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HUMAN RESOURCE POLICIES

What are human resource policies?

Human resource (HR) policies set out the approaches the organization adopts to dealing

with key aspects of human resource management such as recruitment, promotion, compensation,

training, selections, etc., and provide continuing guidelines on how these approaches should be

applied. They define the philosophies and values of the organization on how people should be

treated, and from these are derived the principles upon which managers are expected to act when

dealing with HR matters. A good HR policy provides generalized guidance on the approach

adopted by the organization, and therefore its employees, concerning various aspects of

employment. Each organization has a different set of circumstances and so develops an

individual set of human resource policies.

HR policies should be distinguished from procedures. A policy provides generalized

guidance on how HR issues should be dealt with. A procedure spells out precisely what steps

should be taken to deal with major employment issues such as grievances, discipline, capability

and redundancy.
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Purpose of human resource policies

HR policies define how the organization wants to handle key aspects of people

management. As guidelines the aim is to ensure that any HR issues are dealt with consistently in

accordance with the values of the organization and in line with certain defined principles. All

organizations have HR policies. Some, however, exist implicitly as a philosophy of management

and an attitude to employees that is expressed in the way in which HR issues are handled. HR

policies can also be very effective at supporting and building the desired organizational culture.

In actuality, policies and procedures serve a number of purposes:

1. They provide clear communication between the organization and their employees

regarding their condition of employment.

2. They form a basis for treating all employees fairly and equally.

3. They are a set of guidelines for supervisors and managers.

4. They create a basis for developing the employee handbook.

5. They establish a basis for regularly reviewing possible changes affecting employees.

6. They form a context for supervisor training programs and employee orientation

programs.
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Advantages and benefits of HR policies

According to Aquinas (2009), the following advantages are achieved by setting up HR

policies:

1. They help managers at various levels of decision making to make decisions without

consulting their superiors. Subordinates are more willing to accept responsibility because

policies indicate what is expected of them and they can quote a written policy to justify

their actions.

2. They ensure long term welfare of employees and makes for a good employer-employee

relationship as favoritism and discrimination are reduced. Well-established policies

ensure uniform and consistent treatment of all employees throughout the organization.

3. They lay down the guidelines pursued in the organization and thereby minimize the

personal bias of managers.

4. They ensure prompt action for taking decisions because the policies serve as standards to

be followed. They prevent the wastage of time and energy involved in repeated analyses

for solving problems of a similar nature.

5. They establish consistency in the application of the policies over a period of time so that

each one in the organization gets a fair and just treatment. Employees know what action

to expect in circumstances covered by the policies. Policies set patterns of behavior and

permit employees to work more confidently.

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Development of HR policies

John McConnell (2005) mentioned that in developing HR Policies, there should be clear

and consistent statement of the organization's policies regarding all conditions of employment

and procedures for their equal and fair implementation. In order to fulfill this objective, policies

and procedures should be:

 Clear and specific, but provide enough flexibility to meet changing conditions.

 Comply with all appropriate law and regulation.

 Consistent amongst one another and reflect an overall true and fair view approach to all

employees.

Influential factors in the development of HR policies

The following factors will influence the HR policies of an organization:

 Laws of the country - The various labour laws and legislation pertaining to labour have to

be taken into consideration. Policies should conform to the laws of the country, state,

and/or province otherwise they are bound to cause problems for the organization.

 Social values and customs - Social values and customs have to be respected in order to

maintain consistency of behavior throughout the organization. The values and customs of

all communities should be taken into account when framing policies.

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 Management philosophy and values - Management philosophy and values influence its

action on matters concerning employees. Therefore, without a clear, broad philosophy

and set values, it would be difficult for employees to understand management.

 Financial impact - HR policies may affect productivity and an organization's overall

finances if the create unnecessary burdens or red tape for the organization's workforce.

Organizations may also want to consider how realistic it is to enforce a policy fairly or

keep it up-to-date as these have the potential to create issues amongst employees.

Steps in formulating and revising

Armstrong (2001) enumerates the steps that should be taken when formulating and

revising human resource policies:

1. Gain understanding of the corporate culture and its shared values

2. Analyze existing policies: both written and unwritten existing policies.

3. Analyze external influences: HR policies are subject to the influence of many legislation,

regulations and authorities, thus the codes of practice issued by the professional

institutions should also be consulted.

4. Assess any areas where new policies are needed or existing policies are inadequate.

5. Check with managers, preferably starting with the organization's leadership team, on their

views about HR policies and where they think could be improved.

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6. Seek the view of employees about the HR policies, especially to the extent for which they

are inherently fair and equitable and are implemented fairly and consistently.

7. Seek the view of the union's representatives.

8. Analyze the information retained in the previous steps and prepare the draft policies.

9. Consult, discuss and agree on policies with management and union representatives.

At a minimum, the draft of a human resource policy should contain the following

information (Sharma, 2009):

 Policy name

 Effective date of the policy and the date of any revisions

 Approval status

 References - list other policies or documents related to this policy

 Purpose of the policy - what is it intended to promote or achieve

 Main policy statement

 Definition of any key concepts or terms mentioned in the policy need to be defined

 Eligibility or scope - Any stakeholders are covered by the policy

 How to deal with potential exceptions

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 Positions in the organizations responsible for implementing and monitoring the policy

 Procedures for carrying out the policy - preferably written in numbered steps

Implementing human resource policies

The aim of an organization after the establishment of human resource policies will be to

implement the policies fairly and consistently. Line managers have an important for will be

largely responsible for the policy implementation. Members of the HR function can give

guidance, but it is line managers who are on the spot and have to make decisions about people.

The role of HR is to communicate and interpret the policies, convince line managers that they are

necessary, and provide training and support that will equip managers to implement them.

Types of human resource policies

HR policies could be classified on the basis of sources or description (Aquinas, 2009).

 On the basis of source

1. Originated Policies - These are the policies usually established by the senior

managers in order to guide their subordinates

2. Implicit / Implied Policies - These are the policies which are not formally

expressed; they are inferred from the behavior of managers

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3. Imposed Policies - Policies are sometimes imposed on the business by external

agencies such as government, trade associations and trade unions

4. Appealed Policies - Appealed policies arise because the particular case is not

covered by the earlier policies. In order to know how to handle some situations,

subordinates may request or appeal for the formulation of specific policies.

 On the basis of description

1. General Policies - These policies do not relate to any specific issue in particular.

General policies are formulated by an organization's leadership team. This kind of

policies is called 'general' because they do not relate to any specific issue in

particular.

2. Specific Policies - These policies are related to specific issues like staffing,

compensation, collective bargaining etc. Specific policies must confirm to the

pattern laid down by the general policies.

Overall human resource policies

The overall HR policy defines how the organization fulfills its social responsibilities for

its employees and sets out its attitudes towards them. It is an expression of its values or beliefs

about how people should be treated. Values expressed in the overall HR policy include:
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1. Equity - This includes protecting individuals from any unfair decisions made by their

managers, providing equal opportunities for employment and promotion, and operating

an equitable payment system.

2. Consideration – taking account of individual circumstances when making decisions that

affect the prospects, security or self-respect of employees

3. Organizational learning – a belief in the need to promote the learning and development of

all the members of the organization by providing the processes and support required

4. Performance through people – the importance attached to developing a performance

culture and to continuous improvement

5. Quality of working life – consciously and continually aiming to improve the quality of

working life. This involves increasing the sense of satisfaction people obtain from their

work

6. Working conditions – providing healthy, safe and, so far as practicable, pleasant working

conditions.

Specific human resource policies

1. Age and employment – Organization should have a written policy which should take into

account the Anti-Age Discrimination in Employment Act (RA 10911)

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2. AIDS – The policy should include a statement that risk through infection in the

workplace is negligible, non-obligatory disclosure by employees, and no discrimination

against anyone infected by AIDS

3. Bullying – An anti-bullying policy will state that bullying will not be tolerated by the

organization and that those who persist in bullying staff will be subject to disciplinary

action

4. Discipline – The disciplinary policy should state that employees have the right to know

what is expected of them and what could happen if they infringe the organization’s rules

5. Diversity management – A policy on managing diversity recognizes that there are

differences among employees and that these differences, if properly managed, will enable

work to be done more efficiently and effectively

6. E-mails and use of the internet – The policy on e-mails could state that the sending or

downloading of offensive e-mails is prohibited and that the senders or downloaders of

such messages are subject to normal disciplinary procedures

7. Employee Development – The employee development policy could express the

organization’s commitment to the continuous development of the skills and abilities of

employees

8. Employee Relations – The employee relations policy will set out the organization’s

approach to the rights of employees to have their interests represented to management

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9. Employee Voice – The employee voice policy should spell out the organization’s belief

in giving employees an opportunity to have a say in matters that affect them

10. Employment – Employment policies should be concerned with fundamental aspects of

the employment relationship.

11. Equal Opportunity – The equal opportunity policy should spell out the organization’s

determination to give equal opportunities to all

12. Grievances – The policy on grievances could state that employees have the right to raise

their grievances with their manager, , and to appeal to a higher level if they feel that their

grievance has not been resolved satisfactorily

13. Health and Safety – Health and safety policies cover how the organization intends to

provide healthy and safe places and systems of work

14. New Technology – A new technology policy statement could state that there will be

consultation about the introduction of new technology and the steps that would be taken

by the organization

15. Promotion – A promotion policy could state the organization’s intention to promote from

within wherever this is appropriate as a means of satisfying its requirements for high

quality staff

16. Redundancy – The redundancy policy should state that the aim of the organization is to

provide for employment security

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17. Reward - The reward policy could cover such matters as providing an equitable pay

system and paying for performance, competence, skill or contribution

18. Sexual Harassment – The sexual harassment policy should state that sexual harassment

will not be tolerated and the process to be undertaken for any complaints

19. Substance Abuse – A substance abuse policy could include assurances that employment

rights will be safeguarded during any reasonable period of treatment advised by the

organization

20. Whistleblowing – The policy is intended to encourage employees and others to make

good faith reports of suspected fraud, corruption, or other improper activity

21. Work-Life Balance – Work–life balance policies define how the organization intends to

allow employees greater flexibility in their working patterns so that they can balance

what they do at work with the responsibilities and interests they have outside work
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QUALITY OF WORK LIFE

What is quality of work life?

Quality of work life (QWL) refers to the favourableness or unfavourableness of a job

environment for the people working in an organisation. The period of scientific management

which focused solely on specialisation and efficiency, has undergone a revolutionary change.

The traditional management (like scientific management) gave inadequate attention to human

values. In the present scenario, needs and aspirations of the employees are changing. Employers

are now redesigning jobs for better QWL. The QWL as strategy of Human Resource

Management has assumed increasing interest and importance. Many other terms have come to be

used interchangeably with QWL such as ‘humanisations of work’ ‘quality of working life,

‘industrial democracy’ and ‘participative work’. It was in the year 1970 that the idea of QWL

was conceived in the American Research Journals.

The following are different definitions of QWL given by eminent authors and groups:

 “QWL is a process of work organisations which enable its members at all levels to

actively; participate in shaping the organizations environment, methods and outcomes.

This value based process is aimed towards meeting the twin goals of enhanced

effectiveness of organisations and improved quality of life at work for employees. ” –The

American Society of Training and Development

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 “QWL is a way of thinking about people, work and organisations, its distinctive elements

are (i) a concern about the impact of work on people as well as on organisational

effectiveness, and (ii) the idea of participation in organisational problem-solving and

decision making.” – Nadler and Lawler

 “The overriding purpose of QWL is to change the climate at work so that the human-

technological-organisational interface leads to a better quality of work life.” – Luthans

 “QWL is based on a general approach and an organisation approach. The general

approach includes all those factors affecting the physical, social, economic, psychological

and cultural well-being of workers, while the organisational approach refers to the

redesign and operation of organisations in accordance with the value of democratic

society. ” – Beinum

From the definitions given above, it can be concluded that QWL is concerned with taking

care of the higher-order needs of employees in addition to their basic needs. The overall climate

of work place is adjusted in such a way that it produces more humanized jobs. QWL is viewed as

that umbrella under which employees feel fully satisfied with the working environment and

extend their wholehearted cooperation and support to the management to improve productivity

and work environment.

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Reasons for studying Quality of Work Life

1. Division of work and specialisation has made the workers socially isolated from their

fellow workers

2. Overdependence on rules, procedures and hierarchy has made the workers just like

various parts of the machine

3. In many organisations, workers are working 14 to 15 hours a day against the accepted

norms of 8 to 9 hours

4. Burnout, work-stress, health hazards, and monotony are the natural offshoots of the

modern way of life

5. Many organisations are keeping employees on temporary or ad hoc basis

6. Globalisation has lowered national boundaries and mobility of workers has increased

causing great changes in the work environment at factories and offices

7. The changing workforce of literate workers is more concerned with non- economic

aspects such as self-respect, recognition, flexi-hours and organisational privacy etc.

8. Conflicts can be prevented if workers enjoy better QWL

Three major parts of Quality of Work Life

Quality of work life involves three major parts:

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 Occupational health care – Safe work environment provides the basis for people to enjoy

his work. The work should not pose health hazards for the employees

 Suitable working time – Companies should observe the number of working hours and the

standard limits on overtime, time of vacation and taking free days before national

holidays

 Appropriate salary – The employee and the employer agree upon appropriate salary. The

Government establishes the rate of minimum salary; the employer should not pay less

than that to the employee. Work represents a role which a person has designated to

himself. On the one hand, work earns one’s living for the family; on the other hand, it is a

self-realization that provides enjoyment and satisfaction.

Important aspects of QWL

Quality of work life represents concern for human dimensions of work and relates to job

satisfaction and organisational development. The following aspects improve the quality of work

life:

1. Recognition of work life issues – Issues related to work life should be addressed by the

Board and other important officials of the company like why people are not happy, do

they need training, why employee morale is poor and numerous other issues.
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2. Commitment to improvement – QWL can be improved if the staff is committed to

improvement in productivity and performance. This issue can be taken by the board

through staff recognition and support programmes

3. Quality of work life teams – Board members should form the combined team of

managers and workers and all the issues and common themes must be identified

4. Training to facilitators – Both the leader and staff can assess the job requirement and

decide jointly what type of training is required to improve the quality of work life

5. Conduct focus groups – Formation of focus groups can affect the QWL and discuss the

questions in a positive way

6. Analyze information from focus group – After the formation of focus groups and their

discussion on different issues and collection of information, the information should be

analysed to give right direction to organisational activities

7. Identify and implement improvement opportunities – It is important to identify and

implement improvement opportunities like communication, recognition and non-

monetary compensation

8. Flexible work hours – The diverse work force of today does not want to work for fixed

hours or days

9. Autonomy to work – Delegation is an essential element of organisation structure. People

want freedom to work in their own way, in terms of forming teams and making decisions
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Significance of a good work-life quality

1. Decrease absenteeism and increase turnover

2. Less number of accidents

3. Improved labour relations

4. Employee personification

5. Positive employee attitudes toward their work and the company

6. Increased productivity and intrinsic motivation

7. Enhanced organizational effectiveness & competitive advantage

8. Employees gain a high sense of control over their work

Problems in Improving the QWL

Though every organization attempts to improve the employer-employee relations and

through it, the quality of work life of employees, problems may occur in effective

implementation of QWL programs. These problems may occur because of:

1. Poor reward and recognition – People will not do their best when they feel that

employers’ commitment in terms of reward and recognition is lacking

2. Dead-end jobs – Work which does not offer opportunities for growth and promotion is

one of the greatest reasons for employees’ de-motivation and non-commitment

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3. Managing by intimidation – Mistreating people and managing them by threats and

embarrassment leads to employees’ dissatisfaction and weakens their commitment

4. Negative working environment – Non-acceptance by colleagues, non-cooperation, too

much politics, and negative behaviour by colleagues, supervisors and other people in the

company also hamper commitment

5. No job security – If the employee feels that he can lose his job anytime, he would not be

committed towards company’s goals

6. Negative attitude – Some people by nature are not committed to anything and anyone and

as such they would not be committed to their employers

Strategies in Improving QWL

1. Reward and Recognition – Reward begets commitment and the bottom-line for any

employee to work is to earn proper reward and recognition

2. Growth Opportunities – Providing opportunities for greater responsibility, promotion,

value-added jobs, meaningful and worthwhile job, and learning culture enable employees

to grow and develop

3. Respect and Boosting Self-Esteem - When people are respected, they do their best to

attain success for any project or company plan

4. Vision and Get Supported - Challenging the employees to create new standards of

excellence produces powerful and positive results

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5. Mutual Commitment - In order to get support from employees, employers should initiate

it in terms of leadership by example or self-commitment

6. Good Working Environment - Teamwork, cooperation, friendship with colleagues and

bosses and mutual respect are the signs of a good working environment which attract

employees and retain them to stay longer with a company

7. Empowerment - Empowerment leads to greater job satisfaction and sense of control,

which can result in better commitment and loyalty

8. Hiring the Right People - To sustain a good pool of committed employees, companies

need to hire right people with desired skills and capabilities

9. Work/Life Balance - Organisations which enable employees to balance work and family

responsibilities have positive impact on employees’ decision to stay with them

10. Out of the Way Help - One of the highly appreciated things especially in eastern culture

is out of the way help people receive from their employers and managers

Measuring quality of work life

There are few recognised measures of quality of working life, and of those that exist, few

have evidence of validity and reliability, although the Brief Index of Affective Job Satisfaction

has been systematically developed to be reliable and is rigorously psychometrically validated.

The Brief Index of Affective Job Satisfaction (BIAFJS) is a 4-item, purely affective as

opposed to cognitive, measure of overall affective job satisfaction that reflects quality of working
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life. The BIAJS differs from other job satisfaction measures in being comprehensively validated

not just for internal consistency reliability, temporal stability, convergent and criterion-related

validities, but also for cross-population invariance by nationality, job level, and job type.

Statistical analysis of the Work-Related Quality of Life scale (WRQoL), provides

support for the psychometric structure of this instrument. The WRQoWL measure uses six core

factors to explain most of the variation in an individual’s quality of working life: Job and

Career Satisfaction; Working Conditions; General Well-Being; Home-Work Interface;

Stress at Work and Control at Work.

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REFERENCES

Human Resource Policies

Aquinas, P. (2009). Human Resources Management Principles and Practices. New Delhi:
VIKAS

Armstrong, M. (2012). Armstrong’s Handbook of Human Resource Management Practice.

London: Kogan Page

McConnell, J. (2005). How to develop Essential HR policies and procedures. USA: American
Management Association

Sharma, S. (2009). Handbook of HRM Practices Management policies and practices. Delhi:
Global India Publications

Quality of Work Life

Chand, S. Quality of Work Life: it’s Meaning and Definition. Retrieved from
http://www.yourarticlelibrary.com/employee-management/quality-of-work-life-its-meaning-
and-definition-employee-management/26112

Chand, S. Quality Work Life: Evolution and Reasons for Study of Quality of Work Life. Retrieved
from http://www.yourarticlelibrary.com/employee-management/quality-work-life-evolution-
and-reasons-for-study-of-quality-of-work-life/26109

Easton, S. & Van Laar, D. (2013). User Manual for the Work-Related Quality of Life (WRQoL)
Scale. University of Portsmouth. UK.
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Tanuja, A. How to Improve the Quality of Work Life? (10 Ways). Retrieved from
http://www.businessmanagementideas.com/notes/management-notes/employee-
motivation/how-to-improve-the-quality-of-work-life-10-ways/5085

Tanuja, A. Quality of Work Life (QWL): Nature, Scope and Importance. Retrieved from
http://www.businessmanagementideas.com/notes/management-notes/employee-
motivation/quality-of-work-life-qwl-nature-scope-and-importance/5077

Thompson, E.R. (2012). A Brief Index of Affective Job Satisfaction. Group & Organization
Management