Write A Communications Plan Not To Exceed 1,050 Words

Write a communications plan not to exceed 1,050 words to support the strategy of American Plastics

American Plastics had fared rather worse than its competitors during the economic downturn. With revenue, quality, and productivity down, management set several goals to reverse the company's fortune. One area in need of improvement was human resources and "Janet," the newly appointed HR Director faced a daunting challenge: to quickly re-invent the Human Resources function, reposition it a strategic partner to the business, and improve employee perceptions of her department. Her predecessor retired after leading a major reduction in force causing a significant exodus of key talent, some unexpected. Janet was charged with finding a way to retain top talent and develop a steady but highly-qualified stream of candidates to fill regular as well as critical positions.

The CEO agreed with her that differentiating the human resources function was essential for the company's strategic plan to succeed. In her first two weeks on the job Janet discovered: Job descriptions were inconsistent, long but vague lists of high level "duties and responsibilities" and qualifications. Job titles didn't reflect the work people did, used instead as a framework for budgeting and compensation, as many were doing unique work requiring different knowledge and skills. Aside from providing a coordinating function, human resources had outsourced recruiting to third parties who presented candidates based on their internet postings and other sources. No matter the level or criticality of the open position, human resources rarely conducted interviews or assessments before or after handing over the third party resumes to the hiring organization and would get involved again only when a candidate was selected.

HR's participation in the onboarding process of new employees was limited to having them attend a half-day orientation session where, between a video and a slide presentation about the company, they filled out benefits-related, payroll, ID, and other paper forms. Training and Development (T&D) had largely been outsourced to several companies that provided generic online courses. The recent departure of several mission-critical employees disclosed no systematic means of capturing expertise from employees; when they left, their knowledge left with them. The Performance Employee Evaluation Program didn't align with anything, was viewed by managers and individual contributors alike as a burdensome annual chore that interfered with people's "real jobs." The management of talent is one of a handful of strategic services human resources can offer.

The decline of traditional HR functions through automation, self-service, and outsourcing demands a "culture change" within human resources: adopt a business focus by an organization still structured largely around benefits administration, time and attendance reporting, labor cost processing, and similar transactional operations. Write a communications plan not to exceed 1,050 words to support the strategy of American Plastics. Justify why they were important for your strategic HRM planning process. Recommend how to address these considerations. Focus on resolution of the human resource management challenges in order to support operational strategies. Cite all sources according to APA formatting guidelines.

Paper For Above instruction

The strategic reinvention of human resource management at American Plastics is crucial for reversing the company's recent downturn and aligning HR functions with broader operational and competitive objectives. To effectively support the company's strategy, a comprehensive communications plan must be developed, facilitating organizational change, fostering engagement, and reinforcing HR's new strategic role (Brewster et al., 2016). This plan will justify the importance of targeted communication strategies, outline key messages, identify stakeholder engagement, and recommend actionable steps to transform HR into a strategic partner aligned with operational excellence.

Justification of the Communications Plan in Strategic HRM Planning

An effective communications plan is vital for guiding the cultural and operational transformation of HR at American Plastics. According to Cornelissen (2017), communication is the backbone of organizational change; it reduces resistance, clarifies objectives, and fosters shared understanding. When HR departments shift from transactional tasks towards strategic partnering, clear communication ensures alignment across organizational levels and mitigates ambiguity. Moreover, as HR functions like recruitment, onboarding, and performance management are integral to talent retention and development, targeted messaging builds awareness and buy-in among managers and employees alike. Without a strategic communication plan, change initiatives risk failure due to misunderstanding, misalignment, or lack of engagement (Kotter, 2012). Therefore, embedding communication into HR strategy enhances commitment, encourages participation, and sustains momentum towards cultural change.

Key Components of the Communication Plan

1. Objectives: The primary goal is to promote understanding of HR transformation objectives, foster employee engagement, and facilitate behavioral change toward a strategic HR mindset. Specific objectives include clarifying new HR roles, promoting accountability, and building trust in HR initiatives.

2. Stakeholders: Stakeholders encompass HR staff, line managers, senior leadership, and employees. Tailored messages are necessary for each group to ensure relevance and effectiveness (Herold et al., 2018).

3. Message Content: Messages should emphasize the shift from transactional to strategic HR, outline the benefits for employees and the organization, and communicate specific initiatives (e.g., revamped recruitment processes, leadership development). Transparency about challenges and a shared vision foster trust and buy-in (Baxter et al., 2017).

4. Communication Channels: Use a multi-channel approach including town hall meetings, emails, intranet updates, and leadership briefings. Interactive sessions such as Q&A forums facilitate feedback and address concerns proactively (Men & Stacks, 2013).

5. Timing and Frequency: Regular communication at key milestones maintains momentum—initial announcements, progress updates, and success stories. Consistency reinforces the importance of change and commitment (Klein & Sorra, 1996).

6. Feedback and Evaluation: Establish mechanisms to measure understanding and engagement, such as surveys and focus groups. Feedback informs ongoing communication adjustments and demonstrates management’s commitment (Clampitt & DeKoch, 2016).

Addressing Human Resource Management Challenges

To resolve HR challenges and support operational strategies, communication must focus on several core areas:

1. Clarification of Roles and Responsibilities: As job descriptions were vague and titles misaligned with duties, communication should emphasize the importance of clear, consistent job descriptions tied to strategic business needs. This involves redefining roles collaboratively with input from employees and managers to foster ownership and clarity (Binder, 2014).
2. Reinforcement of Strategic HR Functions: Communicating HR’s expanded role in talent management, leadership development, and knowledge retention shifts perceptions from administrative overhead to value-added service. Highlighting success stories and metrics demonstrates HR's contribution to organizational resilience (Ulrich et al., 2012).
3. Enhancement of Recruitment and Onboarding Processes: Communicate new initiatives such as structured interviews, competency assessments, and systematic knowledge transfer programs. Encourage managers to view HR as a strategic partner in talent acquisition and retention efforts (Cascio & Boudreau, 2016).
4. Development of a Learning Culture: Promote continuous development through targeted training, mentoring, and knowledge-sharing. Effective communication about these programs enhances participation and signals commitment to employee growth (Noe et al., 2014).
5. Building a Performance Culture: Communicate the purpose and benefits of performance evaluations, aligning them with development goals rather than punitive measures. Transparency about the evaluation process encourages fairness and accountability (Pulakos, 2009).

Recommendations for Implementation

• Establish a dedicated change management communication team responsible for executing the plan and providing ongoing updates.
• Develop engaging content using storytelling techniques to personalize messages and make them relatable.
• Leverage leadership to champion the change, sharing their commitments and role in the transformation.
• Create feedback channels to gauge progress and address emerging concerns promptly.
• Integrate communication efforts with training programs to reinforce messages and develop managerial communication skills.

Conclusion

Transforming the human resource function at American Plastics from a transactional support unit into a strategic partner requires a deliberate, comprehensive communication plan. This plan must articulate the vision, objectives, and benefits of change, engaging all stakeholders and addressing core HR challenges. Clear, consistent messaging supports a cultural shift towards strategic HR practices that underpin operational success, talent retention, and organizational resilience. As the company navigates this transformation, ongoing evaluation and adaptation of communication efforts will be essential to sustain momentum and achieve strategic HRM objectives (Brewster et al., 2016; Kotter, 2012).

References

• Baxter, I., King, D., & Low, G. (2017). Strategic communication and organizational change. Journal of Communication Management, 21(4), 414-430.
• Binder, J. (2014). Job descriptions as strategic tools. Human Resource Management Journal, 24(3), 265-280.
• Clampitt, P. G., & DeKoch, R. J. (2016). Strategic communication: Connecting organizational fears, goals, and culture. Sage Publications.
• Cornelissen, J. (2017). Corporate communication: A guide to theory and practice. Sage.
• Herold, D. M., Fedor, D. B., Caldwell, S., & Liu, Y. (2018). Impact of transformational leadership on followers’ commitment to change: The mediating role of self-efficacy and trust in leader. Journal of Applied Psychology, 93(2), 346–357.
• Klein, K. J., & Sorra, J. S. (1996). The challenge of innovation implementation. Academy of Management Review, 21(4), 1055–1080.
• Kotter, J. P. (2012). Leading change. Harvard Business Review Press.
• Men, L. R., & Stacks, D. W. (2013). The impact of leadership style and employee empowerment on perceived organizational reputation. Journal of Communication Management, 17(2), 171-192.
• Nevo, D., & Merrett, D. (2009). Change management and HRM: From institutional imperatives to strategic opportunities. Journal of Change Management, 9(4), 349-365.
• Ulrich, D., Brockbank, W., Johnson, D., Sandholtz, K., & Younger, J. (2012). HR competencies: A practical guide for developing HR professionals. Society for Human Resource Management.