Future Trends in HRM

Future Trends in HRM

What country would you choose? Explain why.

I would like to work in the United States because it is among the countries with the highest minimum wage in the world. The United States also creates a suitable environment for career growth because there are many employers, each offering a unique work environment and training to equip employees with different skills and capabilities required to complete assigned tasks.

What are the advantages and disadvantages to you for selecting that particular country over another?

One of the advantages of working in the United States is access to a wide range of professional opportunities. According to Visa Coach (2013), the United States hosts the biggest global companies. These companies not only compensate their employees well, but they also create a challenging work environment due to strict rules and high employee targets, thus promoting professional development. Another advantage is interaction with people from different backgrounds, thus increasing awareness of different cultures because people move from different countries to the United States to look for jobs. The main disadvantage of working in the United States is long working hours, and employees may also be required to work overtime based on the targets set by the company. Another disadvantage is high taxes.

Compare and contrast each of them as a potential employer according to criteria important to you as a job seeker with a family.

Walmart and Amazon are among the leading retail companies in the United States. The companies have a large workforce and create equal opportunities for individuals from different backgrounds. However, Walmart is a better employer compared to Amazon based on the work environment. According to Sahay (2020), Amazon offers a bad working environment due to long working hours and limited time to rest within working hours. Employees at Amazon often complain of being overworked and receiving less pay compared to their assigned work. On the other hand, Walmart offers flexible working hours and fair compensation to employees.

Why did you select these two companies?

I selected the two companies because there is data on the internet on their work environment. The company’s work environment has also been reviewed in different journal articles, thus creating a wide range of information that I could use to determine whether I would want to be an employee in either of them. I also selected the two companies because they have online newsletters that can be used to understand the overall working environment, thus preparing an individual interested in joining their workforce for what to expect.

In relation to success, where do these companies stand in their industry?

The two companies are successful in the retail industry based on their market share and profit margins. They have also expanded their operations into many countries across the world, thus creating a broad revenue stream to sustain business operations. The companies have also maintained high profit margins because they operate online and offline hence increasing their prospects for continued growth.

What is the outlook for the industry over the next 5-10 years?

The retail industry is anticipated to continue growing over the years as more companies continue to join the industry. Over the next 5 to 10 years, retail companies will be focusing on online retail services rather than in-store sales because of the rising preference for online shopping (Stephens, 2021). Therefore, retail companies may reduce their workforce because moving operations online will eliminate the need for some job positions, such as shop attendants and merchandisers. Some job positions in the retail industry will also be completely wiped out over the next 5 to 10 years because of technology. For instance, customer support tasks are being automated hence eliminating the need for customer service agents.

In your research on these companies, did you find any issues with unethical activities or pending lawsuits? (These may be found in the annual report.)

During my research, I found that Amazon has been accused of overworking employees because the company’s main focus is maximizing profit. The high targets set by the company’s top management force some employees to work overtime so that they can maintain their jobs. Walmart’s main unethical practices are gender and racial discrimination (Morillo et al., 2015). My research also showed that Walmart has been involved in various scandals for failing to pay employees overtime compensation.

What are the companies’ positions regarding their impact on the environment?

The two companies have focused on creating environmental sustainability by preventing pollution through reusing and recycling. They are also actively involved in corporate social responsibility activities aimed at preserving the environment. The two companies are also actively involved in supporting environmental management campaigns by providing donations to fund environmental management initiatives such as planting more trees and cleaning waste to prevent pollution.

What types of job opportunities are available to you at these companies today?

At this time, there are various job opportunities at Walmart and Amazon as the companies continue to open more stores and expand globally. Some of the job opportunities available to me at Walmart are store manager, retail associate, shipping and receiving clerk, and freight handler. Amazon also has job openings that I can apply such as digital associate, store operator, clerk, and research assistant.

What do these companies do for their expatriates to prepare them for a job overseas and to prepare them to return home at the end of their tour of duty?

Amazon and Walmart prepare expatriates before sending them to work in a foreign country. The preparation includes language training to familiarize the expatriate with the main languages used in the business setting in the foreign country. The company also creates teams to allow expatriates to exchange ideas on what they have learned about the business environment in the foreign country and support each other in integrating into the new work environment in the foreign country. The company prepares expatriates to return home at the end of their tour duty by giving them paid leave before they can resume work. They also offer employee vacation based on the expatriate’s job position.

References

Morillo, J., McNally, C., & Block, W. E. (2015). The real Walmart. Business and Society Review, 120(3), 385-408. https://doi.org/10.1111/basr.12060

Sahay, P. (2020). Contemporary Issues in Management of Amazon. ResearchGate.

Stephens, D. (2021). Resurrecting retail: The future of business in a post-pandemic world.

Visa Coach. (2013, May 14). Pros & cons of a foreigner working in the US | Live & work in America. Live & Work in America | The Visa Coach’s Guide to US Immigration. https://visacoach.org/2013/05/18/pros-cons-of-a-foreigner-working-in-us/