Models of Strategic Human Resource Management

The key people who work for Apple are at the marketing, technical, staff positions. The
primary objective of the company is to attract and retain its employees (Rees & Smith,
2017). To achieve this, the company has employed different strategic human resource
practices to attract skilled professionals. Apple is interested in maximizing the efforts of its
workforce by investing in their skills. The company recognizes human capital as a vital
element for overall competitiveness (Storey, 2014). The human resources are the driving
force towards its development strategy. As such, the firm has capitalized on the
competencies of its staff with the primary objective of achieving competitive advantage in
the market. The great talents and people management approaches used in the company
have enabled it to become the most innovative firm in the consumer electronics industry.

The HR of Apple Inc. works towards maximizing the returns on investment by minimizing the
financial risks while capitalizing on human capital. The human resource management of
Apple Inc is charged with various responsibilities including recruitment and selection,
leadership development, incentive compensation, employee development, and employee
relations among others (Storey, 2014). These activities are carried out by human resource
managers efficiently and consistently. The key strategic human resource functions are
discussed below.

 Recruitment and Selection

Recruitment and selection are the keys to the success of most organizations (Sparrow,
Brewster & Chung, 2016). Apple has invested a lot in recruitment process with the primary
objective of getting the right talents who can fit the organizational culture (Storey, 2014).
The company requires employees who are hard working and committed to the activities of
the enterprise. Apple uses a different recruitment strategy which is different from other
employers. Apple does not promise its employees on career progression. The employees
are required to own their career (Rees & Smith, 2017). In this, case the company does not
support career path. The workforce is expected to seek information concerning their jobs.
The company also relies on pirate raiding of talented workers from other businesses. The
recruitment process is designed in such a way that only employees who fit the
organizational culture are hired. The selection process is based on the verbal interview. The
recruitment and selection model enables the company to get right talents to serve the
organization.

 Diversity and Equal Employment Opportunities

Apple provides equal employment opportunities to all people regardless of their gender,
race, ethnicity or disability among others (Grant, 2016). The company also employees
people from diverse backgrounds. As such, it has been able to attract a talented workforce
from different parts of the world that have contributed to its continued success and growth.

 Employment Benefits and Compensation

Apple provides competitive packages to attract talented staff. The benefits are provided
based on the employment status and the geographical location of the employer (Storey,
2014). Some of the benefits provided by the company include insurance cover, employee
stock purchase programs and investment and savings plan. Employees are also entitled to
products discounts. They are also given bonuses for working with experienced talents in the
 industry (Grant, 2016). Apple provides flex benefits where employees are required to
choose the benefits that best suit their lifestyles. The Economic reward has been used as
the best retention strategy by Apple. Employees are awarded periodical stock grants for
their contribution to the company (Rees & Smith, 2017). This is a great opportunity for
employees to create wealth and realize individual accomplishment at retirement. The
company also embraces agility. This has been the major contributing factor to its success
and employee retention. Employees are encouraged to shift from one manufacturing
department to another (Storey, 2014). For instance, an employee can shift from music
industry to computer and then to the smartphone industry. The company encourages
employees to be a master of all activities as they prepare themselves for the next big
thing. This strategy has motivated employees to commit their effort to the organizational
culture since they are in a position to enhance their skills.

 Employee Appreciation and Recognition

The company has a program known Apple Fellows Program that was created in 1995 to
recognize employees who make an extraordinary contribution to the company (Rees &
Smith, 2017). Employees who receive this award are appointed as leaders. They provide
visionary guidance to the organization in their field of expertise (Storey, 2014). This strategy
motivates employees to work hard since it also associated with economic benefits. Apple
appreciates and values employees who are committed to innovation. As such, the firm has
attracted some of the best and committed talents in the industry.

 Career opportunity
The recruitment policy of Apple focuses on the suitability of the candidate to fit the
organizational culture as opposed to the level of skills and experience (Grant, 2016). Apple
gives the employees opportunity to advance their skills while working for the organization.
It provides an opportunity for training and development. Employees are encouraged to
learn on the job. Besides, the company provides on-the –job training to allow employees
to advance their skills on the job.

Apple also absorbs employees through an internship. Those who are on internship are
provided with actual learning experiences that allow them to develop in their prospective
careers. The internship opportunity attracts the most talented students. They are provided
with the opportunity to develop their skills to equip them for future employment
opportunities (Rees & Smith, 2017). At the end of the internship, the interns who display
outstanding performance are employed. Besides, those who are not fortunate to get
employment from the company can get jobs immediately. This is because Apple provides a
real learning experience that other firms cannot provide. The interns from Apple are
promptly employed by other companies within the industry.

On-the-job training provides junior staff opportunity to interact with the experienced and
talented workforce (Storey, 2014). In this case, they can overcome challenges that they are
likely to experience in the course of their duty.

 Training and Development

Apple utilizes a unique training approach to ensure that the employees are equipped with
right skills for the job. The company allows the employees to do things on their own to
 encourage them to develop strong self-reliance (Storey, 2014). In this case, the workers can
learn from their mistakes. This strategy has enhanced skills development. Employees are
encouraged to develop innovative skills since they are allowed to work in different units
within the organization. Apple uses a unique approach to assigning roles to different teams
(Grant, 2016). In this case, several groups are assigned to perform a particular task. After
accomplishing the task, they are then assigned an entirely different role. The teams are
required to do something new at all times. This is the reason why Apple has developed as
one of the innovative companies in the world. The teams always compete to provide
something new that is entirely different from the previous projects (Storey, 2014). After
completing the tasks, the work of each team is reviewed, and the best is selected or chosen.

To enhance the culture of free thinking and innovation, the teams meet twice in a week.
During the meetings, they can brainstorm to come up with something new full of
innovation. Apple does not prepare training programs, but employees are encouraged to
learn on their own (Rees & Smith, 2017). This type of learning allows the employees to
receive incredible returns that contribute to the development of the company. The
challenges experienced during the projects encourage employees to become proactive
about what will be taking place the following day (Grant, 2016). The employees of the
Apple can learn on their own without training. This strategy has enabled the company to
nurture and develop talents that have made the company to achieve international
recognition.

The strategic human resource management approach used by Apple Inc. is aimed at
attracting the best talents and retaining them at the same time (Grant, 2016). These
strategic HR practices have enabled the firm to become the leading provider of consumer
personal computing products in the world.

Recommendations
Apple has some of the best HR management strategies. However, there are some changes
that they need to implement to enhance their ability to attract and retain the best talents.
Some of the new HR approaches the organization should embrace include the following:

 Creating potential network

Apple needs to work in collaboration with reputable universities in the world. In this case,
they will be in a position to spot potential talents at the earliest. This can be enhanced
through the social media and physical networking. This strategy will enable Apple to attract
some of the best talents in the market which are fresh from college. It is an essential
strategy that will contribute to the growth of the company and retain its position in the
market (Rees & Smith, 2017).

 Developing a simple application process

The recruitment strategy depends on candidates who can suit the organizational culture
as opposed to the skills and experience of the employee (Rees & Smith, 2017). This
strategy seems complicated and may bar talented candidates from applying for open
positions in the company. In this case, Apple Inc. should adopt recruitment strategies
which are simple and easily accessible. The recruitment procedure should encourage
employees to complete the application at their convenience. The recruitment process
 should not be based on verbal interview only. It should involve written interview to allow
the recruiting managers to learn the other skills of the potential candidates.

 Developing Training and Development Schedule

The company should emulate a training and development program where employees are
taken through particular processes as opposed to on-the-job training. The company should
embrace apprenticeship as opposed to leaving the employees to learn on their own. This
will allow employees to gain specific skills quickly to enable them to adapt to the
organizational culture (Sparrow, Brewster & Chung, 2016). This strategy will enable the
organization to retain some of its best talents since they will not be scared of the job during
the first days at work.

 Conducting research about the market

Apple should carry out a comprehensive talent research in the industry. In this case, they
can identify where they can get the best talents. Conducting market research will enable the
company to determine where potential and talented candidates who are not on the job
market hang out (Rees & Smith, 2017). This strategy will enable the company to attract the
best talents who are willing to take up the roles as opposed to pirate raiding.

 Knowing the competitors in the market

Apple needs to know what the competitors such as Samsung, HTC, and Nokia among others
provide to their employees as financial and nonfinancial benefits. This will enable it to
extend its value proposition to offer rewards which are slightly higher than the competitors.
In this case, Apple will be in a position to attract the best talents in the market.

 Reward and Bonuses

The reward system of Apple is based on individual performance. In most cases, the
employees work as a team. Therefore, the organization should consider creating a reward
and bonus system that awards outstanding group performance. This strategy will enhance
team commitment and competition. As such, the teams will become innovative and creative
(Sparrow, Brewster & Chung, 2016). The quality of the products will improve, and Apple will
continue to dominate the industry. This strategy works best at retaining a talented
workforce.

 Organizational Culture
The HR managers should implement policies that embrace the collaborative culture.
Collaborative culture promotes operational excellence that translates to organizational
growth. A corporate culture that is devoid of control and encourages employees to
participate in decision-making improves work commitment and performance (Rees &
Smith, 2017). This strategy will help the organization to retain its best talents and attract a
competent workforce.

Conclusion
It is evident that Apple has the best talents that have enabled it to be rank as the best
company in providing personal computing. However, its corporate culture does not promote
the morale of the employees. The HR strategy should be aligned with the overall
organizational strategy to ensure imminent and sustainable long-term success. Apple should
adopt HRM policies that encourage systematic practice where employees are involved in
decision making. This will enable the company to manage a diverse workforce and realize
sustainable growth.