Professional Documents
Culture Documents
Human Resource Management
Human Resource Management
If an organization is to achieve its goals, it must not only have the required resources, it must also use them effectively. The resources available to a manager are human, financial, physical, and informational. While human resources (HR have al!ays been critical to the success of any organization, they have assumed an increasingly greater importance that is being recognized inside and outside !or" organizations. Human resources departments typically include individuals !ith a !ide variety and range of "no!ledge, s"ills, and abilities !ho are e#pected to perform $ob activities in a manner that contributes to the attainment of organizational goals. Ho! effectively employees contribute to the organization depends in large part upon the quality of the HR program (including staffing, training, and compensation as !ell as the ability and !illingness of management%%from the &'( to first%line supervisors%%to create an environment that fosters the effective use of human resources.
ganization.
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Beginning of 8.6. involvement in World War II, demanding the mobilization of individuals trained in personnel management and the rapid development of personnel programs in the military and in industry. +erger of the )-9 and &I(. -ederal Women.s ;rogram established by the 8.6. &ivil 6ervice &ommission to enhance the employment and advancement of !omen. Beginning of a professional accreditation (no! certification program by the ;ersonnel )ccreditation Institute. ;assage of the &ivil 6ervice Reform )ct, !hich established the (ffice of ;ersonnel +anagement ((;+ , the +erit 6ystems ;rotection Board (+6;B , and the -ederal 9abor Relations )uthority (-9R) . Beginning of the erosion of the employment%at%!ill doctrine, !ith increasing attention to *$ust cause* terminations. Increased emphasis on employee participation in organizational decision ma"ing to improve productivity and competitive position. Heightened a!areness of privacy rights of employees as employers monitor employee performance. Increased emphasis on global HR practices3 greater use of temporary employees3 observed 'mphasis on se#ual harassment3 heightened attention to greater diversity in the !or"force3 increased emphasis on total quality management3 and do!nsizing or *rightsizing* of organizations.
The studies spurred efforts to humanize the !or"place and to find more%sensitive !ays to motivate !or"ers. (ut of the intervie!ing techniques used by the Ha!thorne researchers gre! the nondirective approach to counseling, !hich recognizes the importance of Ffeelings.G 8ntil that time, it !as generally considered inappropriate in employment situations to study attitudes, beliefs, behaviors, and feelings.
/ar&ous d&sc&!$&nes o" !sycho$ogy' soc&o$ogy' anthro!o$ogy' soc&a$ econom&cs' !o$&t&ca$ sc&ence' $&ngu&st&cs' and educat&on The behavioral science approach is oriented to!ard economic ob$ectives, concerned !ith the total climate or milieu, and consistent !ith the development of interpersonal competence. It is a humanistic approach. The use of groups and employee participation in the achievement of organizational ob$ectives, including the management of change, is no! a formally recognized field of study in universities !orld!ide. +anagers dra! upon the results of these studies regularly in managing staffs. It is not $ust an HR+ field of endeavor. +anagers !orld!ide apply the concepts in everyday activities.
individuals !ith specific training andHor e#perience in carrying out various specialized functions. The ma$or functions performed in organizations today are sho!n belo!.
The ability to integrate business, HR+, and management of change is essential. By helping their organizations build a sustained competitive advantage and by learning to manage many activities !ell, HR professionals !ill become strategic business partners. +any of the most for!ard% loo"ing &'(s are see"ing top HR managers !ho !ill report directly to them and help them address "ey issues.
)ll of these organizations sponsor meetings and !or"shops that promote the professional gro!th of their members. They also provide opportunities for contact !ith other organizations, including government agencies. +ost have e#cellent !ebsites for you to revie!. The professionalization of a field generally leads to some form of certification for practitioners to enhance their status and to recognize their competency. The Human Resource &ertification Institute of 6HR+ has developed such a program for professionals in HR+. The program offers t!o types of certification, each of !hich reflects the number of specialties and the amount of e#perience andHor academic training possessed by the recipient. Cert&"&cat&on recogn&t&on o" ha/&ng met certa&n !ro"ess&ona$ standards To qualify for either certification, an applicant must provide verification of e#perience and pass an intensive four%hour !ritten e#amination to demonstrate mastery of "no!ledge. The certifications, !hich must be rene!ed every three years, serve largely to indicate the qualifications of recipients and encourage others to qualify for certification. There are other certifying agencies !ith specific certification designations in the areas of compensation, employee benefits, and safety and health. )s the reputations of these programs gro! and the programs become more !idely recognized by top management, certification !ill become an important qualification for individuals see"ing positions in HR+.
+aintain the highest standards of professional Instill in the employees and the public a sense and personal conduct. of confidence about the conduct and intentions of my employer. 6trive for personal gro!th in the field of +aintain loyalty to my employer and pursue its human resource management. ob$ectives in !ays that are consistent !ith the public interest. 6upport the 6ociety.s goals and ob$ectives for 8phold all la!s and regulations relating to my developing the human resource management employer.s activities. profession. 'ncourage my employer to ma"e the fair and Refrain from using my official positions, either equitable treatment of all employees a primary regular or volunteer, to secure special concern. privilege, gain or benefit for myself. 6trive to ma"e my employer profitable both in +aintain the confidentiality of privileged monetary terms and through the support and information encouragement of effective employment. Improve public understanding of the role of human resource management This &ode of 'thics for members of the 6ociety for Human Resource +anagement has been adopted to promote and maintain the highest standards of personal conduct and professional standards among its members. )dherence to this code is required for membership in the 6ociety and serves to assure public confidence in the integrity and service of human resource management professionals.
)dherence to a code often creates a dilemma for professionals, including those in HR+. &onsider these questions. Whom do HR professionals service, Who is the client%%management or the individual employees, In the course of serving the employees and management and maintaining respect and regard for human values, !hose needs are paramount, What happens !henJas is frequently the case in HR !or"Jthe confidential issues of management andHor the employees are in conflict,G These and similar questions are not easy to ans!er. Ho!ever, the fact that there is a code in itself focuses attention on ethical values and provides a basis for HR professionals to evaluate their plans and actions. The HR staff is concerned !ith monitoring ethics in its o!n operations. Ho!ever, HR departments have been given a greater role in communicating the organization.s values and standards, monitoring compliance !ith its code of ethics, and enforcing the standards throughout the organization. +any organizations have ethics committees and ethics ombudsmen to provide
training in ethics to employees. The ultimate goal of ethics training is to avoid unethical behavior, adverse publicity, and potential la!suits and to gain a strategic advantage. To achieve these ob$ectives, t!o approaches are frequently usedI (/ developing employee a!areness of ethics in business and (2 dra!ing attention to potential ethical issues to !hich an employee may be e#posed.
#ro"ess&ona$ 9&terature ;ersonal development in any profession requires "no!ledge of the current literature in the field. ) number of periodicals contain articles on general or specialized areas of interest in HR+. 6ome of the more important $ournals students and practitioners should be familiar !ith are sho!n belo!. Some m!ortant #ro"ess&ona$ :ourna$s (o pensation an# Benefits Re)ie& .nternational Journal of Selection an# * ployee Relations +a& Journal "ssess ent * ployee Responsibility an# Rights Journal of "pplie# Psychology HR ,ocus Journal of (ollecti)e %egotiation in the Public HR Maga!ine Sector HR %e&s Journal of +abor Research Hu an Relations Journal of Manage ent Hu an Resource Manage ent +abor +a& Journal Hu an Resource Manage ent Re)ie& Monthly +abor Re)ie& Hu an Resource Planning %ational Pro#ucti)ity Re)ie& Hu an ResourcesJournal of the Personnel .nternational Personnel Journal "ssociation for Personnel /o en Personnel Psychology .n#ustrial an# +abor Relations Re)ie& Public Personnel Manage ent .n#ustrial Relations Super)isory Manage ent .nternational Journal of Hu an Resources Training an# De)elop ent Journal Manage ent (ther periodicals that cover the general field of business and management often contain articles pertaining to HR+. )mong these are "ca#e y of Manage ent *0ecuti)e' "ca#e y of Manage ent Journal' "ca#e y of Manage ent Re)ie&' Business Hori!ons' (alifornia Manage ent Re)ie&' (ana#ian Business Re)ie&' *uropean Manage ent Journal' ,ortune' Har)ar# Business Re)ie&' Journal of Business *thics' Manage ent Re)ie&' Business /ee1' and The /all Street Journal.
Research Organ&)at&ons
The primary function of HR Research organizations is to conduct research and to ma"e their findings available to all !ho are interested. +any such organizations are found at universities. ;robably the largest university research center in the behavioral sciences is the Institute for 6ocial Research at the 8niversity of +ichigan. Its three divisions%%the 6urvey Research &enter, the Research &enter for Kroup 5ynamics, and the &enter for ;olitical 6tudies%%have together published over D,000 boo"s, articles, and reports. ) number of state universities have centers for the study of labor and industrial relations, including the 8niversities of &alifornia, +innesota, Illinois, and <e! 7or". The 6chool of Industrial and 9abor Relations at &ornell 8niversity is also !ell "no!n for its publications. (rganizations sponsored by industry, such as the )merican +anagement )ssociation ()+) and the &onference Board (&B , publish research studies that benefit managers in HR+. Rand &orporation of 6anta +onica, &alifornia, and the Broo"ings Institution of Washington, 5.&., are also recognized for their contributions to this field. The Bureau of <ational )ffairs (B<) , &ommerce &learing House (&&H , and ;rentice% Hall (;H also conduct surveys relating to HR+ policies and practices. 6urvey results from these organizations may be found in loose%leaf volumes that contain a !ealth of information about policies and practices and the legal aspects of HR+. The student of HR+ should become familiar !ith the various B<), &&H, and ;H publications that are updated regularly. These volumes are available in many college and university libraries, city libraries, and the libraries of the larger !or" organizations. The World Wide Web search engines !ill help you gain access to these organizations and HR Research.
Academ&c Tra&n&ng
With so much attention focused on the behavioral sciences during the /1>0s and /1=0s, the sub$ect of HR+ suffered from neglect at some 8.6. colleges and universities. 6ince then, ho!ever, equal employment opportunity, international HR+, employee rights, concern for productivity, cost of employee benefits, and other current issues have re"indled interest in HR+ courses and in HR+ as a ma$or field of study. In the past, many HR professionals entered the field !ith degrees in liberal arts and sciences, having perhaps ta"en a fe! business courses as electives. Ho!ever, as certification requirements and other factors became essential for professional status, a bachelorEs degree and even a master.s degree in business have become more important. In addition to business courses, students planning careers in HR+ should ta"e courses in such areas as personnel and organizational psychology, industrial sociology, economics, industrial engineering, and electronic data processing. ) "no!ledge of computer operations is essential for processing and reporting personnel data to gauge the performance of HR programs.
O%.ect&/es
HR ob$ectives are determined by the organizationEs ob$ectives as a !hole. +ore and more, HR ob$ectives are reflecting the increased social responsibilities of firms, !hich include not only traditional responsibilities to customers, employees, and shareholders but also responsibilities to the community and to the total society. HR o%.ect&/es goa$s to %e ach&e/ed &n the area o" HRM
#o$&c&es
&losely related to HR ob$ectives are HR policies that serve to guide the actions required to achieve these ob$ectives. ;olicies provide the means for carrying out the management processes and as such are an aid to decision ma"ing. 9i"e ob$ectives, they may be idealistic or realistic, general or specific, fle#ible or infle#ible, qualitative or quantitative, broad or narro! in scope. Ho!ever, !hile ob$ectives determine !hat is to be done, policies e#plain ho! it is to be done. HR !o$&c&es gu&des to act&ons re,u&red to ach&e/e the HR o%.ect&/es Need "or #o$&c&es &arefully developed policies are vital to HR+ because employees are sensitive to any differences, no matter ho! slight, in the treatment they may receive compared !ith others. The quic"est !ay to impair employee efficiency and morale is for a manager to sho! favoritism in decisions such as those relating to vacations, schedules, raises and promotions, overtime, and disciplinary action. 5ecisions can be made more rapidly and more consistently if policies relating to these and
other sub$ects have been formulated and communicated throughout the organization. 2ormu$at&on o" #o$&c&es The formulation of HR policies for approval by top management should be a cooperative endeavor among managers, supervisors, and members of the HR staff. In some cases it may be important to have employees. input. ;olicy committees facilitate the pooling of e#perience and "no!ledge. ;articipation by operating managers is particularly important because they are often more familiar !ith the specific areas in !hich problems arise%and also because their cooperation is required for policy enforcement. The manager and staff of the HR department have the responsibility for e#ercising leadership in formulating policies that are consistent !ith overall organizational ob$ectives. They also must ma"e certain that these policies are compatible !ith current economic conditions3 collective bargaining trends3 and la!s and regulations at federal, state, and local levels. Wr&tten #o$&cy Statements (rganizations can ma"e their HR policies more authoritative by putting them in !riting. To strengthen their effectiveness, these statements, !hich may be compiled into a policy manual, should include the reasons the policy is needed. Written policy statements can serve as invaluable aids in orienting and training ne! personnel, administering disciplinary action, and resolving grievance issues !ith employees and their unions. When distributed to employees, these policy statements can provide ans!ers to many questions that might other!ise have to be referred to supervisors. HR policy statements and employee handboo"s assume the force of a legal contract bet!een employer and employee. Lust as employers refer to policy statements as a basis for their personnel actions, employees no! cite organizational failure to adhere to established policies as a violation of their rights. This is not their intended use. +any firms insert a disclaimer or !aiver in employee manuals to the effect that the contents of the manual do not constitute a contract. The disclaimer should be prominently placed, not buried in a footnote. Wording the manual carefully (avoiding Fal!aysG and Fnever,G for e#% ample , using a conversational tone rather than legalistic $argon, and having an outside labor counsel chec" the manual can help in avoiding problems.
#rocedures
HR procedures serve to implement policies by prescribing the chronological sequence of steps to follo! in carrying out the policies. ;rocedures relating to employee selection, for e#ample, might provide that individuals first be required to complete an application form, follo!ed by an intervie! !ith an HR office representative. HR !rocedures
!rescr&%ed se,uence o" ste!s to %e "o$$o-ed &n carry&ng out HR !o$&c&es Krievances, promotions, transfers, and !age ad$ustments li"e!ise must be administered according to established procedure in order to avoid problems resulting from oversights. -or e#ample, as a step in the disciplinary procedure, the failure to give an employee !ritten !arning of a violation might prevent the organization from discharging the employee for a second violation. HR procedures, li"e HR policies, must be treated as means to an end, not as ends in themselves. When organizations become bureaucratic, complaints may be raised about e#cessive red tape, infle#ibility, and impersonality in ma"ing HR decisions. 8nfortunately, !hen procedures become too detailed or numerous, they can impair rather than further the interests of the organization and its employees. To avoid this hazard, procedures must be revie!ed periodically and modified to meet changing conditions.
up%to%the%minute information in several categories, including ne!s, research, soft!are, and services, covering all disciplines of HR+. 6HR+ has an on%line database that permits users to quic"ly search more than 2A,000 citations of boo"s and articles. In developing an effective HRI6, an organization must address privacy issues in advance. ) data%privacy policy can ma"e the HRI6 a positive factor in employee relations rather than a mistrusted disseminator of sensitive personnel information.
The 8udget
6tatements relating to ob$ectives, policies, and procedures or to a program as a !hole can be meaningful only if they are supported financially through the budget. )n HR budget is both a financial plan and a control for the e#penditure of funds necessary to support the HR program. )s such, it is one of the best indicators of managementEs real attitude to!ard the program. HR %udget "&nanc&a$ !$an and a contro$ "or the e+!end&ture o" "unds necessary to su!!ort the HR !rogram While a firm.s selection policy may be to hire only fully qualified applicants to fill vacancies, its ability to observe this policy !ill depend on !hether it budgets enough money to screen applicants carefully. 6ecuring adequate funds for the HR budget further requires the HR staff to be able to convince top management that the HR program is cost%effective and is producing results.
n;House Consu$tants
) ma$or contribution that the HR department staff can ma"e to the organization is to serve as in% house consultants to the managers and supervisors of other departments. )lerting top management to contemporary issues and changes !ithin society that affect the organization is also an important responsibility. &losely related is the responsibility of monitoring ne! developments ta"ing place in the HR field and, !hen feasible, getting top management to adopt them. )ny consultation provided by the HR staff must be based on managerial and technical e#pertise. -urthermore, the staff should be concerned !ith the operating goals of the managers and supervisors !ho are their consulting clients and should help them to ma"e sound decisions. These managers and supervisors must be convinced that the HR staff is there to assist them in increasing their productivity rather than to impose obstacles to their goals. This requires not only the ability to consider problems from the vie!point of the line managers and supervisors, but also s"ill in communicating !ith the managers and supervisors.
1e!artment Organ&)at&on
In a small firm the HR department may consist only of a manager and a fe! assistants. In a larger firm many additional staff members may be required. Increased size eventually leads to the establishment of departmental units. The most common departments areI HR ;lanning Lob Requirements Recruitment 6election )ffirmative )ction Training &areer 5evelopment ;erformance )ppraisal &ompensation Benefits 6afety and Health 9abor Relations
K()9 )<5 )&TI(< +)<)K'+'<T 'fficiency orientation ;roactivity &oncern !ith impact 5ecisiveness
T'&H<I&)9 ;R(-I&I'<&7 HR planning, selection and ;lacement Training and development 'mployee and labor relations &ompensation and benefits Health, safety, and security ;ersonnel research (rganizational development HRI6
-8<&TI(<)9 )<5 (RK)<IM)TI(<)9 9')5'R6HI; 5eveloping others Kroup management s"ills -unctional mar"eting 9eading through vision Integrity
B86I<'66 N<(W9'5K' 6trategic focus (rganizational a!areness Industry "no!ledge :alue%added perspective Keneral management s"ills
I<-98'<&' +)<)K'+'<T ;erceptual ob$ectivity &oalitionHnet!or" building &ommunication process s"ills <egotiation s"ills
SUMMAR=
HR+ represents a ne! concept of and approach to performing personnel functions. It still requires the performance of those personnel functions that have evolved over the years in response to emerging needs. Ho!ever, instead of treating these functions as separate and distinct, HR+ considers them interrelated parts of a management system that must be integrated closely !ith strategic organizational planning. HR managers are becoming more involved in the decision ma"ing of top management in a !ide variety of issues and problems. Nno!ledge of HR+ is important for individuals !ho !ill occupy managerial and supervisory roles, since they !ill also perform HR functions. The present status of HR+ !as achieved only after years of evolutionary development. 5uring the nineteenth century the factory system enabled products to be manufactured more cheaply than before. The concentration of !or"ers in factories in turn focused public attention on the need for better !or"ing conditions and greater consideration for employee health and safety. 5uring this period an ob$ective and systematic approach to improving !or"er efficiency "no!n as scientific management emerged. By the early /100s some of the "no!ledge and research from the field of psychology !as beginning to be applied to the management of personnel. 6ince the late /12(s severa/ forces have contributed significantly to the HR+ movement. The Ha!thorne studies !ere influential in humanizing the !or"place, and the human relations movement focused attention on individual differences and informal groups. )s the human relations movement evolved, it became broader in scope and included the various behavioral sciences, focusing on the achievement of organizational ob$ectives. 5uring this period political pressures gave rise to government legislation affecting HR+ around the !orld. <o! there is increasing specialization of HR functions and an emphasis on strategic management. HR+ may be referred to as a profession because it has the follo!ing characteristicsI (/ It is based upon an organized body of "no!ledge developed through research and e#perimentation, (2 the "no!ledge is disseminated through publications and professional meetings, (C professional associations promote the professional gro!th of their members, (A various types of certification allo! practitioners to increase their competency, and (D the various HR+ professional associations have developed codes of ethics that their members are e#pected to observe. ) code of ethics focuses attention on ethical values and provides a basis for HR professionals to evaluate their plans and their actions. HR departments have been given a greater role in communicating the organizationEs values and standards and in monitoring compliance !ith its code of ethics. The principal elements of an HR program are ob$ectives, policies, and procedures. HR ob$ectives are determined by the organization.s ob$ectives as a !hole. ;olicies serve to guide the actions required to achieve these ob$ectives. HR policies must be compatible !ith current economic conditions, collective bargaining trends, and la!s and regulations at all levels. HR procedures implement policies by prescribing the steps to follo! in carrying out the policies. 6tatements relating to ob$ectives, policies, and procedures can be meaningful only if they are supported financially by the budget. It is important that the HR+ program be audited periodically to assure that its ob$ectives are being accomplished.
The HR department is responsible for initiating and formulating policy3 counseling and advising line managers3 providing services such as recruiting, selection, and planning of training programs3 and monitoring the performance of line and staff departments to ensure conformity !ith established HR policy and procedures. The HR manager.s authority in carrying out these activities is restricted to staff authority and functional authority. HR managers often use the services of outside consultants, and more recently, they have outsourced some of the HR functions to vendors on a long%term basis. HR+ is in the midst of a radical transformation. 9ine managers are reaching out to ta"e control over the HR functions !here HR departments fail to recognize their responsibilities. &omprehensive research studies have sho!n that a proactive, strategically oriented perspective is critical. Both line and HR e#ecutives support the concept of shared responsibility bet!een line and HR managers. )n HR competency model emphasizes goal and action management, functional and organizational leadership, influence management, business "no!ledge, and HR technical proficiency.
Behavioral sciences &ertification Ha!thorne studies HR budget HR information system (HRI6 HR ob$ectives
>E= TERMS HR policies HR procedures Human relations movement Human resources management (utsourcing 6cientific management