1. Human Resources Management
Final Project
Will Eckerle
BUS351
Marra
December 12, 2015

2. Will Eckerle
BUS351
Marra
December12, 2015
1
Human resources management(HRM) “isthe processof hiringanddevelopingemployeesso
that theybecome more valuable tothe organization”(HRM).It’sa veryimportantaspectof a company,
because theyare people managers,makingsure thateveryone isfollowingproperrulesand regulations
and that employeesare progressinginthe workplace.Humanresourcesmanagers mustbe ethical,
moral,and honest whenconductingtheirwork,sothat the rulesare properlyfollowed andanethical
workenvironmentisestablished.Theyalsomustbe self-confidentandindependenttoleadandguide
people aswell asmake moral decisions.Theymustlearntoconformtothe valuesandexpectationsset
by societyandbytheirorganization.One veryimportantof talentmanagementandall businessin
general issocial responsibility.Social responsibility“ismanagement’sobligationtomake choicesand
take actionsthat will contribute tothe welfare andinterestsof societyaswell asthe organization”
(Marra).
I can relate a lotto social responsibility,asI’ve done large amountof service over the years.I’m
an Eagle Scout,so I’ve done a communityservice project,assistedotherswiththeirs,helpedoutatthe
local foodpantry,and participatedin otheractsof volunteerwork. I’malsoinvolvedinSTARR,the
volunteerprogramhere atcampus,and I’mleadingamissiontriptoAppalachiathisSpringBreak.
Throughthese acts I’ve learnedhowimportantsocial responsibilityis andhow vital itisto helpothers.
However,social responsibilityissomethingthatcan be difficultas manyfactorsmustbe considered.It
coversa varietyof issues underpeople’sdifferentviewpointsto make sure the methodsand actions
takenare legal.Despitethese challenges, social responsibilityisstill veryimportantbecauseitis
everyone’sjobtomake sure hisor her decisionsbenefitthemandthe worldaround.We mustapplythis
philosophytoeveryaspectof ourlives,especiallybusiness.

3. Will Eckerle
BUS351
Marra
December12, 2015
2
Our careersare one of the bestbiggest,arguablythe biggest,inwhichwe affectsociety.It’s
crucial that we make moral decisionsinthe workplacesothattheycause a positive effectinthe world.
Thisis one of the mainreasons whyI enjoythe fieldof humanresourcesmanagement.HRisknownfor
leadingthe wayinsocial change and developingethical behavior. HRhas done this byhelpingenforce
rulessuchas the Civil RightsActof 1991, the Equal Pay Act of 1963, and Title VIIof the Civil RightsActof
1964. Furthermore,ithasbeenproventhat beingethical paysoff intermsof economics,because
researchhas shownthat“companiesshouldsegmenttheiroverall markets,andmake effortstoreach
out to buyerswithhighethical standards.Those are the customerswhocandeliverthe biggestpotential
profitsonethicallyproducedgoods”(Cascio424). HR alsohas done muchin helpingwiththe
community.They’vesponsoredmanyeventsandhave workedwithorganizationssuchasthe RedCross
to helpwithblooddrives.They’veassistedinhelpingindoing othersactsof communityservice suchas
mentoringhighschool andcollege students.
Theyare differentaspectsof social responsibility,butone ratherimportant aspectIwantto
focuson issustainability.Sustainabilityisevaluatingfactorsandpracticingmethodsina waythat
contributestothe environmentinthe longterminan economicway.Sustainabilityhasbecome avery
importantaspectof today’ssocial and political issues,aswellasbusiness. Withthe crisisof global
warmingandpollutionlevelsrising,acall toenvironmental actionhas beentalkedaboutfromeveryone
to congressmento highschool studentstothe Pope.Several companiesandorganizationshave started
to take notice of thisand have respondedbyinitiatingmore sustainablepractices.This iswhere human
resourcesmanagementcomesintoplay. SinceHRMis knownforleadingsocial changes,promoting
sustainabilityinthe workforce wouldbe beneficial forthem.

4. Will Eckerle
BUS351
Marra
December12, 2015
3
Nowthere are different fourapproachestobeingsustainableinthe workforce,the firstbeing
the legal approach.The legal approachis when anorganization“doeswhatisnecessarytosatisfylegal
requirements”(Marra). It’sconsideredtobe apoor methodforsustainability becauseit’ssimplywhere
youdo the minimumamountof environmental progresssimplysoyourbusinessfollowsthe legal
guidelines. Also,inthisapproachthe companyseemstocare verylittle forthe environment.The second
isthe marketapproach,where anorganizationrespondstothe requestsof customersandbecomes
more environmentallyfriendlyandaware.The marketapproachisa bettermethod,because it’smore
environmentallyfriendlyanditshowsthatthe businessreallycaresforandlistenstoitscustomers.
However,itusuallydoesn’tshowthe strongestattitude towardsthe environment.
The third stepisthe stakeholderapproach, where acompanyrespondstomanydifferent
environmental concernsfromtheir“variousstakeholdergroups,suchascustomers,the local
community,businesspartners,and specialinterestgroups”(Marra).Since there are more people
expressingtheirenvironmentalconcernstothe organization, generallymore actionistaken.The fourth
final approachisthe activistapproach,where a businessgoesabove andbeyondthe legal requirements
and wantsof the average customertotruly take a stance inbecomingenvironmentallyfriendlyand
understandingthe fulldefinitionof sustainability.Withthisactivistapproach,companiestake
sustainable andsocial worrieswhentheymake decisions,update environmental companypoliciesand
regulations,andcreate andmeasure theirgoalsforthe company’ssustainable future.
Numerouscompaniesacrossthe globe have takenthisapproachfora more environmentally
conscience workplace andmore are followingsuit.The activistapproachisthe bestmethodinbecoming
a more greencompany andit isthe methodhumanresourcesshouldimplicate totheircompanies’
policies.However,theymustmake sure these policiesare ethical,economic,andlegal. HRmustalso

5. Will Eckerle
BUS351
Marra
December12, 2015
4
ensure thatmanagersand employeestrulyunderstandthe importance beinggreen,sotheyrecognize
and respectwhynewregulationsshould implemented. One wayHRcan do this isby tellingthemthat
numerouscompanieshave becomemore profitableaftergoinggreen. Alcoa,AkzoNobel,Siemens,and
Grief have increasedprofitsbyhelpingcustomersreduce theiremissions (Perera).Otherorganizations
have made strong sustainableobjectiveswhile managingto increase theirbusinessgrowth,proving
once again that beingethical evenintermsof environmentalethicshasfantasticbenefits.
Afterwards,theyshouldrecommendtothe company’sheadsthatat leastone new position
shouldbe createdforapplying the newregulations,perhapsadepartmentof workersthatspecialize in
sustainabilityshouldbe establisheddependingonthe size of the company.Once the departmentis
establishedHRandtop managementshouldhave themworktohelpestablish new sustainable
guidelines.One thingthatshouldbe acknowledgedisthatorganizationsneedto“setgoalsthat
integrate environmental considerationsintocore businessdecision-making”(Perera). When
organizationsdothis,theytrulyare puttingenvironmental concernsandsustainabilitytowardsthe heart
of theirorganization,andwhichwill letthemhave the mostpositive impactonthe environment
possible.
Some of the waysof that the environmentaldepartmentcoulddothis wouldbe analyzingeach
companyproject,itsnegative effectsonthe environment,andhow methodscanbe usedto notonly
combat the negative effectsand turnthemintopositive ones. Companiesshould alsoconsiderswitching
to alternative energysources suchaswind fortheirenergyneedsinsteadof fossil fuelsfora varietyof
reasons. Forexample,windenergy doesnotcause pollution anditisrenewable,meaningwe cannotrun
out of it. The potential forwindenergyisincredible asthere is20 timesmore windthanwhatthe entire
humanrace needs (Maehlum). It’salsoworthnotingthatpriceshave beendecreasingsince the 80’s and

6. Will Eckerle
BUS351
Marra
December12, 2015
5
are expectedtokeepdecreasing.The operationalcosts forwindare low.Solarenergy isalsoa good
alternative becausesimilartowind:itisrenewable,environmentallyfriendly, andhasreducingprices.
Technologyforsolarenergy isalsoincreasing,andhas“the potential totriple the electrical outputof
solarpanels”(Maehlum).
Othergreat ways to become more sustainableinclude incorporatingmore recyclingintothe
company.Thiswouldinclude makingall typesof productsfrompaperto boxestoplastic objectsare
recycled. Encouragingemployeestoprintoff less papersandturnoff office equipmentwhentheyare
not usingitisextremelyhelpful notonlyintermsof environmental costsbuteconomicaswell.
Listeningtoemployees isanadditionalmethodforbeingsustainable. Employeesare the backbone of
the companyand are greatsourcesof informationtocompanyconductas they live byeachday,so
havinga suggestionbox forthe environmentaldepartmenttoconsidernew methodswouldbe
extremelyhelpful.
Since we have discussedalternativeenergy,anothermethodto coincide withitwouldbe
efficientlighting,byinstatingfluorescentandlightemittingdiode (LED) bulbs.“These bulbsare more
sustainable becausetheyuse alotlesselectricitytolightupan office”(Kelly).LEDandfluorescentbulbs
alsolast fora longperiodof time.Tocut downon plasticbottle waste inoffice places,HRshould
recommendthatthe environmental department call fora companyban on single use waterbottlesand
that employeesshouldbringreusable bottles, aswell have waterdispensersbe installedinthe office
places.Thiswouldextremelyeffective inthe longwayasthe companywouldhave greatlydecreased
plasticwaste.

7. Will Eckerle
BUS351
Marra
December12, 2015
6
Withthese reasonsIbelieve HRshouldtake onsustainabilityaspartof theirsocial
responsibility. Inadditionwiththese methodsprovided,Ibelieve thiswouldbe agreatstart for their
environmental campaign.

8. Works Cited
Bosque,Thomas.“9 WAYS TO REDUCE PLASTICBOTTLE WASTE ATYOUR WORKPLACE.”Ban the Bottle.
Ban the Bottle,22 June 2009. Web.12 December2015.
https://www.banthebottle.net/articles/9-ways-to-reduce-plastic-bottle-waste-at-your-
workplace/
Cascio,Wayne F. Managing Human Resources:Productivity,Quality of WorkLife,Profits. New York:
McGraw-Hill,2013. Print.
“CommunityService Leave.”OSHR.NorthCarolinaOfficeof HumanResources.Web.12 December2015.
http://oshr.nc.gov/community-service-leave
“Human Resource Management.”BusinessDictionary.BusinessDictionary.Web.12December2015.
http://www.businessdictionary.com/definition/human-resource-management-HRM.html
Kelly,Joe.“HowtoBe Sustainable atWork.”Chron.HoustonChronicle.Web.12December2015.
http://smallbusiness.chron.com/sustainable-work-10288.html
Maehlum,MathiasAarre.“Solar EnergyPros and Cons.”Energy Informative. EnergyInformative, 12
May 2014. Web.12 December2015. http://energyinformative.org/solar-energy-pros-and-
cons/#technology-is-improving
Maehlum,MathiasAarre.“WindEnergy Prosand Cons.”Energy Informative. EnergyInformative,23
March 2015. Web.12 December2015. http://energyinformative.org/wind-energy-pros-and-
cons/
Marra, Kathy.Personal Interview.8December2015.
Perera,Alex.“4LessonsonEnvironmental SustainabilitythatEveryCorporationShouldLearn.”World
ResourcesInstitute. WorldResourcesInstitute,4April 2013. Web. 12 December2015.
http://www.wri.org/blog/2013/04/4-lessons-environmental-sustainability-every-corporation-
should-learn