Apple Human Resource Department

Apple Human Resource Department Student: Professor: Course title: Date: Apple Human Resource (HR) Department Apple Inc., an American Multinational, changed its name from Apple Computer Inc. It specializes in the manufacture of consumer electronics, commercial servers as well as computer software. The company is viewed as one of the most innovative and admired companies in the world. Its primary product line includes Macintosh computer line-up, iPod music player, iPhone and the iPad (Apple inc., 2012). This paper focuses on Apple’s hiring and recruitment processes as conducted by its HR department. The research paper is about the company Apple. What are the organization’s processes and methods for hiring and training employees? The company applies several innovative ways of hiring employees to ensure the acquisition of qualified employees. Apple has great financial resources as well as values that attract talented employees with excellent skills. The HR department’s main methods applied in hiring include organizing job fairs from where suitable applicants are selected. They then undergo interview processes that determine whether they will join the company. The career or job fairs for selecting people are usually undertaken in schools, colleges and at various universities. The HR department also uses the internet in hiring suitable and qualified candidates. The “jobs” or careers page on Apple’s website provides an opportunity for qualified applicants to apply for positions within the company and they can upload their resume (Jobs at Apple, 2012). These qualified applicants will then be considered for any available job positions in the future. In addition, the website also allows students to apply for internship and attachment positions at the organization. Moreover, the website also allows for college and university fresh graduates to apply especially for entry level positions. Upon joining the company, these talented graduates undergo further training before being posted in one of the many divisions within Apple. Another method of recruitment that Apple’s HR department applies is through the acquisition of other company’s qualified employees. In most cases, this is done through Apple buying other smaller companies, and in so doing, it acquires the skilled employees of those companies. An example of this happened in 1996 when the organization bought NeXT which belonged to Steve Jobs, who later became the CEO of Apple. From NeXT, Jobs came with a new corporate philosophy of recognizable products and simple design. This way, the company acquired more skilled employees such as Steve Jobs who became very crucial for the success of the company (Apple Inc., 2012). Finally, the company also recruits from companies that make similar products and the employees bring in experience, a vital asset to the company. What processes are in place for creating a high-performance organization? The organization has put in place several processes and principles that help to create a high-performance organization. The first is honesty, whereby the company strictly demonstrates honesty and high ethical standards in every business dealings. The second is respect, and apple treats its customers, employees, suppliers and others with courtesy as well as respect. Moreover, the organization highly values confidentiality whereby its information and that of its employees, suppliers and customers are protected with confidentiality. There are also processes with regard to compliance, and the organization strictly ensures that business decisions comply with all applicable regulations and laws (Business Conduct, 2012). Mallin and Finkle (2011) state that in order to achieve a high-performance organization, the company also ensures that accountability is firmly enforced. They add that decision-making is quick and communication is articulated clearly from the top managers to the rest of the employees. Mallin and Finkle point out that the employees of Apple are incredibly passionate with their job at the organization. The students who join the company as interns are provided with on-the-job training, and once they get the experience, they become a valuable part of the company’s workforce, and this has been very effective in creating a high performance organization at the company (2011). In creating a high performance organization, Apple also conducts its business operations ethically, and this applies to all business decisions in all areas of the company all over the world. Furthermore, the company has put in place the following additional processes. The first is being “customer focus” and the company focuses on providing very high quality and innovative products and services and demonstrates integrity in every business interactions. The second process is with regard to “non-disclosure agreements”, whereby confidential information about the vendors, suppliers or any other third party is never shared without the approval of the appropriate manager (Business Conduct, 2012). The third process is about “obtaining and using business intelligence”. The organization collects information on customers and markets, it uses that information to operate, and it does not get business intelligence through unethical and illegal means. The fourth process is about “third-party intellectual property” whereby the organization does not use the intellectual property of any third party knowingly without legal right. With regard to copyright-protected content, the organization has put in place policies that discourage using or copying music, videos, software or any other content that is copyright-protected unless legally permitted (Business Conduct). All these processes and principles observed by Apple ensure high-performance in all organizational operations. Through what means does the HR dept. ensure compliance with laws and regulations, such as EEOC, OSHA, total compensation, reporting practices, etc? The United States Equal Employment Opportunity Commission (EEOC) enforces national laws that illegalize discrimination against a job seeker or an employee basing on his/her gender, religion, race, national origin, age or disability. Under the Occupational Safety and Health Administration (OSHA) standards, employers have the responsibility to provide a safe and healthful workplace (Business Conduct, 2012). The department has put in place policies that ensure laws and regulations, which vary around the world, are observed. In compliance with the OSHA standards, Apple’s HR department formulated the Environment, Health and Safety (EHS) requirements, which help to ensure that the environment, health and safety are put first in every operation of the company. Moreover, the department put in place the “Drugs in the Workplace” policy, which prohibits the employees from manufacturing, distributing, processing, using or being under the influence of illicit substances whilst in the workplace. The organization expects all of its employees to perform their best when working (Business Conduct, 2012). In preventing underage labor, Apple’s HR department does not tolerate the use of underage labor and it does not recruit them. In complying with the EEOC requirements, the “Supplier Code of Conduct” policy guards against discrimination for instance racial, gender, disability, ethnicity, national origin, pregnancy, marit...