Organizing HR Projects

HRM 517 Assignments Case/Scenario – Centralization of HR Project at WorkSafe, Inc. (CHRP @WSI)

WorkSafe, Inc. started after World War II, offering its popular eye protection line of industrial safety glasses and goggles. Expanding by introducing new products and through acquisitions and mergers of similar companies, it has become a leader in the safety equipment field. Ten years ago, in its first acquisition, WorkSafe, Inc. bought out another company which made safety masks. Since then WorkSafe has acquired several more companies each providing various industrial and medical safety equipment such as CPAP & BiPAP machines, filters, tubes, and masks; respirators; gas masks; dialysis machines; and recently –medical ventilators. Each of these acquisitions required mergers of the assorted departments and operating units of each company with those of WorkSafe, Inc. So far successful mergers and consolidations have occurred for HQ units such as Board of Directors, Executive Directors, Marketing; Sales; Engineering; and Distribution. One legacy aspect of the various combined companies remains – some company operations units still fund and rely on their own semi-autonomous Talent Management/Human Resources/Personnel staff.

With the recent dramatic increase in demand for Personal Protective Equipment (PPE), WorkSafe, Inc. has decided it is time to consolidate all HR from the current array of departments and operating units into a centralized department in the WorkSafe, Inc. Headquarters offices in Kansas City.

You have been a talent management/HR employee at WorkSafe, Inc. for eight years. As a supervisory HR Specialist in the HQ HR office for four years, you have been overseeing different sections composed of HR Specialists, while participating in job rotation as part of your management development plan. Recently, after serving on several project teams at WorkSafe, Inc., you were sent to a Project Management Institute (PMI) program conducted by Xavier University Professor Timothy Kloppenborg. Subsequently, you successfully obtained your Project Management Professional (PMP) certification.

Your company has had embedded HR generalists in business units for the past several years. Over that time, it has become costlier, and more difficult to maintain standards, and is a frustration for business units to have that budget “hit.” The leadership has decided to move to a more centralized model of delivering HR services within WorkSafe, Inc. and has asked you to assume the role of project manager for this centralization of HR project.

The project team is selected composed of staff from all major departments of the organization and a cross-section of employees including some of the embedded HR staff and you must now provide general direction to the team.

The assignments in HRM 517 represent talks you make in meetings you conduct with the project team to provide your vision of how the project will address all the various issues of managing the project. The four assignments are the ones for Weeks 3, 4, 5, & 7 – ‘The Trophy Case’ for Week 8 is not included in the WorkSafe, Inc. role play activity and need not be included in the Final Report/Presentation. The Week 10 Assignment 6 is a final report and presentation to management about your readiness to begin the project. The report includes the information from the four meetings preparatory to the project. Management is anticipating giving approval to proceed after reviewing your final report/ presentation.

With the exception of ‘The Trophy Case’ for Week 8, the Assignments are to be written as if you are the project manager talking to the project team about the Centralization of HR Project (CHRP) at WorkSafe, Inc. Address all topics within the context of the in-house project and apply what you have learned from Professor Kloppenborg and other authorities in the field of project management.