RETOS ACTUALES DE LOS RECURSOS HUMANOS

Retos Actuales de los Recursos Humanos

 “Con la globalización, todos en la organización, y especialmente en el departamento de Recursos Humanos, hemos tenido que cambiar nuestro enfoque, cambiar nuestra actitud y cambiar la forma en que operamos” dijo Jerome Carter, vicepresidente de Recursos Humanos para International Paper Co. (Leonard, 2008).

La globalización como proceso de integración e interacción se ha venido desarrollando desde tiempos muy remotos como ya conocemos las formas de comercios entre tierras lejanas un ejemplo de ella la Ruta de la Seda a los largo del Asia central lo cual puso en contacto a los comerciantes desde China con Europa (The Levin Institute, 2013), hoy en día con el desarrollo tecnológico tanto en comunicación, información y transporte esta integración e interacción se convierte en nuestra realidad actual. 

El mundo se ha convertido en un gran mercado constituido, como nos explica Mondy  (2012), por 6.6 billones de personas hablando 6.700 lenguajes diferentes, con miles de gobiernos los cuales tienen regulaciones e impuestos diferentes, creando un ambiente para el cual no estamos totalmente preparados.

En mi opinión este seria el gran reto de los Recursos Humanos, dejar de ser el departamento en cargado de contratación y pago de empleados, para convertirse en toda un institución para enfrentar los nuevas condiciones de este mundo globalizado y poder garantizar intereses de organizaciones y sus integrantes.

 La importancia de la gestión de recursos humanos en el medio ambiente global se ilustra por el hecho de que los recursos humanos tienen ahora un componente internacional, el profesional mundial  de los recursos humanos se centra en la gestión estratégica de estos recursos humanos, la adquisición de talento internacional y su movilidad, la compensación y beneficios globales, la eficacia institucional, el desarrollo del talento, las relaciones de fuerza de trabajo y la gestión del riesgo (Mondy, 2012).

Unido a la globalización entran dos temas importantes para la gerencia de los recursos humanos, la diversidad y junto a ella la nueva cultura organizacional que crearíamos en nuestra organización.

Con la gestión de la diversidad se trata encontrar una cultura inclusiva en la que los recién llegados se sientan bienvenidos y que todo el mundo vea el valor de su trabajo, esto implica la creación de una cultura de apoyo en el que todos los empleados pueden ser eficaz. En la creación de esta cultura, es importante que la alta dirección apoye fuertemente la diversidad en el trabajo como un objetivo de la compañía e incluyen iniciativas de diversidad en las estrategias de negocio de sus empresas (HR Focus , 2010), la promoción de la diversidad puede ser una buena estrategia comercial que conduzca a una mayor cuota de mercado y una reputación de ser un lugar en que la gente quiere trabajar.

Por el mismo hecho de estar enfocados en un mercado global las estrategias de los recursos humanos serian similares para un mercado domestico como el internacional, solo teniendo en cuenta las regulaciones propias de cada región pero su estrategia seria de carácter global.

 

Baby boomers: reto para los Recurso Humanos

Como “Baby boomers” se reconoce a toda una generación nacida en los años posteriores a la Segunda Guerra Mundial de 1964 (Mondy, 2012). Como resultado de la recesión del 2008/10, el 60 por ciento de los trabajadores mayores de 60 años decían que pospondrían su jubilación debido al impacto de la crisis financiera sobre su ahorro a largo plazo y algunos manifestaban  que nunca podrían retirarse (HRMagazine, 2009), el recorte de personal corporativo en la década del 80 y 90 hizo a un lado a millones de esto trabajadores (Mondy & Noe, 2005) de edad avanzada a pesar de contar con la experiencia y habilidades necesarias para la organización. Al mismo tiempo al bajar las ofertas de empleos, una parte de esta generación que se mantienen trabajando causan problemas para las nuevas generaciones de trabajadores (OfficePro, 2009).

Pero finalmente como nos explica Butler (2010) esta generación se retirara y el nuevo reto para los Recursos Humanos seria estar preparados para un retiro en masa de los Baby boomer, poder afrontar la perdida de la memoria institucional o cultura corporativa y la fuga de cerebros que este retiro conlleva; se producirá un aumento de las pensiones y los costos de salud que afectaran los costos laborales, y por ultimo las dificultades que afrontaremos para reemplazar gerentes experimentados y cualificados (Phillips, Pomerantz, & Gully, 2007).

 

References

HR Focus . (2010). Best Practice for developing diversity & inclusion. HR Focus 87, 7.

HRMagazine. (2009). 60percent of Older Workers Delay Retirement. HRMagazine, :22.

Leonard, B. (2008). Earning His paper. HRMagazine 53, 64-65.

 Mondy, R. (2012). The Human Resources Management. New Jersey: Pearson.

Mondy, R. W., & Noe, R. (2005). Administracion de los Recursos Humanos. Mexico: Pearson.

OfficePro. (2009). Older Workers Staying Longer. OfficePro, 9.

Phillips, J., Pomerantz, M., & Gully, S. (2007). Plugging the Boomers Drain. HRMagazine, :54-58.

The Levin Institute. (2013). Globalizacion 1. Retrieved from The State University of New York: http://www.globalization101.org/que-es-la-globalizacion/

 

 

 

 

DIVERSITY IN TODAY’S ECONOMY

            Diversity unlike previous years when only was referring to the difference between race and gender, today the concept has been expanded to include differences between people as age, race, religion, functional specialty, profession, sexual orientation, geographic origin, lifestyle, tenure with the organization or position, and any other perceived difference (Mondy, 2012).

            The actual definition is constantly changing as explained by R. Roosevelt Thomas, “People vary along and infinite number of possibilities, they vary according to race and gender, but they also vary according to age, sexual orientation, and when they joined the company. Some workers are union members; some are not. Some are exempt; some are nonexempt. The variety is endless. Your definition has to be sufficiently broad to encompass everyone.” (Buttler, 2006).

            Companies have begun to understand the importance of diversity in the workplace and its influence in customers, suppliers and shareholders, therefore, the management of diversity in the organization becomes an integral component of business strategy.

            Would this type of information influence your decision about job offers from various firms? Why?

            Mondy (2012) stated that the challenge for managers in the future will be to recognize that people with characteristic that are common but are different from those in the mainstream, often think, act, learn, and communicate differently . Because every person, culture, and business situation is unique, there are no simple rules for managing diversity (Mondy, 2012).

            Manager have to know how to motivate people in different markets around the world, for example in North America we are primarily driven by monetary rewards, other people with different culture recognize titles, personal connections, and status more value than money, as explains Effron, Gandossy and Goldsmith (2003) most people value all of these factor, but to different degree; knowing this variation help us to be more effective in every market (Effron, Gandossy, & Goldsmith, 2003).

            Once we understand all this information on diversity and its influence on organizational culture, we can understand the behavior and interests of our employees, so develop a strategic program to meet their needs so that we can impact the results of our organization, as  said Thonson (2002) this diversity in the working population requires us more flexibility in working practices, placing emphasis on providing a series of opportunities and rewards among which the individual can choose to suit your own particular needs (Thonson Editores Spain, 2002).

            What laws or regulations required hiring diversity?

Workforce of today has become truly diverse; this was not the case in the 60s while preparing to women, minorities and people with disabilities few opportunities. Today Legislation, Supreme Court decisions, and executive orders have encouraged both public and private organizations to leverage the capabilities of a workforce that was largely underused before, so many amendments have steadily improved all these laws protect a diverse workforce (Mondy, 2012), an example of which are Equal Pay Act of 1963, the Civil Right Act of 1964, Age Discrimination in Employment Act of 1967, Pregnancy Discrimination Act of 1978 and many other.

 

References

Buttler, K. M. (2006). Workplace diversity can increase employee loyalty. Employee Benefit News, ,vol. 20 Issue 3, p 16.

Effron, M., Gandossy, R., & Goldsmith, M. (2003). Human Resources in the 21st Century. New Yok: John Wiley & Sons, Inc.

Mondy, R. W. (2012). Human Resources Management. New Jersey: Pearson.

Thonson Editores Spain. (2002). Creando Organizaciones saludables. Madrid: Closas Orcoyen,S.L.

 

 

 

SHOPPING AND THE SPIRITUALITY INVOLVED

            

         

           Shopping can mean many different things and that meaning can be completely different for every individual person.  For example, I use it as a relaxing escape from my everyday stressful worries.  It helps me deal with the world and feel as if I’m free to choose what I desire without anyone intervening.  The simple fact of going to a certain store and looking at items I might want to buy is enough to make me feel in control and in sync with everyone else there.

            As I mentioned earlier I don’t always have to purchase an item to feel in control or connected to other people.  Phyllis Rose believes that there is a difference between buying and shopping because shopping does not always involve the purchase of any object (Rose, 1984).  It is more spiritual than materialistic because it serves many functions in someone’s life. For example, for Rose personally it serves as a spiritual self-discipline because it helps her to realize that she is the way she is and there is no reason to be ashamed because many other people go through the same problems as you might. She mentions this spirituality in shopping because of the issue she had in the past with buying blue jeans but if you really think about it any issue you may have should become smaller if you realize that everyone in this world has issues and sometimes even worse than your own. She also believes that shopping can help us cheer up, make decisions, make us feel as if we really are a useful member or our society and many other things.

            In her article, Rose argues against the statement that Americans are materialistic because of her belief in the spirituality of shopping against the materialism of buying. Throughout her article she stresses the differences between the two by using not only a critical but also a lyrical tone. She finds fault in the belief that Americans are materialistic for the simple fact that they use shopping as an outlet from the world. However, she doesn’t simply criticize this belief; she also brings in a personal anecdote from her life which makes her tone slightly lyrical. This anecdote comes from her past experience in buying jeans which she believed did not look good on her. She uses this statement to prove that shopping, to her, served as something spiritual, a way of feeling better about the way she was born and the way she will always be.

            All in all, Rose stresses the fact that shopping does not always involve buying. She also stresses to her audience, in this case people who believe Americans are materialistic, that they are wrong to believe that all we care about is purchasing an item. Shopping serves as therapy not only as an enjoyment in life but the most important aspect of shopping is the spirituality behind it.

By Laysi Almanza, Pre- Med student at USFSP.

References

Rose, p. (1984). SHOPPING AND OTHER SPIRITUAL ADVENTURES. 1-2.