STRATEGIC PLANNING FOR HUMAN RESOURCES AND IT POSITION IN A MERGERS SITUATION

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Nowadays speaking on Planning for Human Resources has become something broader than in the past and involves the entire business enterprise. This means that HR must be in synergy with all areas of the company and its developmen t strategies and projection. This synchronicity of targets, development and implementation of the areas will determine the a ction of HR and the success of the planning. This is because each and every organizational process depends on Human Capital . Please find below a summary of some of the relevant points of how HR should be structured. It comes in good knowledge that the main asset at a company is its People.

1st.

ANALYSIS OF THE ENVIRONMENT OF EXTERNAL HR

It is important to make an analysis on environmental problems and the strategies that may occur during the course of planning. This analysis will monitor the socioeconomic context of the company in the market in genera l, and for direct competitors. A g ood tool for this action is benchmarking . It is a systematic and continuous process of measuring and comparing the practices of an organization with the leaders of the industry , to obtain information that could help improve the level of performance. This data can be used as subsidies for the company recognize the context of the labor market and the possible environmental pressures.

2nd.

ANALYSIS OF THE ENVIRONMENT OF INTERNAL RH

Doing a careful analysis of the internal organizational environment that influence and can influence the business goals during the course of planning. This analysis is usually done through a diagnosis of internal problems, either through searches of organ izational climate, meetings with officials , in the various hierarchical levels, or through feed -back of training programs.

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3rd.

ORGANISATIONAL NEEDS TO ENVOLVIN HR

It is of paramount importance that the HR planning is done in accordance with organizational objectives. As necessary, study each item in the company's strategic plan that directly , or indirectly, involves Human Resources, such as:

 technological changes;  new ventures;  launch of new products;  acquisition of new businesses;  organizational changes , and others.

4 th.

CHARACTERISTICS OF STAFFING

Analyze the characteristics of the exist ing positions and what , if anything, will change their profile in terms of strategic p lanning. The company's strategy outlines a series of priorities and points that should receive greater concentration of effort on the part of officials, sometimes requiring the changing profiles of some positions. In Human Resources Planning, it is necessary to make clear how the position will be modified and what kind of treatment will be accorded. Hence the need to have a very clear idea of the profile of each group, mainly, the most important, considered "key" , to be able to compare the requirements of positions with what the occupants present. It is important that the company set their "key positions" and that they should be occupied by professionals with the highest level of qualification. List of:

 the posts that contribute most to the results of the company;  the positions where : there is a great use of resources (human, financial and material);  positions where a poor performance is a serious risk to the business and has a significant negative impact on the results or the image of the company;  positions where a poor performance represents unrecoverable loss of time in specific plans or projects.

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5th.

INVENTORY OF HR

In order to prepare a plan for Human Resources, we need to understand the individuals that the company has , and confront them with the requirements of the positions they occupy, considering not only the current p rofile of the office, but what it will be in the future. In this inventory of the talents of the organization, so me important points should be observed:

A.

Skills Inventory and performances

Knowing the technical skills of the professional, such as : (a) personnel information; (b) education, training and skill competencies; (c) work history; (d) career information, (f) interests outside of work. Through this information it is possible to make a current and possible a parallel between the se necessities, and to analyze the performance and the potential of the professional by means of the Evaluation for Abilities. As a result, the RH management has one inventory tha t it will be an important tool for decision making and to develop action plans.

B.

Knowledge of the expectant career

Checking individual expectations for develop ment and growth in the company, so we can design careers in order to reconcile the interests of the company with those of the individuals.

C.

Professional development

Enter the professional development of employees , first for the position they occupy currently and immediately following for the possible positions that they may occupy according to their potential.

D.

Individual program of development and follow -up actions

Establish for each professional or working group their development needs, a training program and the actions of monitoring. Survey of Need for Training (SNT or LNT in Portuguese) can be used as a tool for this assessment.

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E.

Program and Analysis of Succession / Replacement

It helps the organization to be more effective for professional development. Thus HR will be able to respond promptly to unpredictable and inevitable changes in the company. Therefore, this analyze will have such a important role in the whole action of the HR for active business goals.

6th.

PLAN OF ACTION

Each HR plan must be thoroughly prepared and verified their consistency with the strategic objectives of the company. Such plans may be:

 policy of RH;  plans for training / development;  plans: recruitment and selection, integration, cultural change of the company, structural changes, changes in decision making, definition of styles of leadership, review of benefits, review of pay and other tracks.

When the company has a strategic vision of HR it prepares to confront possible difficulties that may arise ahead of the goals of business. A clear example of this is in the process of Merger and Acquisitions. Nevertheless, it is a mistake to imagine that the success of a merger or acquisition depends exclusively on the financial or successfully marketing of the merger . The success or failure of any process of integration depends essentially on the effectiveness of managing people. Thus, the HR has a crucial strategic role in promoting the integration and construction of the new company. The sooner HR engages in strategic organization issues , cultural and management of people, the grea ter the impact of its action to the success of the process as a whole. The first hurdle to be faced, after the financial transaction is finalized, is the cultural differences. The se hamper the integration of people and consequently the developing the business. From the perspective of Human Resources, the performances of the merger of companies are very strategic, they can affect it on both the short and the long-term, with the potential to restrict the growth of the company if not treated pro perly and at the right time. It is possible to cite some points to be treated strategically such as:

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 Appropriateness of the framework for officials and resizing of teams which may cause layoffs, transfers, change of profiles, need for recruitment , and others.  Organizational : restructuring may cause a need to readjust the profiles of skills, need for training, recruitment , and others.  Adequacy of structure of posts and salaries.  Adequacy of career plan.  Adequacy of systems for evaluating performance.  Adequacy of procedures and instruments for recruitment, selection, training.  Adequacy of procedures for the Department of Personnel.  Adequacy of Knowledge Management, in order to retain talented professionals and prevent avoidance of knowledge.

All issues raised de serve special attention by the Management of Human Resources, because lack of action plans aiming to minimize potential conflicts and impacts in terms of productivity and organizational climate. All these points affect the company's ability to attract, retain and devel op their talents, basis of growth and value of the company. In face of these possible problems of integration is a cultural issue, which is based on the values, metals and vision of an organization, which at the time of a merger, probably, are different. This organizational culture is "printed" in employees from long administrative practice. The merger of values is also an issue that needs attention from the strategic HR, which must identify in advance, which of the potential conflict that may exist and act tog ether with the leaders of other areas of the company. The RH can, through targeted research, make this identification, making a strategic analysis and provide an action plan for top management. The timing of action can avoid organizational costs. It is essential that the management of HR please have a plan of

communication very structured, that identifies the different target audiences and key messages that must be passed t o each of them. This commu nication must be designed and implemented strategically, to keep the transparency of the process, a healthy climate of confidence and motivation of people. A plan of communication can greatly reduce friction and organizational costs, especially if necessar y measures such as layoffs-admissions, transfers, changes in organizational design so. Reflecting on the importance of the Human Resources in strategically actions of great financial impact concluded that the Management of RH must to win a strategic

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position in cases of mergers and acquisitions, to take forward the process when it comes to people, be pro -active and offer the top management all the necessary elements to a conscious decision -making and balanced. Emerge from this movement of the market, a great chance for Human Resources incorporate the strategic role it deserves, developing a new knowledge that can be called the Management of Change .

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References

Book:
y Belcourt, Monica and McBey, K.J., Strategic Human Resources Planning 3rd

Edition; Thomson Nelson, Toronto, 2007. Web sites:

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