Essay Sample on Importance of Human Capital and Employee Engagement

Introduction

In Keller's opinion, God has plans for the work we do as human beings on earth. He mentions that work is meant for different purpose and gives "work as cultivation" and "work as service" among others. God's command in the beginning after creating Adam and Eve was "be fruitful, fill the earth and subdue it" which meant that he wanted man to create (Keller, 2012). Cultivation in this sense is the creation of civilization and culture in the world. Work should be done in such a way that it encourages the world to thrive and flourish, each individual roles played should cause growth (Keller, 2012). Work as a service means that everything man does should provide service to God and to ones neighbors. Work should be selfless, it should be interested more in the glory of God and serving others. It is critical to consider these two purposes of work as business practitioners and academics since often times we are faced by conflicting interests when it comes to the purpose of the work we do. Understanding that God requires us to cultivate in our works allows us to work towards ensuring the creation of a culture that praises God. In the same way, we are able to serve others through our work, giving the best services and best products. In academics we are able to put more in our studies as we are working in service of God. The Human Resource Department for instance ensures that the work environment is conducive for every individual, as such presenting work as cultivation and service is important. The department should foster an environment whereby individuals are willing to serve others in their work and create a culture that leads to success.

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"But the work they do holds this world together. When they do their work, it is the same as offering prayer" (Sirach, 38:34). The quote provides a relationship between work and prayer. It highlights the importance of diligently working as if one is working for God and offering a prayer to Him. Genesis 1:27 on the other hand proclaims that "So God created man in his own image, in the image of God he created him; male and female he created them." The verse emphasizes on how has created every individual in his own image and likeness and as such we are charged with the responsibility of reflecting His character and virtues in our daily lives. The human resource department in an organization propels people towards the company's desired end. As Hardy highlights, work is similar to a prayer to God, understanding the nature of your work and ensuring that you fashion it to meet the organization's need is important. Human Resource Development of any organization is imperative in enabling employees understand what their work requires of them and how they can function effectively. Christians are made in the image and likeness of God and they believe they have a purpose through the work they do, therefore, the HRD is important in guiding them towards making the most of opportunities they have.

The role of HRD has evolved over the years thanks to global development, changing workplace and organizational restructuring among other factors. Work environments have changed and so has organizational needs. As such the HRD is no longer just interested in the predominant record-keeping role that aims at ensuring the organization's terms and conditions are met but rather, ensures there is integration of traditional role of personnel management and ensuring that they understand organizational goals and seek to achieve them (Noe, 2017), (Mello, 2014). The traditional HRD had a narrower scope as compared to the contemporary role it plays now. Traditionally, HRD was charged with the following responsibilities; recruitment, job analysis, job evaluation, manpower planning, payroll administration among other administrative roles. Currently their scope has expanded to incorporate leadership, development of organizational culture and communication of shared values among other vital roles (Mello, 2014). In the contemporary roles the HRD is more involved in ensuring organization's strategy and vision are achieved by maximizing on human capital (Albrecht, 2015). Christians worldwide need to understand the integral role Human Resource plays in an organization and ensuring that it meets its goals. HRD is responsible for the creation of an organizational culture built on integrity and virtue, and therefore, they should use it to create a foundation for a moral and ethical work environment (Shapiro, 2016).

The Equal Employment Opportunity statutes apply in different contexts like internal and external recruiting, interviewing of candidates, pre-employment testing, hiring and compensation among others (Mello, 2014). The United States has put up statutes that protect certain classes of people against discrimination because of characteristics such as class, gender, race, color, religion, pregnancy, disability, religion and age among others (Mello, 2011). Bearing in mind the statutes HRD is able to make informed decisions when playing its role to avoid being biased. It informs the process of recruitment and the overall handling of employees to ensure issues of discrimination do not arise. The Bible shows us how merciful God was in the creation story even after Adam disobeyed him. God did not get rid of him but instead punished him. However, God's love for Adam and Eve did not change. Equal opportunities is necessary since despite the difference that we have we are still loved and accepted by God. As such HRD should also follow God's example and provide equal opportunities to everyone. The EEO statutes express the righteousness in executing God's plans and as such the HRD should embrace the role it has been given and practice equality.

Mello, 2015 highlights the importance of human capital and employee engagement in the success of any organization. He delves into the various roles that the employees play in ensuring that the vision, mission, goals and strategic plans of an organization are reached. He describes them as the cornerstone of any organization and I agree since an organization cannot exist without human capital. Therefore, understanding this will ensure that the HRD understands the importance of human resource in the organization and work towards empowering them. Keller and Hardy illustrate the vocation in their books (Keller, 2012). They emphasize on placing God at the center of one's work and being a steward in everything one does. Living and working to reflect God ensures that one makes the best out of whatever profession one holds. Human capital requires nurturing and it is the individual role of individuals to grow to be the best they can be in the work environment. Employee engagement leads to organizational success and thus employees should cultivate their work and build a culture of servanthood. God requires man to work diligently as though he is offering a prayer and once employees adopt that they are at a better position to improve human capital and employee engagement.

References

Albrecht, S. L., Bakker, A. B., Gruman, J. A., Macey, W. H., & Saks, A. M. (2015). Employee engagement, human resource management practices and competitive advantage: An integrated approach. Journal of Organizational Effectiveness: People and Performance, 2(1), 7-35.

Keller, T. (2012). Every Good Endeavour: Connecting Your Work to God's Plan for the World. Hachette UK.

Mello, J. A. (2011). Strategic management of human resources. South-western cengage learning.

Mello, J. A. (2014). Strategic human resource management. Nelson Education.

Noe, R. A., Hollenbeck, J. R., Gerhart, B., & Wright, P. M. (2017). Human resource management: Gaining a competitive advantage. New York, NY: McGraw-Hill Education.

Shapiro, B. (2016). Using traditional narratives and other narrative devices to enact humanizing business practices. Journal of Business Ethics, 139(1), 1-19.