Earthlink
Running head: Earthlink Benchmark
Human Resources Benchmark Analysis for Earthlink
Human Resources Analysis for Earthlink
Integrating a company’s strategic plan with its human capital resources insures its seamless implementation in order to gain the competitive advantage. Successful companies actively manage their workforce to give themselves the advantage in the workplace.(Dreher & Dougherty, 2001) When companies change their strategic plans, they must also change their workforce through a well-planned human resources strategy. As companies move into markets, they must increase their workforce with selective recruiting and hiring practices, effective skills analysis for retention and challenging training and development programs.(Noe, Hollenbeck, Gerhert, & Wright, 2003) When a company leaves a market or restructures out of a business venture, they must also integrate their human resources strategy with the corporate strategy. Earthlink, Inc seeks this seamless implementation as it redirects its business strategy out of the municipal Wi-Fi market.(Brock, 2007)
Rather than continuing in a partnership with Google to develop a municipal Wi-Fi network for San Francisco, Earthlink has changed its corporate direction. According to Earthlink President and CEO, Rolla Huff, Earthlink must redirect its efforts back to its core business instead of devoting so much money and effort into new business initiatives such as the municipal Wi-Fi networks proposed with Google.(Kapko, 2007) This corporate restructuring will save approximately $35 million over the next year and will break even on the restructuring losses in approximately six months.(Kapko, 2007)
As with most corporate restructures, the company’s human resources must be restructured. EarthLink has selected the head executive of the Wi-Fi division and approximately 900 employees to fire in this business shift out of the municipal Wi-Fi market....
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