Impact Of Staffing Changes On Telstra’s HR Planning And Job Design

Methods for Implementing Staffing Changes

The change management is stated as an approach for preparing and supporting teams, organizations and individuals to make organizational changes (Bratton & Gold, 2017). The major and the most significant change drivers involve crisis, technological evolution, organizational restructuring, mergers, acquisitions, process reviews and pressure from the new business entrants and many more (Björkman et al., 2013). There are few constant challenges related to internal and external environmental factors. Telstra Corporation Limited is a popular telecommunications organization in Australia that builds and operates pay television, mobile, market voice, telecommunication networks and internet access (Bailey et al., 2018). They have made changes in one of their important internal environmental factors, staffing.

Change management involves various methods, which are responsible for redirecting as well as redefining the utilization of resources, budget allocations and business processes for bringing the changes in Telstra (Telstra.com.au. 2018). There are several impacts of these changes in staffing and they eventually affect the business of Telstra. Moreover, these changes also have stronger impacts both positively and negatively on HR planning, job design and even quality of work.

The following report outlines a brief discussion on the impact of an internal environmental factor of staffing within Telstra Corporation Limited. The most significant methods for the proper implementation of such changes would be provided here. The significant limitations for these changes in Telstra would also be described in this report.

Telstra has implemented a new change in their human resource strategy. They have decided to bring such changes for the internal environmental factor of staffs (Kehoe & Wright, 2013). Most of the organizations comprise of certain advantages, which the significant long term approach towards staff planning could be brought. The staffing strategies as well as plans for strategic work force are developed for bringing major competitive advantages in the business (Alfes et al., 2013). Since this type of strategy solely emphasizes on long term goals and objectives, it is vital to implement them without any kind of complexities. This staffing strategy is quite important for all businesses and should have effectiveness for the respective staffs (Budhwar & Debrah, 2013). There are some of the most vital or important methods, which are quite useful for bringing such changes with proper implementation in the organization. These methods should be implemented properly so that there remains no complexity regarding bringing of changes in internal as well as external environmental factors. As these two types of factors are responsible for proper execution of any type of business operation or strategy, it is quite vital to consider them with utmost priority (Jackson, Schuler & Jiang, 2014). Telstra has implemented changes for staffing with some of basic steps and these steps are as follows:

i) Management Support for the Change: The first step in this method of implementing new changes regarding staffs is to manage support for the changes. Since, these changes were related to staffs and would affect the human resources plan, it was important take support from the management (Brewster, Chung & Sparrow, 2016). When the management provided support, Telstra implemented the process.

Limitations of the Report

ii) Case for Change: This case for change has come from several sources. Hence, this could be the result of data collection on defective rates, survey of customer satisfaction, strategic planning and various others (Marchington et al., 2016).

iii) Involvement of Employees: As Telstra had decided to make the changes for staff, it was quite essential to involve the several organizational employees and staffs (Purce, 2014). As these employees had to deal with the changes, it was required to properly involve the staffs without any delay.

iv) Communicating the Changes: The fourth step of this method was communicating the changes. Communicating changes must be systematic and structured. If this was not properly executed, the employees could have resisted to change (Storey, 2014). Since, Telstra was proactive in communications, it helped them to reduce the resistance and helped to make the employees feel like they were part of the process.

v) Proper Implementation:  The final step of this particular method of implementing changes regarding staff factor was the proper implementation of the changes (Anderson, 2013). When the change was being planned, it was extremely vital to have better communication regarding the roll out as well as change implementation.

The major limitations of this report on Telstra are as follows:

1. i) The first and the foremost limitation of this particular report is that the reason of changes will not be provided here.
2. ii) The second significant limitation of this report is that the resistance of change regarding such changes in the staff internal environmental factor for Telstra will not be demonstrated in the report.

iii) Another important limitation of this report would be that the practices of human resources for this organization of Telstra will not be provided in this report.

According to Jackson, Schuler and Jiang (2014), the decisions that were made regarding the internal environmental factor of staff in Telstra had significant and major effects on the overall quality of work, levels of customer services and retention rates. The goals as well as production of Telstra Corporation Limited were at major risk or threat. Chang, Wang and Huang (2013) state that they have made relevant decisions of staffing and these had few of the most important and significant effects on their current planning of human resources, quality of the work practices and job designing. The most significant and noteworthy effects of these vital changes in staffing are as follows:

i) Changing of Goals: As per Albrecht et al. (2015), the first and the foremost effect of the changes regarding staffing environmental factor was their change of goals. Since, these types of changes majorly affect the organizational goals and objectives, they had to implement it with proper effectiveness. The main purpose behind these changes was eventually getting right people and helping to meet their goals. They had made these plans and implemented changes, which could bring them closer to the objectives (Alfes et al., 2013). The manager of this organization was responsible for mapping out their future plans, which helped them in ensuring the target goals.

Positive Impacts of Staffing Changes

ii) Planning: According to Brewster, Chung and Sparrow (2016), the next effect of these changes about the internal environmental factor of staff is proper planning. The requirements of their business plan were properly planned by the management of Telstra and it had a positive impact on their business. This is termed as staffing management. The effective staff management refers to have correct employees and manage them with proper and effective planning (Marchington et al., 2016). Moreover, training is important for the staffs as a good training is important for good performance. Being one of the most popular organizations in Australia, Telstra Corporation Limited had to maintain a proper HR plan, so that there exists no loophole regarding their staff management. With this type of planning, they were able to provide smart scheduling streamline services. Jackson, Schuler and Jiang (2014) state that the next important reason of this type of planning change is that poor staffing could eventually lead to the decline of their business. The unsupervised as well as untrained staffs could create havoc on the business.

iv) Better Recruitments: As per Chang, Wang and Huang (2013), another important and significant impact on the changes of staffing factor is better recruitment in their business. For meeting the respective customer demands, there must be appropriate people to deal with them easily and promptly. For this particular purpose, it is quite important to recruit correct candidates for the job. Telstra made these staff development plans for helping them to keep higher rates of retention (Albrecht et al., 2015). The most significant advantage of this type of recruitment is that only the best employees are selected and hence they could easily save money on hiring as well as newcomer training.

v) Enhances Firm’s Productivity: Brewster, Chung and Sparrow (2016) have stated in their book that the fifth important and noteworthy effect of changes in staff factor for Telstra is the subsequent enhancement of the productivity of their business. They have made these changes to bring out some of the most significant and vital competitive advantages in the business and also enhancing the overall growth of the business (Budhwar & Debrah, 2013). They have invested in the correct communication tools and focused on their profit margins. It was important for them to get rid of the motivation killers. There was a major requirement of identifying their motivation killers within the work place. The organizational manager found ways to properly observe their work environment after searching the problem areas, which adversely affected the motivation factor of their employees (Kehoe & Wright, 2013). The changes in the staff factors involved these motivation killers like abrasive personalities, absence of significant opportunities for the professional development and many others.

Negative Impacts of Staffing Changes

vi) Resistance to Change: As per Budhwar and Debrah (Eds.). (2013), this is one of the major negative impact that occurred due to the implementation of changes in staff internal environmental factor within Telstra Corporation Limited. Since the changes were new in the business, the employees were not ready to accept such changes. This was mainly because of some of the major and most significant reasons. The first and the foremost reason of this resistance to change was job loss. As the strategy was regarding existing and new staffs, they had a fear of losing their jobs. The second important reason for the resistance to change was lack of trust (Chang, Wang & Huang, 2013). The employees could not trust the new plan and this affected the production of the organization majorly. The next vital reason for this type of resistance to change is the implementation of changes within the several stages.

Some of the most important and noteworthy theories and concepts of human resources that are applicable to the above mentioned effects are as follows:

i) Maslow’s Hierarchy of Needs Theory: As per Bratton and Gold (2017), this is the most vital theory to deal with the effects of staff factor in Telstra. As per Maslow’s hierarchy of needs theory, there are five distinct levels, which are physiological, safety, family or belonging, esteem and self actualization. The first level or physiological needs are basic needs of water, shelter and food (Brewster, Chung & Sparrow, 2016). The second level describes about the personal and financial security and health or well being. The next level or family or belonging demonstrates about family, relationships and friendships. The fourth level or esteem depicts the major need to feel confident and even to have respect in their work place. The fifth level of self actualization is the desire to achieve their expectations. Storey (2014) stated that since, the employees are not motivated, the changes should be made in such a manner that they feel motivated. With fulfilment of the hierarchy of needs, they would be able to handle such issues easily.

ii) Human Resource Planning Theory: According to Marchington et al. (2016), the second relevant and noteworthy HR theory that is applicable to the changes of staff in Telstra Corporation Limited is human resource planning theory. As per this specific theory, the current and future requirements of human resources are to be identified properly for proper achievement of goals and objectives. These requirements of human resources are made to satisfy their requirements.

Human Resource Theories and Concepts

iii) McClelland’s Acquired Needs Theory: Another important or vital theory of human theory applicable to the scenario of Telstra is McClelland’s acquired needs theory (Bratton & Gold 2017). As per this particular theory, there are three types of needs, which are need for power, need for achievement and need for affiliation. Since, Telstra has brought major changes in their staff factor, it was vital for them to fulfil three types of needs for these

iv) Alderfer’s ERG Theory: According to Kehoe and Wright (2013), the fourth important and noteworthy human resources theory is ERG theory of Alderfer. According to this specific theory, there are three specific requirements must be fulfilled for the employees of Telstra Corporation Limited. These three requirements are growth, relatedness and existence. The needs of growth is the subsequent desire for personal development and the needs of relatedness is the desire for relationships and the needs of existence is the proper provision of the significant material requirements (Brewster, Chung & Sparrow, 2016). The above mentioned three needs are quite important for the employees to feel motivated in their work place.  

Conclusion

Therefore, from the above discussion, it can be concluded that change management is used for referring to how teams and people could be affected by the organizational transitions. It is a systematic approach that helps to deal with all types of transformation and transition of the technologies, processes and objectives of that particular organization. There are two types of environmental factors, known as internal and external factors. The most significant examples of internal factors are staffing, money company culture and many more and that of external factors are politics, customers and suppliers, competition and economy. These two types of factors are extremely important and significant for the organizational growth and benefits. This staffing is the significant procedure to hire appropriate candidates as per their skills and knowledge within any organization. This refers to a continuous process to find, select, evaluate and develop the working relationship with the future and current employees. A new strategy of staffing is being implemented in the business of Telstra for bringing several changes. Due to these changes, positive and negative impacts are being provided on HR planning, job design and even quality of work practices. The above report has clearly demonstrated the effect of these recent changes in Telstra with proper details. Moreover, relevant recommendations are also provided in this report for Telstra.

The major recommendations to the top management for responding to the changes for internal environmental factor of staffing in Telstra are as follows:

1. i) Motivate Employees: The first and the foremost recommendation to respond to the several changes for the respective internal environmental factor of staffing is to motivate the employees regarding their new strategy of HR plan. When the employees will understand the requirement and importance of changes for staffing, they would definitely feel motivated and work with utmost efficiency and effectiveness.
2. ii) Identifying the Limitations of Changes: The next important and significant recommendation for Telstra is to properly identify the major limitations of these changes. Due to staffing, there could be several management changes and adaption to innovation. As soon as the limitation to such changes would be identified, it would be easier for them to remove the issues easily and promptly.

iii) Up Gradation of Human Resources Plan: Another effective and noteworthy recommendation for this organization of Telstra is the up gradation of the human resources plan. This would be helpful to them for increasing employee turnover as well as inconsistent productivity. Moreover, Telstra would also be able to retain their employees effectively. 

References

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Telstra.com.au. (2018) [online]. Accessed from https://www.telstra.com.au/aboutus  [17 Dec. 2018].