Professional Documents
Culture Documents
selection and systematic training and development of the worker and Gantt later emphasised on it by adding that
together
with the above there was also a need for obtaining the willing cooperation of the worker. The same was also
emphasised by
M.P Follett.The biggest watershed came with the advent of the Human Relations revolution which made the
study/theory of this field
interdisciplinary by integrating sociology,psychology,industrial psychology,social psychology,etc that brought in the
approach
of motivation and morale.Also a lot of events led to its growth in the practical sense like the shortage of labour
and labour issues during the world
wars,the Great Depression of 1930's warranted efficient personnel administration for elimination of wastage and
maximum
utilisation of resources for maximum benefit.
FUNCTIONS OF PERSONNEL ADMINISTRATION / HUMAN RESOURCE MANAGEMENT-
1) MANPOWER PLANNING:
Before the process of Recruitment begins,Manpower Planning precedes it. Now first lets understand what is
Manpower
Planning. Manpower planning as one of the functions of Personnel Administration is of utmost importance.It is the
process of
assessment of an organisation's requirements in terms of number of personnel needed for a job,job
definition/description,skills and specialisation it incorporates,duration for which the personnel is required,nature of
work,objectives of the job in line with the objectives and goals of the organisation,etc. It is a sound manpower
planning that
gives adequate time for recruitment,selection and training of such personnel,in short it lays down a full
blueprint/chart of
processes to follow and the time period it should follow.
2) RECRUITMENT:
Once Manpower Planning is done,the process of recruitment begins. Recruitment is the process that entails the
search for
prospective workers and stimulating them to apply for the jobs put up by the personnel administration on behalf of
the
organisation. It is based on selection of the best principle where a number applicants are invited for a single job
opening and
then the unwanted are eliminated selecting the one for the job who suits all the prerequisites suitably. Recruitment
can make a
break an organisation because even a brilliant training module cannot repair a faulty recruitment. The recruitment
process
consists of attractive recruitment literature and publicity,finding out target sector and people,usage of scientific tests
for
ability and aptitude testing of prospective candidates,tapping right candidates from within the organisation as well as
outside
as the requirement be(sometimes only one way or combined),placement of the right man for the right job and
effective
probation period process and proper induction into the organisation.
3) TRAINING:
Training is the continuous process of imparting and upgrading/developing professional knowledge,broader
vision,correct,ethical and novel patterns of behaviour,habits and aptitudes,awareness of organisational as well as
societal
objectives,increasing morale and motivation and the employee's potential contribution to the same. It is a ongoing
process of
response to a need.
Types of Training:
There are two types of training - Formal and Informal.
a) Informal Training -
Trial and error method is used and lessons are learnt from the mistakes by employees. The success of
this technique of training lies on the experience and seniority of the senior officer and his/her interest in the
new entrant.
b) Formal Training
- It is the inculcation of administrative skills in the personnel through well defined courses. Examples are
- Pre entry training,orientation training,in-service training,vocational training,etc.
Informal training helps in improving the quality of administration whereas formal training helps in the broadening
the faculty of the personnel.
Other methods of training can be the lecture method,case-study method,syndicate method (group of individuals or
organisations combined or making joint effort to undertake some specific duty/transaction,in this case training
purpose),etc.
Every organisation and system of personnel administration must pay immense and minute attention to the training
needs of
employees of the organisation as it is the heart of the system.
4) CAREER ADVANCEMENT:
Career advancement as a function of personnel administration is concerned with the activities that promote job
growth or
expansion of job roles/responsibilities.It is how an individual /employee manages his/her career within the
APPRAISER: Evaluates employees' performance in an open, candid way and relates this to potential opportunities.
Can
improve the appraisal skills by:
Providing frequent feedback in a way that fosters development
Conducting performance appraisals that define strengths, weaknesses, and career development needs
Relating current performance to future potential in realistic ways
Using an individual development plan as a tool for continual feedback and development
REFERRAL AGENT: Helps employees meet their goals through contacts with people and resources. You can
improve your
referral agent skills by:
Helping employees formulate development plans and consulting on strategies
Providing opportunities for experience, exposure, and visibility, such as committees and task forces)
Using personal resources who HRD would know and what the dept. knows to create opportunities
Assisting in seeking employees' placement lateral or vertical
5) POSITION CLASSIFICATION:
In Personnel administration position classification means grouping of various positions on the basis of the
commonality of
responsibilities and duties. It started with the movement of equal pay for equal work. It brings orderliness into the
system and
makes treatment uniform to people irrespective of their caste,status,birth,age,gender,etc. It also is handy as a
functional tool
since it makes clear even to the incumbent about his responsibilities and duties as well as hierarchical systems
formally
associated with his/her position.
A set of similar/identical positions and having identical qualifications,functional and salary structure when put
together form
a 'class'. In India classes are further grouped into broader occupational groups called 'services' like All India
Service,Central
and State Services.The Grade system of position classification is used to denote all 'classes' of positions which
(though different in subject matter
or kind of work) are sufficiently similar as to the level of difficulty and responsibility and level of qualifications for
the job like
civil engineer,accountant,geologist,etc.
Each position classification is placed under a 'class' and each class should be placed in the appropriate 'Grade'.
Advantages of position classification:
a) Facilitates Division of work.
b) Removes arbitrary standards.
c) Promotes employee equality and motivation.
d) Ensures effective Manpower planning and utilisation.
e) Lays down uniform work standards.
f) Speeds up recruitment process and indicates training needs.
g) Helps in maintaining updated personnel records.
Disadvantages of position classification:
a) Introduces element of rigidity in personnel system.
b) Under it,it is difficult to shift an employee from one position to another in the interest of the administration.
c) Tends to get stale rather soon and a lot of effort is needed to keep it up to date.
d) Constant pressure from employees to upgrade their positions.
6) DISCIPLINE:
Discipline in simple terms can be stated as the force that prompts individuals,organisations,nations,etc to observe
rules and
regulations and policies stipulated by the above mentioned which are deemed necessary for the effective running of
the same.
How disciple is instilled in an organisation:
a)Clearly stated rules,regulations, objectives and code of conduct of the organisation which are constantly updated
and
reviewed.b) No discrimination in enforcing the above.
c) Proper communication among all levels.
d) Strong disciplinary action so that indiscipline is not committed the second time.
e) Practices that breed indiscipline should be discouraged and prevented like favoritism,lack of communication,lack
of
retirement benefits help attract and retain the best talents as they do not have to worry about their future. The basic
guidelines,rules and regulations of the same have been laid down and prescribed by the state/govt. and updated from
time to
time and proper adherence is mandatory.
PERSONNEL ADMINISTRATION
Definitions
Personnel administration may be defined as the effective utilization ( penggunaan) of human resources(sumber
manusia) to achieve organisational objectives. ~ Peter D. Johnson
Personnel management involves the productive use of people in achieving the organization's objectivesand the
satisfaction (kepuasan) of individual
employee needs. ~ Raymond J. Stone
Personnel administration is the management of various activities designed to enhance the effectivenessof an
organization's workforce ( pekerja) in achieving organizational goals. ~Kathryn M. Bartol &David C. Martin
Personnel management refers to the policies, procedures, practices and systems that influencethe behaviour,
attitude and performance of employees. ~ Raymond A. Noe
'Personnel' refers to employees in an organization; it includes all levels of employees (superiors and
subordinates). ThisCourse is about 'Public Personnel Administration' - i.e. the management of employees in the
public (government) sector. Itmust be noted that 'Personnel Administration' is now commonly known as 'Human
Resource(s) Management' (HRM).
FunctionsThe functions of personnel management are the following:
a. It is responsible for ensuring that the organization gets the right type of people (i.e. able, skilled and qualified
people), inright quantity (i.e. in sufficient numbers to meet the human resource needs of the organization) , at the
right time and at theright place to achieve the goals (matlamat) of the organization.
b. It is responsible for using human resources in the most effective and efficient way to reduce personnel costs, to
right sizethe organization and to eliminat unnecessary work.
c. It helps in enhancing employee skills on present jobs and upgrading skills foR future jobs, through training
anddevelopment programmes, to improve the work performance of the employees.
d. It conducts performance appraisal to determine how well employees are doing their job and communicates
thatinformation to employees, agreeing on neW objectives, targets or standards and establishing a plan
forperformancE improvement (penambahbaikan prestasi).
e. It provides and rewards employees with equitable pay / remuneration and other benefits and compensation for
theircontribution towards the achievement oF organizational objectives.
f. It maintains positive and harmonious relationship between the management and the employees through
handlinggrievances, disciplinary proceedings, trade unions and collective bargaining process (proses tawar-
menawar kolektif).
Importance of Personnel AdministrationPersonnel administration is important because:
(i) It helps the organization in making the right decisions in hiring competent people (cekap /serba boleh),
developing theirpotentials and giving them the right motivation to ensure productivity and fair return on the
organization's investment.
(ii) It ensures that employees who are the greatest and most valued assets of the organization are efficiently and
effectively usedand managed through proper planning and implementation of relevant policies and programmes
that can enhanceemployee abilities (kebolehan) and performance in the organization's overall efforts to achieve its
goals and objectives.
(iii) It helps the organization in developing competitive advantage in the form of lower cost of production,
development ofinnovative products and unique methods of product marketing.(iv) It brings together and develops
into an effective organization of the employees who make up an enterprise and taking intoconsideration their well-
being and enable them to make their best contribution to the success oF
the organization.
Activities / Components of Personnel Administration (focus on training)The activities of personnel
administration are the following:
a. Human Resource Planning.
Human resource planning or employment planning or personnel planning is the first step inbuilding an effective
workforce in an organization. It is the process of determining future staffing requirements and theskills necessary
to carry out the objectives of the organization. This is done by comparing the present supply of people withits
projected (yang diramalkan) demand for human resources. The comparison (perbandingan) is done to add, reduce
orreallocate or reassign employees internally. The aims of personnel planning are to achieve more effective and
efficient use ofhuman resources; to attract and retain the best employees with the necessary skills, ability and
aptitude and to achieve moresatisfied and better trained and motivated employees.
b. Recruitment
. It is is the process of seeking and attracting a qualified pool of job applicants to fill job vacancies. A jobvacancy
may filled from within or outside the organisation. Job descriptions and job specifications are important in
therecruiting process because they specify the nature of the job and the qualifications required of job candidtes.
Methods used torecruit employees include job posting, advertising in various media and executive search.
c. Selection
. It involves choosing from the available candidates the individual who is most qualified to fill the position. Stepsin
the selection process include reviewing the application forms, psychological testing, employment
interviews, referencechecking, amedical examination. Based on the information gathered, a selection decision is
made.
d. Human Resource Development
. This activity is also known as Training and Development. Training helps the employeegain the specific job-related
skills that will ensure effective performance of work. Development is the process of helping theemployee grow in
his or her career and achieve his or her career goals. Training and development is a means of achievingglobal
competitiveness, improving productivity and the capacity to adapt to changes in the environment.In the public
sector, various types of training programmes are conducted to help civil servants to acquire knowledge, skillsand
develop a positive attitude towards work.
Orientation
. Employee orientation or induction is a key part of the training and development activity. It introduces the
newemployee to the organization - to the requirements of the job; to the social situation in which he or she will be
working; and toits norms and culture. Orientations usually include an overview of the
organization; policies, procedures, rules andregulations; compensation, benefits, safety and accident prevention,
employee and union relations; and job duties andresponsibilities. Formal orientation can achieve significant cost
savings by reducing the anxieties of new employees and byfostering positive attitudes, job satisfaction and a
sense belonging and commitment. Helping new employees to feel part ofthe organization can reduce labour turnover
costs and improve the profitability and competitiveness of the organization.
Post-Entry Training
. Post-entry training is given to civil servants after their entry into the service. This type of training is
usually given to the new recruits before they take up their job assignments or assume their duties. the aim of post-
entrytraining is to provide the necessary skills and insights to the new recruits and thus prepare them to mange the
challenges andshoulder the responsibilities of their job. This type of training takes the form of institutional or on-
the- job training or acombination of both. In Malaysia, the National Institute of Public Administration (INTAN), the
civil service training centre,conducts this type of academic and practical training for the new recruits to the
Administrative & Diplomatic Service (PTD).
In-Service Training.
This type of training is given to serving civil servants either by INTAN or by the government agencies
individually or by private professional institutions or local or foreign univesities. This takes the form
of seminars,workshops, refresher courses, conferences or short-term or long-term management courses leading to a
certificate, diploma,degree or post-graduate qualification. This type of training is given to different categories of
civil servants. The main aim ofthis type of training programme is to update the skills and knowledge and to acquaint
the civil servants with the latestmanagerial techniques and concepts.
e. Performance Appraisal
. This activity is concerned with determining how well employees are doing their jobs,communicating that
information to employees and establishing a plan for performance improvement. The informationobtained
from placement, dismissal and training and development needs.
f. Compensation and Benefits
. Compensation (remuneration) refers to the cash rewards, such as basic pay, bonuses, meritpay, incentive payments,
overtime pay, allowances and annual increments which employees receive for working in anorganization.
Compensation plays an important part in motivating employees to perform better. Benefits are referred to asindirect
form of compensation. They include retirement, life insurance, disability insurance, medical insurance, annual
leave,sick leave and maternity leave. Statutory benefits such as EPF and SOCSO are part of benefits in the
public sector. Byimproving the quality of work life, benefits reinforce the attractiveness of an organization as a
place to work and emphasisethat it cares about its employees.
g. Health and Safety.
Employers are required to provide a safe and healthy work environment free from physical andhealth hazards such
as pollution, accidents and diseases. Health and safety programmes help guarantee the physical andmental wellbeing
of employees. Government regulations regarding safety in the workplace are contained in the OccupationalSafety
and Health ACt (OHSA) of 1994 and in the Factories and Machinery Act 1967.
h. Industrial Relations
. This is also called employee relations. Maintaining positive relationships between employers(management) and
employees is an important aspect of human resource anagement.. Industrial relations takes a broaderperspective,
involving governments, industrial tribunals, employer associations, trade unions, industrial law, awards, termsand
conditions of work, grievance procedures, dispute settlement, advocacy and collective bargaining. The
purposes ofindustrial relations are to ensure open communication, fair and equitable personnel policies and practices
and high work andlife satisfaction as these will result in trust, cooperation, commitment and high performance.
Role of a Human Resource (Personnel ) Department in the Public Sector
The Human Resources (HR) Department deals with the management of an organization's most valuable asset
or resource-its employees. It has a number of responsibilities.First of all, the Department is responsible for hiring
skilful and competent employees. This will involve attracting employees,keeping them in their positions and
ensuring that they perform to expectations to achieve the organization's objectives.One of the major functions of the
HR Department is to motivate employees to perfor better. This is done through anattractive monetary compensation
package to retain its most valuable workers.The HR Department takes on the role as trainer to new employees,
empowering and motivating them through orientation,on-the-job and in-service training programmes.The HR
Department is also responsible for implementing personnel policies and regulations relating
to compensation,benefits, discipline, retirement as determined by the Public Service Department.The HR
Department is entrusted with the duty of conducting performance appraisal of staff on an annual basis incooperation
with the other Departments in the organization.****************************************************(C)
Peter Johnson 2014