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Essay Hard and Soft Human Resource Management of CareKind

Decent Essays

For the purpose of this report, the subject will be CareKind, a home care agency which specialises in Dementia and cognitive decline. It is a relatively new company, having only been operating for 10 months. The policies and procedures were written by a partner of the company to incorporate the needs of the business and the financial constraints of the current climate. It is a business in its infancy and has had to completely build a client base.

Critical Report

The first policy of note is the zero hours contract policy that CareKind operates. This has been implemented due to the changing requirements of those clients who require care. Applicants for positions within CareKind are informed of this policy prior to being offered a position. …show more content…

This example is the best illustration of a policy which doesn’t firmly sit in either the ‘hard’ or ‘soft’ category. Whilst it could be argued that any zero hour contracts are ‘hard’ HRM due to their nature, there is also the argument that these contracts offer greater flexibility to those willing to accept them.

The remaining policies are sat firmly in the ‘hard’ HRM category, with the exception of CareKinds pay structure and Training Procedures. CareKind employees are paid ‘The Living Wage’, receive mileage expenses and are also paid for their travel time between clients. This would suggest that CareKind are attempting to engage with their employees and financially remunerate them to gain their loyalty and support, especially as few other homecare providers in the area offer their staff such financial benefits.

CareKind also offer their staff a wide and varying training package. There are a lot of opportunities for employees to further educate themselves and up-skill in areas that may aid their development and progression within the company. CareKind are able to do this as they have invested in their own training programme and rather than have their staff trained externally, all training takes place in house and is delivered by the partners of the business.

‘Engagement happens when people are committed to their work and the organisation and are motivated to achieve high levels of performance. Engaged people at work are positive, interested in, and even excited

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