Northern Plant Case Study

Question 1

Explain the reasons for the key challenges facing Mike’s human resource management team?

Effectiveness in production within an organization is guaranteed when human resource

management has a close link and good relationship with a workforce (Björkman & Welch,

2015). However, as noted in Mike’s human resource management, a team faces challenges,

making it difficult for the first-line managers to manage. The team in Northern Plant lacks

self-motivation, which is a crucial drive in meeting the set objectives. As noted in Maslow’s

hierarchy of needs theory, self-motivation significantly makes the team members remain

focused since they consider the achievement they make while working as part of their needs.

When motivated, the team members may be likely to complete large projects within a short

time. Besides self-motivation, Mike’s team is not motivated extrinsically motivated, which

makes them not feel the organization’s objectives as part of the responsibility. Although

Locke’s goal setting theory proposes that specified goals that get appropriate feedback record

better performance easily, a demotivated team cannot achieve those goals in a short time.

Another challenge faced by the team in Northern Plant is corporate culturism, as indicated by

Tom Peters. In Mike’s team, members are used to disrespecting their leaders. When given an

opportunity as a team, the gaps identified in disrespecting managers prevent performance and

good production within the organization.

Question 2

What HRM practices could be introduced to help the first line managers to re-establish the

authority and regain the respect of the workforce?

One of the practices that would be prudent regaining respect is establishing the right channel

of communication. Vertical passage of information and implementation of the introduced

policy within the organization is a potential practice relevant to re-establishing workforce

respect. Rewarding and recognizing the best performing employees in the organization is

another effective way that can increase the chances of winning the confidence and trust from

the employees, who, in return, would respect their authority (Liang et al., 2014). The

workforce can also be encouraged to respect the authority through applying the Hawthorne

effect, which indicates that employee’s behaviour can be altered and make them feel the

management observes them during working hours. Assertiveness and charismatic leadership

increase managers' chances to earn the workforce's trust and respect. Employees found in the

wrong by the leaders and given fair penalty to avoid ripple effect from the other workers

would provide an opportunity for the re-establishing of good relation within Northern Plant.

Although contingent leadership proposes that a leader should establish a leader-follower

relationship, applying situational theory in the HRM of Northern Plant is another crucial

practice that can make the workforce respect leaders. Notably, the situational theory offers an

opportunity for the leaders to determine what is needed at the right time, which offers an

opportunity for employees to analyze their managers. The new and junior members in

Northern Plant can be offered psychological support when under emotional stress.

Question 3

Identify the kinds of performance management principles that could be introduced to support

the development of a more professional first-line approach to managing Northern Plants

workers?

While seeking to support the development of more professional first-line approaches in the

Northern Plants, performance management principles can be applied. One of the principles

that can be introduced is performance analysis. Managers play a big role in achieving the

projects within a specified period. First-line managers can play a role in measuring their
frequency of behaviour while performing their duties in Northern Plant. During the time of

changes within the organization, the managers, through analysis, can participate in measuring

their performance and calculate their value in the improvement experienced (Liang et al.,

2014). Setting the right goals in Northern Plant is another principle that can help managers'

performance. Motivation and feedback are crucial in ensuring Northern Plant's workforce

works efficiently. Since performance within an organization is a continuous activity, first-line

managers should establish a channel that can encourage proper feedback to their teams to an

opportunity for immediate correction and reorganization of plans to achieve better results.

Offering of motivation to the best performing teams should be practiced and be done

immediately to make it effective. Communication within the organization serves as an

important performance principle while aiming to achieve success. Junior members within the

organization can be encouraged to communicate by giving them time to speak their views.
 References

Björkman, I., & Welch, D. (2015). Framing the field of international human resource

management research. The International Journal of Human Resource Management, 26(2),

136-150.

Liang, X., Marler, J. H., & Cui, Z. (2014). Strategic human resource management in China:

east meets west. Academy of Management Perspectives, 26(2), 55-70.