When an organization looks at competitive differentiation, costs of doing business, they do SWOT and SOFT analyses, all as a part of determining the strategic direction of the business. As the leader of the organization’s human resources department, you will be developing your own strategy, which will provide direction to your group on how your team will support the overall goals of the company.

You work for a small-box retailer that’s a little late getting into the ecommerce space. Now, the company wants to move quickly from a “bricks-and-mortar” only approach to one that embraces omnichannel retailing. Why? Because the competition is eating their lunch!

Currently, the company’s website is barely a page or two. One page features an “about the company” area and a list of store locations. As an HR leader, you have a recruiting page on it and a link to your application system, but that’s about it. Ecommerce and omnichannel retailing seem light years away, but the company’s five-year plan calls for it to be up and running in short order.

Discussion Prompt

We know you’re not an ecommerce professional or a retail professional and, hey, you’ve only gotten into the second module of HR management. That aside, we still think you have what it takes to help save this company! You’re going to use what you know about human resources strategy planning—that is, attracting talent, building high performance work organizations and aligning people with the business—to support the company’s efforts to get into omnichannel retailing.

Write down at least three ideas and plans for each one of those strategic areas. Research other companies that are getting into or trying to get into the ecommerce space to support your ideas and try to anticipate issues for your company by understanding what others have experienced. Once you’ve completed your paper, share it with two classmates to get their thoughts. Offer your thoughts on the papers of two classmates as well.

Grading

Share your opinions below and respond to two of your classmates’ thoughts.