HRM599 Assignment 3

A Growing Small Business

HRM599, Strayer University

July 23, 2017

Selected Small Business: Art of the Table, Seattle, Washington

Brief Summary

Art of the Table is a small business organization which basically operates as a restaurant (Art of the Table, 2017). It is a small organization which is rapidly growing due to the quality of the food it offers to its customers. The business has managed to create significant demand for its products and this places it in the right position for growth. The business has been in operation for eight years and this has enabled them to develop a strong relationship with the locals. As much as it is small, it has managed to be competitive due to the high-quality services which are provided. The basic business strategy used in this case is through inviting clients and providing them with their preferred meals. Through this, the business is able to showcase its abilities and it is a strategy which has enabled it to attract and retain many customers over time.

Growth in the next 5-10 years

Given the rate of growth of Art of the Table, the future looks bright since the customer numbers keep increasing. This makes it necessary for the business to increase the number of workers to meet the ever rising demand. In the next 5-10 years, it is expected the restaurant would have expanded and various branches opened within Seattle. As a business grows, especially in terms of capacity, it is necessary to open up new branches to keep offering the services. Art of the table will expand and increase its operations across Washington. It is likely to become one of the most competitive businesses in the region provided it focuses on the quality of its products.

Human Resource Management Strategy

Given the idea the business is growing, the number of workers is growing too. According to Mathis, Jackson & Valentine (2016), it is necessary to have an effective human resources management strategy in place to support the company’s business strategy. The HR strategy will involve hiring employees who possess the right skills and experience in different areas of specialization. This implies the workers will have the relevant techniques which will enable them to do their best while at the company. Such a human resource management strategy is effective because it assists the business to provide the best products and services to the customers.

The competitive advantage of the HRM strategy

The HRM strategy is focused on recruiting employees who possess the right skills for the different jobs available at the restaurant. The competitive advantage with this strategy is the idea the products and services provided will be of a high-quality. This will create more demand, especially from the market thereby making the business competitive. A human resource management strategy should be able to add some competitive value to a business.

HR Scorecard Table

Assessment of the value of the proposal to the small business

The human resources department is among the most important sections of a business and should be carefully taken care of (Wilkinson & Johnstone, 2016). Basically, it is a department which deals with the management of the people. The ability of a business to be successful in the market directly depends on how the people perform which also relies on how they are managed. This shows the human resources management department virtually affects the entire business. Taking this into consideration, it is important to ensure the human resource department is properly equipped to enable it to deliver the best for the interest of the competitiveness of the business. The small business is assessed on the basis of the following dimensions.

Financial

Finances play a very significant role when it comes to human resources management. As much as there are other ways, other than financial, the human resources department can be managed, finances are important. A small business needs to ensure its employees are properly paid for the services they offer to the organization. Taking into account the financial welfare of the employees motivates them to perform better. This proposal is valuable to the small business as it will boost the level of motivation in the employees.

Customer Service

It is noted the manner in which customers are treated is also related to human resources management. There is an indirect impact in this case because it has to go through the employees. The human resources manager needs to inspire employees so they do their best to ensure the business is able to offer the best services to customers. This proposal adds a lot of significant value to small businesses since it assists them to understand the value of customers. When customers are served in the right manner, they will be more loyal to a business and this implies it will be more competitive in the market.

Internal Processes

Rees & Smith (2016), state the performance of a business majorly depends on internal processes. It is the responsibility of the human resources manager to ensure all internal processes work effectively. For instance, they need to make sure relevant tools and equipment are provided to enable the employees to work in a comfortable environment. They should basically boost the working conditions for better results. Focusing on internal processes boosts the overall efficiency and effectiveness of the human resources management department in an organization.

Growth

When a business is established, there is an expectation it will grow. One of the ways through which a business grows is by increasing the number of employees. The human resources manager ensures potential employees possess the necessary knowledge, skills, and abilities in order to qualify (Lawler, 2012). Through this, the business can be assured of quality products and services. This also leads to the growth of the quality of the products and services a business offers to its customers. In other words, the overall growth of a business basically relies on the human resources department.

References

Art of the table. (2017). About Us. Retrieved July 12, 2017, from http://artofthetable.net/about/

Lawler, E. (2012). Effective Human Resource Management: A Global Analysis. Stanford: Stanford University Press.

Mathis, R., Jackson, J. & Valentine, S. (2016). Human Resource Management. London: Cengage Learning.

Rees, G. & Smith, P. (2016). Strategic Human Resource Management. London: SAGE.

Wilkinson, A, & Johnstone, S. (2016). Encyclopedia of Human Resource Management. Northampton, MA: Edward Elgar Publishing.