Write A Communications Plan To Support Ameri Strategy

Write a communications plan 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 revitalization of human resources (HR) at American Plastics necessitates a comprehensive and effective communications plan that aligns HR initiatives with the company’s broader operational and strategic goals. This plan must facilitate a culture change within HR, emphasizing a shift toward a strategic partnership role that contributes directly to the company's recovery and growth. Communication is vital, not only in implementing new HR strategies but also in changing perceptions of HR among employees and management, ensuring buy-in and active participation. This paper discusses the importance of a targeted communications plan in supporting strategic HRM at American Plastics, offers recommendations for addressing key HR challenges, and emphasizes how effective communication can drive meaningful change.

Effective communication is fundamental in implementing strategic HR initiatives because it fosters clarity, engagement, and alignment across all levels of the organization. As emphasized by Men (2014), strategic HR management requires clear messaging to ensure that HR initiatives are understood and embraced by managers and employees alike. Without proper communication, efforts to reinvent HR functions—such as talent retention, recruitment, onboarding, and training—may encounter resistance or apathy, undermining their success (Armstrong, 2020). For American Plastics, where HR had historically been transactional and outsourced, a targeted communications plan is critical to redefine the department’s role, illustrate its strategic value, and secure stakeholder support.

Key Objectives of the Communication Plan

• To clarify the strategic vision for HR transformation aligned with corporate recovery goals.
• To educate employees and managers about new HR initiatives, policies, and processes.
• To foster buy-in and reduce resistance by addressing concerns and highlighting benefits.
• To establish open channels for feedback and continuous improvement.
• To promote a culture of accountability, collaboration, and knowledge sharing.

Core Strategies and Tactics

To effectively support the strategic HRM plan, communication strategies should be multi-faceted, integrating various channels and approaches tailored to different audiences within the organization. Key tactics include leadership messaging, town hall meetings, targeted training sessions, digital communication platforms, and ongoing feedback mechanisms.

Leadership must champion the change by providing consistent messages that articulate the importance of HR’s strategic repositioning. Regular town hall meetings facilitated by senior management can serve as forums for addressing questions, dispelling myths, and reinforcing commitment to the transformation. To ensure understanding and engagement, tailored training programs should be introduced to educate managers and employees on new recruitment, onboarding, and performance management processes. Modern digital platforms—such as intranets and collaborative tools—can disseminate updates, resources, and success stories, maintaining momentum and visibility.

Addressing Human Resource Management Challenges

The HR challenges identified at American Plastics — including inconsistent job descriptions, misaligned job titles, reliance on third-party recruiting, minimal onboarding, lack of systematic knowledge transfer, and an outdated performance evaluation system — require targeted communication interventions. For example, clarifying the revised importance and structure of job descriptions can improve role clarity and guide talent development (Cascio & Boudreau, 2016). Transparent communication about the integration of new recruiting and onboarding processes can mitigate resistance and foster a shared understanding of HR’s strategic role.

Furthermore, it is essential to communicate the need for capturing critical knowledge prior to employee departures. Developing and sharing a knowledge transfer framework can be facilitated through workshops, checklists, and digital documentation, emphasizing that talent management is a core HR strategic function (Bersin, 2018). The outdated employee performance evaluation program should be addressed by communicating improved, value-driven performance metrics linked to organizational objectives, thus transforming HR’s role from administrative to strategic (Pulakos et al., 2019). These initiatives, when communicated effectively, can foster a culture that values continuous improvement, learning, and accountability.

Recommendations for Implementation

• Develop a comprehensive internal communication strategy that includes leadership messaging, multimedia content, and interactive forums.
• Train HR personnel and managers on strategic HR practices and communication techniques.
• Create ongoing dialogue channels such as surveys, suggestion boxes, and town hall meetings to gather feedback and demonstrate responsiveness.
• Implement a knowledge management system to facilitate systematic capture and sharing of critical employee expertise.
• Redesign performance evaluation and onboarding processes in collaboration with line managers, and communicate these changes through targeted campaigns emphasizing benefits and expectations.

Conclusion

In sum, a strategic and well-executed communications plan is essential for transforming HR at American Plastics from a transactional, outsourced function to a strategic partner aligned with operational goals. Such a plan promotes understanding, fosters culture change, and drives the adoption of innovative HR practices necessary for talent retention, productivity, and competitive advantage. Effective communication not only supports HR initiatives but also reinforces organizational unity and commitment to recovery and growth.

References

• Armstrong, M. (2020). Armstrong's handbook of human resource management practice (15th ed.). Kogan Page.
• Bersin, J. (2018). The future of HR technology. Harvard Business Review. https://hbr.org/2018/11/the-future-of-hr-technology
• Cascio, W. F., & Boudreau, J. W. (2016). The search for global competence: From international HR to talent management. Journal of World Business, 51(1), 103-114.
• Men, L. R. (2014). Strategic internal communication: Insights from the past and directions for the future. Management Communication Quarterly, 28(4), 564–576.
• Pulakos, E. D., et al. (2019). Performance management: Putting research into action. SHRM Foundation.