HR management Assignment Help ON: David Jones Departmental store

1. IntroductionIt is viewed that the David Jones is the oldest departmental store of the Australia and still operating under its real name in the world. It is very clear that David Jones is the retail brand and aimed at making the special experience of the customer in its store by making sure that stores are well informed and comprise modern technology of the retail. David Jones is the department store of the Australia in the retail segment and its customers are more explained by the income and wealth as compared to the age and sex. It is very clear that target audience of the David Jones is young women and men who are mature and are the kind of people who clothes to impress and models of the David Jones in the advertisements are very sleek and chic (David Jones, 2011). David Jones offers the feeling of being up the market and products from the David Jones are appreciated by everyone. It is very clear that David Jones fascinates more young females and males due to popular designer label stocked. It is very clear that David Jones considered as the attractive place for shopping specifically the hall of food and the fascinating shopping region for the aftershave ties, men’s clothing and women’s clothing.

Industrial relations refers to a field which takes into consideration an in depth relationship of the employment. Industrial relationships have grown its importance as it helps in maintaining cordial relationships with one another. Industrial relations take into consideration the various employment issues such as job satisfaction, employee participation, unified workforce, etc.

Industrial relationships take into consideration that, the labor markets are not perfectly competitive. The employers do have certain bargaining power as compared to the employees. Industrial relations would help to create modern employment. This would take into consideration the various aspects such as low wages, monotonous work, strikes; lock outs, high employee turnover, long & flexible working hours.

1. Organizations strategic & business plans:David Jones has positioned itself as one of the most attractive organization in the retail sector. The company has one of the most improving industry structures. The strategic plan for the same would deliver approximately 5% – 10% per annum profit after tax. This would help in order to strengthen the cash flows as well as return to the shareholders (Salamon, 2000).

With a distinctive home of brands under its name, David Jones has one of the best product offerings which provide best service & reinvigoration of the high end stores. The store has had sustainable profit after taxes with a growth in the business cycle.  With a sustainable gross margin improvement, cost efficiency culture, strengthening the store card business & an experienced management team David Jones has successfully achieved its turn over the past 5 years. The David Jones have targeted three newer generations in its target audience.

The business or the strategic plan of David Jones states that in the year 2012, “we will have completed 11-14 refurbishments in order to maximize the value of our highest core values”. David Jones would continue to reduce the CODB improvements in the FY 2009- 2012 while maintaining the service standards (Salamon, 2000).

The Capital efficiency of David Jones would lead to a number of growth strategies which would be funded by various sources. Investments of approximately $400 m would be funded from the variety of sources such as dividend reinvestment plan, sale of stores located in Melbourne, stakeholders, etc.

1. Current IR practices:Retail sector refers to one of the most important as well as highly employing sector all across the world. The retail sector is employing people at an estimated rate of 9%. Approximately 60% of the entire workforce is female & large number of poorly qualified women. The pay given to such workers is quite low & they work on a part time basis (Drummond, 2008).

The various IR objectives & strategies at David Jones have been discussed below. The retail industry is undergoing many structural changes including the process of concentration, diversification, innovation, restructuring, deregulation as well as reduction in the employment levels (Vaughn, 2005). This discussion below outlines the various IR objectives as well as strategies pertaining at David Jones, leading retail store. It also takes into consideration the volume, structure of employment, employment conditions of the workers, collective bargaining, social partner organization, etc (Drummond, 2008).

Some of the challenges which are being faced at David Jones have been reflected as under. They are as follows:

Þ    Conflict Management

Þ    Performance of the employee

Þ    Productivity

Þ    Labor cost

Þ    Compliance with the laws

1. Recommended strategies:

The recommended strategies for David Jones in order to have a strong & cordial relationship amongst the employees in the retail store.

Þ    Employment condition: David Jones should provide its employees with the best of working condition. This would help in order to boost the morale of the employees. With an increased morale, the employees of the retail store would work in a well defined manner (Vaughn, 2005). This would increase the level of effectiveness & efficiency at the store. Providing with the best employment condition would help in resolving all the IR issues.

Þ    Trade union: A competitive trade union should be placed at David Jones. This would help in order to have cordial relations with the same. Competitive trade union would help to resolve all the IR related issues at the store. Trade unions would help in order to have an effective communication amongst all the employees working in the store. Trade union would play one of the most crucial roles which would advise & support management at the store (Scott, 2011).

Þ    Occupational Health Security (OHS): David Jones should comply with the various safety measures at it store. Implementation of OHS would help to keep all the workers work in a safe environment. The OHS checklist at David Jones should take into consideration the following aspects such as workplace hazards, manual tasks, slips, trips & falls, bomb threats, first aid, ladder safety, robbery, personal thefts, fire & bomb threats, sharps, needles, storage & disposal of hazardous equipments, etc (Salamon, 2000).Þ    Equal Employment Opportunity (EEO): It must be noted that, David Jones should comply with federal law agency that equal employment opportunities should be given at the workplace irrespective of caste, creed, religion, sex, color, nationality, etc. This would help in order to overcome the IR related issues at the workplace.

Þ    Employer’s organizations: Employer organizations would play one of the major roles in the collective bargaining in the IR strategies or issues pertaining to the retail sector. The employer’s organizations play many roles which relate to industry trade groups. They play crucial role in maintaining cordial relationships with the employees working at the store (Vaughn, 2005).

Þ    Consultation Protection: Consultation Protection would help in order to negotiate amongst the employees working in the retail store. Consultation Protection would also help in order to fix up various wages, training, health & safety, flexible working hours, etc (Drummond, 2008). David Jones should try to use the above recommended IR strategies as it would help in overcome the various IR issues being faced by the same.

1. Plan for implementation of the IR objectives:

Employee Understanding: In order to have proper understanding regarding the various IR issues proper employee understanding should be done. The employees working at the store should have an in depth knowledge regarding the same.

Staff involvement: It must be seen that, the staff members at the store should be highly participative in nature. In order to maintain cordial relationships amongst the customers, David Jones should upgrade its strategies which would help in order to maintain good terms with their employees & then with the customers as well. In order to keep its customer’s base safe & increase the revenue from the level of sales loyalty cards should be maintained. This would help the customers to have a sense of belongingness within the store (Baker & Hart, 2008).

Monitoring & Evaluation:

In order to monitor as well as evaluate the various outcomes of the agreements, there must be a mutual agreement amongst the managers & employees at an agreed period of time.

Some of the key points which must be taken into consideration while monitoring & evaluating the IR plan could be as follows:

Þ    Monitoring & evaluating the IR plan would help in order to achieve the targets.

Þ    For any organization, the IR policies, plan, practices would be quite effective in monitoring & evaluation.

Þ     Monitoring & evaluation would help in order to manage any type of conflict or grievances which might arise in the store.

Þ    Managers would be responsible for industrial relations in a particular area.

Þ    Monitoring or evaluation of industrial relations should be undertaken by the manager at David Jones.

Þ    Effective monitoring and evaluation may supply you with the solution to a potential or actual conflict through feedback from the personnel involved.

1. Consultation with employees & management needed to gain agreement/acceptance:

Consultation refers to the process through which hassle free communication is being practiced within the workplace. Consultation refers to one of the most crucial or important steps which would help to maintain cordial relationships within one another. With the help of consultation the employees would be made familiar regarding all the important issues, concerns, etc. Consultation process has been referred to as one of the most effective methods in order to maintain cooperation within the organization (Salamon, 2000).

The management style which has been adopted at David Jones is Paternalistic in nature. This means that, the boss would take the ultimate decision but with due regards of the employees in the business. This type of management style would help in order to encourage the morale of the employees in the organization. This type of management style includes consultation with the employees which makes them feel a part of the entire decision making process.

Training provides employees with required skills and knowledge to perform the job effectively. However, training is just an opportunity for learning. Skills and knowledge that are taken from training depends on the design of the training program and the supportive climate that the organization provides for its employees (Blanchard & Thacker, 2007).

When designing the training program, the organization has to consider the transfer of learning, which occurs when knowledge and skills acquired during a learning intervention and training program is actually applied on the job (David Jones, 2011). Any training program should be aligned with the HRD strategy of the organization to enhance transferring the learning. David Jones’s HRD plan will insure that acquired skills and knowledge can be implemented in the workplace to improve performance through the following points:

Þ    HR analyzes the skills and knowledge that need to be acquired through the training program so that the intervention plan is designed to achieve the needed result from the employees. Assessment will be used to know the reasons of the performance gap and trying to close it. On the other hand, employees need to know what are the skills and knowledge that are expected to apply in their job (Scott, 2011).

Þ    The design of the development and training program will assure that the employee will have the opportunity to learn and practice the desired performance.

Þ    The HR department will insure that the physical environment with all tools and supplies that are needed to apply the new knowledge and skills are provided. HR will also provide the employees with self-paced learning media (e.g. books), as a way to encourage diverse learning approaches (Blanchard & Thacker, 2007).

Þ    Employees are giving a plenty of time to plan, study and practice the new skills that acquired from the program (Drummond, 2008).

Þ    Managers can act as a monitor or coach to support the employees when they apply their new skills after their development program.

Þ    There is an appraisal approach that is taken to ensure the implementing of the new skills. Points will be giving for those who use their new learning in their jobs effectively. Continuous feedback on the performance and application of the new skills and knowledge from managers will be given as well (Blanchard & Thacker, 2007).

Þ    Evaluation will be applied to measure the effectiveness of the training program and wither employees gain the knowledge and skills that are delivered by this training program.

6. Evaluation of the procedures for managing grievances:

The grievances policy which is being implemented at David Jones refers to collective bargaining agreement. The various communication strategies which should be used at David Jones in order to evaluate the procedures for managing the various types of grievances at the store would be as under. The retailers would use various types of advertisements, banners, promos, etc which would help in order to attract the customers towards the store (Drummond, 2008). Introduction of the loyalty cards would help in order to build cordial relationships amongst the employees. With the growth of the social media & mobile communication new channels have been opened which would help in order to interact with the customers as well as give them various types of offers time to time.

Þ    Communication Strategy: One of the main communication strategies which would help in order to attract the potential customers regarding the products which is being offered by the store. Advertising in the various local newspapers, flash, yellow pages, etc should be done which would help in order to attract & publish regarding all the products, services being offered in the store (Baker & Hart, 2008).  The website details could also be updated which would help in order to provide various kinds of information to the same such as the offerings, location of the store, opening hours, etc.Þ    Participative Management: In order to maintain cordial relationships amongst the customers, David Jones should upgrade its strategies which would help in order to maintain good terms with their customers. In order to keep its customer’s base safe & increase the revenue from the level of sales loyalty cards should be maintained. This would help the customers to have a sense of belongingness within the store (Baker & Hart, 2008). Personalized offers should be mailed to their regular customers & make them happy. All these strategies would help in order to maintain cordial relationship as well as retain its existing customers (Drummond, 2008). Participative employees would refer to one of the main source of communication in the retail store. They are the ones who are solely responsible for managing grievances which might take place in the store. Employees should be well versed with all the different types of news & communicate the right kind of information to its customers (Scott, 2011).

Þ    Consultative Committee: With an increase in the number of customers, a consultative committee must be framed which would help in order to minimize the gap between the boss & its subordinates. Once the consultative committee would be formed all the relevant communication strategies could be taken care off. The consultative committee would be made responsible to communicate all the relevant information to its target audience (Salamon, 2000).

Mobile phones would play one of the most crucial roles to get the relevant information regarding the products being kept in the stores, local deals, develop own merchandise strategy which would help to communicate with the customers in that particular area (Baker & Hart, 2008). Different types of offers, prizes, coupons, etc would help to attract more number of customers towards the store. Discount programs such as Groupon & Living Social would also help to attract various customers towards them. Special business offers should be made to the business people & all those who make the purchase in high quantities (Ackers, Peter, Wilkinson & Adrian, 2003).

Þ    Social Media: Social Media would play one of the main roles to attract more number of customers towards the store. A social media as a means of communication strategy would help in order to increase the levels of revenues from the same. This would also help to increase the levels of customer’s satisfaction, quality of the products, etc. Use of various articles, blogs, etc would help & provide all the customers with the relevant news, store, and products being offered by the same (Ackers, Peter, Wilkinson & Adrian, 2003).

1. Recommendation for evaluation of IR plan:Some of the recommendations for the evaluation of the IR plan could be as follows. They are:

Þ    To improve the relationship between the employee & employer, various improved communication strategies should be practiced. This would help in order to improve the employee competencies such as better decision making process, improved dialogue, etc.

Þ    Upgrading & amending the legal regulations in respect to industrial relations. This would help in order to eliminate the barriers to social communication.

Þ    Establishing labor courts to manage the various individual disputes

Þ    Surveying to improve the inspection & monitoring process by providing counseling services.

Þ    To have an effective & systematic monitoring & inspection process in areas of collective bargaining, disputes & conflicts, etc.

Þ    Implementing flexible working hours or time frame for the employees working at the store.

1. Conclusion

Hence, it could be concluded that the retail organization David Jones despite of the strategic plans for the FY2012, there many IR issues hampering the growth of the organization. The report highlights the general overview of organizations strategic & business plans for the FY 2012. The various current IR practices which are being faced in the organization are conflict management, decline in the productivity, employee performance & compliance to the various laws.

The recommended IR objectives for the organization store could be the condition of employment, consultation, trade union, dispute & managing the conflicts, occupational health & safety (OHS), equal employment opportunity (EEO). The following recommended IR objectives should be used by David Jones. These would help in order to overcome the current IR issues being faced in the organization.

A recommended plan has been formulated for the organization. It would consist of the following aspects such as employee understanding, monitoring & evaluation as well as the involvement of the staff members. A consultation process would be taken into consideration in order to gain agreement/acceptance. This would also consist of proper training & development of the employees working at the store.

In order to minimize the grievances being faced in the organization, a participative management, consultative committee is framed for the same. Various communication strategies & open door policy has been framed which would help to eliminate the different types of grievances.

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