One of the most challenging aspects of human resource management is employee motivation. It manifests itself through employee morale, output, absenteeism, effort, labor turnover, loyalty and achievement. Motivation is generally defined as an internal state that induces an employee to engage in particular behaviors, or a set of factors that cause employees to behave in certain ways, but it is extremely complex. This is because employee motivation is the product of many interacting factors such as the culture of the organization, management’s leadership style, the structure of the organization, job design and HR policies and practices. The employee’s personality, skills, knowledge, abilities and attitudes also play a part. Motivation is not understood by managers and its essence remains enigmatic. It is what makes the “high fliers” fly. It is why some employees demonstrate a burning desire to achieve, and accept increased responsibility, while others remain passive or openly hostile. What Continue reading
Human Resource Management
Human Resource Management (HRM) is branch of management that deals with people at work, it is concerned with the human dimensions of management of the organization. As organization consists of people, therefore acquiring them, developing their skills, providing them motivation in order to attain higher goal and ensuring that the level of commitment is maintained are the important activities.
International and Comparative Human Resource Management
International Human Resource Management has been defined as HRM issues, functions, policies and practices that result from the strategic activities of MNEs. International Human Resource Management deals principally with issues and problems associated with the globalization of capitalism. It involves the same elements as domestic HRM but is more complex to manage, in terms of the diversity of national contexts and types of workers. The emphasis is on the MNCs’ ability to attract, develop and deploy talented employees in a multinational setting and to get them to work effectively despite differences in culture, language and locations. International HRM tends to mitigate the impact of national culture and national employment practice against corporate culture and practices. Comparative Human Resource Management, on the other hand, is a systematic method of investigation that seeks to explain the patterns and variations encountered in cross-national HRM rather than simply describe HRM institutions and practices in Continue reading
Career Counselling in Organizations
Career counselling is a process whereby an employee is guided by a manager in performance-related behavior. The employee is unable to perform the job satisfactorily. His work behavior is inconsistent with the work environment and organizational culture. It is manifested in fighting, stealing, unexcused lateness and absence. Career counselling involves guiding of employee by a manager to overcome performance problems. The problem is desire-created based on unwillingness. Career counselling involves the following steps: Identification of the performance problem – The reason for poor performance should be identified. Specific job behavior should be objectively documented in terms of date, time, and what happened. The manager should have good listening skills to uncover the reason for performance problem. The manager should focus on job performance problems only, not the employee as a person. He should treat the employee objectively, fairly and equitably. Make sure the employee owns up the problem – The Continue reading
Perspectives on Industrial Relations
Industrial relations is a set of phenomena operating both within and outside the workplace, concerned with determining and regulating the employment relationship. Scholars have described three major theoretical perspectives or frameworks, that contrast in their understanding and analysis of workplace relations. The three important perspectives on industrial relations are generally known as Unitarism, Pluralism and Marxism. Each offers a particular perception of workplace relations and will therefore interpret such events as workplace conflict, the role of unions and job regulation differently. The three major perspectives on Industrial Relations are; 1. Unitary Perspective In unitarism, the organization is perceived as an integrated and harmonious system, viewed as one happy family. A core assumption of unitary approach is that management and staff, and all members of the organization share the same objectives, interests and purposes; thus working together, hand-in-hand, towards the shared mutual goals. Furthermore, unitarism has a paternalistic approach where it Continue reading
Corporate Entrepreneurship (CE) and Human Resource Management (HRM)
Today’s economy is experiencing its ups and downs very quickly: rising competitiveness and fast changing technologies create pressure to the companies that want to stay at the top of their markets. This is not going to slow down, so the need for tools of success is arising. At the same time we are moving away from the belief that “entrepreneurs are born, not made”. That is why the wanting, believing, hoping, planning must be followed by doing. As already Confucius said: “When it is obvious that the goals cannot be reached, don’t adjust the goals, adjust the action steps”. It is time for action and one form of it that suits different businesses nowadays is — Corporate Entrepreneurship (CE). Corporate entrepreneurship is the process whereby an individual or group of individuals, in association with an existing organization, create a new organization or instigate renewal or innovation within that organization. There Continue reading
The Alignment of Compensation and Business Strategies
Compensation is a key element in the success of any business. Although compensation plans were not always seen as a strategic business initiative, their huge impact on a company’s bottom line, recruiting, retaining and motivating people has led to compensation design being considered an important element to achieving success. Compensation and Business Strategies Alignment It is essential that a fair, competitive and attractive compensation plan is created in order to ensure the future success of the company. If the compensation plan is carried out properly it can improve organisational effectiveness, support human capital requirements of a business, and motivate and reward achievement of key corporate strategic and financial goals. It is thus essential that compensation plans are well thought out and effectively designed. Compensation is the answer to attracting, retaining and motivating employees who have the necessary competencies to carry out the business strategy and handle greater responsibilities. Managers must Continue reading