Essentials of HRM

June 2021 Examination

1. In your experience what are the barriers which prevent one from being an effective
communicator? What were the challenges you faced? Suggest some ways to handle such
challenges. (10 Marks)

Answer 1.

Introduction 
Communication barriers keep us from accurately getting and accepting the messages others use
to convey their feelings, contemplations, and thoughts. Some of the examples of communication
barriers are information overload, choosy perceptions, workplace gossips, semantics, gender
differences, etc. Communication is essential not only to get facts and information but to assemble
and fortify connections. The contact has to be brief and direct to impart thoughts, sentiments,
considerations, and feelings clearly and reasonably. Improper communication skills can impact
mainly relationships and even harm them. There are three primary communication barriers that
can be classified which are physical, emotional, and language barriers. Social distancing, remote-
work, desk more minor nature of work, closed office doors are physical barriers. Mistrust, fear,
and critical issues are emotional barriers. Reaching out to another person verbally and non-
verbally are considered as language barriers. These barriers affect a person's skills at the
workplace and underestimates its level of abilities.

Concept and application

The barriers are subdivided from the main obstacles, and those are listed below: 
 1. Disengagement: Effective communication is about the commitment between the people
engaged with touch. There are times when an individual is associated with a discussion
about which he has no interest. Likewise, the audience will, in general, get diverted
effectively in such circumstances. This creates a level of disengagement between the
speaker and audience and thus ruins compelling communication motivation. 

2. Lack of focus and attention: Consider an individual utilizing a cell phone or pondering

what he will do this evening during a discussion. This won't just lead to confusion once
the debate is over yet additionally having an awful effect on the speaker. You may tend to
miss specific nonverbal cues from the discussion. Accordingly, you cannot communicate
effectively while multi-tasking.

3. Technical jargon: Utilizing language or articulations that individuals are not familiar

with might prompt severe misunderstandings about the point being discussed. These
days, individuals will, in general, utilize a ton of shortened forms and slang during a
meeting which doesn't have a good impression on the audience or listeners.
Consequently, try not to use these words and utilize straightforward language to speak
with the group as all may not be familiar with the jargon. Using technical terms should be
limited to the times when it is required. A good communicator knows how to distinguish
where jargon is to be used and where it's not used. 

 
 4. Lack of listening skills: Listening skills are the central part of effective communication
in a work environment. When an individual can't tune in to the speaker successfully
because of an absence of interest or attention, the motivation behind the conversation gets
destroyed. It is an expertise that allows an individual to comprehend the significance of
the discussion beyond words; by drawing inferences and not making assumptions of what
the speaker may be saying.

5. Being judgmental: It is typical for individuals to form opinions about each other during
a discussion. Notwithstanding, when these conclusions are framed while examining a
pivotal point that requires coordination, at that point, individuals become critical of each
other. They may begin diagnosing or reprimanding each other's sentiments. Each person
may want to impose his perception in practice. This entire circumstance will at last effect
the business as the group probably won't have the option to make a choice keeping the
association's primary goal, vision, and worth at the top of the priority list.

6. Differences in perception and understanding: Differences in opinion can be an

obstacle during a discussion. The explanations for this can be an individual's degree of
comprehension or experience identified with the subject of conversation. It is regularly
challenging for a gathering to think of a choice with such varied perceptions and
viewpoints. Along these lines, we should consistently attempt to recognize each other's
feelings and try to decide that best suits the association over the long run. 

 
 7. Cultural Differences: It is frequently seen that individuals will generally make
assumptions dependent on the other individual's way of life. In this way, the standards of
connection can fluctuate with the work culture. Thus, it is essential to track down a
shared belief for effective communication. Likewise, one should consistently attempt to
adjust to the work culture of the association to communicate effectively. 

 
Conclusion
Communication is way essential, which makes the moving parts of human relations function
smoothly. Therefore, the meaning of communication shouldn't be underestimated. For effective
communication, one must know what skills they're lacking and should work upon them.
Understanding their strengths and weaknesses will help better understand what skills and barriers
one is supposed to work on. It does take time, but getting past the communication barriers will
eventually help in better interaction necessary to increase the quality of work-life and be liked as
an individual at the workplace. This helps in a happy work-life and when you are able to
communicate properly, the problems are eventually solved quicker than otherwise.

2. Suppose that you are the HR manager at a firm where hiring-freeze has been declared
due to the ongoing pandemic. The plan is to downsize through attrition. What steps would
you take to ensure that you reap the advantages of this strategy while minimizing the
disadvantages? (10 Marks)

Answer 2.

Introduction:

A hiring freeze is the point at which a business incidentally ends insignificant employing of
faculty to decrease costs, normally when an association is under monetary coercion. The
executives may likewise embrace a particularly cost-cutting exertion because of a downturn or
other financial or market separation or emergency, for example, one that causes creation,
overcapacity, or repetition. Hiring freezes might be a present moment or long term and often
used to avoid laying off employees. Hiring freezes might be refined by not filling open positions
brought about by worker terminations or characteristics wearing down. Also, no new positions
might be made. Hiring freezes permit organizations to diminish or wipe out non-essential
positions, basically hitting a reset button on finance cost development. With Hiring freezes, the
board might have the option to rebuild workgroups and solidify representatives to make more
prominent proficiency in delivering the fundamental products and ventures for its clients.

Concept and application

Attrition is a cycle wherein the labor force lessens at an organization, following a period in
which various individuals resign or leave and are not supplanted. A decrease in staff wearing
down is often called a hiring freeze and is viewed as a less troublesome approach to manage the
labor force and diminish finance than cutbacks.

To ensure minimum setbacks and disadvantages, here are a few things an HR manager can do:

1. Find productive employees: Try not to be the recruiter who sends out emails and LinkedIn
messages promoting occupations that aren't effectively accessible. It's a misleading and
tragically a basic practice and can discolor an expert connection with future professionals.
Work to associate with individuals who might be a solid match for your organization—
sometime in the future. Furthermore, speak the truth about your objective; don't conceal the
way that discussions are exploratory. This is the kind of systems administration that will pay
off over the long run. At the point when the hiring freeze lifts, you have set up associations
with expected applicants, and you'll have the option to fill open positions rapidly.

2. Improve employee engagement: Keeping employees occupied with the work environment
is important, however significant as well. Significantly, your representatives feel associated
with the working environment if you are expecting to handle whittling down. From having a
good time bonding session and group holding meetings to the CEO's yearly town hall and
 authority All-Hands occasion, everything tallies about keeping your representatives drawn in
at the working environment. With lesser employees, it is now easier to engage with the
employees and give them work that would be a good way to distribute the part of work done
by ex-employees. Now the work optimization level can be adjusted while downsizing, and
each current employee will be using their maximum potential at work.

3. Shifting resources: The resources used for unnecessary employees to the organization can
now be utilized for other attributes. Change in departmental workflows and shifting of
resources within an organization can be made possible with attrition. The firm may have
been stalling its financial requirements for months before deciding upon attrition. Now they
can focus on engaging in all the necessary activities that need their attention to grow the
company overall. Choosing not to refill the position should be considered, and work shall be
given keeping in mind about the employees and the work they can properly do without any
inconvenience caused to them or the firm. During attrition, a manager must use the resources
to its maximum capacity to get the best outcomes.

4. Create new dynamics: Since the firm has got rid of extra employees, they are open to new
ideas and innovative steps. Hiring professionals who can bring progress to the company's
situation positively can be helpful in big ways. This will be kind of a refresh button for the
organization, and the current employees will also be exposed to new opportunities according
to their talents and ideas. An employee must be best suitable for a different role than what it
must be doing currently, and finding that out can help the firm gain the perfect candidate for
an open position without looking a lot for it.

Conclusion
Employee attrition refers to employees' loss due to life events such as retirement, resignation
initiated by the employee, elimination of a position, or another similar event. In this case, it is
because of the ongoing pandemic that has hit hard on many organizations. Since companies have
financial setbacks, they have no other option. As the HR manager, they must stay positive in this
situation and look forward to handling this situation with getting maximum benefits out of this.
The decrease in labor costs, shifting of resources, and new dynamics help change the work
environment and help in getting stability eventually.

3. Rahul and Priyanka are partners in a content writing company named as

‘Writing4You’. Rahul says it’s quite clear whether any particular employee of the
company is doing their job properly or not, as they monitor, observe and give them
feedback regularly. Being a small company Rahul feels a formal appraisal process is of no
use because they (both Rahul & Priyanka) can keep in touch with every employee on a
regular basis. Priyanka on the other hand, feels that sitting down and giving formal
feedback will reinforce what employees are doing right and get them to modify things they
may be doing wrong. Now, they want you, their management consultant to advise them on
what to do.

a. What performance appraisal problems will ‘Writing4You’ encounter if they continue on

the course of not using formalized performance appraisals? (5 Marks)

Answer 3a.

Introduction

A performance appraisal is a customary survey of a worker's work execution and, in general,

commitment to an organization. Otherwise called a yearly survey, execution audit or assessment,
or worker examination, an exhibition evaluation assesses a representative's abilities,
accomplishments, and development - or scarcity in that department.

Concept and application

If Rahul and Priyanka continue using non-formalized performance appraisals for their
employees, they will be facing certain drawbacks. These can also include employees not taking
them seriously after a while. 

● The appraisals will be made through communication and not on paper. Hence there will be
no documentation of the interaction that occurred. Even though it is a small company,
keeping track of appraisals is important. Informal appraisals work only to a certain extent
where the feedback needs to be looked upon at that time. But, when things are not
functioning like you need them to be, it is time to go formal with it. 
● A written appraisal helps the employees understand their feedback and work on them as and
when they can increase productivity at the workplace. When it is verbal, sometimes the
person communicating it can get blamed for the whole process and can be misunderstood and
taken personally by other employees. If it is formal, each employee receives an appraisal
individually. Whether it is negative or positive feedback, it is conveyed more professionally. 
● Sometimes, verbal communication can be confusing to the employee lacking effective
communication skills. Writing appraisals down formally can help employees who aren't
freely interactive compared to others. 
● A personal bias is also observed mainly in informal appraisals depending upon the
employees. To be on a neutral side, it is better to communicate the feedback and discuss
employee goals personally and show the evaluation of their work in a structured and
documented manner. 
● Employees may need to clarify their doubts about the appraisals, and if it is a formal way, it
can be done better. An informal one is not properly documented; hence, reviewing and
understanding the problems may arise. The manager needs to be clear about his/her
expectations from an employee individual and convey the message for the same property.

Conclusion

Appraisals likewise help representatives and their administrators arrange worker improvement
through extra preparing and expanded obligations, just as to distinguish deficiencies the
employees could work to resolve. An issue with Performance Appraisals is that separating
individual and hierarchical execution can be troublesome. If assessment's development doesn't
mirror an organization or association's culture, it very well may be inconvenient. 

b. What guidelines would you recommend to ‘Write4You’ partners for developing an

effective appraisal system? (5 Marks)

Answer 3b.

Introduction
A performance appraisal is an evaluation done on an employee's job performance over a specific
period. It is the equivalent of a report card on an employee and how their manager assessed their
performance over the prior year. Anyone who has worked in more than one department or at
more than one organization can attest that not all performance appraisal processes are the same.

Concept and application

Confounding Performance and Potential: 

Many rating frameworks that should assess execution fall into the snare of estimating potential
too. This is a genuine error that can outlandishly punish workers as give credit where it isn't
merited. Estimating potential is frequently a significant part of any examination framework, yet
the association and the raters and the rates included should be clear on the distinction. 

Leniency or Strictness Tendency or Constant Error:  Contingent on the appraiser's own

worth framework, which goes about as a norm, workers might be evaluated tolerantly or
carefully. Such evaluations don't convey any reference to the actual execution of the
representatives. The distinctions acquired are because of contrasts in appraiser's guidelines, not
execution. A few appraisers reliably relegate high qualities to all representatives paying little
heed to justify. This is a tolerance mistake. In severity inclination, an opposite circumstance
happens where all people are evaluated too harshly, and execution is downplayed. Such issues
emerge due to changing execution norms among appraisers and various translations of noticed
representative exhibitions and practices. 

Initial feelings: Raters may recognize some particular characteristics or highlights of the rater
and rapidly structure a general impression about him. The distinguishing characteristics or
highlights may not give a good base to evaluation. 

Generalizing: Generalizing is a standard mental picture that an appraiser holds about a person as

per the class whom he addresses. For example, (sex, standing, age and different variables)
"ladies", "government officials", "elderly individuals" etc. Generalizing brings about a distorted
perspective on the individual and may obscure the rater's discernment and evaluation of the
person's presentation at work. There might be various reasons for such disappointment; however,
generally, it happens as the top administration neglects to share data and expand support. These
execution examination disappointments can be ascribed to questionable execution guidelines,
rater predisposition, the extensive cycle of structure filling and recording, and wrong choice of
execution measures. Now and again, the evaluation interaction itself might be clashing. An
award-adjusted execution evaluation may struggle with the regulatory and formative necessities.
This is especially obvious when prizes are restricted distinctly to a couple of good entertainers.

Conclusion
Organizations that only do performance appraisals for the sake of doing them are wasting their
time. Organizations that incorporate performance appraisals into a comprehensive performance
management system and use them to implement business goals have an advantage in
accomplishing their goals and, ultimately, their strategic plan.