HUMAN RESOURCE MANAGEMENT

PRACTICE ASSIGNMENT-1

MADE BY: SUPRIYA VERMA 07080303913(2ND SEMESTER) MBA (E) A

Q1. Write short note on the following: (a) Qualities of a good human resource manager (b) Socialization (c) Business process re- engineering A) Qualities of an HR Manager HR managers have to perform several roles to discharge their duties and responsibilities. For instance, they have to act as recruiters, placement specialists, training and development specialists, employee welfare experts, employee benefits specialists, compensation and job analysis specialists, labour relations experts and human resources information system specialists, apart from being good counsellors. For instance, Armstrong13 points out that HR practitioners have to play the roles of business partners, strategists, interventionists, innovators, internal consultants, monitors and volunteers (proactive role). The successful performance of the diverse HR tasks would require a multi-disciplinary knowledge for the HR managers. It would be good for them to have a working knowledge in the fields of business administration, law, behavioural sciences, industrial psychology, sociology, political science, economics, statistics, engineering, finance and computers. Apart from these, they would require the following personal and job-related qualities and skills to become effective performers. 1. Knowledge Knowledge helps one gain respect. The HR manager must be an expert in his own field to gain the confidence and respect of his subordinates. He must have a comprehensive knowledge of concepts, principles and theories relating to HRM and other related fields. But, mere possession of this knowledge is inadequate; the HR manager must have practical exposure to these concepts and principles in real-life situations. 2. Intelligence Intelligence means the mental ability to properly understand the nature of the problem existing in a situation or event which may require a solution. The HR manager should be able to understand the situation quickly and to act decisively before it becomes unmanageable. He should also be able to properly examine the situation to distinguish the real problems from the ones that are merely made to appear important. 3. Communication Skills The role of any manager is to get work done through others. An HR manager is no exception to this. He must have good communication skills to share his ideas effectively with the employees and to persuade them to work towards the organizational goals successfully. Thus, it is essential for the HR manager to have good communication skills to achieve better cooperation and unity. It is also desirable for him to have a functional knowledge of the languages of the employees to effectively communicate with them.

4. Objectivity and Fairness The HR profession is unique. The HR manager has to serve the interest of both the management and the employees. Hence, he should observe strict impartiality and honesty in all his transactions. He is required to act only on the basis of relevant facts and information. Moreover, he has a moral responsibility to protect the rights and privileges of the relatively weak workforce. 5. Leadership and Motivational Qualities To lead is to influence. The HR manager should possess the ability to influence the employees towards the achievement of goals and targets. He should also be a good motivator. He must have the necessary skills to constantly motivate the employees to strive for better performance. 6. Emotional Maturity It is often difficult to predict the responses of human beings. They usually behave differently in different situations. Hence, it is essential for the HR manager to have emotional maturity and tolerance in dealing with the employees. He must show parental care in attending to their needs. He should not have any ill-feelings towards any employee on the basis of his past behaviour. He should always be rational and not emotional in his approach. 7. Empathy Empathy pertains to looking at events or situations from the others point of view. The HR manager should learn to view the issues affecting the employees from their perspective too. He should not only rely on his formal authority in dealing with the employees grievances but use his informal relationship as well in settling them. He should honour others opinions, sentiments, rights, beliefs and values. In addition to these qualities, the HR manager should have a good character, personality, physical strength, and stamina for effectively discharging his duties. Having seen the notable qualities of the HR managers, we shall now discuss the differences in their duties and responsibilities as line authorities and staff advisors. Interpersonal Skills 8. Approachable and Compassionate Employees must feel they can approach the HR manager with their problems. They want to know that she truly listens to them and will help them find viable solutions to their issues. If an employee has a problem at work, it will likely affect his job performance. If the HR manager seems unapproachable, the employee will be reluctant to go to her. If she lacks compassion, he wont trust her with his problem. This is particularly important to employee retention and productivity; workers often quit or become demotivated when they feel that HR or management doesnt care about them

B) Socialization Socialization is the process by which children and adults learn from others. We begin learning from others during the early days of life; and most people continue their social learning all through life (unless some mental or physical disability slows or stops the learning process). Sometimes the learning is fun, as when we learn a new sport, art or musical technique from a friend we like. At other times, social learning is painful, as when we learn not to drive too fast by receiving a large fine for speeding. Natural socialization occurs when infants and youngsters explore, play and discover the social world around them. Planned socialization occurs when other people take actions designed to teach or train others -- from infancy on. Natural socialization is easily seen when looking at the young of almost any mammalian species (and some birds). Planned socialization is mostly a human phenomenon; and all through history, people have been making plans for teaching or training others. Both natural and planned socialization can have good and bad features: It is wise to learn the best features of both natural and planned socialization and weave them into our lives. Positive socialization is the type of social learning that is based on pleasurable and exciting experiences. We tend to like the people who fill our social learning processes with positive motivation, loving care, and rewarding opportunities. Negative socialization occurs when others use punishment, harsh criticisms or anger to try to "teach us a lesson;" and often we come to dislike both negative socialization and the people who impose it on us. There are all types of mixes of positive and negative socialization; and the more positive social learning experiences we have, the happier we tend to be -- especially if we learn useful information that helps us cope well with the challenges of life. A high ratio of negative to positive socialization can make a person unhappy, defeated or pessimistic about life. One of the goals of Soc 142 is to show people how to increase the ratio of positive to negative in the socialization they receive from others -- and that they give to others. [Some people will defend negative socialization, since painful training can prepare people to be ready to fight and die in battle, put themselves at great risk in order to save others, endure torture and hardship. This is true; but many people receive far more negative socialization than they need, and hopefully fewer and fewer people will need to be trained for battle, torture and hardship.

Stages of Socialization
Moreland and Levine identify five stages of socialization which mark this transition; investigation, socialization, maintenance, resocialization, and remembrance. During each stage, the individual and the group evaluate each other which leads to an increase or decrease in commitment to socialization. This socialization pushes the individual from prospective, new, full, marginal, and ex member. Stage 1: Investigation This stage is marked by a cautious search for information. The individual compares groups in order to determine which one will fulfill their needs (reconnaissance), while the group estimates the value of the potential member (recruitment). The end of this stage is marked by entry to the group, whereby the group asks the individual to join and they accept the offer.

Stage 2: Socialization Now that the individual has moved from prospective member to new member, they must accept the groups culture. At this stage, the individual accepts the groups norms, values, and perspectives (assimilation), and the group adapts to fit the new members needs (accommodation). The acceptance transition point is then reached and the individual becomes a full member. However, this transition can be delayed if the individual or the group reacts negatively. For example, the individual may react cautiously or misinterpret other members reactions if they believe that they will be treated differently as a new comer. Stage 3: Maintenance During this stage, the individual and the group negotiate what contribution is expected of members (role negotiation). While many members remain in this stage until the end of their membership, some individuals are not satisfied with their role in the group or fail to meet the groups expectations (divergence). Stage 4: Resocialization -If the divergence point is reached, the former full member takes on the role of a marginal member and must be resocialized. There are two possible outcomes of resocialization: differences are resolved and the individual becomes a full member again (convergence), or the group expels the individual or the individual decides to leave (exit). Stage 5: Remembrance In this stage, former members reminisce about their memories of the group, and make sense of their recent departure. If the group reaches a consensus on their reasons for departure, conclusions about the overall experience of the group become part of the groups tradition.

C) Business process reengineering (BPR) Business process re-engineering (BPR) is defined as an integrated set of management policies, project management procedures, and modeling, analysis, design and testing techniques for analyzing existing business processes and systems; designing new processes and systems; testing, simulating and prototyping new designs prior to implementation; and managing the implementation process. Business Process Reengineering involves the radical redesign of core business processes to achieve dramatic improvements in productivity, cycle times and quality. In Business Process Reengineering, companies start with a blank sheet of paper and rethink existing processes to deliver more value to the customer. They typically adopt a new value system that places increased emphasis on customer needs. Companies reduce organizational layers and eliminate unproductive activities in two key areas. First, they redesign functional organizations into cross-functional teams. Second, they use technology to improve data dissemination and decision making. How Business Process Reengineering works: Business Process Reengineering is a dramatic change initiative that contains five major steps. Managers should:

Refocus company values on customer needs Redesign core processes, often using information technology to enable improvements

Reorganize a business into cross-functional teams with end-to-end responsibility for a process Rethink basic organizational and people issues Improve business processes across the organization Companies use Business Process Reengineering to improve performance substantially on key processes that impact customers. Business Process Reengineering can:

Reduce costs and cycle time. Business Process Reengineering reduces costs and cycle times by eliminating unproductive activities and the employees who perform them. Reorganization by teams decreases the need for management layers, accelerates information flows, and eliminates the errors and rework caused by multiple handoffs. Improve quality. Business Process Reengineering improves quality by reducing the fragmentation of work and establishing clear ownership of processes. Workers gain responsibility for their output and can measure their performance based on prompt feedback. Q2. Discuss the functions of human resource management in detail. Ans.2 Functions of HRM

HRM functions (also called processes) are carried out by the HR managers to fulfil the goals and objectives of the organization. As illustrated in they perform two sets of functions, namely managerial functions and operative functions. The managerial functions are the basic functions performed by the HR managers in their capacity as managers or heads of their own departments. In fact, all managers, irrespective of their departments, perform these functions. The operative functions, on the other hand, are specialized activities performed exclusively by the HR managers, usually for all the departments. We shall first discuss the managerial functions.

Managerial Functions Functions like planning, organizing, staffing, directing and controlling constitute the core managerial functions of an organization. The specific activities performed under each of these functions are explained as follows: Planning It is an effective tool to deal with the future. It involves the process of predetermining the personnel programmes that are necessary to attain the organizational goals. In this context, accurate forecasting is vital to the success of any plan. Planning is such a crucial function for an organization that it is the key to all other managerial functions. The steps involved in planning are

Establishing goals and objectives to be achieved Developing rules and procedures Determining plans and forecasting techniques Organizing Once the plans are formulated, the next step is to organize the men and material in order to accomplish those plans. Organizing is a process through which the firm establishes its structure and determines the authority, responsibility and accountability of each member in relation to the job. Thus, organizing involves

Giving each member a specific tasks Establishing departments and divisions Delegating authority to the members Establishing channels of authority and communication Creating a system to coordinate the works of the members Staffing This function deals with the creation and maintenance of human resources through employment, compensation, benefits, training and development, and industrial relations measures. It aims to put in place HR policies in order to deal with wage fixation, working conditions, and promotional opportunities for prospective employees. The steps involved in the staff function are

Determining the type of people to be hired Recruiting prospective employees and selecting the best ones from them Compensating the employees Training and developing the employees Setting performance standards and evaluating the employees performance Counselling the employees Directing Directing is the sum of several activities like communication, leadership and motivation. Directing, as a function, aims at securing willing cooperation from the individuals and the groups to achieve the predetermined goals. It includes the following activities:

Getting work done through subordinates Ensuring effective two-way communication for the exchange of information with the subordinates Motivating subordinates to strive for better performance Maintaining the group morale Controlling Controlling is the process of checking the efficiency of the individuals and the groups in fulfilling the plans and goals through follow-up measures. It is essential for continuous improvement in the managerial activities. The processes involved in controlling are

Establishment of standard performance Measurement of actual performance Comparison of actual performance with the standard one to find the deviation Initiation of corrective actions, if there are any deviations Operative Functions

Staffing is one of the managerial functions. But this function is normally performed by the HR managers for all the departments of the firm. In most organizations, the HR department establishes personnel policies and coordinates the HR functions of all the departments. This function is also called the operative function or HRM function. It includes, amongst others, the processes of hiring, training, compensating, appraising and retaining employees, and attending to their labour relations, health and safety, and equality concerns In most organizations, the personnel or HR department establishes policies and coordinates functions such as job analysis, personnel planning, the recruitment and selection of employees, training and development, performance appraisal, compensation and employee

benefits, labour relations, employee discipline and control, and occupational health and safety. Procurement Procurement refers to a series of activities undertaken by the HR managers for filling the present and future vacancies of the organization. The activities include job analysis and designing, HR planning, recruitment and, finally, the selection of suitable employees. Here, job analysis refers to both the determination of specific tasks and responsibilities connected to a job and identifying the skills, knowledge and abilities required for the job holder. HR planning involves choosing and placing the right person at the right job and at the right time. Recruitment involves gathering a pool of applicants from which suitable employees may be selected. Lastly, selection involves screening, testing, interviewing and hiring the most suitable employees for the organization. Development Development here refers to both employees training and management development. HR managers are responsible for conducting and supervising training and development programmes for employees. The purpose of a training and development programme is to increase the employees competencies in their job by improving their knowledge, skills and abilities. Training and development is widely accepted as a method for enhancing the employee skills, increasing the individual and organizational performance, improving the employee morale, and achieving the business growth and success. Compensation Compensation refers to the determination of the pay scale and other benefits for the employees. Establishing and maintaining the pay system of an organization is one of the principal jobs of the HR managers. They must devise ways to ensure fair and equitable pay rates. In addition, HR managers should regularly manage the performance evaluation system of the organization, and continuously design reward systems such as performancelinked incentive plans and bonus and flexible work schedules. outlines the flexible schedules offered by companies like IBM. Maintenance The maintenance function aims at retaining efficient and experienced employees in the organization. This calls for creative HR practices. In this regard, HR managers are responsible for offering a wide range of HR programmes covering occupational safety, health promotion and physical fitness, canteen facilities, recreation activities, transportation programmes, employee suggestion schemes, career counselling and growth for creating a positive work environment. highlights one of the HR policies of Infosys. Integration It consists mainly of industrial relations and aims at ensuring good relations between the management and the employees. HR managers have to implement industrial relations programmes that would ensure ethical and fair treatment in disciplinary action, grievance redressal, and career management processes. They should also counsel the employees and the management to prevent and, when necessary, resolve disputes over labour agreements or other labour relation issues. It is to be understood here that the functions of HRM can vary widely from one organization to another, depending upon its nature, size, and objectives. For instance, a smaller organization may follow a shorter HRM process with a greater emphasis on functions

like procurement and compensation and little or no priority for activities like training and development and industrial relations maintenance. On the contrary, large organizations may pursue a longer and more comprehensive HRM process to meet the requirements of both the management and the workforce shows the HR statements of select companies. Q3. What functions in an organization represent the managerial process? ANS 3. Management has been described as a social process involving responsibility for economical and effective planning & regulation of operation of an enterprise in the fulfilment of given purposes. It is a dynamic process consisting of various elements and activities. These activities are different from operative functions like marketing, finance, purchase etc. Rather these activities are common to each and every manger irrespective of his level or status. Different experts have classified functions of management. According to George & Jerry, There are four fundamental functions of management i.e. planning, organizing, actuating and controlling. According to Henry Fayol, To manage is to forecast and plan, to organize, to command, & to control. Whereas Luther Gullick has given a keyword POSDCORB where P stands for Planning, O for Organizing, S for Staffing, D for Directing, Co for Co-ordination, R for reporting & B for Budgeting. But the most widely accepted are functions of management given by KOONTZ and ODONNEL i.e. Planning, Organizing, Staffing, Directing and Controlling. For theoretical purposes, it may be convenient to separate the function of management but practically these functions are overlapping in nature i.e. they are highly inseparable. Each function blends into the other & each affects the performance of others.

1. Planning It is the basic function of management. It deals with chalking out a future course of action & deciding in advance the most appropriate course of actions for achievement of pre-determined goals. According to KOONTZ, Planning is deciding in advance what to do, when to do & how to do. It bridges the gap from where we are & where

we want to be. A plan is a future course of actions. It is an exercise in problem solving & decision making. Planning is determination of courses of action to achieve desired goals. Thus, planning is a systematic thinking about ways & means for accomplishment of pre-determined goals. Planning is necessary to ensure proper utilization of human & non-human resources. It is all pervasive, it is an intellectual activity and it also helps in avoiding confusion, uncertainties, risks, wastages etc. 2. Organizing It is the process of bringing together physical, financial and human resources and developing productive relationship amongst them for achievement of organizational goals. According to Henry Fayol, To organize a business is to provide it with everything useful or its functioning i.e. raw material, tools, capital and personnels. To organize a business involves determining & providing human and non-human resources to the organizational structure. Organizing as a process involves:

Identification of activities. Classification of grouping of activities. Assignment of duties. Delegation of authority and creation of responsibility. Coordinating authority and responsibility relationships. 3. Staffing It is the function of manning the organization structure and keeping it manned. Staffing has assumed greater importance in the recent years due to advancement of technology, increase in size of business, complexity of human behavior etc. The main purpose o staffing is to put right man on right job i.e. square pegs in square holes and round pegs in round holes. According to Kootz & ODonell, Managerial function of staffing involves manning the organization structure through proper and effective selection, appraisal & development of personnel to fill the roles designed un the structure. Staffing involves:

Manpower Planning (estimating man power in terms of searching, choose the person and giving the right place). Recruitment, Selection & Placement. Training & Development. Remuneration. Performance Appraisal. Promotions & Transfer.

4. Directing It is that part of managerial function which actuates the organizational methods to work efficiently for achievement of organizational purposes. It is considered lifespark of the enterprise which sets it in motion the action of people because planning, organizing and staffing are the mere preparations for doing the work. Direction is that inert-personnel aspect of management which deals directly with influencing, guiding, supervising, motivating sub-ordinate for the achievement of organizational goals. Direction has following elements:

Supervision Motivation Leadership Communication Supervision- implies overseeing the work of subordinates by their superiors. It is the act of watching & directing work & workers. Motivation- means inspiring, stimulating or encouraging the sub-ordinates with zeal to work. Positive, negative, monetary, non-monetary incentives may be used for this purpose. Leadership- may be defined as a process by which manager guides and influences the work of subordinates in desired direction. Communications- is the process of passing information, experience, opinion etc from one person to another. It is a bridge of understanding.

5. Controlling It implies measurement of accomplishment against the standards and correction of deviation if any to ensure achievement of organizational goals. The purpose of controlling is to ensure that everything occurs in conformities with the standards. An efficient system of control helps to predict deviations before they actually occur. According to Theo Haimann, Controlling is the process of checking whether or not proper progress is being made towards the objectives and goals and acting if necessary, to correct any deviation. According to Koontz & ODonell Controlling is the measurement & correction of performance activities of subordinates in order to make sure that the enterprise objectives and plans desired to obtain them as being accomplished. Therefore controlling has following steps: a. Establishment of standard performance. b. Measurement of actual performance. c. Comparison of actual performance with the standards and finding out deviation if any. d. Corrective action.

Q4. Give personality and managerial characteristics of a professional manager? ANS 4: Personal Characteristics There are items that can help you improve yourself, and enhance your interactions with others. Desirable personal characteristics make a manager someone that others can look up to, and feel comfortable following:

1. Self-Motivation: An effective manager cant motivate others if he or she cant selfmotivate. Self-motivation, the ability to get yourself going, and take charge of whats next for you, is a vital personal characteristic for a manager. You have to keep yourself going and motivate those who work with you. 2. Integrity: People trust a good manager because they know he or she has personal integrity. Workers need to know that you will fight for them, do what you say, and follow the rules. 3. Dependability/Reliability: As a person, you should be dependable and reliable. Your superiors, as well as your subordinates, need to know that you can be counted on. Others in the organization should be able to rely on you. 4. Optimism: Do you look to the future with hope? An optimistic attitude can help build morale in your employees. Your positive attitude can inspire others, and help them feel good about getting things done. 5. Confidence: Do you have confidence in yourself. You need to be able to make decisions in confidence, and show others that you are capable of making good decisions. Your confidence will rub off on others, and can be of benefit. 6. Calmness: As the manager, you cant afford to break down when the pressure is on. The ability to remain calm and do what needs to be done is essential in a good manager. 7. Flexibility: A certain amount of flexibility is needed by a manager, since he or she may need to adapt to changing situations. Business Characteristics Some level of business acumen is important when you are a manager. While you may not need to be on the level of a professional dealmaker, familiarity with basic business principles and practices can be helpful. 8. Industry Knowledge: What do you know about the industry you are in? It helps understand your industry so that you can answer questions and perform your work more effectively. Workers may not need industry knowledge, but a manager should have some. 9. Know When to Delegate: An effective manager knows that some tasks need to be delegated. You should be able to identify workers who will do well, and give them tasks they can succeed at while helping the project. 10. Organization: You need to be organized in order to be a good manager. Keep track of projects, employees and assignments so that you are on top of what needs to happen in the business. 11. Basic Money Management: Understand basic financial concepts so that you understand how to manage money as part of a project you have been given. 12. Business Hierarchy: You should know how the hierarchy works at your business, and follow the chain of command. Make sure that you understand your duties, and to whom you report. You should also know how the organization affects your subordinates. 13. Legal Implications: While you dont need to be a law expert, you should have a grasp of the legal implications of sexual harassment, proper hiring and firing practices, confidentiality, and more. Communication Qualities A good manager needs to be able to communicate effectively. You might be surprised at the different qualities there are related to communication. Make sure that you develop the ability

to communicate as part of your efforts. Here are some qualities to possess if you want to be an affective communicator as you fulfill your management duties. 14. Written Communication: Learn how to communicate effectively in writing. A good manager should be able to write professionally and with correct grammar, expressing him or herself in email, memos, and thank you notes. 15. Public Speaking: As a good manager, you should know how to speak publicly, annunciating your words, and concisely communicating your ideas, whether in an interview, or addressing workers. 16. Constructive Feedback: Learn how to provide feedback in a way that is helpful to workers and others. 17. Active Listening: One of the most important communication skills is listening. Make sure you are listening to your workers, superiors and customers, and that you acknowledge them. 18. Specific: When giving instructions, be specific in what you want, and in expected outcomes. Make sure your employees understand what should happen. 19. Organize Your Presentations: Organize and practice your presentations before giving them so that you are clear and concise, and so that your presentation flows well. Relationship Qualities Your characteristics as you build relationships matter when you are a manager. You will need to know how to manage relationships between yourself and your subordinates, as well as manage the relationships among those who work under you. You should also know how to develop relationships with your superiors, and coordinate relationships between those above you and below you in the hierarchy. 20. Customer Service: You might be surprised to discover the customer service is a relationship quality. However, it is. You need to be able to build good relationships with customers if you want to be a good manager. Learn how to relate to customers, and see things from their perspective. 21. Mediator: Do you know how to make peace? Often, a good manager needs to be able to act as a mediator between workers, between a worker and a client, or between a superior and a worker. Brush up on your mediation qualities, and learn conflict resolution techniques to be a good manager. 22. Team Player: Are you part of a team? You need to be able to function as part of a team if you want to succeed as an effective manager. Make sure that you are willing to work with others, and that you will hold up your end. 23. Respect: You need to be respectful of your workers if you are to have respect as a manager in return. Its up to you to set the example and build relationships of respect. 24. Collaboration: Youll need to set up collaborations with others, and with your team. You should also be able to work well with others, and understand how to integrate ideas and personalities. 25. Value Others: A good manager helps employees feel valued. Surveys show that employees want recognition from their superiors, and you need to make sure to recognize contributions from your workers.

Q5. Differentiate between human resource management and personnel management?

ANS 5:

Dimensions Beliefs and assumptions 1. Contract 2. Rules 3. Guide to management action 4. Behaviour referent 5. Managerial task vis-a-vis labour 6. Nature of relations 7. Conflict Strategic aspects 8. Key relations 9. Initiatives 10. Corporate plan 11. Speed of decision Line management 12. Management role 13. Key managers 14. Communication 15. Standardization 16. Prized management skills Key levers 17. Selection

Personnel and IR

HRM

Careful delineation of written contracts Importance of devising clear rules/mutually Procedures Norms/custom and practice Monitoring Pluralist Institutionalized

Aim to go beyond contract 'Can-do' outlook; Impatience with 'rule' Business-need' Values/mission Nurturing Unitarist De-emphasized

Labour management Piecemeal Marginal Slow

Customer Integrated Central Fast

Transactional Personnel/ IR specialists Indirect High (e.g. 'parity' an issue) Negotiation

Transformational leadership General/business/line managers Direct Low (e.g. 'parity' not seen as relevant) Facilitation

Separate, marginal task

Integrated, key task

18. Pay 19. Conditions 20. Labour-management 21. Thrust of relations with stewards 22. Job categories and grades 23. Communication 24. Job design 25. Conflict handling 26. Training and development 27. Foci of attention for interventions

Job evaluation (fixed grades) Separately negotiated Collective bargaining contracts Regularized through facilities and training Many Restricted flow Division of labour Reach temporary truces Controlled access to courses Personnel procedures

Performance-related Harmonization Towards individual contracts Marginalized (with exception of some bargaining for change models) Few Increased flow Teamwork Manage climate and culture Learning companies Wide ranging cultural, structural and personnel strategies