensure that we build a culture of trust, we will communicate open and honestly and do what we say we will do. We will start by creating an employee engagement survey that will go out twice annually. Once the results of the survey are in, we will discuss the results with the senior management team and identify and develop systems and programs that are of the highest importance to the employees. The design of the engagement survey is important because we have to ask questions about things that we can measure and in turn take action on. Once we analyze the results, we will discuss the results with the entire organization, both good and bad, and discuss in detail what action we will take to address these issues and a timeframe by which we hold ourselves to. The survey is just a starting pint but if acted on accordingly, we will build the trust of the employees and allow them to see that we value their opinions and that together we can accomplish the strategic goals set in place.

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Teamwork and trust cannot be built unless there is open and honest communication that flows vertically and horizontally. The vison may be clear to all employees however, how to get there may be interpreted differently by employees. With the organization growing, we must utilize technology to reach all of the employees. We must utilize ways to communicate the employees that are in the office each day as well as employees that are working offsite or across the world. Technology and social media has given us the opportunity to communicate

instantaneously. We must find ways to communicate effectively so we can reach our organizational goals.

Change communication includes leadership laying out what is going to change and what isn’t, but also includes the conversations that happen when employees go to their direct managers with concerns and questions (Painter, 2014). We must train our managers who come in contact with the employees regularly the importance of two-way communication. We have to train the management to effectively communicate and include them in on meetings where we discuss our strategic goals and give them guidance on how they can promote the goals of the organization effectively. We also have to be transparent in the things we share with employees. We have to communicate what is working and what is not and we cannot just pick and choose only the positive things that are occurring. To build teamwork and trust through communication, we have to openly discuss our failures and the processes we are taking to correct them and get back on track. Success depends on every person in the organization. If we truly believe this, we have to have open and honest communication through all stages of the process.

Data Analysis

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Analyzing data is not just about understanding data-driven HR and the usual metrics, but specifically how HR can connect what it’s doing to business outcomes. HR should not only align with the business but drive the business by making better decisions about the workforce (Biro, 2016). Improving our HRIS so that we can forecast for the future and make better business decisions that support the strategic plan in areas such as, turnover, retention, risk, and forecasting for the future. To be more effective, the HR department has to have the ability to move away from the manual processes and have information systems that can accurately and quickly render relevant data. Payroll is one of, if not, the largest expense for an organization. Many decisions

regarding hiring, retention, rewards, etc… are done through an HR professional gut feeling or a corporate system that has been in existence for a long period of time. Many HR departments base their decisions on where the applicant went to school, what grades they earned and their references. Although, these may be important, it is not the only thing that is important when determining whether or not the employee will be successful. The HR department needs to increase its knowledge of data analytics and determine what questions need to be answered and what analytics need to be set up to get those questions answered. This can be costly to implement initially but if utilized correctly, it can save the company a great deal in costs and increase revenue. Many may think that data is not necessary in HR however, we can find things through data analysis that can help in our recruitment, retention, risk management, and decision making that can increase revenue and more effectively help us in reaching our goals as we expand into other markets. Many HR departments measure these areas from different databases or files that are controlled by different people within the department. We need to implement a system that we can all access easily and enter the necessary data to get the needed results. Although many believe that the old way of doing things is working, we as an organization that is expanding services and hiring people from different areas to support our mission and goals, we need a centralized system that gives us scientific, quick results so we can move in the direction we have set forth for the organization.

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We believe that our proposal as outlined above will put us in the position necessary to expand our advocacy and services. We realize that our department will need to take a more strategic role to meet the needs of the people we support, our employees, and our organization as a whole. Using this strategic approach, we will be able to work as a business partner with the leadership team to mitigate risks associated with our expansion, create a culturally sensitive

workforce, and track and analyze data so we can address trends more efficiently and effectively. If this proposal is accepted, we will take some of the following steps to implement the HR strategic plan and address some of the following areas.

Acceptance Strategy

As the The Arc of the United States is positioning itself to expand its advocacy and services to other parts of the country, it is important that the Human Resource Department be involved in reaching the strategic goals that have been identified. Although administrative duties will still be a part of the Human Resource Department, we must be a part of business decisions so we can council the leadership on how those decisions impact the workforce and the financial bottom line. The core of any organization and its strategic plan is the people, hence why it is critical that we are at the table and a partner in this strategic plan (Righeimer, n.d.). Our employees will ultimately be the determining factor for the success of in reaching our strategic goals and gaining a competitive edge. A strategic approach that is aligned with HR ensures that an organization’s employees, skills, and abilities contribute to the achievement of its

business goals (Huselid, Jackson, & Schuler, 1997).

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Should the HR proposal be accepted, we will first take an inventory of our current HR Department and adjust the department so we can ensure we have the rights skills in each area to be a strong strategic partner. We will move from a traditional HR model where the majority of our function is dedicated to administration to a transformed model where we focus more on strategy and policies. In order to do this, we will identify skills we need in our department to ensure we are successful and we will determine any competencies that are needed and relate those to our future roles and responsibilities (Madden, 2012). We will conduct a SWOT analysis to determine our areas of strengths, weaknesses, opportunities and threats. We will build on our

strengths, address our weaknesses, take advantage of the opportunities, and identify areas of threat. With these results we can identify where we have gaps and conduct an analysis to look at what are future workforce needs will be and compare them to what we currently have with our current staff.

Administrative duties will be completed by HR generalists so that the strategic HR personnel will have more time to manage the talent of the organization, develop future organizational leaders, and help the organization achieve the highest level of workforce performance (Madden, 2012). With our new transformed model, we will spend the majority of our time aligning our strategies with the strategic business goals and support the operations of the organization (Madden, 2012).

The HR Department will have a strong understanding of the business, have an HRIS that allows us to analyze data regarding employee retention, return on investments, trainings, succession planning, just to name a few. We will think systematically so that we understand how certain changes impact other areas of the organization and how it impacts the goals set in place. We will adapt to any changes that occur and be prepared to adjust as necessary.

Talent Development and Workforce Planning

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The Arc of the United States only has around 50 employees, however, they have over 700 local and state chapters and have a membership of over 140,000. As we expand our services, we will need to hire a wide array of employees from lobbyists, public policy, state executive directors, and a large number of managers and direct support professionals. The HR Department will look at the employment needs of each area we expand into and look at the key workforce challenges that we currently face as well as the needs of the communities we will serve. We know we currently have challenges with turnover, an inadequate supply of mental health

professionals, and regulatory and policy challenges. We do a good job of hiring a diverse workforce but we must be sure we continue to strive for a diverse workforce in all areas.

The Human Resource Department will assess our current and future needs of the people we support as well as the communities we will be serving. We will do this through completing both organizational and individual needs assessments. The organizational assessment will allow us to determine the skills and abilities we already have within our workforce as well as forecast for future needs. Doing this will help in determining what we will need to do to reduce any problems and weaknesses that already exist and enhance our strengths and competencies. We will look at factors such as our changing demographics as we expand, political trends in the locations we expand into, technology needs, and the economy of the future areas (OPM.gov, n.d.).

While completing the individual assessments, we will look into how well employees are doing their jobs and their ability to do different jobs and step into different roles. After we determine this, we can put training programs in place that address the current and future needs of our employees.

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Prior to the assessments, we will set goals and objectives and look at data and results of any prior needs assessments that have been completed. We will also look at our current job descriptions and past performance evaluations. Once the assessments are completed, we will analyze the data and make determinations on what areas we need to focus and address any problems and issues. Once the issues are identified, we can put together trainings that address the issues and create a cost/benefits report to determine the costs of the trainings and compare them to the benefits that The Arc will incur.

We realize that training may not be the only solution to our workforce needs. We may be able to also determine any performance gaps that currently exist or that may exist in the future. We will also communicate the expectations of the organization, provide support, and communicate the behaviors that are needed and desired in order to achieve our goals as we expand. It will also be important for us to put into place succession planning. The Arc of the United States is heavily rooted in policy and advocacy and we must be sure that we have employees who understand federal public policy and advocacy and who have the skills and ability to educate policy makers and elected officials about the needs of the I/DD community. These roles are responsible for communicating our strategic goals and change policy to best support individuals with I/DD and their families. We realize that there are many positions that are critical for the success of the organization and that if not filled, could cause our progression towards our goals to halt. Many of the positions such as or lobbyists, public policy positions, legal, and advocacy require a great deal of knowledge and expertise. These are positions that are critical to our success and we must begin to train current employees to take over these roles if necessary. We will identify employees for key positions, and offer development opportunities through mentorships. Identified employees will participate in the mentoring programs so they can learn the needs of the position and develop the necessary skills to take over key roles if necessary. We will not only look at exceptional employees who are motivated and want to move up in the company but we realize that we have a large pool of knowledgeable volunteers that have skills and abilities that can be useful for the key roles in the future.

Return on Investment

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There are many metrics that need to be studied in order to show how HR contributes to the return on investment. One of the highest costs that we incur is our cost of people/employees.

We understand people being such a high expense, we need to show the economic value through metrics. We will utilize our HRIS to run these metrics and report the return on investment in many areas. We will be hiring many people in the future as we grow and we need to be sure that we are being financially responsible in our hiring, retention, benefits, and productivity.

The first areas we will measure is the average time it takes us to hire and fill positions. This will be helpful for the organization because it will show whether or not we have an efficient recruitment process and give us insight on positions that are harder to fill. We know that money can be lost if a position stays vacant and it can prove to be difficult for those employees who have to take on the duties while the position is vacant.

We will also be tracking the cost per hire and the turnover rate. Tracking the turnover rate is very important because it will allow us to look at the cause of the turnover. We will be able to see if people are leaving because there is a mismatch between the person and the position or the person and the company (van Vulpen, n.d.). We understand that it takes a significant amount of time for an employee to learn their job effectively and when they leave early, it can be expensive. This metric will allow us to make the necessary changes to match employees with the right job.

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There are many different positions within the organization and they all play very important roles. Since we have a great deal of employees who bill for services and we depend on this for revenue, we will also track revenue per employee. This will help us to see the quality of our hired employees and see whether or not the position is essential for the organization if we are losing revenue due to this position. We can look at the data and determine if this position os key or if the duties can be handled by another employee or position.

We also must look at the costs of our benefits and compensation. Included in this will be the non-essential benefits that are offered to employees. Since we will be hiring several new employees as we expand, we have to be sure that the benefits and compensation are in line with our budget. Of course, we will be looking at the amount it costs the organization to offer benefits and compensation, but we will also look at how many employees are happy with their compensation compared to the expectations of their job and the pay scales for all employees. We will compare this data with previous years and be sure that we are compensating employees accordingly. To get the data regarding whether or not an employee is happy with their compensation compared to the expectation of their job, we will survey employees and input the data received. If non-essential benefits are offered, we will look at whether or not this is a cost that is having a direct impact on productivity and if the employees are utilizing these benefits. If the answer is no, these benefits can be eliminated.

We also must track our training and development as this can have a direct impact on our turnover rate. We know that turnover can be costly for the organization and it is often related to the lack of training and development of our employees. We again will survey employees to see if they are happy with the learning and growth they are receiving and if they are receiving on the job training in order to be successful. As we expand, we understand the importance of proper training and development in reaching our goals and having a strong workforce with a low turnover rate. We have to be sure that we are offering training that is relevant to the positons and the areas in which they will be working.

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Lastly, we need to look at our culture and how it aligns with our success. This can be difficult to measure because it is not something that is tangible or can be described simply by numbers but it is a very important metric that must be addressed. Culture are a set of behaviors

that determine how things get done in a company (Besner, 2015). Some areas to consider is how well we communicate with our employees. Are we available to hear employee concerns and suggestions? Does the organization have a method by which they can share important information to all employees? We must also be sure that our employees are safe and healthy. Organizations who put the wellness of their employees at the forefront, they find that the employees who are happy and more productive. This can affect our bottom line and save on any medical costs that can come from health or safety issues.

These are just a few areas that we will measure but we understand that with our global expansion, we will need to continually look at our return on investment and look at other areas that affect our organization and employees.

HR Strategy

Our strategic goals are all about creating the same life and opportunities for people with I/DD that we all have. Our responsibility as the HR Department is to have the right people with the right skills in place to reach these goals. We realize we must align our goals with the organizational goals. HR needs to take a comprehensive approach that aligns its actions with the entire organizational strategy. The ultimate goal is for HR to support an

organization through the management of human capital, which is the major subset of the

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broader organization’s strategy. (Righeimer, n.d.). It is human capital that affects all areas of an organization. We must take a more strategic role in order to reach our strategic goals. Although our administrative duties are still very important, we must move towards a more strategic approach. Our department will align our systems with the organizations strategies and ensure that we have a workforce that is strategically focused.

Historically, HR has been seen from an administrative lens as a department that focuses solely on the number of people hired, retention rates, and training. We want to expand into a strategic partner and have the ability to be at the table to discuss how HR is an important partner in supporting our strategic objectives through our most valued asset, our employees.

We will take inventory of the skills and competencies within our department to be sure we can perform at a strategic level. We will focus our efforts internally on becoming more knowledgeable of the business, the financials, and being consultative in nature. In order to track data, we will need to be sure we have the technical skills so we can share information regarding our workforce to the leadership team. We will become more business oriented so we can become more strategically involved. As mentioned above, we will have metrics in place that provide a framework for the organization’s strategy. We will look at our competency gaps and look at what is needed to close those gaps. We will create a strong culture that aligns with our vision and mission. We will align our HR goals with the larger organizational goals. And, we will share our knowledge with the leadership team so we can reach our strategic goals and have the necessary workforce in place to provide the skills necessary to support the people and families we support. HR is what is going to drive our strategic process.

Ethics and Legality

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The Arc of the United States has always prided itself in its integrity and transparency. We believe in always being ethical and abiding by all legal requirements. As we expand and grow, we will continue to work ethically and abide by all laws and policies that are in place in all areas across the world. We will remain compliant at all times and be sure we have the knowledge necessary in our department to minimize any possible risks associate with ethics and laws.

Human Resources has a great deal of ethical and legal responsibility. HR recruits, trains, and is responsible for the workforce. Along with this comes a great deal of possible ramifications if we do not act in an ethical and legal manner. Our team will hold regular trainings so that we stay knowledgeable regarding legal and ethical issues. As we move to a more strategic approach, we will be sure that our HR Department has the necessary certifications, education and training. We will offer continuing educational opportunities through training, webinars, and education to ensure compliance.

The HR Department must act as role models for all of the employees. We must be knowledgeable in ethical decision making because any unethical action that is taken by HR can have a negative impact on the entire organization.

The success of our business is dependent on our trust and confidence of our employees and stakeholders (SHRM, 2014). We will always act with integrity and be honest in all of our business endeavors. We will create a working environment that is rooted in respect. We will be sure that all employees feel like they are supported and respected and where they can freely voice concerns and issues without fear of retaliation. We will train our managers how to create a strong, ethical team and give them training on communication techniques.

We cannot only say that we will act ethically in all areas, but we must also have buy in from top leaders who model the behavior we seek to receive from our employees. Prompt action must be taken to ensure that appropriate steps are taken to deal with ethical issues as they arise.

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We will abide by our code of conduct and have policies and procedures in place that address both ethical and legal issues. Each new hire should be given a copy of the code of conduct upon hire and every office should have these hanging in a shared space for employees and other stakeholders to see.

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Our Human Resource Department will be sure that we are aware of and abiding by all laws and regulations that guide employer-employee relations. This will become extremely important as we expand into other areas because we must abide by laws that are set in place in all countries we do business is. Our employees are our biggest resource and we want to always act in an ethical and legal manner. As we move forward as a strategic partner, we will protect the organization by hiring the right talent, offer adequate education and training, provide each employee with an employee handbook and update it regularly, conduct regular compliance audits in our department, and communicate often.

References

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Board of Directors & Staff. (n.d.). Retrieved October 1, 2017, from http://www.thearc.org/who-we-are/staff

Brunot, T. (n.d.). What Is a Gap Analysis for Human Resources? Retrieved October 02, 2017, from http://smallbusiness.chron.com/gap-analysis-human-resources-61949.html

Charting Impact Report. (2011, May 17). Retrieved October 1, 2017, from http://www.thearc.org/document.doc?id=4100

Compliance-based versus integrity-based ethics management: a typology. (n.d.). Retrieved September 20, 2017, from http://www.ssc.govt.nz/node/5743

Gormandy White, M. (n.d.). Strategic Leadership Solutions: Building Vision, Alignment, and Execution. Retrieved September 30, 2017, from https://al.shrm.org/sites/al.shrm.org/files/Strategic%20Leadership%20Solutions.p

Huselid, M, Jackson, S, & Schuler, R. 1997. Technical and Strategic Human Resource

Management Effectiveness as Determinants of Firm Performance. Academy of

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Management Journal, Vol. 40, No. 1, 171-188

Madden, S. (2012, June). The Evolution of the HR Business Role. Retrieved October 16, 2017, from http://www.scottmadden.com/wp-content/uploads/userFiles/misc/8d0d88c7547b6e2b8f6f6fcba6a9d6b3.pdf

Ollila, E. (2017, March 01). How to Promote Cultural Diversity in the Workplace. Retrieved October 07, 2017, from https://www.adp.com/spark/articles/how-to-promote-cultural-diversity-in-the-workplace-7-1161.aspx

Painter, N. (2014, July 30). Effective Communications and HR: Making the Connection. Retrieved October 05, 2017, from https://www.hrvoice.org/effective-communications-and-hr-making-the-connection/

Paine, L. S. (2014, August 01). Managing for Organizational Integrity. Retrieved September 20, 2017, from https://hbr.org/1994/03/managing-for-organizational-integrity

Righeimer, J. P. (n.d.). Aligning Human Resources and Strategic Plans. Retrieved October 16, 2017, from http://www.maverickec.com/index_files/Aligning%20HR%20Strategy%20epulse.pdf

Strategic Planning: Analysis: What is a S.W.O.T. analysis and how does it apply to an HR department. (2012, December 11). Retrieved September 30, 2017, from https://www.shrm.org/resourcesandtools/tools-and-samples/hr-qa/pages/cms_022634.aspx

The Arc of the US. (n.d.). Retrieved October 1, 2017, from

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http://www.guidestar.org/profile/13-5642032

Training and Development Planning & Evaluating. (n.d.). Retrieved October 20, 2017, from https://www.opm.gov/policy-data-oversight/training-and-development/planning-evaluating/

Vulpen, E. V. (2017, May 31). 14 HR Metrics Examples. Retrieved October 20, 2017, from https://www.analyticsinhr.com/blog/14-hr-metrics-examples/

 

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