Competition at the Workplace Essay

Introduction

Employers of many companies persuade their employees to adopt careers that suit their present jobs. To a further extend, employers have a tendency of firing their employees due to confusion between job security and career security. A career is a pursuit of a lifelong objective, vision, or ambition. It entails a process that leads someone to a permanent objective.

Job security is the likelihood of individuals to keep their jobs because the chances of such individuals to remain jobless are at the stake of those who have higher qualifications; hence, they strive to minimize the chances of being unemployed due to by maintaining a high degree of hard work or qualification.

Therefore, employees have to acquire adequate training to remain competent. Consequently, they have to seek higher qualifications than those of their colleagues. This essay focuses on the following questions, as mentioned in the case study ‘HRM Capstone’.

Is JD concerned more with job security or career security?

JD is concerned more with job security than career security. He describes the Petroleum and Chemical industry as one that has several projects in-house. Therefore, a competition is realized amongst the employees. This situation has compelled some employees in the firm to acquire further training in an attempt to maintain their competitiveness. A weakness that is realized is that many of the workers are employed on lower ranks due to limited training that the firm offers to the employees (Dekker 373).

JD acknowledges the problem by analysis of the strengths, weaknesses, opportunities, and threats that exist within the environment of the company. As an engineer in the company, JD knows that he has the capacity to handle technical assignments. However, he understands that many of his colleagues have better skills than his.

To seize the new opportunity in the company, he enrolls for training in the university to advance his skills on software and good work ethics that are required in the company. Eventually, these skills have enabled him to be ranked among the top performers in the company. Consequently, an analysis of the case study reveals that his ambitions are based on job security rather than career security (Picchio 146).

Do you agree with JD’s statement “Your knowledge is your portfolio within your current workplace or within the industry? How is this true? Discuss.

An examination of the case study reveals that Wallace JD’s objective is to obtain employment in a company that will enable him to develop his career. Contrarily, he seems more focused on the development of skills to maintain his employment status than to develop his career. Career development does not necessarily require employment stability.

However, there is a risk of being unemployed or fired because of wrong career involvement. JD does not show the risk involved in his career. He readily joins the college to train further in a bid to maintain the job and attain a promotion. Therefore, I agree with Wallace’s statement “Your knowledge is your portfolio within your current workplace or within the industry” (Picchio 147).

What area of HR is involved in the case? Give situations from the case.

The case study provides clarity on employment and salary remuneration; hence, it falls under the staffing section in the Human Resource Department. A good example is evident where both internal employment opportunities and training are being offered to the employees. In addition, the issue of promotion to new ranks is under this section. Promotion of employees is evident when Wallace is offered a new position in the company (Picchio146).

In conclusion, the workplace has become increasingly competitive. As a result, many employees strive to maintain their competitiveness in terms of skills and knowledge that pertains to the prevailing job conditions rather than the advancement of their careers. In the aforementioned case study, JD Wallace clearly shows his desires to acquire skills and knowledge about his position in the company.

Works Cited

Dekker, Ronald. Non-Standard Employment and Mobility in the Dutch, British and German Labour Market, Tilburg: Tilburg University Press, 2007. Print.

Picchio, Matteo. “Temporary Contracts and Transitions to Stable Jobs in Italy.” Labour 22.1(2008): 147-7. Print.