Course: Essentials of HRM - Internal Assignment December 2022 Examination

Answer No 1

Introduction –

In the given scenario, Sundaram Ltd is an electronics company in Chandigarh. The top
management plans to open new branches PAN India so they want to create a dynamic human
resource department for managing employee functions.

Work done is not enough. Work done right is the requirement. That’s exactly what constitutes
the scope of management. Getting the right people who understand the company’s goals and
play a role in forwarding these goals is the key to the success of any organization.

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Understanding employees monetary and non-monetary needs and using them to enhance
productivity is in the nature and scope of human resource management.

Human resource management is a pervasive and interdisciplinary activity that over the years
has become indispensable in every organization.

The overall purpose of human resource is to ensure that the organization is able to achieve
success through people.

HR department act as a liaison between employers and employees to help ensure both are well
equipped to do their job safely and effectively. HR managers help maintain the structural and
organizational integrity of the workplace.

So as a VP-HR of the company, following will be scope of the department in the above
expansion:

❖ Recruitment and hiring –

For many organizations, attracting and retaining the best talent in the industry is a
priority. HR managers play an important role in this, helping to build the future of the
company by overseeing the recruitment and hiring process. To begin, HR may work
with a department manager or supervisor to learn about an open position, including its
requirements and ideal candidate qualities. The HR department may then set forth a
recruitment strategy. This might include creating internal and external job postings,
screening incoming applicants resumes and other application materials and conducting
initial interviews. HR may also be responsible for professional reference checks and
background checks to verify that candidates are eligible to work for the company.

❖ Training and Development –

Hiring qualified employees is just one aspect of an HR department’s job. In order to
retain talent and remain competitive, HR managers may also be responsible for
launching employee development initiatives. This could entail additional on the job
training, professional development programs, or educational opportunities that allow
employees to grow and develop in their current roles- or prepare them for career
advancement within the organization. HR department know that investing in training
and development benefits both employers and employees. For employers, it may mean
higher employees’ productivity and lower turnover rates. For employees, seeing the

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 company invest in their development may help them feel more valued, increase job
satisfaction and incentive them to stay with the company.

❖ Employer – Employee Relations -

Another aspect of the workplace that HR departments manage is employer-employee
relationships. With this function, HR departments strive to help employers and
employees see each other as mutual contributors to the company, fostering a positive
dynamic between the two. HR managers may also help craft and determine company
policies that ensure fairness and equity in the workplace.
When an employee has a workplace grievance – whether regarding compensation,
benefits, workloads, work hours or anything else – HR may step in to act as a liaison
between the employee and employer, helping to settle and disagreements. Overall,
when HR departments succeed in creating positive employee relations, employers may
trust their employees and value their input more and on the flip side employees may
respect and appreciate and their employees more.

❖ Remuneration and Benefits –

Discussing the base salary and other perks to which an employee is entitled is a part of
the scope of HRM comprises how to keep the employee motivated and gain their
loyalty. It’s the HR who has all information about employee’s performance and who is
better than him to review his past performance and discuss future growth opportunities
with him. A performance appraisal, linked with incentives and increments, motivates
the employees to achieve more and more targets if done from time to time.

❖ Maintain Company Culture –

Elements of company culture may include sound hiring practices, ongoing
development, and strong employee relations. However, it’s not necessarily something
you can achieve and more on from. HR departments engage in ongoing work to ensure
that their company culture remains solid over time. In the employee onboarding
process, HR managers may share the company’s values, norms, and vision with
employees – familiarizing them with the overall ethos of the organization. Team
outings, community building and any reward systems or recognition programs are
additional ways HR departments might keep employee motivation and morale high.

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 Maintaining company culture also means being equipped to identify any shortcomings
within the organization and having the ability to address them effectively.

❖ Employee’s Grievance Redressal System –

Human resource managers should employ a mechanism to address employee’s
grievances in secure environment. This helps in building the trust of employees in the
long run. Feeling their voices are heard also gives the employee a different level of
satisfaction. Ensuring this process is carried out securely and confidently is one of the
crucial jobs of him.

❖ Employee Satisfaction –
The health, wealth and prosperity of employees are all the responsibility of HR.
Building a healthy work environment and motivating the employees at each step also
comes under the scope of human resource management. This includes non-monetary
amenities like medical, canteen or other recreational areas. A safe and secure work
environment plays a huge role in the efficiency of employees.

❖ Labour and Trade Unions –

Building a strong-relations in the industry is one of the key attributes to the success of
any organization. The wide scope of human resource management also involves
building and maintaining healthy, strong relations with different trade unions for the
company’s smooth functioning.

Conclusion -

With dynamic changes in the world today, the scope of human resource management
needs to be widespread and needs to evolve to suit the organization’s current needs. It
won’t be wrong to say that to win in the market, one has to win in the workplace and
the key to that is implementing a strong and adaptable human resource management
function.

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 Answer No 2

Introduction –

In the given scenario, an FMCG company wants to focus on improving the structure of human
resource department.

Human Resource department are considered one of the essential areas of a company’s
operations. They manage everything from new hire paperwork to employee complaints and
management oversights. While the HR department is responsible for a wide range of duties,
the core job is to handle the ‘people side’ of the business. Almost every industry requires HR
professionals. However few people outside the field of human resources understand or
appreciate how critical these roles are to a company’s success.

So as a HR advisor this scenario, suggesting various activities which should be undertaken to

improve the structure of human resource department under the new subdivisions are as follows:

❖ Review Compensation and Benefits -

Benchmarking with others in your region and industry isn’t always an easy task, but
keeping a pulse on the salaries and perks that your competitors offer is a strategic and

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 crucial part of attracting recruits and keeping your existing employees happy. Benefits
packages offer a major influence in a person’s decision to accept a position also need
to be reviewed. Offering good health insurance and competitive retirement packages is
a good place to start, but platinum level benefits aren’t always feasible for smaller
businesses on tight budgets.

❖ Training & Development-

In order to improve the performance of individuals and groups, training and
development activities are undertaken. The rapid change in technology has increased
the importance of training and development. There is a separate cell for training and
development. Human resource department is a part of human resource management and
is constantly undertaken. It is the crucial aspect of HRM. Training & development is
also considered as a process to foster success development of the employees at every
level of the organization.

❖ Implement Wellness Initiatives –

Promoting wellness among your employees isn’t just good for their personal health. It
plays a critical role in the financial health of your organization. Healthcare costs
continue to rise and implementing a holistic wellness program is a strategic approach
to mitigating the risk of escalating premiums. Promoting wellness initiatives to
potential recruits communicates once again that you care about their personal well-
being in addition to their professional performance and it can be a deciding factor for
those weighing their options between you and another employee.

❖ Managing Performance –
Good performance by the employees creates a culture of excellence which benefits the
organization in the long run. This activity includes evaluation of jobs and people both,
managing gender bias, career planning, devising methods of employee satisfaction etc.
The efforts are to be made to integrate the individual aspirations with the objective of
the organization. Organization has to make clear a way for career advancement for
talented and hardworking people and as far as possible plateauing of their career should
be avoided. Fear of any kind from the minds of the employees should be removed so
that they give best to the organization. Allow free flow of information. Communication

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 network should be designed in such a way that no one should be allowed to become a
hurdle. This enables the managers to take correct decisions and too quickly.

❖ Communicate and foster a strong culture –

You don’t have to necessarily offer the highest pay to retain loyal, productive
employees. Some experts argue that job seekers care more about the culture and
working environment they’ll be part of everyday than they do about the details written
on a job offer. When recruiting, it’s crucial to clearly communicate the values, beliefs,
behaviors and experiences that define your organization. Even more important is that
those characteristics are authentically lived out among every employee- it’s one thing
to talk about a good culture and another to actually have one. Creating an engaging
culture won’t happen overnight, but it definitely needs to happen if you want to
maximize your HR efforts and maintain a strong and dedicated workforce.

❖ Develop Talent from within –

Companies that struggle to find skilled labor often overlook the potential inside their
own walls. Developing talent from within can help fill difficult positions and increase
retention efforts. Target employees who have leadership potential and give them a
vision for how they can contribute to the company and boost their personal career goals.
Provide mentors, career coaches, training opportunities to learn new skills, including
paying for relevant classes and certifications. Help your team build their professional
networks and develop soft skills to improve their communication and social
interactions. Share about your company’s personal and professional development
initiatives with candidates as well, which can be a key aspect when considering a new
career with your company.

❖ Embrace Technology and Analytics –

Enable your organization to assess and manage a wide range of experiences for your
team by leveraging a Human Capital Management system. Many HR departments use
software to manage payroll, but those platforms are often inadequate for managing tax
forms, employee records, OSHA logs and other information. A robust HCM automates
many functions and integrates with payroll. It also provides a secure portal where
employees can manage time-off requests and other criteria and have visibility into their
personal information.
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 ❖ Understand your organization’s strategic goals -
Today’s HR professionals are responsible for more than employees, they also need to
understand and help drive the strategic direction and economic environment of an
organization. By becoming more financially fluent and knowing what makes your
organization successful, your HR department can anticipate necessary workforce
changes that may be required and implement an action plan to meet your company’s
needs. The responsibility of today’s HR professionals and their role in maintaining a
happy and healthy workforce can’t be summarized in a single article.

❖ Encouraging Participation in Management –

Organizations encourage employee’s participation in decision-making. Participation
increases the performance of employees and the productivity provided participation is
active on the part of employees. Many benefits accrue to the organization from assured
and active participation. Management has to develop the skills of participation among
employees. More and more information should be shared with employees to make them
fit to take decisions and participate in management. Collective bargaining plays a
crucial role in human resources participation in management.

Conclusion –

Previously human resources were considered burden which add to cost but now things are
changed and they are now considered as assets. Now the investment in human resources does
not add to cost but the profits. The entirely new approach is being adopted by the corporate
bodies for managing human resources which is a healthy and welcome change.

Answer No 3.a

Introduction -

In the given scenario, Maria the HR head of ‘Aztec Tech Solutions Ltd’ assigned the task of
assessing the human resource planning to the HR department. However, his team informed him
that this assessment is not going well, as they had expected.

Keeping up this above context in mind, the process of Human Resource Planning are as
follows:

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Human Resource Planning is the process of analyzing your people needs and planning ahead
to meet them. It involves evaluating your current staff, key skills, hiring budget, and growth
plans so that you can accurately forecast future requirements based on your business goals.

The underlying goal of human resource management is to make sure you have the right number
of people with the skill you need. Planning ahead helps your HR department pinpoint any gaps
in skills to effectively cover the needs of a project. Without the strategic human resource
planning in place, your company’s business operations are in trouble you could overshoot
hiring budgets or hire the wrong people burn out existing team members or lose customers trust
with the inability to scale with demand.

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Process of Human resource planning are as follows:

▪ Assess your organizational goals and plans –

A deep dive into organizational goals and plans for growth will help you understand
the direction the company is taking. This helps you outline human resource initiatives
that are aligned with larger company goals and result in higher profitability.

Ideally your assessment will answer these questions:

o What are the company’s goals for the next quarter or year?
o What specific skills and tasks are needed to achieve the goals?
o Which roles will be at the forefront to drive company goals forward?
o Are the human resource plans taking stock of existing talent and training or will
they require something different?

▪ Evaluate employee skills -

One way to do this is ask each employee about their skills, certifications, and
experience. For larger organizations, this could mean sending out a survey to the current

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 workplace and asking them to list their skills and experience which could applied to
company needs.

As a part of assessment, look at the current tasks within each role and an employee’s
capacity and track record for completing those tasks.

For example, if you have customer service staff who are responsible for responding to
service requests how many can they get through on average per day?

▪ Forecast your future HR needs -

With capacity planning, you can evaluate whether you have enough employee hours to
take on new work. This way your realistic growth plans and better hiring decisions.
Forecasting your future needs help you pinpoint any staffing shortages and determine
if you need grow your overall headcount with new hires, make better use of your current
human resources, or upskill your current employees.

▪ Hone your talent development strategies -

Talent development is a critical part of the human resource planning process because
training existing staff is easier and less expensive than hiring new employees.
Developing your employees is not just good for business, it also boosts their morale.

Your talent action plan should include:

o Training plans for current employees.

o Job description for each role.
o Recruitment plans for each role.
o Onboarding plans for new employees.

▪ Review and evaluate your action plan –

To be effective, human resource planning needs to be an ongoing process that
continually takes stock of headcount, workloads and business objectives. It’s important
to reassess and determine if you are making the most of your human capital. Are you
able to meet operational goals or are there still gaps? Have been any issues that might
require you to adjust the plan?

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Conclusion –

The human resources planning process model is used to estimate future HR requirements. It is
a systematic approach by which managers can meet their HRP objectives Through the HRP
process, organizations can efficiently allocate their human resources.

Answer No 3.b

Introduction –

Human Resource demand forecasting is the process of estimating the future quantity and
quality of people required. The basis of the forecast must be the annual budget and long-term
corporate plan, translated into activity levels for each function and department.

The very crucial component of Human Resource planning is forecasting the number and type
of people needed to meet organizational objectives

There are 2 HR demand forecasting techniques –

 Quantitative
 Qualitative

Qualitative approaches to forecasting are less statistical. It is attempting to reconcile the

interests, abilities and aspirations of individual employees with the current and future staffing
needs of an organization.

There are number of techniques of estimating/forecasting human resource demand:

 Managerial Judgement –
Managerial Judgement technique is very common technique of demand forecasting.
This approach is applied by small as well as large scale organization. This technique
involves two types of approaches: bottom-up approach and top-down approach. Top
management ultimately forecasts the human resource requirement for the overall
organization on the basis of proposals of departmental heads. Under this approach, top
management and departmental heads meet and decide about the future human resource
requirement. So, demand of human resource can be forecasted with unanimity under
this approach.

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 Ratio-Trend Analysis –

Demand for manpower / human resource is also estimated on the basis of ratio of
production level and number of workers available. The ratio will be used to estimate
demand of human resources. The following example will help in clearly understand this
technique –

Estimated production for next year = 1,40,000 units

Estimated no. of workers needed

(On the basis of ratio-trend of 1:200) will be = 700

 Delphi Technique –
Delphi technique is also very important technique used for estimating demand of human
resources. This technique takes into consideration human resource requirements given
by a group of exports i.e., managers. The human resource experts collect the manpower
needs, summarize the various responses and prepare a report. This process is continued
until all experts agree on estimated human resource requirement.

 Work-study Technique -
This technique is also known as’ work-load analysis’ This technique is suitable where
the estimated work-load is easily measurable. Under this method, estimated total
production and activities for a specific future are predicted. This information is
translated into number of man-hours required to produce per units taking into
consideration the capability of the workforce. Past-experience of the management can
help in translating the work-loads into number of man-hours required. Thus, demand
of human resources is forecasted on the basis of estimated total production and
contribution of each employee in producing each unit items.

 Econometrics Model
These models are based on mathematical and statistical techniques for estimating future
demand. Under these models’ relationship is established between the dependent
variable to be predicted (e.g., manpower/human resources) and the independent
variables (e.g., sales, total production, work-load, etc.). Using these models, estimated
demand of human resources can be predicted.

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Conclusion –

So, as all the qualitative techniques are discussed above. The company can utilize Ratio Trend
Analysis method for Human Resource demand forecasting. Ratio Trend Analysis will be best
suited for Aztec Tech Solutions Ltd.

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