Home Depot Hr Role
The Evolution of the HR Role and Function at Home Depot, Inc.
Abstract
This paper discusses the role of human resources at Home Depot, Inc. According to Grossman (2008), the organization had to lower costs, increase customer service ratings, and revitalize the culture in an unstable economic environment. This paper identifies key problems in the company’s decision to reduce its workforce in an effort to redefine the role of human resources management. It also examines how Home Depot fits the Lepak and Snell Employment Model. The findings suggest that in the last 20 years Home Depot has made strategic decisions in an effort to align its human resources role with business strategy, but has …show more content…
Home Depot completed an analysis of their resources, and aligned the resources with the workforce reduction to increase the staffing budget and transform the HR role, ultimately increasing stock prices and making the organization more efficient. Although Home Depot used strategic methods to fund the “Aprons on the Floor” initiative and solve problems with the business strategy, they spent more time focused on the process than the results. Despite Home Depot’s strategic decisions, they neglected key issues such as the negative impact the reduction could have on the bottom line, the possible effects to the workforce and quantitative metrics to project future strategy. Even though Home Depot was able to increase stock prices and affect the bottom line, the reorganization had problems with negative results. According to Lepak and Snell (1999), Home Depot made the cuts that were necessary to become a more collaborative-based organization, and to shift their thinking toward that of strategic business partner, but did not fully prepare for all possible outcomes. Although Home Depot was able to begin thinking strategically, their inability to properly prepare and bring the transition to completion hindered Home Depot from a full transition to strategic business …show more content…
(2010). Home Depot 2009 Annual Report. Retrieved September 29, 2013 from http://phx.corporate-ir.net/phoenix.zhtml?c=63646&p=irol-reportsannual
Home Depot. (2011). Home Depot 2010 Annual Report. Retrieved September 29, 2013 from http://phx.corporate-ir.net/phoenix.zhtml?c=63646&p=irol-reportsannual
Lepak, D. P., & Snell, S. A. (1999). The human resource architecture: Toward a theory of human capital allocation and development. Academy of management review, 24(1), 31-48.
McKinley, W., Sanchez, C. M., Schick, A. G., & Higgs, A. C. (1995). Organizational downsizing: Constraining, cloning, learning [and executive commentary]. The Academy of Management Executive (1993-2005), 9(3), 32-44. Retrieved from http://www.jstor.org.proxy.library.georgetown.edu/stable/4165271
Mello, J.A. (2010). Strategic Human Resource Management, Third Edition. Mason, OH: South-Western Cengage Learning.
Pudlowski, E. M. (2009). Managing human resource cost in a declining economic environment. Benefits Quarterly, 25(4), 37-43. Retrieved from
Abstract
This paper discusses the role of human resources at Home Depot, Inc. According to Grossman (2008), the organization had to lower costs, increase customer service ratings, and revitalize the culture in an unstable economic environment. This paper identifies key problems in the company’s decision to reduce its workforce in an effort to redefine the role of human resources management. It also examines how Home Depot fits the Lepak and Snell Employment Model. The findings suggest that in the last 20 years Home Depot has made strategic decisions in an effort to align its human resources role with business strategy, but has …show more content…
Home Depot completed an analysis of their resources, and aligned the resources with the workforce reduction to increase the staffing budget and transform the HR role, ultimately increasing stock prices and making the organization more efficient. Although Home Depot used strategic methods to fund the “Aprons on the Floor” initiative and solve problems with the business strategy, they spent more time focused on the process than the results. Despite Home Depot’s strategic decisions, they neglected key issues such as the negative impact the reduction could have on the bottom line, the possible effects to the workforce and quantitative metrics to project future strategy. Even though Home Depot was able to increase stock prices and affect the bottom line, the reorganization had problems with negative results. According to Lepak and Snell (1999), Home Depot made the cuts that were necessary to become a more collaborative-based organization, and to shift their thinking toward that of strategic business partner, but did not fully prepare for all possible outcomes. Although Home Depot was able to begin thinking strategically, their inability to properly prepare and bring the transition to completion hindered Home Depot from a full transition to strategic business …show more content…
(2010). Home Depot 2009 Annual Report. Retrieved September 29, 2013 from http://phx.corporate-ir.net/phoenix.zhtml?c=63646&p=irol-reportsannual
Home Depot. (2011). Home Depot 2010 Annual Report. Retrieved September 29, 2013 from http://phx.corporate-ir.net/phoenix.zhtml?c=63646&p=irol-reportsannual
Lepak, D. P., & Snell, S. A. (1999). The human resource architecture: Toward a theory of human capital allocation and development. Academy of management review, 24(1), 31-48.
McKinley, W., Sanchez, C. M., Schick, A. G., & Higgs, A. C. (1995). Organizational downsizing: Constraining, cloning, learning [and executive commentary]. The Academy of Management Executive (1993-2005), 9(3), 32-44. Retrieved from http://www.jstor.org.proxy.library.georgetown.edu/stable/4165271
Mello, J.A. (2010). Strategic Human Resource Management, Third Edition. Mason, OH: South-Western Cengage Learning.
Pudlowski, E. M. (2009). Managing human resource cost in a declining economic environment. Benefits Quarterly, 25(4), 37-43. Retrieved from