Angelica Rodriguez

Professor Harrison

MGT 3070

13 January 2021

Chapter 2 Discussion Questions

1. The aging of the workforce affect HRM because as an organizations workforce gradually
gets closer to retirement age the HR professionals have to shift the focus of the
organization to accommodate to the workers concerns on retirement, retraining the older
workers on new systems and keeping them motivative. Since there are more workers in
the work force nearing retirement age. While, the organization will struggle to recruit the
young workers and not lose them to their competitors. In addition, to them preparing to
train the new young workers just joining the workforce. Diversity in the workforce
affects the HRM because they have to abide by the U.S. laws that were placed to make
sure that the foreign workers who are contracted or have immigrated have all the correct
paperwork and is legally allowed to work. Skill Deficiencies in the workforce affects
HRM because they have to look at employees who are qualified and are able to handle
various tasks and not just mastering one skill. Also, they would need employees who are
able to communicate easily with, problem solve, think creatively, and etc. Furthermore,
organizations look at people’s educational backgrounds and achievements since the
competition is intense for qualified college graduates.
2. HRM can support the teams efforts in improving people’s performance is by coming up
with a system that works best for their social system and technical system. That is why
HRM creates/uses a high-performance work system.
3. HRM practices encourage employee empowerment by giving them jobs or tasks where
they have to make a variety of decisions. In addition, by giving the employees a voice
and HRM listening to their ideas to come up with the best solution is another way for
them to encourage employee empowerment. Furthermore, giving employees to be
properly trained, proper pay, and rewards to appreciate their hard work is also another
way to encourage employee empowerment.
4. HRM plays a big role in mergers because they have to find a middle ground for both
companies. Since the two companies merging have two different ways of doing their
practices and might have a slightly different goals, so they have to work out what changes
that need to be made to help both companies reach a common ground without losing sight
of their goals. For example, how Bi-Lo Supermarket had merged/acquisitioned by Lowes
Supermarket to help Bi-Lo out of going completely bankrupt, so they probably had to
change some of their practices and find a compromise in how they priced the goods and
what vendors they need to cut out.
5. HRM must develop practices that incorporate the countries cultural differences and
preparing to send trained employees to the foreign branches to work with them. In
addition, prepare the employees about the different culture in their oversea branch and
how they might operate a little different compared to the main branch in America
6. Organizations outsource HRM functions because it helps with the transition to the other
branch or company. In addition, outsourcing HRM functions on complex technical
specialties that require managing retirement accounts and health care coverage. I would
rather contract an outside firm to provide HR services because it would not affect the
current employees in the HR department.
7. HRM functions provided by self-service is checking their payroll, linking their bank
accounts so their pay can be electronically transferred, updating personal information,
and scheduling vacation/request for leave. The self-service is an advantage because it
cuts back on paperwork and having to keep on updating employees files, so it helps make
the HR department focus on more important matters than being spread to thin because
they have to constantly help employees out with miscellaneous tasks like checking their
benefits or request for leave/ time off.
8. Employment relationship in modern organizations is different than the relationship
generation ago is due to the advancement of technology and making the employees be
more independent than how it was generations ago.
9. Flexible work schedules is advantageous to employees who might have other obligations
to attend to like for college students who work on-campus set their availability, so the
employers can plan shifts that work around their class schedule. The disadvantage is that
some employees might abuse having flexible work schedules because there might be a
higher risk of employees flaking or working past the allotted hours and overtime hours.
In addition, employees might schedule their shifts ahead of time, but cancel at the last
minute giving the bosses a harder time in finding a person to replace/cover that person’s
shift.