HUMAN RESOURCE MANAGEMENT Introduction Human resource management determines staffing needs then provides recruitment and selection of appropriate personnel and management of the employment relationship which includes employee development motivation compensation rewards scheduling etc HR functions have changed from clerical to integral to operations and long term stability In general HR is fighting an unending battle to attract and retain qualified personnel Human resources management has a wide scope of responsibilities including Recruitment and Selection Training Development Performance Assessment Compensation Rewards Benefits Correction Termination Motivation Employee Management Relations HR is facing challenges associated withchanges in the American economicsystem overseas labor skilled laborshortages decreased loyalty underemployment aging workforce regulations etc Recruiting and Selection After performing a human resources inventory jobs are analyzed requirements documented a hiring plan established and job posted advertised Job applicants are interviewed assessments are given and evaluated and a screening process begins Selection of employees usually occurs after careful analysis of the candidate which includes background investigations credit checks physical exams etc New hires are generally hired conditionally pending completion of a probationary period Training and Development Training and development takes many forms including Orientation Online On the Job Apprenticeship Vestibule Simulation Management training focuses more on communications human relations and technical management skills Performance Assessment In order to determine whether or not employees are meeting standards performance assessments need to be undertaken periodically Assessments need to be based on previously developed and communicated standards specific to each job Meetings with employees usually quarterly help guide performance and correct improper behaviors Rewards both extrinsic something given as recognition for good performance and intrinsic personal satisfaction are based on the performance assessment process Compensation correction and termination Extrinsic employee rewards include monetary compensation ex salaries commissions and bonuses and indirect fringe benefits Ex vacations insurance benefits and retirement plans Employee evaluations are generally reviewed by a management team which determines rewards promotions and sub par performance Poor performers after being given the opportunity to correct themselves should be terminated Although there are some notable restrictions employers can usually fire anyone at any time for most any reason Motivation Introduction Compensation is not the sole contributor to employee happiness People are motivated by intrinsic rewards like recognition accomplishment status loyalty etc Besides productivity gains the positive effects of happy and motivated employees carries over to customers suppliers and company image Poorly motivated dissatisfied employees contribute to morale problems staff stress and negative reputation and are likely to perform poorly and leave Motivation is a key element of HR management which generally chooses a foundational motivation theory to structure their efforts Motivation Historical Milestones Although management principles had been discussed for years it was only in the early 1900 s that motivational concepts were structure their efforts Frederick Taylor Scientific Management Taylor explored the idea of scientific management which studied the most efficient way to perform any task Taylor performed time motion and principle of economy studies on shovelers Taylor s Principles of Scientific Management is considered a milestone in employee management principles and still influences modern operations Elton Mayo Hawthorne Studies Taylor s research spawned a variety of studies including a famous1927 study performed by EltonMayo at Western Electric s Hawthorne factory in Illinois Spurred by the growth in scientific management Mayo set out to document the effects of lighting on productivity What seemed a straightforward experiment produced odd results Worker productivity increased regardless of the light changes dim or bright After adjusting everything including humidity and temperature Mayo determined the productivity increases were psychological in nature The Hawthorne studies discovered thatworkers felt more motivated when theywere being studied in effect they feltmore special This has since been labeled the Hawthorne effect Motivation Modern Foundations Maslow s Hierarchy of Needs Abraham Maslow reinforced Mayo s findings when he detailed his Hierarchy of Needs Each need on the pyramid motivatesin a different way Once a level of need is met it ceases to become motivator Herzberg s Motivating Factors After careful study Frederick Herzberg determined that employees were motivated by a wide variety of factors including achievement recognition etc Herzberg categorized these factors in two areas Hygiene Factors Motivator Factors Hygiene Factors cause dissatisfaction but do not motivate employees Motivator factors are responsible for the largest percentage in productivity Motivation Modern Theories Theories X Y and Z Management professor Douglas McGregor described two very different attitudes toward workforce motivation Theory X and Theory Y A Theory X manager believes that employees do not really want to work and that it is their job to structure work and energize the employee Theory Y management believes that given the rightconditions most people will want to do well at work and that there is a pool of unused creativity in the workforce In the early 1980 s UCLA professor William Ouchi published Theory Z which detailed a blend of American and Japanese management styles Theory Z management looks to be more flexible and holistic Goal Setting Expectancy Reinforcement and Equity Theories Goal Setting Theory Developed by Peter Drucker goal setting focuses on motivating with ambitious but achievable goals Commonly implemented as Management by Objectives MBO Expectancy Theory Victor Vroom s expectancy theory recognizes that people will assess any given goal task and determine its possible outcomes to the associated rewards Reinforcement Theory Reinforcement theory is based on the age old philosophy that employees are motivated by positive and negative reinforcement of behaviors Equity Theory Equity theory recognizes that people mentally
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