Human Resource Management DeMystiFieD - Softcover

Delcampo, Robert G.

Softcover

ISBN 10: 0071737243 ISBN 13: 9780071737241

Verlag: McGraw-Hill, 2010

Inhaltsangabe

The low-labor guide to mastering HRM!

Want to dive into human resources but your brain says, "Help wanted!"? No problem! Put Human ResourceManagement DeMYSTiFieD on the job, and you'll solve your dilemma in no time!

Using a clear, step-by-step format, this practical guide provides a firm foundation in the basics of the field. You'll master all the key issues in human resources, like benefits, legal situations, hiring, training, outplacement, worker rights, and more.

Detailed examples and concise explanations make it easy to grasp the material, and end-of-chapter quizzes and a final exam help reinforce learning. In no time, you'll build a firm foundation on the essential concepts and techniques instrumental to the success of any organization!

This fast and easy guide features:

• Tips on designing and implementing a hiring plan
• Tactics for developing and training new employees
• Strategies for writing job descriptions, recruiting applicants, and selecting employees
• Techniques for creating an effective compensation and benefits structure

Simple enough for a beginner, but challenging enough for an advanced student, Human Resource Management DeMYSTiFieD has everything you need to build a solidfoundation in human resources.

Über diesen Titel

Über die Autorin bzw. den Autor

Robert DelCampo, Ph.D., is an assistant professor in the Department of Organization Studies at the University of New Mexico; he holds the ASM Foundation Board Endowed Fellowship. DelCampo has contributed numerous articles to Managing Human Resources, a regularly updated introductory text for higher education. He has also consulted for over 25 Fortune 500 companies including Ford, Home Depot, Dell, Microsoft, and Intel.

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Human Resource Management DeMYSTiFieD

By Robert G. DelCampo

The McGraw-Hill Companies, Inc.

Copyright © 2011 The McGraw-Hill Companies, Inc.
All rights reserved.

ISBN: 978-0-07-173724-1

Contents

Introduction
Part I Overview and Compliance
CHAPTER 1 HR in a Nutshell
CHAPTER 2 Equal Employment Opportunity (EEO) and the Law
CHAPTER 3 Diversity in Organizations
Part II Hiring for Needs
CHAPTER 4 Job Analysis
CHAPTER 5 Employee Selection
Part III They're Hired—Now What?
CHAPTER 6 Compensation
CHAPTER 7 Benefits
CHAPTER 8 Training and Development
CHAPTER 9 Performance Management and Appraisal
CHAPTER 10 Employee Rights and Workplace Safety
CHAPTER 11 Employee Discipline and Responsibilities
CHAPTER 12 Employee Separation, Downsizing, and Outplacement
CHAPTER 13 Working with Organized Labor
Final Exam
Answers to Quizzes and Final Exam
Index

Excerpt

CHAPTER 1

HR in a Nutshell

This chapter presents an overview of human resource management (HRM], includingits functions and its value to an organization. It also discusses more generalfunctions of management and the unique value created by well-trained humanresource professionals.

CHAPTER OBJECTIVES

After completing this chapter, the student should be able to

1. Understand the value of human resource management.

2. Identify the core functions of management.

3. Understand the varied forms of HR strategy.

4. Understand the fit between HR and firm strategy.

Functions of Management

First, let's review the four basic functions of management: (1) leading, (2)planning, (3) organizing, and (4) staffing. While HRM makes a significantcontribution to each of these functions, traditionally, it has mainly dealt withthe "staffing" aspect of an organization.

So what is meant by staffing? Well, lots of things, including conducting jobanalyses, planning labor needs, recruiting and selecting job candidates,orienting and training employees, managing wages and salaries, providingincentives to improve employee performance, managing benefits, facilitatingcommunication between employees and managers, general and specific training, anddeveloping and building employee commitment. That's an enormous list ofresponsibilities!

HR: Human Resources or Human Relations?

Often HR doesn't mean just human resources; it also means humanrelations. Think of the HR function as the umpire, adjudicating disputesamong employees as well as between employees and management. More often thannot, grievances about performance appraisals, promotions, hiring decisions, orother employment-related issues end up being handled by the organization's HRdepartment. Therefore, communication is perhaps the most important of HR'sresponsibilities. However, before we look specifically at the roles of HR, letus consider how HR fits into the broader landscape of the organization.

So, what is the overall goal of management in an organization? To make money? Toimprove market share? To retain employees? To create a high-quality product orservice? Perhaps, but superseding all of these is the goal of furthering thefirm's chosen strategy. Therefore, in this book, we will look at HR through astrategic lens. Whether that strategy is to improve market position, improvemarket share, or maximize shareholder value, management's role is to usewhatever resources are available to bring that strategy to fruition. Thequestion then becomes, what is strategy, and how does HR fit into strategy?

Competitive advantage based on human talent has become essential in today's "warfor talent." Human resource strategy is composed of, and advanced by, a set ofHR tactics consisting of individual policies or programs that capitalize oncompetitive advantage for the firm as a whole. HR strategy is the conduitbetween HR tactics and the overall strategy of the firm. An HR strategy's effecton the firm's performance is always dependent on how well that strategy fitswith other factors, and its success is dependent on the situation or context inwhich it is used. Key factors that firms should consider in determining which HRstrategies will have a positive impact on the firm's performance includeorganizational strategies, environment, organizational characteristics, andorganizational capabilities. Consistency among these variables dictates thesuccess of a given firm's HR strategy.

Challenges to HR

The human resource challenges that face today's managers may be categorizedaccording to their primary focus: the environment, the organization, or theindividual. Firms that deal with these challenges effectively are likely tooutperform those that do not.

First, the environmental challenges facing HR include rapid changes in thebusiness environment; the diversity of the workforce; the growing need for apresence in the global marketplace; legislation by local, state, and federalgovernments; evolving work and family roles (workers needs and wants away fromwork); and, most important, shortages of skilled workers and the rise of theservice sector.

HR faces several challenges within an organization as well. While thecompetitive position of the organization, decentralization of decision making,restructuring, and need for downsizing might seem salient, the constant battlewith organizational higher-ups associated with such changes leave HR in constantflux. These challenges combined with ever-changing technology create significantobstacles to the creation of a coherent HR strategy and a well-functioningorganization.

In addition to environmental and organizational challenges, there are alsoseveral individual challenges that human resource managers face. These includesuch things as appropriately matching people to the organization and clashingviews about ethics and responsibility. In addition, productivity issues, braindrain, the attraction of a firm's most productive employees to competitors, andjob insecurity of employees can all play a role.

HR is crucial to any organization's efficiency and health, and although therewill always be challenges facing HR, selecting an appropriate HR strategy willallow HR to combat these issues, improve the effect of human resourcemanagement, and contribute to a more productive organization overall.

Selecting HR Strategies

When selecting an HR strategy, it is of the utmost importance thatorganizational culture be the linchpin in determining how the strategy will beimplemented. This social culture is made up of the assumptions and beliefsshared by the members of an organization, and also the organization's plannedstrategies.

Organizational strategies may be examined at two levels: corporate and businessunit. Corporate strategy refers to the mix of businesses that a corporationdecides to hold and the flow of resources among those businesses. This involvesdecisions pertaining to acquisitions, divestments, diversification, and growth.Business unit strategies refer to those strategies established by firms orautonomous units within the corporation. Well-known business strategies wereformulated by Porter, Miles, and Snow.

A strong culture will create cohesion and similar thought processes throughoutthe company. So in a sense, organizational culture becomes the lens throughwhich everyone in the organization interprets events, competitors, and theexternal environment. If the culture is opposed to change or to a particular HRstrategy, how can HR overcome this resistance?

This is a question that HR managers face on a daily basis. First, HR managersmust be in touch with the characteristics of their organization and itsemployees, and their capabilities, in order to choose consistent HR tactics thatwill allow them to successfully implement HR strategies. Next, HR strategiesmust align not only with organizational strategies, but also with the externalenvironment and environmental opportunities, overall business strategies, and anorganization's unique characteristics and distinctive competencies.

HR strategies should help the organization better exploit environmentalopportunities or cope with the unique environmental forces that affect it. Theenvironment can be examined on four dimensions: (1) degree of uncertainty, (2)volatility, (3) magnitude, and (4) complexity.

To be most effective, HR strategies must be tailored to the organization'spersonality. The features of an organization's personality are its (1)production process for converting inputs into output, (2) market posture, (3)overall managerial philosophy, (4) organizational structure, and (5)organizational culture.

An organization's capabilities are its distinct competencies. HR strategies makea greater contribution to a firm's performance (1) when they help to exploit thefirm's specific advantages or strengths while avoiding its weaknesses, and (2)when they assist it in better using its own unique blend of human resourceskills and assets.

A firm that has a poorly defined HR strategy or a business strategy that doesnot explicitly incorporate human resources is likely to lose ground to itscompetitors. Similarly, a firm may have a well-articulated HR strategy but stillfail if its HR tactics and policies do not help it to implement its HR strategyeffectively.

Formulating HR strategies and establishing programs to implement them is calledstrategic human resource planning. Successful strategic HR planningprovides many benefits for the company, including (1) encouragement of proactiverather than reactive behavior, (2) explicit communication of company goals, (3)stimulation of critical thinking and ongoing examination of assumptions, (4)identification of gaps between the current situation and the future vision, (5)encouragement of line managers' participation, (6) identification of HRconstraints and opportunities, and (7) creation of common bonds.

In developing HR strategies, organizations face several important challenges,including (1) maintaining a competitive advantage, (2) reinforcing overallbusiness strategy, (3) avoiding excessive concentration on day-to-day problems,(4) developing HR strategies that are suited to unique organizational features,(5) coping with the environment, (6) securing management commitment, (7)translating the strategic plan into action, (8) combining intended and emergencystrategies, and (9) accommodating change.

The options that a firm has available in designing its HR system are calledstrategic HR choices. No HR strategy is "good" or "bad" in and ofitself. The success of HR strategies depends on the situation or context inwhich they are used. In other words, an HR strategy's effect on a firm'sperformance is always dependent on how well it fits with some of the otherfactors affecting that firm. Fit refers to the consistency orcompatibility between HR strategies and other important aspects of theorganization.

Even the best-laid strategic HR plans, however, may fail when specific HRprograms are poorly chosen or implemented. A firm's HR strategies must bemutually consistent. That is, HR strategies are more likely to be effective ifthey reinforce one another rather than work at cross-purposes.

All managers must be able to deal with human resource issues effectively becausethese issues are at the core of being a good manager. Moreover, mutualpartnerships must be formed among line managers and HR professionals in order tomeet the employees' and employer's goals and needs effectively and efficiently.It is not uncommon for managers and HR to view each other negatively, whichoften hinders the establishment of an effective partnership. Five competenciesfor human resource professionals are required if a human resource department isto become a full strategic partner: (1) leadership, (2) knowledge of thebusiness, (3) HR strategic thinking, (4) process skills, and (5) HRtechnologies.

Specific steps that a company can take to foster an effective partnershipbetween managers and the HR department include (1) analyzing the people side ofproductivity, (2) viewing HR professionals as internal consultants, (3)instilling a shared sense of common fate, (4) requiring some managerialexperience, (5) actively involving top corporate and divisional managers, and(6) requiring senior HR executives to participate.

As you progress further in this text, you will see that each individual chapterdiscusses different HR tactics. Though the chapter titles may refer to separatetactics, it is important to note that we take a strategic approach whendiscussing each. As a self-teaching guide, Human Resource ManagementDeMYSTiFieD is designed to introduce professionals to the concepts behindhuman resource management through self-study in survey form. It is our hopethat, by examining these concepts, practicing managers will gain workingknowledge in each of these areas, thereby becoming more effective at makingpersonnel decisions within their organizations.

Chapter Summary

Human resource management in today's organizations presents not only a series ofchallenges, but also a series of opportunities to capitalize on strengths. Thinkabout the individual words—human, resource, andmanagement. In sum, these terms dictate that people inorganizations are resources that must be managed in order tooptimize their value. This is the essence of human resource management—thepeople make the place. Throughout this text, we will discuss, evaluate, andemphasize the strategies and tactics that are necessary if today's managers areto maximize their people resources. In today's organizations, products change,production changes, and sales change, but people dictate whether or not yourorganization will be successful in the long-term. Rather than thinking of HRM asa series of difficult practices, procedures, and processes that must be followedor legal hurdles that must be jumped over in order to get things done, think ofit as a way to retain valued employees and maintain the quality of the culturein your organization.

QUIZ

1. Which of the following is not one of the four basic functions of management?

A. Staffing

B. Leading

C. Organizing

D. Developing

2. Human resources strategy is made up of

A. Organizational resources and capabilities that help a company gain strategicadvantage over its competitors.

B. A set of HR tactics that capitalize on competitive advantage for the firm asa whole.

C. Key success factors in an industry that help a firm gain competitiveadvantage.

D. Combining strategies throughout the organization and using HR tactics to gaincompetitive advantage.

3. In HR management, evolving work and family roles is considered this type ofchallenge:

A. Individual

B. Managerial

C. Environmental

D. Organizational

4. Which key factors should firms consider in determining which HR strategieswill have a positive impact on a firm's performance?

A. Organizational strategies, characteristics, capabilities, and the environment

B. Organizational structure and systems

C. Organizational resources and capabilities

D. Organizational structure and competitor key success factors

5. Which of the following is not one of the competencies required for an HRdepartment to become a full strategic partner in an organization?

A. Performance management skills

B. HR technologies

C. Knowledge of the business

D. HR strategic thinking

6. In HR management, decentralization of decision making is considered this typeof challenge:

A. Individual

B. Managerial

C. Environmental

D. Organizational

7. HR strategies must align with

A. Organizational strategic thinking.

B. Organizational characteristics and capabilities.

C. Both organizational strategies and the external environment.

D. Organizational tactics and a strategic lens.

8. To foster an effective partnership between managers and the HR department,companies can

A. Instill a shared sense of common fate.

B. View HR professionals as external consultants.

C. Invite departmental leaders to participate.

D. Analyze financial productivity.

9. Corporate strategy can be defined as

A. Strategy among the established firms or units of the corporation.

B. Organizational exploitation of leadership strategy, differentiation, andcompetitive advantage.

C. The mix of businesses that a corporation decides to hold and the flow ofresources among those businesses.

D. Organizational strategic tactics to gain market share among competitors.

10. In HR management, the existence of clashing views about ethics andresponsibility is considered this type of challenge:

A. Individual

B. Managerial

C. Environmental

D. Organizational

CHAPTER 2

Equal Employment Opportunity (EEO) and the Law

This chapter provides a cursory description of the major pieces of legislationgoverning human resource policies in the United States of America. While thisdiscussion is not intended to be exhaustive, knowing the major historical andcurrent laws governing the hiring and treatment of employees is key tounderstanding the role of human resources in today's corporate environment.

CHAPTER OBJECTIVES

After completing this chapter, the student should be able to

1. Identify and understand the limitations of human resource management.

2. Understand the relationship between HR and the law.

3. Describe and conduct a utilization analysis.

4. Understand the provisions of the Americans with Disabilities Act, the EqualPay Act, and the Civil Rights Act.

5. Understand the types of sexual harassment and the liability that sexualharassment poses.

Understanding the Legal Environment

Why is it important that you understand the legal environment that HR operateswithin? Well, for starters, you need this in order to "do the right thing" whenit comes to making ethical decisions. Second, you need it so that managers canunderstand the limitations of the HR and legal departments, in turn protectingthemselves from culpability. And lastly, you need it to limit potentiallydamaging public relations issues that could affect the company, both financiallyand in its reputation.

First, you need to look at the ethical implications—as a manager, you haveto live with yourself and the decisions that you've made. Thus, making adecision that is in compliance with the law is essential, but one's ethicalstandards should also remain intact. In order to be sure that a decision is inaccord with general ethical principles, it is important to ask yourself threequestions:

1. Is the decision legal? If yes, proceed to question two.

2. Is the decision balanced—are both parties treated fairly and atleast given equal consideration? If yes, proceed to question three.

3. How would someone I respect (parent, coworker, mentor, and so on)feel about this decision?

If you are comfortable with the answers to each of these questions, you can befairly certain that you've made a legal, rational, and ethical decision. If not,perhaps you need to go back and reevaluate.

Second, it is important that you realize the limitations of the HR and legaldepartments within your organization. If managers make poor decisions, the HRdepartment will not always be able to resolve the situation. For this reason, itis crucial that all managers have a working familiarity with HR, butadditionally that the HR department is familiar with the legal constraintsplaced upon human resource functions by U.S. and state-level statutoryrequirements.

Finally, limiting potential liability is paramount for the HR function. Not onlycan there be financial consequences for doing something improperly (such ashaving a lawsuit filed against your firm for giving someone an unfairperformance appraisal), but, perhaps even more important, the public relationsramifications can be tremendously severe. For example, several years ago,Denny's had an issue with negative publicity resulting from one of itsrestaurants not serving particular individuals because of their race. News ofthe incident was immediately carried by all major news venues, and Denny'spublic image was tarnished by the discriminatory actions of a small group ofemployees.

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Excerpted from Human Resource Management DeMYSTiFieD by Robert G. DelCampo. Copyright © 2011 by The McGraw-Hill Companies, Inc.. Excerpted by permission of The McGraw-Hill Companies, Inc..
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Details zur Ausgabe

• Verlag: McGraw-Hill
• Erscheinungsdatum: 2010
• Sprache: Englisch
• ISBN 10: 0071737243
• ISBN 13: 9780071737241
• Einband: Tapa blanda
• Anzahl der Seiten: 240
• Kontakt zum Hersteller: Nicht verfügbar
• Verantwortliche Person: Nicht verfügbar