Introduction
General Motors is a multinational automotive multinational company. General Motors has its headquarters in Detroit, Michigan, United States and is considered one of the biggest automobile manufacturers based in the United States and globally. The company runs manufacturing and assembling plants and distribution centres throughout the United States and Canada, among other countries. Major products in the company involve trucks, automobiles, automotive gear, and engines. In addition, the company also engages in financial services.
The company was founded in 1908 under the leadership of William Durant. It was mainly founded to consolidate several motor car companies. By 1929 the company had outdone the Ford Motor company by growing into the chief manufacturer of American passenger-car. Since then, it has expanded and is currently operating manufacturing plants in eight different countries. Moreover, it is ranked 22nd on the fortune 500 rankings of the United States corporations in terms of total revenue. This paper seeks to describe the human resource department, diversity and new projects of the company.
Human Resource Department
Being one of the largest automotive makers, General Motors (GM) operates manufacturing in over 50 countries. It is responsible for producing around 15% of the total world’s cars and trucks. Due to the large workforce and operations in various parts of the world, it can be challenging for GM management. The large and diverse workforce can be a challenge for the company in ensuring they manage properly. The company’s vision is to be the largest producer of transportation products and related services in the world. GM’s main aim is to gain the customers’ trust and enthusiasm through constant development motivated by integrity, teamwork and innovation of the company’s personnel.
To achieve the company’s vision, the company ensures the employment of a large, skilled, motivated and diverse workforce. The company’s human resource management has always made efforts to employ people who understand the automotive industry’s operative, practical, and the people side. The company relies on employees to work in a team of professionals to ensure the diagnosis of a problem and plan and implement solutions. The company’s HR has various policies that ensure the success of this strategy. Success is based on facilitation, coaching, consulting and leadership abilities. These policies provide the company with a successful approach to obtaining talent from the workforce hence the general success of the business. The employees and performance of the company have been optimized by specific strategies and prioritizing talent, transformation and technology.
The functions of the human resource management in the company are well defined. These functions are significant for the growth of talented people and exceeding the company’s strategies, goals and objectives in terms of a culture that embraces diversity. The primary function of HR is to enhance the performance of the GM workforce. So far, the department has been able to develop employees’ talent that will lead the company towards being the largest and most successful vehicle manufacturer in the United States and globally. The company performs other functions such as labour relations, salaried management, health and workplace safety, OD discussions, and communications. In addition, the department ensures excellence in various areas of the business operations, such as partnerships, functional expertise and changing management for success. Among all its functions, the HR department of General Motors mainly focuses on people.
The HR department has a policy of compensation and reward for employees. Aside from the normal salary, the company provides various investment options, medical plans, health savings, personal retirement income plans and US saving bonds. In addition, the department provides employees with work-life programs that seek to help find a rational balance between their professional and personal lives. As per the labour-management matters and personnel relations, the company respects its employees’ rights to choose memberships in a union. The company observes all the laws regarding the employees’ safety at the workplace. All the company’s HR policies are implemented to help improve the company’s competitive advantage and face the changing business environment both locally and internationally.
Diversity of the Company
Over the years, GM has long understood the significance of unique perspectives toward success in the marketplace. As a result, the company engaged in building a diverse business that ensures the inclusion of different cultures and perspectives in the workplace. The company has embraced diversity in global manufacturing facilities and the market share. According to Hunt et al. (2015), diversity is the acceptance and comprehension that anyone involved in business operations has something to offer. Diversity can ensure the success of a business by taking and considering different ideas and perspectives.
GM believes in the diversity of its clients, suppliers, workers, dealers and any other business features. The use of diversity allows the company to build the customers’ enthusiasm. According to Motanya (2011), employing a diverse workforce in terms of age and culture allows the company to obtain diverse perspectives that could be useful for the company’s success in the marketplace.GM has pioneered various programs that aid in driving diversity in the workplace. The company has over 266000 personnel from six continents, 193 countries and 23 time zones. The company’s workforce speaks over 70 languages. The diversity has allowed the company to obtain more global sales, evident in the Statista report by Carlier (2022), which states that 9.6 million vehicles were sold globally in the preceding year.
However, even with the evident success of the diversity approach, GM has faced various challenges regarding its large workforce and support of diversity. One challenge the company faces is the negative attitude and stereotypes towards the diverse cultures supported by the company. People create false assumptions and are afraid to accept changes that come with diversity. To solve this challenge, the company has ensured comprehensive training to stop the behaviours of discrimination, bullying and stereotyping among the company’s personnel. Compared to its competitors, the company has been successful due to its willingness to incorporate employees of different cultures. The diversity of employees helps the company get unique perspectives designed to suit the traditions table. The collaboration of the diverse mix helps the company improve its competitive advantage, especially in the international market, as various traditions have been considered during production.
New Projects Coming Out
In building the company into one of the most valuable companies, the company has carried out various development strategies. GM visions to ensure a world of zero emissions, zero congestion and zero crashes. To achieve this objective, the company has undertaken electrification of its products. The innovation projects seek to transform the company into an electric future.
GM is working towards expanding its digital services and increasing the lifetime value of its vehicles. To achieve Ultifi strategy has been implemented, which involves an end–to–end software policy intended to unlock new vehicle experiences and ensure customers are connected to them digitally. The policy will help ensure that customers receive regular and seamless software-defined features, apps and services through the air. Secondly, the company is working towards opening new markets whenever and wherever an opportunity is presented. Currently, the company manages almost twenty startups of different sizes and maturity levels.
In addition, the company is making plans that by 2010 more than 50 per cent of the company’s North America and China manufacturing footprint will have the ability of EV production. The company is also currently on a commitment to source 100 per cent renewable energy for the company’s operations based in the United States. Currently, the company is sharing the glimpses of new Ultra Cruise. This project is aimed to provide hands-free advanced driving assistance, which will be offered by 2023. The Ultra Cruise is being developed to be the best driver assistance system based on its safe operation and capability.
Conclusion
Generally, the company is working towards advancing its automotive products to electric. The strategy of an all-electric future is expected to be inclusive and accessible to all. To achieve these goals and objectives, the Company’s HR department is working toward ensuring an effective workforce. In addition, the company pioneered in promoting diversity across its various operations in different countries. A combination of diversity and human resource management policies is crucial to ensuring the successful development of the company’s products and services. A successful and cos-effective restructuring of the company’s operations based on the new projects will help the company improve its competitive advantage. In addition, these changes will help the company cater for the changing consumer preferences.
References
Hunt, V., Layton, D., & Prince, S. (2015). Diversity matters. McKinsey & Company, 1(1), 15-29.
Motanya, S. N. (2011). Managing cultural diversity at General Motors East Africa Ltd (Doctoral dissertation, University of Nairobi, Kenya).
Carlier M. (2022). General Motors Statistics and Facts. Statista Report. Retrieved: https://www.statista.com/topics/2480/general-motors/#topicHeader__wrapper
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