Human Resourse Comprehensive Report

Abstract

Interclean, Inc. is acquiring a new company in Great Britain, United Kingdom. The Director of Human Resources has compiled a comprehensive report, depicting several factors that will contribute to how successful the company's acquisition will be. The countries culture and regulatory factors are explored. Recruitment and selection practices are described along with methods for determining which skills and abilities are lacking. Training and development options are covered as well as how to structure the organization in light of the new strategy.

Comprehensive Report on Global Staffing Strategies

Interclean, Inc. is a successful company within the institutional and industrial cleaning and sanitation industry. In order to become more successful, the leaders at Interclean, Inc. have decided to take the company in a new direction. The new strategy will involve offering clients complete sanitation contracts that include personalized service to each customer (UOP, 2007).

Additionally, the company has decided to acquire another cleaning company overseas. The British cleaning and sanitation company offers Interclean, Inc. a way to expand into new markets but also comes with challenges. As Interclean takes its business to Great Britain, there is a need to learn more about the culture and regulatory fascets of UK employment law. Interclean also needs a strategic plan in place to determine which skills and abilities are available to the company from the existing employees at the British cleaning company. Recruitment and selection methods need to be decided upon as well as methods for training and development.

UK Culture

According to Kathleen J. Dunkerley and W. Peter Robinson from the University of Bristol, interviews were conducted regarding different communication styles in the workplace amongst Americans and British managers (2007). The interviews lead Dunkerley and Robinson to the conclusion that Americans are more oriented towards solving problems efficiently and related to specific tasks while British managers were more likely to emphasize upon the process over products. These interviews are one example of how people working together from different cultures may place emphasis on different things (Dunkerley & Robinson, 2007).

As Interclean seeks to acquire a British cleaning company, the managers should do a brief study of how British Culture differs from American Culture. For instance, people from Great Britain are known for being reserved in his or her behavior and not making emotional displays in a public setting. (Culturegram, 2007). Americans are seen as more outwardly friendly and more likely to interact with strangers (BritishExpats, 2007). A British employee may feel uncomfortable if exposed to un-moderated enthusiasm or emotional displays.

British workers are accustomed to more time off than most Americans. In the UK, it is required that employees be given a minimum of 20 days off, with pay annually. This is not the norm within the United States, where there is no legal requirement for companies to give employees any paid leave. In Britain the national annual average for vacation days is 27 days. In the United States, employees take an average of 12 days off per year for vacation. This is an important cultural difference that must be accounted for by American managers when working with British employees (Doughery & Dreher, 2001, p200)

Employment Law

Anti-Discrimination Laws

Within the United States, the Equal Employment Opportunity Commission (EEOC) is the government agency responsible for enforcing all equal opportunity laws. The EEOC also oversees and coordinates federal regulations regarding equal opportunity for employees. The main regulations enforce by the EEOC are related to race, color, religion, gender, national origin, disability and age. There similarities and differences between the US anti-discrimination laws and the UK anti-discrimination laws. As Interclean plans to acquire a British company, some of the anti-discrimination laws must be reviewed and compared to US law.

Gender discrimination. In England men and women are protected against discrimination as they are in the United States. Employers in the United Kingdom are required to give women and men equal pay for equal work, as also mandated within the United States in the Equal Pay Act of 1963 (EEOC, 2007). The Equal Opportunity Commission in England focuses mainly on gender discrimination and is active in ensuring that men and women get treated equally regardless of gender (EOC, 2007).

Age discrimination. There are anti-discrimination laws in The United Kingdom to protect employees against age discrimination. Unlike the United States, whose age discrimination law is directed to protect persons older than 40 years of age, the laws in the United Kingdom are written as to protect people of every age (EEOC, 2007). In the United Kingdom a person's age cannot be used as a means to discriminate. This law applies to people of any age, whether young or old (Employment law in 2006: the year ahead," 2006).

Race, color, religion and national origin. As within the United States, anti-discrimination laws are in place in Great Britain relating to race, color, religion or national origin discrimination. It is illegal for an employer to treat a person differently due to his or her ethnicity. Regardless of a person's race, color, religion or national origin, a qualified individual cannot be treated differently or victimized due to his or her ethnic or cultural background (Employers-Solicitors, 2007).

Disabilities. The United States and the United Kingdom both have laws in place to protect individuals with disabilities from being discriminated against. The Disabilities Act of 1990 and the Rehabilitation Act of 1973 are two of the laws in the US specifically directed against discrimination against disabled persons (EEOC, 2007). In the UK the Discrimination Act of 1995 was enacted to serve a similar purpose (Curtis, 2003).

Gay and lesbian rights. Within the United States, acceptance of same gender unions is not common. While there are some states that recognize same sex partnerships, this is not the case for the nation as a whole. In England however, same sex partnerships are not only recognized but are protected under certain anti-discrimination employment laws. The EEOC laws within the US do not address sexual orientation. In Britain, not only is discriminating against an employee for his or her sexual orientation illegal but same sex partnerships must be recognized by employers when offering family benefits. A gay person's partner, if joined under civil law, must be treated the same as any spouse