Introduction
The business world has many challenges that can harm organizations’ performance. Therefore, possible problems should be revealed, analyzed, and managed in an effective, timely manner. Still, traditional approaches can be not efficient or provide a solution not as soon as it is necessary. Consequently, alternative methods can be applied such as creative problem-solving. The concept of creative problem solving has different definitions, but its basis comprises imaginative, innovative, and unconventional ways to manage a problem (Proctor, 2014). Creative problem solving can be applied to a variety of issues in the business including recruitment. The organization at the focus of this report is the Monitoring and Control Center (MCC), established in 2011 by the Executive Council of the Emirate of Abu Dhabi. MCC was created to address several important issues. First of all, MCC is responsible for management, organization, and utilization of the “systems of monitoring and control devices in vital places, facilities, and public and private establishments as well as analyzing the data provided by such devices to prevent the commission of crimes and discover the perpetrators and preserve security and public order in the Emirate” (Fawcett, 2015, para. 5).
Secondly, MCC is expected to ensure continuous operation of monitoring and control devices and systems as well as their integration and agreement with other devices and systems involved in monitoring and control of the Emirate. The vision accepted by MCC is to establish a safe and smart Abu Dhabi (Monitoring and Control Center, 2015). According to Abu Dhabi Law Executive Regulations No.5 of 2011, MCC provides the release of the permits, non-objection as well as accreditation certificates necessary for monitoring of the public locations and facilities, private places, and their infrastructure. Finally, MCC develops the standards and technical specifications applied to monitoring and control devices (Fawcett, 2016). The problem that MCC currently faces is the lack of strategies for recruiting and retaining highly competent human resources. In conditions of the low unemployment rate in the UAE (1.72 percent as of 2017), employers have fewer choices among applicants for the positions they suggest (“United Arab Emirates unemployment rate,” 2018). Therefore, they have to hire individuals that are probably worse trained or less effective. To address this problem, there is a need for a creative approach to recruiting the workforce for MCC.
Analysis of the Problem
Human resource is considered to be a valuable asset of every organization. Consequently, companies need effective strategies that allow hiring and retaining highly qualified employees able to demonstrate more than average performance (Balasubramanian, 2014). Still, considering the low unemployment rate, employers face the biggest challenge, which is difficulty in attracting the right people (Bersin, 2018). Sometimes, there are more positions than qualified applicants, and HR services are in search of approaches that allow recruiting professionals. Thus, the problem with this report was selected after the analysis of the current unemployment rate and prediction of MCC needs for qualified employees in the following years. It was revealed that, in conditions of the low unemployment rate, the organization has fewer opportunities for choosing among job applicants. Consequently, it needs new strategies that will allow attracting talented employees, recruiting them, and managing to achieve high retention.
To analyze the problem of the lack of strategies for recruiting and retaining highly competent human resources, it is necessary to define the concept of recruiting itself. Thus, recruitment is “the process of attracting individuals on a timely basis, in sufficient numbers, and with appropriate qualifications, to apply for jobs with an organization” (Gusdorf, 2008, p. 1). Considering the low unemployment rate, the problem of hiring highly professional individuals that fit the suggested positions becomes significant for the organization. Moreover, the fact the activity of MCC is related to safety, the organization cannot afford to hire accidental individuals without proper training and qualification.
A five-step problem-solving approach can be applied to evaluate the problem and come to a desirable outcome. These steps include identification of the problem, identification of a plan, discussion of the possible outcomes, implementation of the strategy, and evaluation of the results. The problem faced by MCC can be identified as the lack of effective strategies for attracting, recruiting, and retaining highly competent human resources. The plan to address the problem is as follows. Since the unemployed make up one of the focus groups in this plan, it is necessary to study their preferences in looking for a job, which include resources where they attempt to find a position. The next stage of the plan comprises the development of creative strategies that can be used to address the problem and reach the target audiences.
Discussion of the outcomes involves the assessment of risks related to the plan implementation. The first risk is that the selected creative approaches to solving the problem can be not effective. Still, this risk can be mitigated due to careful planning, investigation of the target audience, and prediction of the results. Another risk involves a low retention rate among the employed individuals, which can lead to financial losses of the organization that has invested in their training. Still, it is possible to reduce this risk by creating conditions that lead to an increase in employee job satisfaction and the resulting growth of retention rate. The fourth step, which is the implementation of the selected strategy or strategies, implies the realization of the plan within the organization. Finally, after the strategy is implemented, it is crucial to assess the results and evaluate the effectiveness of the selected approach. In case it is effective, it can be recommended for further utilization within the organization. However, in case low effectiveness is observed, the plan should be reviewed to reveal the weak points and make the necessary changes.
Creative Ideas for Problem Solving
It is generally accepted that effective recruitment and selection have a positive impact on the organization’s performance. It is the task of the human resource department to identify the needs of the organization in employees and utilize strategies to attract potential candidates (Ahmed, 2013). The most significant aspects of the selection process include picking individuals with relevant qualifications, checking if the candidates’ profiles match job requirements, and application of diverse techniques and tools to select the most suitable candidates for every position (Kumari, 2012). The complexity of these aspects is expected to result in a successful recruitment process. Still, in certain conditions, traditional approaches can have low effectiveness. Consequently, there is a need for creative ideas that can be applied to solving the existing problem. For MCC, the following suggestions can be considered to address the problem of the lack of effective strategies for attracting, recruiting, and retaining highly qualified human resources.
The first idea is aimed at the attraction of candidates eager to work for the organization. According to the Dubai Statistics Center (2012), the unemployed population in the emirate of Dubai undertakes diverse steps to find a job. The greatest part of the population, which is 1,941 out of 3,130 individuals, prefers registering with human resource development authority. An almost equal number of the unemployed registers with private recruiting offices or seek help from relatives or friends (Dubai Statistics Center, 2012). Such alternatives for finding a job as looking up in newspapers, applying directly to an employer, and browsing the Internet are the least popular, but still, attract about 14% of unemployed applicants. These data lead to a conclusion that the organization should utilize diverse media to attract new employees. This scenario is expected to develop in the following way.
The organization places job advertisements in newspapers as well as on the corresponding internet resources. Also, it involves both human resource development authority and private recruiting offices to select candidates. Moreover, it is possible to attract candidates through current employees who may have friends or relatives interested in a new job. This scenario can be an appropriate solution to the existing problem because the use of multiple strategies of attracting prospective employees is likely to provide the organization with a broad choice of professionals thus allowing the selection of individuals most suitable for every vacant position. The challenge in this scenario is that there will be no professionals who possess the necessary qualities and have the needed qualifications. Still, the challenge can be addressed by a detailed description of a position and using human resource development authority and private recruiting offices, which provide pre-selection of candidates.
One more strategy for attracting talented human resources is an invitation of graduate students for an internship with an opportunity of future employment in case of good performance (Richardson, n.d.). Hiring graduates have certain benefits for employers. First of all, young people are quick learners and have high adaptivity to changing conditions (“What are the main benefits of hiring graduates?” n.d.). Consequently, they are ready to learn new things as well as apply their university knowledge to practice. Another advantage of involving graduate students in the workforce is that they are easier to manage due to less experience compared to entitled workers. One of the greatest benefits of younger employees in the workforce is their high level of comfort with technology, which is integral to nearly every business sphere today (“What are the main benefits of hiring graduates?” n.d.).
Finally, graduate students are usually paid less than the experienced workers, and the organization can save on yearly employee salaries. The expected scenario is as follows. The organization cooperates with an educational institution that prepares professionals in the necessary field and invites them to work for a year or two. During this time, students learn the peculiarities of the organizations and are ready to utilize their theoretical knowledge in the context of its activity. Since it is their first workplace, graduate students are likely to be more dedicated and thus productive, which is beneficial for the organization. The challenge of this approach is that students may not want to stay in their positions after they graduate and thus the organization wastes time, efforts, and resources that were spent on training these students. One of the possibilities to reduce the challenge is strong corporate culture and involvement of graduate students in all organization’s activities to make them feel like a part of a big family.
One more scenario to provide the organization with an effective workforce is the probation period. On the one hand, it is a typical procedure, but the creative approach presupposes long probation that lasts from three to six months. Standard one-month probation does not allow an employer to evaluate a candidate and ensure that a person fits the selected position. The benefit of this scenario is that an employee has an opportunity to study all aspects of the position and demonstrate his or her skills in different situations. For employers, long probation is not only the possibility to assess the professional qualities of applicants, but also to judge their features. The challenge of this scenario is that few candidates will be eager to waste time on log probation. Still, its advantage is that only the individuals who are interested in employment with this organization will apply.
Conclusion
To summarizing, it should be mentioned that the problem of effective recruitment is of vital significance for organizations since it directly influences their performance. Sometimes, standard approaches are not effective, and there is a need for creative ideas to address the existing problems. In the case of MCC, a creative problem-solving approach allows reaching future employees through a set of strategies such as diverse media of advertising of vacancies, the involvement of graduate students as prospective employees, and a long probation period to assess the suitability of a candidate. Despite certain challenges, all of the mentioned strategies can be effective in attracting, recruiting, and retaining an effective workforce.
References
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