Strategic HRM is not just simply adopting “best practices” set by other organizations. In strategic HRM, the success of the organization rests upon long-term choices, such as how human resources are considered and deployed. In the “best-practice” approach to strategic HRM, the underlying assumption is that there is a set of HRM best practices that will generate increased performance for the organization. Scholars disagree whether any given set of best practices has been shown to create value in all settings and whether results can sometimes vary by the organizational environment. Most scholars agree, however, that distinctive HR best practices can help to develop the core competencies that ultimately enable the organization to outperform its competitors. Making an informed decision on which best practices may fit the needs of a particular organization is an essential skill for HR professionals as strategic partners. In this Application Assignment, you prepare recommendations, by providing justification for adopting strategic HR best practices for the organization you have been researching in this course. Your recommendations should be based on your research and belief that they will create strategic value for the organization and provide justification. These examples should be currently used by a similar organization, but do NOT currently exist in the organization you have been researching for this course. Some examples of best practices you might consider include, but are not limited to, selective hiring, self-managed teams, performance contingent pay, and continuous skill training. For this week’s Application Assignment, in a 1- to 2-page paper you will write a critical review of strategic HR best practices that: •Provide a critical review of at least two strategic HR best practices in at least two different areas: resourcing, rewards, or learning and development. •Then make recommendations in your review that specify how these best practices should be adopted by your chosen organization. •Justify your recommendations, addressing how they might create strategic value for the organization, using references from the literature and specific experiences when applicable from both academic resources and your own work experiences.
