Case Study "Four Recruitment and Retention Case Scenarios"

Review the Society for Human Resource Management (SHRM) case study"Four Recruitment and Retention Case Scenarios."

Analyze the first two case scenarios. The instructions are provided at the beginning of the case.

This case analysis consists of responding to the questions and tasks found in the case scenarios within the context of a case study analysis that includes a brief overview of the case, identification of the issues/problems of the case, providing alternate solutions to resolve the identified issues, and the best solution and implementation for permanent resolution of the issues/problems identified.

Organization Overview . MRG Human Performance Improvement (MRG HPI) was founded in 1988 with the goal to improve human performance through the use of multiple technology avenues. . Toimprove human performance, MRG HPI makes recommendations about how to change work environments to improve employee performance, motivation and morale; and develops courseware for skill improvement. The Training Solutions Division of MRG HPI develops the courseware products. Revenue for past year: $25 million. . Revenue for the Training Solutions Division for the past year: $10 million. . MRG HPI total workforce: 650 employees, 260 of whom are employed in the Training Solutions Division. 2008 Society for Human Resource Management Marcia R. Gibson, Ed.D. 5. The first course must be delivered at the start of the fourth month from the project start date. . The course review and rehearsal must be ready two months after the project start date. . Analysis work for the second course must start two months after the project start date. PROGRAM MANAGER'S ACTIONS The program manager seems friendly but does not seem to be leading the team. She holds weekly status meetings with the client, but doesn't say anything during those meetings. She responds only by e-mall to client communications, and calls only to confirm meetings. The client is not impressed with the program manager's performance and notices that the lead instructional designer is actually filling both the program manager and instructional designer roles. One month into the project, the client mentions the program manager's performance to the vice president of the division. The vice president promises to talk to the program manager and help her improve her performance. By the end of the second month, the analysis for the second course has started. The first course is ready for review and rehearsal, which means all materials have been developed and are ready for instructor review. The preliminary branding campaign was completed, marketing materials are ready for approval, and the first version of the web site has launched. The vice president of the division phones the client and asks for feedback on the project accomplishments to date and the program manager's performance. The client praises the progress made in such a short time, but thinks it has happened in spite of the program manager. The client informs the vice president that the program manager missed the deadline for delivery of the Task Management Educational Plan. When it was finally delivered, the client sent it back as unsatisfactory. Also, the client feels that the program manager has been uncommunicative; she has not said a dozen words in the past eight weekly progress meetings. The client is not pleased with the program manager's performance. At the end of the third month, MRG HPI decides to replace the program manager. In spite of this, team leaders have made sure that the first course is ready, the web site is launched and the marketing plan is developed and implemented on schedule. A new program manager is needed right away. What would you do? 14 0 1008 Society for Human Resource Management. Marcia R. Gibson, Ed.D.THINGS to THINK ABOUT 1. What options exist to find a new program manager? 2. What recruitment issues do you have? 3. What retention issues might you have? 4. List the recruitment and retention challenges you face in filling the position quickly. 5. Who must you communicate with to implement your strategy? 6. How will you ensure that the new hire will be approved and hired as expediently as possible? WHAT WOULD YOU DO? 1. What are the recruitment needs?' 2. What are the existing recruitment policies and guidelines? 3. What is your recruitment strategy? 4. What is your communication plan for implementing the recruitment strategy? 2008 Society for Human Resource Management Marcia R. Gibson, Ed.D. 15Case Study Background The Training Solutions Division (TSD] of MRG HPI was recently awarded a $6 million contract to develop a training academy for ZULU, a United States government organization with highly educated personnel. The contract is for 36 months. The academy must be up and running in three months and the first classroom course offered at the start of the fourth month. - TSD must develop the following before the first classroom course is offered: & A project plan and timeline for the academy's development, including web site design and launch, course development and repeat course cycles. b. Paper-based training and educational products. C. Web-based training and educational products. d Digitized video training and educational products. e. Marketing brochures, posters and e-mail announcements. f. Event logistics plans. g. Delivery schedules for 15 courses. h. Training analyses for the first and second courses. Instructional design plans. j. An instructor's guide, participant manual and PowerPoint presentation with a variety of multimedia components such as graphics, animations and videos for the first course. k. An examination for the first course. The training academy will be completely virtual. All academy marketing, courses and attendee registration will occur online. In addition, the academy web site will house course materials and records for attendee access, and an interactive forum for academy member collaboration. The contract requires TSD to develop 15 classroom-based courses that are highly interactive and use innovative multimedia approaches. After all the courses are developed and delivered one time, they will be repeated during the last year of the three-year project. 6 0 2008 Society for Human Resource Management. Marcia R. Gibson, Ed.D.Project Phases Project development will occur in two phases: Phase 1: Create the training academy (3 months). . Implement organizational structure. - Develop and launch web site. Develop and implement branding for the academy. . Develop and distribute marketing materials. . Develop the first course. .Deliver the first course. . Begin development of the second course through the analysis phase. Phase 2: Maintain academy operations, develop and implement remaining courses, and offer repeat sessions (2 years and 9 months). - Complete development of the second course. . Deliver the second course. Implement development schedule for the next 13 courses. - Offer repeat courses during last year of the contract . Continue to manage the academy, maintain the web site and market the courses. 2008 Society for Human Resource Management Marcia R. Gibson, Ed.D. 7Organizational Structure MRG HPI's current organizational structure: Executive Officer (5 employees) Financial Officer Operations Officer (12 employees) (10 employees) Training Solutions Analysis Division Evaluation Division Human Resources Contracts Business Division Development (162 employees) (167 employees) (16 employees) (4 employees) (260 employees) (14 employees) Project Management Instructional Design Graphic Design Programming Document Production Logistics Multimedia 8 0 2008 Society for Human Resource Management. Marcia R. Gibson, Ed.D.The Training Solutions Division is a matrix organization* divided into the following branches: Project Management Instructional Design Graphic Design Programming - Document Production Logistics . Multimedia A matrix organization uses a multiple chain-of-command system. In a matrix organization, employees typically report to a manager with profit or overall project responsibility and to their functional manager who is responsible for maintaining product quality and functional performance. 2008 Society for Human Resource Management Marcia R. Gibson, Ed.D. 9Current TSD Staffing All 260 employees in the Training Solutions Division are already assigned to projects. The new contract will require TSD to determine how many employees they will need for each division branch and for each project. They will need to take into account when current projects are ending; who can be moved from those projects to the new project; and how many new employees will be needed. 10 0 2008 Society for Human Resource Management. Marcia R. Gibson, Ed.D.Scenario 1: Increasing Staff to Complete the First Phase note Read the Introduction of MRG HPI. ADDITIONAL SCENARIO INFORMATION MRG HPI Policies and Guidelines for Assigning Employees to Projects MRG HPI is committed to maintaining a highly qualified talent pool. Therefore, all MRG HPI employees must be considered for new work opportunities before being terminated due to lack of an available, relevant assignment. New employees must be hired to support existing workloads. Full-time position requests must include verification of the project assignment; a budget to support the position; and the duration of the assignment. If project will be short in duration, term hires must be considered or even the use of a consultant or subcontractor. The addition of a new position requires written approval from the project manager, branch chief, the vice president of the Training Solutions Division, the chief operating officer, the chief financial officer and the vice president of Human Resources. Subcontractor hiring requires written approval from the project manager, branch chief, of the vice president of the Training Solutions Division, the vice president of Contracts, the chief operating officer, the chief financial officer and the vice president of Human Resources. Staff reassignments require written approval from the branch chief, the vice president of the Training Solutions Division, the chief operating officer, the chief financial officer, the vice president of Human Resources and the chief executive officer. 2008 Society for Human Resource Management Marcia R. Gibson, Ed.D. 11THINGS to THINK ABOUT Based on the scenario and the additional information presented above: 1. What are the existing recruitment policies and guidelines? 2. What challenges do they cause and what will you do to meet them? 3. What are your proposed results? WHAT WOULD YOU DO? 1. What are some of the positions you may need to recruit? Why? 2. What are the existing recruitment policies and guidelines? 3. What is your recruitment strategy? 4. Develop a communication plan for hiring new recruits. 12 0 3008 Society for Human Resource Management. Marcia R. Gibson, Ed.D.Scenario 2: The Effect of Firing the Program Manager on Staffing for the Second Phase of the Project note Read the Introduction of MRG HPI. ADDITIONAL SCENARIO INFORMATION Work is well underway. A Task Management Educational Plan is being written to articulate the scope, work breakdown, processes, schedules and assignments at each project phase. This plan must be done within the first month of the project start date. MRG HPI hired a new program manager from outside the organization to oversee the new project. MRG HPI hired her based on her college degree and years of experience in the field, and needs her to get up to speed quickly. An existing program manager who worked on the projectproposal and who has met the client is assigned the project's principal instructional designer. CLIENT'S REQUIREMENTS The client expects the program manager to conduct weekly status meetings with them; communicate with them on a daily basis through e-mails and telephone calls; and to meet established deadlines for product delivery. The client will conduct quality assurance reviews immediately to keep the schedule on time. SCHEDULE AND WORKLOAD REQUIREMENTS The team is organized into three divisions: course development, marketing, and web site development. Each division has a lead team member. The program manager has oversight of the entire project. . The web site must be designed and launched two months after the project start date. .A marketing plan and branding campaign must be designed before the web site can launch. - Marketing products must be ready for distribution at the same time as the web site launch. 2008 Society for Human Resource Management Marcia R. Gibson, Ed.D. 13Introduction These recruitment and retention case scenarios are designed to be presented sequentially, since each scenario builds upon the previous one. Learning Objectives You will learn to: - Determine recruitment needs. . Identify recruitment policies and guidelines. - Determine a recruitment strategy. Develop a communication plan to implement the recruitment strategy. General Directions for Scenarios You are presented with a business-based scenario. Review the scenario and consider the requirements for staffing the new project. Additional information is provided for each scenario to help you make your decisions. There are FOUR Scenarios in this Case Study.. The First Two Scenarios are an Assignment and theLast Two are an Assignment. General Notes by Scenario Scenario 1: Increasing Staff to Complete the First Phase of a Project Information is provided about MRG HPI. Note the organizational structure and the types of positions this organization hires and must retain. You will identify and then discuss recruitment strategies MRG HPI might use for various positions (advertising, job banks, recommendations, job fairs, etc.]- You will analyze, identify and discuss internal versus external recruitment. Note the existing recruitment guidelines included in the additional information for Scenario 1. You will analyze and then discuss the existing organizational policies to obtain approval for new hires. Scenario 2: The Effect of Firing the Program Manager on Staffing for the Second Phase of the Project You will analyze, identify, and then discuss retention and recruitment issues as they pertain to replacing a leader. Look at all options within and outside the organization. List potential recruitment challenges. 2008 Society for Human Resource Management. Marcia R. Gibson, Ed.D. 9