Staffing and Effectively Managing Human Resources

Describe the function of human resource management.

     Human resource management is concerned with providing the needed people with the appropriate skills to ensure an organization can meet its objectives. The human resource management function includes planning future personal requirements as determined by growth, decline, changes in skills, changes in technology, employee resignations, transfers, retirements, and  promotions. Thus human resource managers are engaged in recruitment, selection, orientation, training and development, compensation and benefits management, performance evaluation, effecting transfers, and controlling terminations.

Define management responsibilities for human resource planning.

     Human resource planning is focused on long&-term future employment requirements influenced by technology, leadership, organizational structure, and  sociocultural changes. In the short term, it concentrates on identifying recruiting needs, upgrading employee skills through training and development programs, and controlling the ebb and flow of employees as a result of terminations, layoffs, and transfers.

Explain the process of recruitment and selection in organizations.

     Recruitment is the process of attracting a pool of qualified candidates for organizational positions. Nonspecialized job recruitment involves locating applicants for jobs mainly characterized as unskilled or low&-skilled. Specialized recruitment for positions requiring higher&-level skills or management abilities may be either internal or external. Selection is the decision&-making process of hiring employees.

Describe orientation, training, and development programs.

     Orientation is the process of inducting new employees into organizations. Through formal orientation programs, newly hired employees are introduced to their tasks, the work environment, co&-workers, company policies, safety rules, and supervisors. Training programs are designed to upgrade job&-related  skills. Development programs attempt to provide general knowledge about theoretical concepts, improve work relationships, and sensitize managers to their responsibilities.

Discuss compensation management and benefits management.

     Compensation management deals with wage and salary administration. Personnel specialists manage compensation, develop systems of pay and rewards to attract and retain qualified employees, and assist line managers in deciding on raises, bonuses, and incentives affecting wages and salaries. Benefits management deals with retirement programs, unemployment insurance, Social Security, medical and dental programs, vacation scheduling, and holiday planning. It also includes employee programs for drug rehabilitation, family  counseling and child care, as well as bereavement and maternity leaves.

Summarize the roles of staff specialists and line managers with respect to employee and labor relations.

     Employee relations is a field concerned with helping individual employees perform better, enjoy their work, and resolve personal problems. Consequently. staff specialists and line managers have equally important  roles in improving organizational effectiveness. Staff, however, have specific responsibilities for programs relating to such areas as employee fitness, family assistance, and substance abuse counseling. They are also responsible for subsidies and opportunities such as tuition assistance, skills upgrading, career counseling and preretirement planning. Labor relations constitutes a highly specialized field based on laws  relating to collective bargaining and contract administration. Executives are directly involved in union&-management negotiations, but it is the labor relations specialist who administers contracts, deals with grievances, and works with unions on problems such as discipline. Operating line managers often find themselves in the middle of labor&-management grievances, and they are also responsible for honoring contract terms such as compensation and employee assignments.

Discuss the importance of effective performance evaluation systems.

     Effective performance evaluation systems offer meaningful assessments of employee behavior and performance. They are properly documented for decisions on compensation, promotion, transfers, discipline, and terminations. Managers at every level who supervise subordinates are responsible for performance appraisals and for providing feedback and guidance to employees on their behavior and performance. Because so many decisions are based on performance evaluation, it is one of the most important management responsibilities.

Discuss the concepts of transfer and termination.

     A transfer is the reassignment of an employee within the organization. Transfer may  be lateral or horizontal, Demotions are also transfers. Termination is the permanent severance of an employee from the organization. Terminations may result from employee resignation, retirement, disability, or death. Also the company may terminate employees through layoffs, downsizing reorganization, plant closings, and firings.