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Aflac 100 Companies Work . We Investigate Essay

¶ … AFLAC 100 companies work . We investigate firm's human resource polices discuss special organization. What HR polices make excellent place work ? Identify discuss . Human Resources Policies

Human resources represent the most important resource that companies can use. The value they contribute with to the products and services of the company allows them to create competitive advantage and determines their success. In other words, companies' activity depends on the human resources they recruit, select, train, motivate, and manage. In order for the personnel to perform on high quality standards, it is important to develop and implement proper human resources strategies. These strategies must be based on identifying the type of personnel of each company, their needs, their stimuli, and to develop techniques that are able to motivate them into improving their work.

The policies in different companies regarding their human resources vary in accordance with the size of the company, its financial power, and its objectives. Some of the companies are interested in increasing their sales volume and improving their market position. They are not interested in providing medium term and long-term career opportunities for their employees, they prefer to stimulate on short-term with higher incentives that are able to motivate them in reaching and exceeding sales volume targets. Other companies are interested in innovation and are oriented towards retaining top talent. Therefore, their incentives packages are focused on providing career development and training programs for their employees.

Regarding the general aspects that companies take into consideration when developing their human resources strategies, they can focus on financial incentives, on providing professional challenges, and on building an environment based on respect. Each company establishes the characteristics that its organizational culture should refer to, and develops its Hr strategy based on these factors. The requirements of personnel are very important in this case.

Implications of Human Resources Practices

The company has expanded its activity in Japan, where Aflac is the largest insurance company (Shen, 2009). The company's revenues reached $18,254 million in 2009. Its operating income is of $2,235 million. This helped the company reach a $1,497 million net income. This financial position that Aflac benefits from, allows the company to develop HR strategies that come to support its employees.

The corporate culture of companies is one of the most important factors that influence their human resources policies and strategies. The work environment that Aflac is trying to encourage and support relies on an open-door management philosophy, important benefits, competitive salaries, training and development classes, and advancement opportunities. In addition to this, Aflac provides numerous benefits for its employees and their families. Aflac also focuses on building a work environment that is characterized by diversity. This is intended to increase the productivity and efficiency of its employees. The company is interested in the balance between work and personal life in the case of its employees. Therefore, the company allows them to schedule some of their activities in accordance with other issues they want to address.

When analyzing companies' HR strategies, it is important to take into consideration the implications of HR policies and procedures. Usually, these implications are analyzed on societal, strategic, workforce, and HR professional and MNC level. The HR implications of societal level refer to the fact that globalization is likely to significantly influence companies' HR strategy, because the phenomenon will determine them to think about workforce in various countries in equal terms. The HR implications on strategic level refer to the fact that these strategies must be based on knowledge management, in order to improve the skills of human resources. The HR implications on workforce level determine companies to adapt their strategies to the diversity of the global workforce (Jackson et al., 2009).

The HR policies and procedures established by important companies tend to focus on several aspects. For example, some of these companies focus on providing attractive incentives packages, other companies prefer to ensure the stability and security of their...

However, respect is differently approached by companies.
The respect for the individual is translated by companies in their HR policies in various manners. For example, respect for the employee means building an organizational culture and supporting a work environment that ensures human rights are respected and that discrimination is clearly overruled. This means that companies must also develop control and monitoring systems in order to ensure that such procedures are respected.

The security and stability of employees at the workplace must also be respected. These factors refer to the physical and psychological security. This also refers to financial stability. The current economic conditions require that individuals better assess their situation, in order to make decisions in accordance with their coordinates.

The work of each employee must also be respected. Companies develop strategies intended to rewards their performance and to encourage them to improve their productivity and efficiency. However, financial incentives do not always suffice in motivating employees. It is often required that companies support the rewards system with a corporate culture that favors individual development.

In order to develop a relationship based on respect, large companies direct their HR policies and strategies towards other aspects of the employee's life, not just towards their professional activity. Therefore, such companies provide certain benefits for employees with children, or with issues that require their time and interest. Although this attitude is seen by some as hypocritical, employees appreciate these types of perks.

Nordstrom is one of the important companies that are considered as great employers. The company is well-known for the attention and interest directed towards its customers, and it treats its employees in the same manner. Nordstrom understands to respects its employees by developing a community that encourages and supports the environment and human rights. Social responsibility is an issue that Nordstrom is committed to address in its strategy. The profit sharing program initiated by the company as a partnership with its employees proves that Nordstrom is making efforts into helping its employees develop financially and professionally (Nordstrom, 2011).

Aflac is one of the companies committed to reviewing and adapting to the changing needs of the workforce. The respect of the company towards its employees is not reflected by its response to these changes, but by anticipating them and addressing them before they become an issue for the employees. The satisfaction of its staff is seen by Aflac as a driver for productivity and business success (HR, 2005). Aflac's strategies regarding human resources are the result of thorough research and employee feedback. This is another proof of respect revealed by Aflac though its HR strategies.

Google is another well-known company that intends to focus its HR policies on respect. The company demonstrates its respect towards its employees by developing and implementing practices that ensure professional support, collaboration, and caring. In other words, Google aims at helping its employees reach a suitable balance between work and life. Its interest in its employees is also reflected by the continuous learning programs that the company admits are required in order to ensure the professional development of its staff. In addition to this, the company also organizes guest lectures.

The HR practices at Google sustain the respect of the relationship between coworkers. Therefore, Google is interested in building a strong sense of community within the company. This is intended to improve the employee retention process and to increase their loyalty and interest towards the company. This is also achieved by building a workplace that promotes diversity and that ensures their comfort. In addition to this, Google is interested…

Sources used in this document:
Reference list:

1. Shen, L. (2009). Aflac Profit Rises 20% on Japanese Currency Strength. Bloomberg. Retrieved March 2, 2011 from http://www.bloomberg.com/apps/news?pid=conewsstory&refer=conews&tkr=AFL:U.S.&sid=aAKpYxJb6IRU.

2. Jackson, S. et al. (2009). Managing Human Resources. Cengage Learning. Retrieved March 3, 2011 from http://books.google.ro/books?id=gpimdMwZuwsC&pg=PA65&lpg=PA65&dq=implications+for+hr+policies&source=bl&ots=c7k_i7AnIf&sig=bWBkub9KU05FchNeXc4lerdxB9c&hl=ro#v=onepage&q=implications%20for%20hr%20policies&f=false.

3. Our Approach to Social Responsibility (2011). Nordstrom. Retrieved March 3, 2011 from http://shop.nordstrom.com/c/nordstrom-cares-approach.

4. Strategic Partnering Puts Aflac HR at the Business Table (2005). HR. Retrieved March 3, 2011 from http://www.hr.com/en/communities/organizational_development/strategic-partnering-puts-aflac-hr-at-the-business_ead38odr.html.
5. Dignan, L. (2007). No Need to Panic Over Google's HR Policies. Retrieved March 3, 2011 from http://seekingalpha.com/article/50684-no-need-to-panic-over-google-s-hr-policies.
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