Imagine you are the HR director of a growing international staffing organization that services both North America and South America. The CEO has come to grips with the fact that the HR group, which is currently decentralized, is in need of restructuring to account for the expected increase in revenues. The CEO has asked for your opinion on how to best restructure the firm.
Based upon your knowledge, recommend an organizational structure (for example, functional, matrix, or projectized) that will provide growth for the firm. Also, assess the influence that this project will have on the customers (who are located throughout the Americas) that are serviced by the HR group.
Full Answer Section
The impact of a matrix organizational structure on the customers of the HR group is likely to be positive. A matrix structure can help the HR group to be more responsive to the needs of its customers by allowing it to quickly and easily assemble teams to work on specific projects. This can lead to faster turnaround times and better customer service.
However, it is important to note that a matrix structure can also be complex and challenging to manage. It is important to have clear communication and collaboration between the functional managers and project managers in order to avoid conflict and confusion.
Here are some specific examples of how a matrix organizational structure could benefit a growing international staffing organization:
- The HR group could use a matrix structure to assemble teams to work on specific projects, such as placing a large group of engineers in a new office in Mexico City.
- The matrix structure could also be used to promote collaboration between different departments and disciplines, such as between the recruiting team and the training team to develop a new onboarding program for new employees.
- The matrix structure could also be used to leverage the expertise of employees in a variety of ways, such as by assigning an employee with experience in the Latin American market to a project team that is developing a new marketing campaign for that region.
Overall, I believe that a matrix organizational structure is the best way to restructure a growing international staffing organization. It is a flexible and scalable structure that can help the organization to meet the needs of its customers and to achieve its growth goals.
Sample Answer
For a growing international staffing organization that services both North America and South America, I would recommend a matrix organizational structure.
A matrix organizational structure is a hybrid structure that combines elements of a functional structure and a project structure. In a matrix structure, employees have two or more reporting managers: a functional manager and a project manager. The functional manager is responsible for the employee's career development and technical expertise, while the project manager is responsible for the employee's work on a specific project.
A matrix structure is well-suited for a growing international staffing organization because it offers a number of advantages:
- It allows the organization to quickly and easily assemble teams to work on specific projects.
- It promotes collaboration between different departments and disciplines.
- It allows the organization to leverage the expertise of its employees in a variety of ways.
- It is flexible and can be easily adapted to changes in the market.