Question

HR’s Performance Consulting at Ingersoll Rand Many people who work in the HR profession focus their efforts on improving the typical HR activities that are performed in a firm, including staffing, training and development, compensation, and performance appraisal. However, they sometimes overlook the important strategic objectives of their employers. This is why managers in other areas of a company often fail to see the importance of HR staff. There doesn’t seem to be any real connection between what the HR function does and what the firm is trying to accomplish strategically. Therefore, HR professionals need to get involved with performance consulting in companies, which requires them to be more proactive in their approach to managing HR activities. This is what Craig Mundy focused on when he was given the opportunity to take over the HR area in Ingersoll Rand’s Climate Solutions, a large and valuable business unit within the company that was created by merging Trane and Thermo King under one operational umbrella. The unit employs 25,000 individuals and has locations in over 60 nations. Performance consulting was particularly important to Climate Solutions because the global economic downturn occurred right after the unit was created, which means that costs had to be managed while the organization tried to make global gains. The HR group worked with different managers to create positive talent plans to help the unit reach its strategic goals. In particular, the following issues were addressed by HR: The key gaps that stopped individuals from accomplishing their objectives were highlighted. Different approaches that effectively reduced gaps were identified. Solutions tied to talent management were created and utilized. Another step involved developing a talent solutions framework that enabled leaders to identify the causes of performance problems in the organization and to develop fixes. The framework is based on workforce planning, which involves finding out the firm’s talent requirements. Once these needs are known, leaders can determine how and when employees will be hired. Developing individuals once they are hired is the next issue that is addressed in the framework, followed by how to improve employee engagement and retention. Finally, performance needs to be monitored so that successes can be documented. Using this talent solutions framework at Ingersoll Rand enabled the HR group to play a more strategic role in the company.

1. Which of the following options summarizes an organizational strategy and its effect on Human Resources for Climate Solutions?

a. Hire 25 new employees
b. Reduce costs by eliminating 25 duplicate positions after the merge
c. Expand operations in Brazil
d. Increase profit by 20 percent

2. Which of the following options is a critical contribution that HR can bring to the strategic planning process to help Climate Solutions address the issue of key gaps that stopped individuals from accomplishing their objectives?
a. Having a seat at the strategic table
b. Being knowledgeable about business operations
c. Prioritizing business goals
d. Understanding what to measure

3. According to the talent solutions framework, which of the following steps should Climate Solutions do last when developing fixes for problems?
a. Monitor performance
b. Find out the firm's talent requirements
c. Develop individuals
d. Improve employee retention

Answer 1

1. Which of the following options summarizes an organizational strategy and its effect on Human Resources for Climate Solutions?

b. Reduce costs by eliminating 25 duplicate positions after the merge

(As at the time of merger a global downturn occurred due to which the costs had to be managed)

2. Which of the following options is a critical contribution that HR can bring to the strategic planning process to help Climate Solutions address the issue of key gaps that stopped individuals from accomplishing their objectives?

b. Being knowledgeable about business operations

(having knowledge of the business operations will allow the HR to understand the talents of employees, the training and development they require and they ways that can be implemented for them to achieve their objectives.)

3. According to the talent solutions framework, which of the following steps should Climate Solutions do last when developing fixes for problems?

a. Monitor performance

(Monitoring performance is the last step because that is when they have hired, developed and methods of employee engagement and retention have been implemented only then the unit will be able to monitor how well these tasks have turned up to be working for the organization and document the success which is monitored)