Research Articles Base: Human Resource Manager

Influence of PEST Factor on HR Policies in the Spheres

Employee training and development is an attempt to improve current or future employee performance by increasing, through learning, an employee’s ability to perform, usually by increasing his or her skills and knowledge (Schuler et al., 1992). Employee training and development is important in any organization to increased job satisfaction and morale of employees. It is also important to increase employees’ motivation and the efficiencies in the process would result  for the company to gain financially. Moreover, it can increase innovation in strategies and products. This would also result on the reduction of employees’ turnover. Furthermore, training and development enhance company image and risk management.             An organization’s human resource development system is a key mechanism for enabling the achievement of business goals through what has been argued to be one of the few remaining sources of competitive advantage which are the people (Pedler et. al. 1988). Policies of the human resource are affected by the macro environmental factors which are also known as the PEST factors. This includes political, economic, social and technological factors. One part of the human resource system, which is training and development, has been promoted as a key strategic lever in the attainment of competitive advantage (Pfeffer 1994). Bartel (1994); Knoke and Kalleberg (1994); Russell, Terborg and Powers (1985) research, suggests that training and development is linked to positive organizational outcomes. It is also closely linked to national contextual factors such as the political system that play an important role in determining the types and levels of skills available in the labor market as well as in shaping national values and approaches to training and development issues. National context can therefore be considered a key predictor of organizational HRD practice.             Human resource training and development policies differ from every other country. This is because the state determines if the training policies an organization should disseminate to their organization.             Brewster and Hegewisch (1994), Brewster (1995), and Ferner (1997) concluded that there is considerable evidence that the national context of a firm’s operations plays a significant role in shaping organizational practices. Sparrow, Schuler and Jackson (1994) identified clusters of countries showing how organizations in the different parts of the world operationalized, HRM differently as a result of environmental pressures. In Germany, highly regulated institutional arrangement restricted the freedom of large companies to go on their own way on HRM and IR issues (Muller 1998). Cultural studies of Hofstede (1990), Laurent (1986), and Ronen (1986) reveals that people of different countries share values, cognitions, and behaviors which differentiate them from other cultures.             In addition, national legal frameworks have also an impact on organizations. collective agreements which differ in scope and centralization across countries define a range of organizational practices ( Gutstaffson, 1990;Wise 1993;Fillela and Hegewisch 1994); while Pieper 1990 identified legal differences in education certification, recruitment and dismissal procedures in Europe and the United States that make for significantly different HRM practices in those countries. There is also evidence that specific legislation has led to different training and development.              French government, for example, re-evaluated organizational-based training that has resulted for companies with more than 10 employees required by law to spend a specified percentage of the annual pay-roll on training. Today, this policy has extended to include companies employing less than 10 people. Legislation also requires companies to devise a training plan in consultation with work councils (Tregaskis and Dany 1996). The work council in France acts as an additional pressure to ensure that training and development is carried out by all organization.             Holden and Livian (1992) argued that current government policy has resulted in an increased awareness of training investment levels by human resource specialists in French companies compared to other countries. Holt-Larsen (1994) also added that evidence has suggested that the legislation in France has had a positive effect on training expenditure which is, on average, higher than that for other countries in which reported in 1992, more than two percent of the annual salary and wages budget was spent on employee training and development by 80 percent of companies in France compared with 26 percent in the U.K. However, the impact on the efficacy of the employee development system is less clear. In contrast, the UK government dismissed the idea of a training levy with the abolition of the Industrial Training Boards. Instead, intervention takes place through government policy aimed at influencing organizational training and development activity. The three primary mechanisms for implementing government policy are: the promotion of ‘best practice’ via initiatives such as Investors in People (IIP) and National training Awards (NTA). These initiatives aim to increase training levels which are criticized as being too low and detrimental to national competitiveness (IMS/NEDO/MSC 1984; Keep 1989a; Prais et al. 1991; Steedman and Wagner 1989; Worswick 1985). Secondly is that local rather than national delivery of training via training and enterprise councils (TECs) and local enterprise councils (LECs) to effectively identify skill need and deliver against that need. They also focus on how employee development systems should be conctructed to be effective and efficient (DFEE 1995). Finally, the adaptation of a competence-based approach to vocational education in order to provide nationally recognized skills’ qualifications and meet the demands of employers. The current government policy is not without criticism (Ashton and Felstead 1995; keep and Mayhew 1996). However, its emphasis is considerably different from that of the French government and as such is likely to have an impact on how employee development is managed in UK companies. The economic system of a country also has significant impact on the human resource policies. For example, in China’s economy wherein there is an undergoing market transition from a centrally planned economy to a socialist market economy, that is, a market economy with Chinese characteristics. With this new market transition, management practices are affected especially human resource management practices and also human behavior needed much revision. Shenkar & Chow in 1989 state sthat production and reward systems are changing with a stronger emphasis on efficiency and performance. In addition, Meindl, Hunt and Lee (1987, cited in Cyr & Frost, 1991) note that managers in China are already showing an increasing interest in using human resource3 techniques and motivational systems which emphasize productivity at the individual, group, and enterprise level. Therefore, Schuler (1989) concluded that the transition from a centrally planned economy to a socialist market economy has resulted in significant changes in the economic system, which is and will continue to have major implications for the practice of human resource management. According to Geringer & Frayne (1990), training and development is clearly a need in China, given the low efficiency and low productivity inb China’s enterprises, as well as the relatively poor educational background of Chinese employees, with mismatch of employee’s skill and job requirements. Lu and Chen (1990), noted that in China, only about 10% of the population have tertiary education, while in USA it is 54.1 % and in Norway, 86.9 %. Only 30% to 40% of newly recruited workers in the urban or township enterprises had vocational or technical training (Tan, 1992). It is estimated that by the year 2000, about 200 million members of the rural labor force will need new employment opportunities (Du, 1988). With this figures presented, it is clearly shown the large gap of the present educational and skill standards and the requirements of modern industry and technology. In addition, according to Pan and Li (1990), the more striking situation is the lack of suitably trained technical and professional personnel. Holton (1990) noted that a major problem found by foreign joint venture companies in China is the shortage of well- educated people. This pattern was confirmed in a recent study by Tan (1992) in which showed that the technical skills and qualities of employees in China are below the demands of modern industry and technology, and stressed the necessity and significance of training and development in enterprises. Training courses at the secondary or vocational technical level have been offered to employees along with on-the job training (Lu & Chen, 1990). Moreover, management training has been given an unprecedented emphasis (Wang, 1987: Wang, 1990). However, Warner (1993) notes that in China, “training remains narrowly defined, in contrast to the Western HRM notion of planning for long-term staff development” (p. 46). With market transition in China, a market economy has given enterprises more autonomy and decision-making power, some enterprises with “far-sighted” strategies have established scholarships or invested research and development funds in universities. This has not only helped the enterprises to develop their production but has also increased their ability to recruit the talented people they need (People’s Daily, 9 May 1993). Moreover, technology has also influence the human resource policies and practices. The recent shift toward integrated human resource information systems technology and self- service functionality for employers and managers alike is a direct response to the competitive challenges of today’s knowledge economy. For this reason, offering technology-based self-service is now the preferred method for enhancing the lines of communication between the company and its employees.In addition, there are clear tangible rewards from the service that include lower cost of operations, increased productivity and for those who are prepared to leverage this advantage, the opportunity to firmly position HR as an organizational leader and strategic business partner.                  SHRM HR Technology Survey Report (2005) reported that technology is now a fact of life–it has become an invasive part of everyday living. Technology can provide conveniences and allow for efficiencies both at home and in the workplace, particularly in relation to communication between people, as well as in relation to the secure storage of employee data. Unfortunately, the benefits of technological conveniences can quickly be lost and/or may not be realized at all if planning is inadequate and/or if unskilled staff does not understand how to capitalize its use. The top three obstacles that make it challenging to implement the HR technology system in organizations are budget/funding approval, resistance to change and an infrastructure that has not been properly prepared.             According to The Investment is Paying Off 2003 report, human resource departments have been quick to adapt on Web-based applications as a communication and transaction tool. The Internet has contributed to a new model for HR service delivery one. That is a beginning to make good on its promise of increased productivity and a change for the better in the routine activities of HR professionals. Of the companies surveyed, 60% report a reduction in HR administrative work as a result of employee self-service. Manager self-service, while still not as prevalent, is also achieving positive results, with 47% of respondents reporting less administrative work for managers and for HR overall. Over and above the reduced workload, respondents report significant improvements in both data accuracy and timeliness of self-service transactions. In addition to the workload reductions from Web-based self-service, organizations have been able to eliminate other HR service delivery “channels,” such as voice response systems and paper-based transactions, thus adding hard-dollar savings to the workload reduction (www.towersperrin.com). References Ashton, David, and Alan Felstead (1995) ‘Training and development’ in Human resource management: A critical text. J. Storey (ed.), Chapter 9. London: Routledge Bartel, A. (1994). ‘Productivity gains from the implementation of employee training programs’. Industrial Relations 33: 411-425. Brewster, C. (1995) ‘Towards a ‘European’ Model of Human Resource Management’, Journal of International Business Studies 26(1): 5–21. Brewster, C. and Hegewisch, A. (1994) Policy and Practice in European Human Resource Management. London, Routledge. Collison, J. (2005). SHRM HR technology survey report. Alexandria, VA: Society for Human Resource Management. Cyr, D. J. and Frost, P. J. (1991) “Human Resource Management Practice in China: A Future Perspective”, Human Resource Management, Summer, 30 (2): 199-215. DFEE (Department of Further Education and Employment) (1995) Lifetime learning: A consultative document. DFEE/Scottish Office/Welsh office. Du, R. (1988) “Rural Employment in China: The Choices”, International Labor Review, 127 (3): 371-80. Filella, J. and Hegewisch, A. (1994) ‘European experiments with pay and benefits policies’, in Brewster, C. and Hegewisch, A. (eds), pp. 89–106. Geringer, J. M. and Frayne. C. A. (1990) “Human Resource Management and International Joint venture Control: A Parent Company Perspective”, Management International Review, 30, Special Issue 103-20. Gustaffson, L. (1990) ‘Promoting flexibility through pay policies – experiences from the Swedish national administration’, Flexible Personnel Management in the Public Services. Paris, OECD. Hofstede, G. (1980) Culture’s Consequences: International Differences in Work-Related Values, Beverly Hills, CA, Sage. Holden, L. and Livian, Y. (1992) ‘Does strategic training policy exit? some evidence from ten European countries’, Personnel Review, 21(1): 12–23. Holton, R. (1985) “Marketing and the Modernization of China’, California Management Review, 27 (4): 33-45. IMS/MSC/NEDO (1984) Competence and competition: Training and education in the Federal Republic of Germany, the United States and Japan. London: IMS/MSC/NEDO. Keep, Ewart (1989a) ‘A training scandal?’ Personnel management in Britain. K. Sisson (ed.), 177-202. Oxford: Blackwell Keep, Ewart, and Ken Mayhew (1996). Scoping Paper for the ‘What Makes Training Pay’ project. London: IPD. Knoke, D., and A. Kalleberg (1994). ‘Job training in U.S. organizations’. American Sociological Review 59: 537-546. Laurent, A. (1986) ‘The cross-cultural puzzle of international human resource management’, Human Resource Management, 25: 91–102. Lu, H. and Chen, J. (1990) “Strategic Issue in Human Resource Planning in the People’s Republic of China”, Working Paper for The Asian HRD Planning Network, International Labor Organization, Asian Employment Program, New Delhi. Muller, M. (1998) ‘Human Resource and Industrial Relations Practices of UK and US Multinationals in Germany’, The International Journal of Human Resource Management, 9(4): 732–49. Pan, F. and Li, X. (1990) “Development of Human Resources in the People’s Republic of China,” Working Paper for The Asian HRD Planning Network, International Labor Organization, Asian Employment Program. New Delhi. People’s Daily (Renming Kibao), references in text Pfeffer, Jeffrey (1994) ‘Competitive advantage through people’. California Management Review (Winter): 9-28. Pieper, R. (ed.) (1990) Human Resource Management: An International Comparison, Berlin, Walter de Gruyter Prais, S. J., Valerie Jarvis, and Karin Wagner (1991). ‘Productivity and vocational skills in services in Britain and Germany: hotels’ in International comparisons of vocational education and training for intermediate skills. P. Ryan (ed.). London: The Falmer Press Russell, James, James Terborg, and Mary Powers (1985). ‘Organizational performance and organizational level training and support’. Personnel Psychology 38: 849-863. Schuler, R. S. (1989) “Scanning the Environment: Planning for Human Resource Management and Organizational Change”, Human Resource Planning, 12 (4): 257-76. Shenkar, O. and Chow, 1. H. (1989) “From Political Praise to Stock Options: Reforming Compensation Systems in the People’s Republic of China”, Human Resource Management, 28 (1), Spring: 65-85. Sparrow, P., Schuler, R. S. and Jackson, S. E. (1994) ‘Convergence or divergence: human resource practices and policies for competitive advantage world-wide’, The International Journal of Human Resource Management, 5(2): 267–99. Steedman, Hilary, and Karin Wagner (1989) ‘Productivity, machinery and skills: clothing manufacture in Britain and West Germany’. National Institute Economic Review 128 (May): 40-57 Tan, S. (1992) “A Realistic Approach of Human Resource Development in China”, Laodong Jingji Yu Renshi Guanli (Labor Economic and Personnel Administration), 6, 17-23 May: 6-13. Towers Perrin. (2003). HR on the Web: The investment is paying off–HR service delivery survey report. Retrieved August 16, 2006, Available www.towersperrin.com/hrservices/us/default_us.htm Tregaskis, O. and Dany, F. (1996) ‘A comparison of HRD in France and the UK’, European Journal of Industrial Training, 20(1): 20–31. Warner, M. (1993) “Human Resource Management with Chinese Characteristics”, International Journal of Human Resource Management, 4 (1): 45-65. Wise, L R. (1993) ‘Wither solidarity: transitions in Swedish public sector pay policy’, British Journal of Industrial Relations, 31(1): 73–95. Worswick, G.D.N. (ed.) (1985) Education and Economic Performance, London, Gower Credit:ivythesis.typepad.com

Influence of PEST Factor on HR Policies in the Spheres

Employee training and development is an attempt to improve current or future employee performance by increasing, through learning, an employ...

Human Resources

Using Skills Learned to Benefit Others and Society There are many ways wherein one can help in the improvement and the betterment of others as well as the society. One way of helping can be financially or maybe even through our skills and talents. By using our skills and talents, we can help other people. However, before being able to help, one must understand what the problems are in the society. One must be able to have a clear understanding of what it is that the society needs, what the people need. One must be sensitive enough to the issues that surround them in order to be able to help others.             Before being able to help, one must learn the basics about the problem. Educate yourself on the nature of the problem as well s the people that will help you on solving your problem. Identify who are the local players in the problem. One must assess the community’s needs and help develop a plan for the solution to the problem and come up with other alternatives as well.             It should be noted that you understand what you are getting into and then develop a plan of action and develop networks as well. Become the voice to the society’s problem and make a difference. Upon implementing your program to help, monitor and assess your progress.    Credit:ivythesis.typepad.com

Human Resources

Using Skills Learned to Benefit Others and Society There are many ways wherein one can help in the improvement and the betterment of oth...

HUMAN RESOURCE MANAGER

INTRODUCTION             Yes, it is true that organizational communication in the area of Human Resource processes involves the integration of such roles addressing to positive communication climate as effective communication is a major factor for the strengthening of work values and attitudes in the diverse workforce and I believe that the most basic function of a Human Resource Manager is to plan out, realize and apply actual ways in order for the staff employees to be versatile and effective in their work most in engaging into business interaction to the key players within the organization and in dealing greatly to the customers as well as to improve self confidence and drive better motivation for every situation. The HR manager should need to consistently promote good communication lines and channel for cooperation to achieve a sustainable work dynamics and synergy in individual staff and work team in terms of providing essential work environment for the success of the organization and achieve its vision for the benefit of the people. It is said that, organizational communication as of the modern times offers a new approach in developing an understanding of diverse work scenarios and skills for work and other organizational activities relating to the process of making decisions, work training and managing conflicts to enhance better skills in communication as well as encourage useful teamwork but also rewarding individual performance facing  crucial organizational players. Human resource leaders can help enhance employee morale, individual performance and organizational success. In these uncertain and always changing times and that in situation, communication is critical between managers and its members in order to assure a steady flow of information, HR managers should play a major role in assuring effective communication and be delivered in the useful process of communication.   COMMUNICATION IN YOUR WORK TEAM             Communication involving work team is an important aspect of developing skills of communication within the staff employees of an organization. Thus, in order to achieve appropriate communication in the work team, it is relevant to consider and apply certain communication strategies in a systematic pattern of making it a realization like for instance, formulate and implement motivational processes as communication actions amicably desire to satisfy different goals described as being effective by work team that consider goals by integrating strategies. HR Managers emphasizes on staff motivation that is constructed as central to employee performance and organizational performance and profits, it is no wonder that organizations spend dollars to train managers in the skills needed to communicate properly to the staff and work team as communication may have instrumental goal of energizing, directing as well as sustaining the behavior of another. For example, in virtual teams members need to choose an appropriate communication channel for their purposes and be sure to balance work with face-to-face communication as team leaders will have to encourage open communication and avoid assignment of blame and strategies include: network development of good relationships built on trust and understanding and the showing of respect for cultures and languages as well as understand how communication practices strengthens the team and maintain better work team in the future and changing the work environment for organizations allowing companies to compete in the global market ( 2000, p. 45). The work team needs to understand the advantages and limitations of technology for conducting their work as it offers opportunity for easy, around-the-clock communication, it can be an unreliable variable that affects the outcome of team communication and collaboration ( 1999). Problems occur when the network goes down, the technology does not work as the team member needs more training in how to use the communication tools. Technology and the communication it enables give companies a competitive advantage in the international environment. Technology helps people in distant places to connect and build relationships without travel. Employees who travel can stay in close touch with the home office. Virtual teams enable companies to accomplish things more quickly and efficiently (2002). The team will benefit from face to face contact as this helps establish the working relationship and build trust. The HR manager understands employee resistance to humanize interaction via technology, work team members use personal touches in their communication as a strategy to promote interpersonal communication, they may celebrate birthdays, engagements and children’s achievements as some teammates discover that it is possible to make friends for life with people they have not met.     Strengths and Limitations of Communication Channels They choose an appropriate communication channel to achieve their purpose, considering the strengths, limitations, and challenges of e-mail, phone, fax, videoconference, and face-to-face encounters. They also must consider the audience. ( 2001) For example, they take into consideration whether their audience consists of peers, junior manager, boss, or external people such as clients. The level of formality and how well they know their audience also affect channel selection. Different communication channels offer specific advantages for virtual intercultural teams.  (2002) advocate the use of genre systems such as memos, reports and training sessions as a means of structuring collaborative work. Managers should make sure everyone understands how diversity strengthens an intercultural team by recognizing the value each member contributes to the team ( 1998). Develop a Network of Good Relationships  (2001) discusses other important effects of culture on team dynamics, such as the giving and receiving of criticism and feedback, willingness to participate and offer ideas, and contradiction of superiors. In their intercultural team experience, the graduate business students commented on these tasks as well as the opportunities and challenges of working on intercultural teams as they use face-to-face meetings to carry out their communication within the enjoyment of working ( 1996) as critical for the success of a communicating work team. Overcome Communication Barriers Teams found it challenging to work with people from different language backgrounds on how the other person may understand something different from team communication as  (1999) believe that team members need to understand how cultural differences affect team dynamics and individual ideas about how teams should function and adapt to different communication styles and ways listening to each other attentively that helped overcome communication problems. Clearly, face-to-face makes an effective communication channel that builds trust and confidence as teams can benefit from face-to-face meetings to establish relationship and reached levels of understanding as team members can create an environment that encourages open communication and brainstorming. It is important to avoid blaming individuals for problems and should address problems together as they share the responsibility and rewards of success, they can celebrate victories together. The HR managers can use a number of communication strategies to help them get their message successfully with teams.       These include: Ø      Communicate continuously Ø       Use active listening Ø      Keep communication simple and clear Ø      Use different technologies to advantage Ø      Build relationships and trust Ø      Show respect for other cultures Ø      Be sensitive to cultural differences Communication Strategies for Teams      Ø      Choose the right communication channel to achieve purpose  Ø      Know strengths and weaknesses of communicating  Ø      Encourage open communication Ø      Avoid assignment of blame  Ø      Share the responsibility and rewards of success  Ø      Focus on the team Ø      Use the power of the team              PRESENTATIONS              Successful businesspersons realize that the ability to make an effective presentation before an audience is a key business skill often associated with career advancement with proper training in the rules for making successful presentations and by examining behaviors to avoid those that detract from their message, speakers can enjoy the accolades that accompany a winning presentation. Presentation effectiveness is not only related to what the speaker says but to the nonverbal elements as well. How people dress, their body language, vocal characteristics and use of visuals when speaking to a group largely determines whether they and their organization are perceived as credible. In addition, speaker credibility is linked to preparation and use of time. Eye Contact, Posture and Gestures Eye contact with the audience has been identified as perhaps the most important characteristic a speaker should possess. Experts advise connecting with individuals rather than letting the eyes sweep over the audience without making eye contact with anyone. A good technique to use is to select a person in the audience who is smiling and nodding in agreement and to talk directly to that person, then choose another, direct eye contact, the speaker appears more confident and more accepting of audience feedback.   Posture is important to projecting a positive image when making a presentation. Speakers should avoid the extremes of being too stiff, which is perceived as being uptight which comes across as sloppy and careless. The presenter should stand erectly with weight balanced on both feet to convey an aura of confidence. Gestures are helpful for a speaker; they complement, clarify and intensify the spoken message. Gestures may be voluntary or involuntary and may support a point or call attention to the speaker’s discomfort. Natural relaxed movements communicate self-confidence to appear natural but gestures should coincide with specific points but should not distract from the presentation. Gestures that may be interpreted negatively, such as folding both arms across the chest or standing with hands on hips, should also be avoided Presentation Attire People form impressions of others within about a minute; much of this initial impression is based on such nonverbal elements as dress and appearance. Being dressed appropriately will boost the speaker’s confidence and make him or her more at ease before a group. How a speaker dresses is also related to respect. Some listeners will make judgments about the message based on their interpretation of the respect being shown them by the speaker’s choice of attire. When speakers dress too casually, the audience may feel the speaker does not consider them sufficiently important to warrant their wearing more professional attire.   Vocal Characteristics Vocal image is important in establishing credibility. Varying the rate, pitch and volume enhances the speaker’s image. Speakers with a smooth and clear vocal image, with good volume, and a varied speech rate free of hesitation are thought to be more dynamic and trustworthy. Weaknesses in vocal image include speaking at a steady, even pace; speaking in a monotone; maintaining one level of volume throughout the presentation; and improper use of pauses. One of the most common speech problems is speaking with a nasal voice. Speakers who have picked up local accents and speech patterns have to make a real effort to lose them, especially when they move to another part of the country where such regionalisms can be distracting. Visual Aids Visual aids can be very useful for gaining attention, for helping audience members remember main points and for better understanding the flow of the message. Visual aids give a polished touch to presentations and are evidence of preparation. Visuals can also be useful for keeping the speaker well organized and can replace the speaker’s notes; they serve as an outline to keep the speaker on track. When visuals are used incorrectly, however, the effect may to negate the impact of an important message. Presenters should bear in mind, therefore, that visual aids should be both visual and aids. To make sure the visual aids are visual, presenters should avoid standing between the visual and the audience and should use a font size sufficiently large that persons at the back of the room can read the slide or transparency. Presenters should observe the 6 by 6 rule: limit each transparency to six lines of copy with a maximum of six words per line. To assure the visual aids are aids, presenters should be well prepared so they do not have to read from their transparencies as constant reading suggests a lack of preparation and confidence. Preparation and Use Of Time Speakers who are not well prepared spend a large amount of time looking at their notes rather than at their audience. Audiences will remain more alert and interested when the speaker has organized, practiced and timed the presentation. When speakers exceed the expected time limit, audience members will leave, either physically or mentally. Speakers should ask someone to monitor the time and give them a signal when they are approaching their allotted time so they do not have to glance at their watches. Smart speakers will end on time even if they have to omit parts of the presentation they had intended to cover. Career professionals should consider content, audience, environment, tools and appearance before making presentations. Presenters need to prepare effective presentations to communicate the maximum amount of information in an efficient and effective way regardless of the nature of the presentation, the speaker owes it to the listeners to plan and deliver the presentation in a professional, persuading manner.     The most important items to consider before making presentation are as follows: Ø      The content Ø      The audience Ø      The environment in which presentation will be made Ø      The tools used to make the presentation effective within the speaker appearance PERFORMANCE INTERVIEWS               Many managers devote substantial time to the performance appraisal process and, in most instances, arrange formal meetings with employees to give them feedback ( 1984) essential for employees to improve their performance ( 1983) measuring performance and providing feedback is vital as a form of management control (, 1992). Although contingency approaches such as these make good intuitive sense, they rest on the following three assumptions: there is no one best way to of conducting the interview that is effective and determining the most appropriate documentation processes depending on factors which define the interview context coupled with its documented importance within employees attitudes and performance and how such a practice would be used.     The performance level of an employee forms the basis for the appraisal discussion and serves as a benchmark for evaluating interview performance. It is not surprising that the performance has been a key variable in many feedback models on which the appropriate format of the interview can relate to performance appraisal process – such as the manager’s performance in the face-to-face encounter experience in approaching the actual performance appraisal interview and in conducting aware of the work that has identified skills that makes an effective personnel communication. Henceforth, some HR managers spend time engaging in interpersonal communication than in other activities for developing better communication. One of the most valuable skills that an HR manager can possess is the ability to successfully communicate with others having key ingredients for a victorious performance interviews as found in the psychological concept of participation whereby the subordinate feel encouraged to speak and offer their views as staffs are more satisfied with their interviews and with their superiors who conduct them when they participate in the appraisal process of the interview process as effective communication is as crucial today as to rate the acceptance of the process of performance interviews. In the performance interview, the superior sits with a slight, comfortable forward lean of the upper body trunk, maintains eye contact and speaks in steady and soothing a voice as possible. One way to sense the importance of the attending skills is to imagine how to feel if the performance was appraised by an individual who leaned backward and spoke in a harsh voice. The effective use of the non-verbal attending skills subtly but powerfully encourages other individuals to communicate. Open and closed questions help the superior stay on the topic and verbally follow the subsidiary to ensure, the most specific flow of communication as each type of question bears a different fruit: open questions encourage the subordinate to provide more general information; closed questions encourage more specific responses. The power of open and closed questions to evoke responses is demonstrated by imagining the spontaneous response to the same query asked first as an open and then as a closed question, for example: Ø      Open question: “How is that business plan coming along?” Ø      Closed question: “Is that new strategic plan in?”   CONCLUSION                         In conclusion, I have learned that communication process and skills within the organization implies a significant role for the HR managers and staff as well as work team to be able to work in appropriate paradigm to realize goals and purposes of work functions and always aim to produce better channels of communication as poor communication among teams can weaken trust and loyalty in many aspects of the work environment. Therefore, communication climate and its promotion is a must in order for organizations to apply useful techniques to arrive into a well planned vision along with the integration and coordination of effective presentations with effective tools and materials to be used that can lead to a successful performance interviews in the appraisal process.               ________________________________________________________________   REFERENCES Credit:ivythesis.typepad.com

HUMAN RESOURCE MANAGER

INTRODUCTION Yes, it is true that organizational communication in the area of Human Resource processes involves the integ...

WHAT ROLES AND RESPONSIBILITIES WOULD A GLOBAL HUMAN RESOURCE MANAGER HAVE

ROLES AND RESPONSIBILITIES OF A GLOBAL HUMAN RESOURCE MANAGER             Introduction                  (2004, p. 1) said that in the near future, the advent of the Internet and e-commerce is further increasing the international flow of goods and services and therefore the pace at which internationalization will impact on the Human Resource role is likely to accelerate.   The role of human resource management is now faced with a new dimension with the onset of globalization.  Businesses are expanding, some outside of the national boundary, and this affects all components of the business.  Human resource management, as an integral part of the business, has to keep up.   In order to enhance the competitive advantage of global firms said  (2004, p. 32), the human resource professionals (managers and staff) need to focus on developing their own international competencies and at the same, the entire human resource function needs to shift from an administrative orientation to one that places primary attention on the processes of internationalization.   Human resource managers are more affected.  They are entrusted with a greater function that the staff.  Their whole orientation towards their job will revolve around an international context. The Human Resource Manager in Multi-national Business                            (2002, pp.66-68) reported that with the growth of international businesses, organizations rely more and more on human resource specialists as the facilitators of work across borders and among different cultures.  Globalization impacts human resource managers by requiring new skills such as language capabilities.  For example, in order to recruit employees from other cultures, Human Resource managers will either have to learn new languages or else they will certainly have to have foreign language speakers on the staff ( 2002, p. 68).  In order to remain a central player in organizational change, Human Resource managers need flexibility and a willingness to keep pace with strategic revisions in the company as achieved through Human Resource Management initiatives ( 1995, p. 76).  (1999, p. 1) stated that global human resource management provides an organized framework for developing and managing people who are comfortable with the strategic and operational paradoxes embedded in global organizations and who are capable of managing cultural diversity.  Human resource managers need to facilitate the inpatriation process, improving inpatriates’ ability to function in the focal organization’s home country ( 1999, p. 1). Human resource managers must therefore, be knowledgeable of other cultures, languages and business practices.  They will be required to develop and manage an international workforce, maintain written and unwritten corporate policies for transportability to other cultures, keep top management informed of the costs of not paying attention to the transnational issues and provide their services to a variety of locations worldwide. Human resource managers need to be familiar with the diversity of the different aspects of international norms to promote organization diversity ( 2002, p. 68).   Differences between Domestic and Global Human Resource Manager     According to  (2000, p. 3) in managerial function’s respect, Human Resource Management (HRM) can be classified into five functions – planning, organizing, staffing, leading, and controlling.  As a human resource manager, whether at a national or international company, he or she must abide by these five fundamental functions to manage people.  An international human resource manager must take a global perspective of managing because the organization operates in different countries.  Executives operating in a foreign country need to learn a great deal about the country’s education, economic, legal and political system and especially its socio-cultural environment.               Single environment makes management in domestic enterprises become singly and simply.  Managers involved in international business are faced with many factors that are different from those of the domestically oriented firms.  Furthermore, strategic decisions in domestic companies are often made at headquarters and subsidiaries have limited autonomy.  In international companies, business strategy is integrated on a thoroughly global basis.  It is important for managers, domestic or global; to be proficient in carrying out the five managerial functions but global managers must also widen their horizon beyond national boundaries.  Managers with a global orientation need to understand the difference between countries in culture, recruitment, training and communication.  He or she should think about management globally, and take action locally as it is practiced in his or her own country and  other places in the world.                                                   References       Credit:ivythesis.typepad.com

WHAT ROLES AND RESPONSIBILITIES WOULD A GLOBAL HUMAN RESOURCE MANAGER HAVE

ROLES AND RESPONSIBILITIES OF A GLOBAL HUMAN RESOURCE MANAGER Introduction (2004, p. 1) said that i...

Occupation: Human Resource Manager

Occupation: Human Resource Manager   K1 My strength – Psychology Psychology as pertaining to the study of human behavior and mental processes happens to be my favorite subject that had engulf much of my interest ever since it struck my senses.  With the above average grade I have accounted myself in the psychology and to the other psychology related subjects I had finished there is always a sense of accomplishment on my part being able to do my best to deserve the grade.  It is the subject where I set myself to focus on and to constantly challenge myself to do the best and be the best I can, not only to deserve high grades but for me to develop a deeper understanding on the subject matter in its broad context.  Little by little, I have loved the subject as I consider it to be very valuable and indispensable part of my life wherein its applications can contribute a lot in dealing with everyday activities.  Like for example, being able to understand people on how they deal with things and the means in which they would resort to solutions, whether or not, it is the best solution or just a temporary means to alleviate their problem.  Obviously, psychology as a very basic subject in the field of human resource would provide me with in-depth knowledge on how to be a good human resource manager in the future considering the fact that I would know the basic essentials in the realms of human resource management. The study of psychology can aid and equip me with the necessary understanding as to how the human resources behave in an organization and the underlying factors that should be put into consideration before implementing and planning for changes.  As humans, to be able to pinpoint the aspects that is immeasurable or not that quantifiable is where the field of psychology would work as its best.  Thus, with psychology as my knowledge strength in pursuing a career in the human resources, I am confident that I will be able to gauge myself well and be competent enough to handle the dealings of being a human resource manager.   K2 My weakness – Mathematics Ever since I was a child, mathematics has always been my waterloo and my Achilles’ heel so to speak.  From grade school up until college, I have a hard time figuring out what to do to be able to expound my mathematical knowledge.  Mathematics may not had required me much to learn since almost everything is based on formulas and equations, but nevertheless, it had consumed my time in analyzing without getting the desired result, although, there proves to be an improvement.  My grades in mathematics were fair and as compared with the other subjects, it is the subject where I usually get low grades and at the worst case I even failed a couple of times in that subject area.  Luckily, in human resource management, the application of mathematics is not that required and maybe one of the reasons why I did not chose to have a career in engineering because I do know that I am barely competent to the fields where it entails great mathematical knowledge.   S1 My strength – Active Listening             To be great in psychology and excel in the field of human resource management where it has been a strict prerequisite to develop a skill to be a good listener is critical.  Human resource managers not only requires to be great in planning but unknown to everybody, has the responsibility to not only provide means in which to maximize the use of human resources but also the most important role of being an excellent human resource manager is to foster holistic growth to the human resources in the workplace such that they can better reach their maximum potential which in the long run would benefit the whole organization.  Prior to the provisions that human resource manager must foster, the need to listen to the pulse of the workforce is apparent since it is from them the human resource manager must draw the necessary aspects that needs to be reinforced and improved in the facet of getting more from the workforce.  Being an active listener, it would enable me to design programs that would extremely benefit the workforce, thus, providing them with intrinsic motivational factors that would in turn, make them satisfied in their jobs.  The empathy I have for people would enable me also to improve on my active listening skills and to further be good at it.   S2 My weakness – Instructing             Given my active listening skill, I will have a hard time to express that kind of skill when I am weak in instructing.  My weakness in instructing is brought about by the fact that I learn things often by myself but with consultation of course to the people who know best.  In fact, I even regard myself to be more of an observant learner being able to learn things my way.  Other than that, my patience in instructing is considerable low which sometimes leads me let other people to the instructing for me.  But I know to be a good human resource manager, the need for improvement in the instructing weakness should gradually be minimized because as being a manager it would really require me to instruct other people and exhibit to them the importance of giving a clear and precise instruction that would be understandable enough for everyone to follow.  Perhaps, I can overcome this weakness by stressing my patience as much as possible to the highest point so that I can give instructions correctly for others to correctly follow as well.  Most especially, I can never assume that others are the same like me that they are an observant learner.   A1 My strength – Written Expression               The fact that my one of my weaknesses is the inability to convey expressions orally, the substitute means in which I can express myself more openly is through written expression.  Written expression serves to be an ally that helps me express the inner feeling and thoughts that I cannot orally expressed.  There was even a time, that I cannot say I am sorry to my mother verbally, but I instead wrote it for me to be able to express it.  Even in school, I tend to get high scores on the written exams than on oral exams.  Simply stated, I am quite dependent and more able to express in written my expression and ergo, written expression has been my strength.  Motivating the workforce I believe does not always necessitates that you have to orally instill motivation in them, somehow my prowess in the written expression could help me make more motivating guidance to the workforce through the power of the words I will be using in the written paper to be posted in the bulletin boards across the halls of the organization that I would soon belong.     A2 My weakness – Oral Expression   In contrary to my ability strength, oral expression has been my weakness.  Basically, my oral expression weakness stems from the way I am being brought up.  Despite that I am brought up to be independent; I suppose my family did not encourage me to be really confident and to overcome shyness in the face of other people. My family is in itself does not emphasize the importance of expressing things orally.  When someone is down, neither one family member expresses orally his or her concern although I know deep in their hearts how concern they are.  It just so happen that my family cannot express the feelings openly. The need to go about to overcome this weakness would be of utmost help in the career I will be choosing because to be a part of a human resource management you cannot rely always in written expressions.  There would be a time that a human resource manager would speak into a large crowd to fully express what it is to be expressed and the inevitable fact that words are more powerful once it is said verbally or orally. Attachment Occupation: Human Resource Manager Tasks <ul type="disc" style="margin-bottom: 0in"> <li class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom: 4.5pt"> Administer compensation, benefits and performance management systems, and safety and recreation programs. </li> <li class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom: 4.5pt"> Identify staff vacancies and recruit, interview and select applicants. </li> <li class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom: 4.5pt"> Allocate human resources, ensuring appropriate matches between personnel. </li> <li class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom: 4.5pt"> Provide current and prospective employees with information about policies, job duties, working conditions, wages, opportunities for promotion and employee benefits. </li> <li class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom: 4.5pt"> Perform difficult staffing duties, including dealing with understaffing, refereeing disputes, firing employees, and administering disciplinary procedures. </li> <li class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom: 4.5pt"> Advise managers on organizational policy matters such as equal employment opportunity and sexual harassment, and recommend needed changes. </li> <li class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom: 4.5pt"> Analyze and modify compensation and benefits policies to establish competitive programs and ensure compliance with legal requirements. </li> <li class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom: 4.5pt"> Plan and conduct new employee orientation to foster positive attitude toward organizational objectives. </li> <li class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom: 4.5pt"> Serve as a link between management and employees by handling questions, interpreting and administering contracts and helping resolve work-related problems. </li> <li class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom: 4.5pt"> Plan, direct, supervise, and coordinate work activities of subordinates and staff relating to employment, compensation, labor relations, and employee relations. </li> </ul>   KNOWLEDGE Psychology — The knowledge of human behavior and performance; individual differences in ability, personality, and interests; learning and motivation; psychological research methods; and the assessment and treatment of behavioral and affective disorders. Mathematics — The knowledge of arithmetic, algebra, geometry, calculus, statistics, and their applications.   SKILLS Active Listening — Giving full attention to what other people are saying, taking time to understand the points being made, asking questions as appropriate, and not interrupting at inappropriate times. Instructing — Teaching others how to do something.   ABILITIES Written Expression — The ability to communicate information and ideas in writing so others will understand. Oral Expression — The ability to communicate information and ideas in speaking so others will understand. Credit:ivythesis.typepad.com

Occupation: Human Resource Manager

Occupation: Human Resource Manager K1 My strength – Psychology Psychology as pertaining to the study of human behavior and ...

HUMAN RESOURCE MANAGER

People Oriented Manager               People-oriented managers focus more on the people who are doing the work. They are on a day to day basis interacting with not just employees but also members. They encourage employees to use all of their talents and skills and to be productive in an organization where learning is a priority.             According to  (2003), people-oriented leaders ask themselves the following questions routinely: <ul type="disc" style="margin-bottom: 0in"> <li class="MsoNormal" style="color: black; text-align: justify; line-height: 200%"> Do your employees consider you a great manager? </li> <li class="MsoNormal" style="color: black; text-align: justify; line-height: 200%"> Do you refer to yourself as a people person? </li> <li class="MsoNormal" style="color: black; text-align: justify; line-height: 200%"> Do you take the time to get to know the people you work with and supervise? </li> <li class="MsoNormal" style="color: black; text-align: justify; line-height: 200%"> Do you know their strengths and talents along with their weaknesses? </li> <li class="MsoNormal" style="color: black; text-align: justify; line-height: 200%"> Do you attempt to make employees fit better into an organization by identifying what people are good at and placing them in positions where they can use their strengths and talents to benefit the organization? </li> <li class="MsoNormal" style="color: black; text-align: justify; line-height: 200%"> Do you gain a measure of satisfaction from seeing others excel with your help?</li> </ul>             People-oriented leaders know their employees’ strengths and talents and they place people in positions that take advantage of those positive characteristics (, 2003).             In addition, according to John Rey, a Seattle-based Internet management consultant, ‘the people oriented manager is likely to succeed with the following personal and professional attributes (, 2002). 1.      The person has consistency of ideas but is capable of changing the mind. He/she makes decision but easily accepts the input from others, also. 2.      He/she sees information as a tool to be used and not as a power to be hoarded. 3.      He/she is an extrovert. Management is a people skill. It is not a job for someone who does not enjoy people. 4.      The person is honest and straight-forward. His/her success depends heavily on trust for others.             Moreover, a people oriented manager is earnestly concerned for the employees of all level and at the same time he/she has maximum concern for the growth of the industry. He/she generates all learning opportunities for people in the industry through their involvement, commitment and creativity, which are the pre-requisites for a rapid growth of an organization.             Furthermore, people-oriented managers tend to have more team-oriented management styles. They are most comfortable when they are teaching, coaching, helping, communicating, advising, persuading, motivating, entertaining, guiding, leading, selling, inspiring.             In an article of  (2005), for example,  the General Manager of Dhamecha’s barking depot, was such a people-oriented manager. He has come to know many customers and even become his personal friends for several years. According to , “being a depot manager is a very people-oriented job because you are constantly dealing with customers, suppliers and staff.”             Being the manager,  values his customers giving them the right price and good service especially with customers coming from far away. Availability also is importantly his pride.             Moreover, one of the aspects of his job  values most is the autonomy he is given by head office in running the depot, and he ensures that members of his team are given as much freedom as possible to take decisions affecting their areas. Even staff working in the aisles is given responsibility for their areas.                 References Credit:ivythesis.typepad.com

HUMAN RESOURCE MANAGER

People Oriented Manager People-oriented managers focus more on the people who are doing the work. They are on a day to day ...