HRM | Mentoring - On The Job Training

How does mentoring work as a form of on-the-job training?

HRM | BARS - Graphic Rating Scale in performance appraisals

Why is a BARS potentially superior to a graphic rating scale for use in performance appraisals?

HRM | Orientation of HRM process

Why is orientation an important part of the human resource management process?

HRM | Advantage of Internal & External Recruitment

What are the different advantages of internal and external recruitment?

HRM | Problem in the Office

Sy Smith is not doing well in his job. The problems began to appear shortly after Sy's job was changed from a manual to a computer-based operation.    He has tried hard but is just not doing well in learning to use the computer; as a result, he is having difficulty meeting performance expectations.    As a 55-year-old employee with over 30 years with the company, Sy is both popular and influential among his work peers. Along with his performance problems, you have also noticed that Sy seems to be developing a more negative attitude toward his job.    As Sy's manager, what options would you consider in terms of dealing with the issue of his retention in the job and in the company? What would you do, and why?

HRM | Describe the process of recruiting. What are the different types of recruiting? Explain the advantages and disadvantages of each

Describe the process of recruiting. What are the different types of recruiting? Explain the advantages and disadvantages of each.

ANSWER

Recruitment is a set of activities designed to attract a qualified pool of job applicants to an organization. The three steps in a typical recruitment process are:

1. advertisement of a job vacancy,

2. preliminary contact with potential job candidates, and

3. initial screening to create a pool of qualified applicants.

Recruitment can be external or internal. The recruiting that takes place on college campuses is one example of external recruitment, in which job candidates are sought from outside the hiring organization. Company websites and their social media sites, virtual job fairs, or specialized recruiting websites such as Monster and CareerBuilder, employment agencies and headhunters, university placement centers, personal contacts and employee referrals are all sources of external recruits. Internal recruitment, by contrast, seeks applicants from inside the organization. Most organizations have a procedure for announcing vacancies through newsletters, electronic postings, and the like. They also rely on managers to recommend candidates for advancement.

Both recruitment methods have potential advantages and disadvantages. External recruitment brings outsider applicants with fresh perspectives, expertise, and work experience. But extra effort is needed to get reliable information on them. Internal recruitment is usually quicker and focuses on persons whose performance records are well known. A history of internal recruitment builds employee commitment and motivation by showing that opportunities exist to advance within the organization. It also helps to reduce turnover rates and aids in the retention of high-quality employees.

Source: Management, 11th Edition & 12^th Edition- John R. Schermerhorn

HRM | Define HRM. Describe its goal and major tasks

Define HRM. Describe its goal and major tasks.

ANSWER

Human resource management is a process of attracting, developing, and maintaining a talented work force. The goal of human resource management is to enhance organizational performance through the effective utilization of people. All managers, not just human resource specialists, share the responsibility to ensure that highly capable and enthusiastic people are in the right positions and working with the support they need to be successful. The three major tasks in human resource management are typically described as:

1.       Attracting a quality workforce—human resource planning, employee recruitment, and employee selection.

2.       Developing a quality workforce—employee orientation, training and development, and performance management.

3.       Maintaining a quality workforce—career development, work–life balance, compensation and benefits, retention and turnover, and labor–management relations.

Source: Management, 11th Edition & 12^th Edition- John R. Schermerhorn

HRM | What steps should a manager take in helping a new employee fit into the work environment in a way that furthers his/her development and performance potential?

What steps should a manager take in helping a new employee fit into the work environment in a way that furthers his/her development and performance potential?

ANSWER

A manager should be concerned about socialization and orientation in helping a new employee fit into the work environment so that his/her development and performance potential are enhanced. Socialization is the process of influencing the expectations, behavior, and attitudes of a new employee in a way considered desirable by the organization. The objective of socialization in the context of human resource management is to help achieve the best possible fit among the individual, the job, and the organization. Socialization of newcomers begins with orientation, which is a set of activities designed to familiarize new employees with their jobs, coworkers, and key aspects of the organization as a whole. Good orientation enhances a person’s understanding of the organization and adds purpose to his or her daily job activities. The first six months of employment are often crucial in determining how well someone is going to perform over the long run.

Source: Management, 11th Edition & 12^th Edition- John R. Schermerhorn

HRM | Describe the legal context of human resource management with respect to discrimination in employment

Describe the legal context of human resource management with respect to discrimination in employment.

ANSWER

Title VII of the Civil Rights Act of 1964, as amended by the Equal Employment Opportunity Act of 1972, and the Civil Rights Act of 1991, guarantee equal employment opportunity, i.e., the right to employment without regard to race, color, national origin, religion, gender, age, or physical and mental ability.

Other legislation that deals with various aspects of employment discrimination includes the following:

• The Americans with Disabilities Act of 1990 prohibits discrimination against people with disabilities.

• The Age Discrimination in Employment Act of 1967 as amended in 1978 and 1986 protects workers against mandatory retirement ages.

• The Pregnancy Discrimination Act of 1978 protects female workers from discrimination because of pregnancy.

• The Family and Medical Leave Act of 1993 protects workers who take unpaid leaves for family matters from losing their jobs or employment status.

• The Equal Pay Act of 1963 provides that men and women in the same organization should be paid equally for doing equal work in terms of required skills, responsibilities, and working conditions.

• The Occupational Health and Safety Act of 1970 establishes mandatory health and safety standards in workplaces.

Source: Management, 11th Edition & 12^th Edition- John R. Schermerhorn

HRM | What is human resource management and what roles do the key components of HRM play in organizations?

What is human resource management and what roles do the key components of HRM play in organizations?

ANSWER

Human resource management (HRM) involves attracting, developing, and maintaining a talented and energetic workforce to support the organization’s mission, objectives, and strategies. Attracting, developing, and maintain quality workers are the three key components of the HRM process. Attracting a quality workforce involves human resource planning, recruitment, and selection. Developing a quality workforce involves employee orientation, training and development, and performance appraisal. Maintaining a quality workforce involves career planning and development, work-life balance, compensation and benefits, employee retention and turnovers, and labor-management relations.

Source: Management, 11th Edition & 12^th Edition- John R. Schermerhorn