Thesis (MBA)--Stellenbosch University, 2001. / ENGLISH ABSTRACT: ABSTRACT: "People are our most valuable asset" is a cliché that no member of any senior management team would disagree with. Yet, the reality for many organisations is that their people remain under-valued, under-trained and under-utilised. The rate of change facing organisations has never been greater and organisations must absorb and manage change at a must faster rate than in the past. In order to implement a successful business strategy to face these challenges, organisations, large and small, must ensure that they have the right people and strategy in place to deliver the right people at the right time at the right cost. It has become clear over the last two to three years that a major problem is developing within the Human Resources management in Bank Windhoek. The opportunity to address this problem in an effective and objective way did not however present itself until late in 1999 when the then relatively new Managing Director tried to convince the Board Manpower Committee to appoint a senior Human Resources manager, a position, as will be seen in the forthcoming discussion, that has been absent for a number of years. The request was turned down with reasons that the size of the staff complement in the bank did not justify such a senior appointment. When the Managing Director was then approached for permission to do a study relating to the repositioning of Human Resources in Bank Windhoek, it was immediately granted. The goals for the study were multifarious. In the first place the actual state of affairs were to be determined, from a management perspective as well as from a client perspective. Secondly the aim was to determine what the ultimate Human Resources department should look like, in the process identifying the existing gaps. The next goal was to make recommendations to reengineer the department in order for it to start functioning effectively and to all the parties' content. The final goal was to implement systems to constantly monitor the Human Resources department's performance and make continuous adjustments to keep it on track. Bank Windhoek has come to a crossroad where certain decisions pertaining to its Human Resource management have to be made. This paper will endeavour to make facts clearer to facilitate the best decision-making and propose actions to be taken in this very important facet of the bank's overall strategy and management. / AFRIKAANSE OPSOMMING: "Mense is 'n maatskappy se waardevolste bate" is 'n uitdrukking waarmee alle bestuurders sal saamstem. Die werklikheid is egter dat personeel by die meerderheid organisasies onderwaardeer, onopgeleid en onder-benut is. Die spoed van verandering wat organisasies deesdae in die gesig staar was nog nooit meer intens as nou nie, en organisasies moet hierdie veranderinge absorbeer en bestuur teen 'n vinniger pas as ooit vantevore. Ten einde 'n suksesvolle besigheid-strategie te implementeer om sodoende hierdie uitdagings die hoof te kan bied, moet besighede, klein en groot, verseker dat hulle die regte personeel en strategieë in plek het om die regte mense op die regte plekke teen die ideale koste te kan plaas. Dit het oor die afgelope twee tot drie jaar duidelik geword dat 'n grootse probleem besig was om in die Menslike Hulpbronne bestuur van Bank Windhoek te ontstaan. Die geleentheid om hierdie probleem objektief en effektief aan te spreek het eers in die laaste helfte van 1999 ontstaan toe die nuwe Besturende Direkteur gepoog het om die Mannekrag Komitee te oortuig om 'n senior bestuurder Menslike Hulpbronne aan te stel. 'n Aanstelling wat ons in hierdie bespreking sal merk, afwesig was vir 'n hele aantal jare. Sy voorstel was summier afgeskiet aangesien, volgens die komitee, die aantal personeel in die bank nie 'n senior aanstelling regverdig het nie. Toe die Besturende Direkteur genader is om toestemming ten einde 'n ondersoek te doen oor die herposisionering van die Menslike Hulpbron afdeling in die bank, is dit dadelik toegestaan. Die doelwitte van hierdie ondersoek was velerlei. In die eerste plek was dit nodig om die ware toedrag van sake rakende die bestuur van Menslike Hulpbronne in die bank te bepaal, vanuit 'n bestuurs- sowel as 'n kliënte oogpunt. Tweedens was dit die doel om te bepaal hoe die ideale Menslike Hulpbronne afdeling daaruit moet sien. Gedurende hierdie proses is bestaande gapings dan geïdentifiseer. Derdens was dit nodig om aanbevelings te maak om die afdeling tot so 'n mate te herstruktureer om tot alle betrokke partye se voordeel te kan funksioneer. Verder was dit ook nodig om stelsels te implementeer om die Menslike Hulpbronne prestasie te kan evalueer asook om voortdurende aanpassings te maak om die afdeling op die regte spoor te kan hou. Bank Windhoek het by 'n kruispad gekom waar sekere besluite rondom Menslike Hulpbronne geneem moet word. Hierdie werkstuk sal poog om feite duideliker te stel rondom die beste besluitneming en voorgestelde aksies wat geïmplementeer moet word in hierdie belangrike aspek van die bank se oorhoofse strategie en bestuur.