STRATEGIC HUMAN RESOURCE MANAGEMENT

INTRODUCTION:

Human resources management strategy is very important for every organisation to function
smoothly. Faced with rapid change organizations need to develop a more focused and
coherent approach to managing people. In just the same way a business requires a marketing
or information technology strategy it also requires a human resource or people strategy.

Strategic human resource management is a branch of Human resource management. It is a

fairly new field, which has emerged out of the parent discipline of human resource
management. Much of the early or so called traditional HRM literature treated the notion of
strategy superficially, rather as a purely operational matter, the results of which cascade down
throughout the organisation. There was a kind of unsaid division of territory between people-
centred values of HR and harder business values where corporate strategies really belonged.
HR practitioners felt uncomfortable in the war cabinet like atmosphere where corporate
strategies were formulated.

Strategic human resource management is crucial large as well as small companies. In small
companies this process may be as simple as the manager or the owner himself taking time to
observe employees, along with assisting, assessing and giving regular reviews. However
larger companies will require a whole department to be in charge of such activities for the
development of employees. The quality of staff members can be improved by meting their
needs in such a way that it may benefit the company. Investing in employees and providing
them with tools they need to thrive and prosper in the company proves to be a good
investment in the long run for the company.

So ahead in the literature review we will look in deep about the Strategic human resource
management and the company following SHRM in their daily practice and how effective it is
for running their organisation effectively.

LITERATURE REVIEW:

Strategic human resource management is a complex process which is constantly evolving and
being studied and discussed by academics and commentators. Its definition and relationships
with other aspects of business planning and strategy is not absolute and opinion varies
between writers. So there are many definations for strategic human resources management.

A comprehensive Human Resource Strategy plays a vital role in the achievement of an

organisation’s overall strategic objectives and visibly illustrates that the human resources
function fully understands and supports the direction in which the organisation is moving. A
comprehensive HR Strategy will also support other specific strategic objectives undertaken
by the marketing, financial, operational and technology departments.

Strategic HRM can be regarded as a general approach to the strategic management of human
resources in accordance with the intentions of the organisation on the future direction it wants
to take. It is concerned with longer-term people issues and macro-concerns about structure,
quality, culture, values, commitment and matching resources to future need. It has been
defined as:

 All those activities affecting the behaviour of individuals in their efforts to formulate
and implement the strategic needs of business.2
 The pattern of planned human resource deployments and activities intended to enable
the forms to achieve its goals

Strategic HRM is based on HRM principles incorporating the concept of strategy. So if HRM
is a coherent approach to the management of people, strategic HRM now implies that that is
done on a planned way that integrates organisational goals with policies and action
sequences.

A good business strategy, one which is likely to succeed, is informed by people factors. One
of the driving factors behind the evaluation and reporting of human capital data is the need
for better information to feed into the business strategy formulation process. In the majority
of organisations people are now the biggest asset. The knowledge, skills and abilities have to
be deployed and used to the maximum effect if the organisation is to create value. The
intangible value of an organisation which lies in the people it employs is gaining recognition
by accountants and investors, and it is generally now accepted that this has implications for
long term sustained performance.

Principal Characteristics of Strategic Human Resource Management:

Following are the principal characteristics of strategic human resource management as per
Gratton and Truss:

 There is some type of an express association between the human resource practices
and policies and all the strategic goals of the company and the environment of the
company
 There is some co-ordination outline associating individual HR interferences in order
to make them reciprocally corroborative.
 The majority of the responsibility for handling of human resources is delegated
downwards

http://finance.mapsofworld.com/strategic-management/human-resource.html

Strategic human resource management (SHRM) is the purposeful resolution of human

resource administration and policy issues so as to enhance a public agency’s effectiveness. It
requires understanding how personnel functions interrelate in context, recognition of their
importance, and commitment by personnel managers, employees, supervisors and political
leaders to work together for change (Klingner and Nalbandian, 1998, p. 386).

An HR strategy will add value to the organisation if it:

 Articulates more clearly some of the common themes which lie behind the
achievement of other plans and strategies, which have not been fully identified before;
and
  Identifies fundamental underlying issues which must be addressed by any
organisation or business if its people are to be motivated, committed and operate
effectively.

The first of these areas will entail a careful consideration of existing or developing plans and
strategies to identify and draw attention to common themes and implications, which have not
been made explicit previously.

The second area should be about identifying which of these plans and strategies are so
fundamental that there must be clear plans to address them before the organisation can
achieve on any of its goals. These are likely to include:

 workforce planning issues

 succession planning
 workforce skills plans
 employment equity plans
 black economic empowerment initiatives
 motivation and fair treatment issues
 pay levels designed to recruit, retain and motivate people
 the co-ordination of approaches to pay and grading across the organisation to create
alignment and potential unequal pay claims
 a grading and remuneration system which is seen as fair and giving proper reward for
contributions made
 wider employment issues which impact on staff recruitment, retention, motivation etc.
 a consistent performance management framework which is designed to meet the
needs of all sectors of the organisation including its people
 career development frameworks which look at development within the organisation at
equipping employees with “employability” so that they can cope with increasingly
frequent changes in employer and employment patterns
 policies and frameworks to ensure that people development issues are addressed
systematically : competence frameworks, self-managed learning etc.

In addition, the HR strategy can add value is by ensuring that, in all its other plans, the
organisation takes account of and plans for changes in the wider environment, which are
likely to have a major impact on the organisation, such as:

 changes in the overall employment market – demographic or remuneration levels

 Cultural changes which will impact on future employment patterns
 changes in the employee relations climate
 changes in the legal framework surrounding employment
 HR and employment practice being developed in other organisations, such as new
flexible work practices.

The six broad interconnected components of this system consist of three planning steps and
three execution steps.

The top three components represent the need for planning. Organizations must determine
their strategic direction and the outcomes they seek. This is usually accomplished with some
form of strategic planning. Classic strategic planning is a formal, top-down, staff-driven
process. When done well, it is workable at a time when external change occurs at a more
measured pace.

However as the pace and magnitude of change increases, the approach to strategic planning
changes substantially:

 First, the planning process is more agile; changes in plans are much more frequent
and are often driven by events rather than made on a predetermined time schedule.
 Second, the planning process is more proactive. Successful organizations no longer
simply respond to changes in their environment, they proactively shape their
environment to maximize their own effectiveness.
 Third, the planning process is no longer exclusively top-down; input into the process
comes from many different organizational levels and segments. This creates more
employee ownership of the plan and capitalises on the fact that often the most
valuable business intelligence can come from employees who are at the bottom of the
organizational hierarchy.
 Lastly, the strategic planning process less reactive and more driven by line leadership.

Once strategic planning is under way, a process must be undertaken by the organization to
design and align its HRM policies and practices to provide for organizational success. The
remaining step in planning is to determine the quality and quantity of human resources the
organization needs for its total force.

The rest of the HR strategic system exists for and is guided by these plans, policies, and
practices. These execution components contain mechanisms that generate the correct skill
sets, invest in staff development and performance, and productively employ them in the
organisation. The last component provides a means to assess and sustain the competence and
performance of the organization and the people in it with regard to outcomes that the
organization seeks.

http://gametlibrary.worldbank.org/FILES/844_HR%20planning%20principles.pdf

In company called HLB UK LTD the management system, human resource is given due
importance while planning goals and long term strategies. The skills that are necessary to
meet the organizational goals are developed in employees. This point is considered during the
planning phase and included in the policies devised for meeting goals. Nowadays, the human
resource department does much more than just recruiting employees for the company. Using
the human resource effectively in order to give the company a competitive advantage and
completing the set targets, are some of the priorities.

The mission statements reflect the strategies, goals and the overall approach of companies.
The values inherited and the policies devised by firms are based on the mission statements;
which are the driving force that motivate the employees to move ahead.

Let us see at the Advantages of Strategic Human Resource Management in HLB UK LTD:

There are many advantages and benefits that strategic human resource management offers.
  It helps analyze the opportunities and threats that are crucial, from the point of view
of the company.
 It is possible to develop strategies and have a vision for the future.
 The need for competitive intelligence, which is of utmost importance in strategic
planning, is fulfilled by means of implementing strategic human resource
management.
 The attrition rate can be reduced, if strategic HRM is implemented properly. It also
performs the important task of motivating employees.
 Development and maintenance of competency among employees, is the most
important benefit offered by strategic HRM.
 It helps determine the weaknesses and strengths of the company, thereby enabling the
management to take appropriate measures.
 It helps keep a check whether the expectations of employees are addressed properly.
 Business surplus is achieved by making the employees competent enough to deliver
the goods.

Limitations of Strategic Human Resource Management

But at same time there are some limitations as well of SHRM which are faced by the
company which are as followes:

 Resistance to change from the bottom line workers.

 Inability of the management in communicating the vision and mission of the company
clearly to the employees.
 Interdepartmental conflict and lack of vision among the senior management in
implementing the HR policies.
 The diversity of workforce that makes it difficult for the management to handle them
accordingly.
 Conflict among the employees over the issue of authority and the related fear of
victimization.
 The resistance from institutions such as the labor unions.
 Changes that take place in the organizational structure.
 The changing market scenario which in turn creates pressure on the effective
implementation of strategic HRM.

But if implemented efficiently, strategic human resource management helps in improving the
productivity of employees and utilizes their expertise in meeting the company goals.

Organizations and companies succeed, or fail, based on the quality and effectiveness of their
employees. Today’s successful firms recognize that to compete in global markets, they must
have world class Human Resource managers who are active participants in strategic and
operational decision. Whether they are reengineering the pay and benefits of the company or
implementing Total Quality Management (TQM) programs, Human Resources Managers
play a central role. The goal of strategic management in an organization is to deploy and
allocate resources in order to provide the management with a competitive advantage. It goes
Reflection on Personal Understanding of Human Resource
Management

Human Resource Management (HRM) refers to those activities and employees that assist the
organization to meet its stated operational objectives by providing a motivated, well trained
workforce which understands what the business is about, knows where it fits in within the
organization and how it can contribute to the organization. Human Resource Management
functions within the organization work at two levels (Stredwick, 2005). At the first level,
HRM activities are concerned with recruiting, motivating and developing competent
employees. Hence, selection procedures are designed to supply the organization with
employees with knowledge, abilities, and skills pertinent to their role within the organization
in ways that create a sustainable commitment to organizational goals and to ensure a high-
performance organization. The second level, HRM activities then motivate the workforce by
providing employees with satisfactory pay, benefits and working conditions. HRM
professionals also develop individuals to ensure that they possess the knowledge and the
necessary skills to be effective employees.

The primary function of human resource management is to increase the effectiveness and
contribution of employees in the attainment of organizational goals and objectives. However,
the foremost concern for HR Manager is to hire best possible Human resource for company
(Nankervis et al., 2005). Choosing what kind of employees yours company will need, how
you will obtain them, ensuring that you select the right person for the job, ensuring that the
person that you have choose is capable of doing the work that is expected, measuring
employee’s efficiency and maintain or motivating these employees. Human resource
management also engages in the protection of employees. This includes the issue of
compensation.

Another concern of a human resources management is to attract potential employees.

Attracting potential employees, you need to be able to choose the best applicants.
Furthermore, having hired employees, you will need to train them if you expect them to
function effectively. once our employees are functioning effectively, we need to ensure that
they continue to do so; we need to concern ourselves with their motivation (Storey, 1998).
Part of this motivational process involves compensation, deciding how and when to
compensate our employees, including decisions about the relationship between the nature of
their jobs and level of their compensation. Theories of motivation also point out employees
needs for feedback. Therefore, we need to be able to determine when your employees are
doing a good job. Understanding of the jobs that yours employees are performing and, to
understand their jobs, you will need to do a job analysis. Basically, the job analysis forms the
center of the human resource management function. In doing a job analysis, you are
essentially gathering information about the jobs in your company.

Job analysis is the development of defining the work, responsibilities, products, services, or
processes carry out by or done by an employee or employees (Mondy er al., 1999). Job
analysis is evaluating the work you need done in order to complete a job. It is the process of
knowing exactly what a job involves in order to establishing the necessary job should be
based on observable behaviors or work products. All jobs should be evaluated and recorded.
Job analysis improve communication accommodate change and Skill, knowledge, and ability
can be defined in operational terms. Job analysis and selecting the right people for your
company is important, and every situation is unique. If can demonstrate the strong point of
your business and the benefits of the positions you offer, you should be successful in
receiving good quality employees to fill job and follow procedures and polices with your
company. Policies include employment situations, from hiring to termination, vacations,
leaves of absence, and disciplinary procedures. In deciding company policies, one should
consider the following issues: the traditions of your company and its continual issues or
problems, and past practice what you have done in the past to address a particular employee
issue.

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Compensation and benefits is another function of HRM. The majority employers develop
policies on: at-will employment, pay procedures, benefits including any paid vacation, sick
leave, holidays, and other forms of leave, meal and rest breaks, personal conduct, attendance
and punctuality, sexual and other forms of harassment, equal employment opportunity,
disciplinary procedures, and termination (Boje et al. 1996). In addition, many employers
include policies on: performance appraisals, smoking, safety procedures, appropriate dress
and appearance, use of communications systems including telephones, computers, e-mail,
Internet access, and drug and alcohol use.

With policies company can preside over its employee in a fair and consistent manner.
Policies assist employees be aware of what is expected and can prevent misunderstandings
about employer policies (Nankervis et al., 2005). In addition, manager and supervisor are
better able to implement policies that are clearly communicated in writing. Written policies
assist employers document compliance with the employment laws and regulations, like the
federal Family and Medical Leave Act require company’s to provide written information
regarding the employee rights and employer obligations under the Act. By having a policy
against sexual harassment that includes a complaint Procedure Company can help protect
them against liability for sexual harassment.

A manager must form his company into an organization that can learn from and respond to
fast changing environments. This is an ongoing task that requires continual monitoring of
new advances in the business world. An important aspect of success is the proper placement
of technological developments within the company. Technology enables a manager to direct
and control operations in a multitude of business environments. And with the growing
availability of technology to all competitors, a manager must properly implement
technological initiatives to give his company a market advantage. In a world filled with
intense competition, ideas are the ultimate tool of a successful corporation. In order to be
recognized and chosen by customers, a company must be both creative and unique. A
manager’s responsibility thus includes stimulating new ideas and innovations that will push
the company forward in the marketplace.
When considering succession planning, human resource development is an integral strategic
process which enables knowledge, skills and behavior to be acquired to meet job changes and
client requirements in the future as opposed to training which is immediate job
improvements. Training employees is very important in preparing them for success. They
will need advice on everything from the informal relationships among coworkers to their own
specific job responsibilities (Nankervis et al., 2005). It can be helpful to set up a mentor
relationship between a new employee and an existing employee who knows the ropes. As
well, the mentor will feel complimented when entrusted with the responsibility of mentoring
a new co-worker. The best thing you can do while training is to create the kind of
environment in which employees are not afraid to ask questions. Such an environment helps
employees and managers work together to make the team the best it can be. Take the time to
listen to both questions and ideas. Training new employees and reviewing their progress
regularly may prevent future problems. Evaluations should start early and continue
throughout the employee’s career. Performance evaluations should be done on a regular basis
for everyone who works in your company. This is especially true for new employees. Going
over the job analysis, requirement and description, skill and qualifications the employee will
require doing the job successfully.

Furthermore, the human resources manager should also be responsible for the coordination of
the Corporation’s equal employment opportunity and affirmative action efforts. In order for
an organization to develop and promote equal opportunity in the workplace, a proactive
rather than reactive approach should be taken when prohibiting discrimination. These types
of discrimination include access discrimination, where minorities are prevented from gaining
access to jobs held in a high proportion by white males, occupational discrimination, where
the majority of people holding a particular job are of the same gender, sexual harassment, and
pay discrimination. Prohibiting these acts of discrimination should start first with the
adoption of policies that clearly identify the organization’s intolerance and consequences of
these behaviors, and should follow with strict adherence to the policies.

Addressing safety and health issues in the workplace is also an important function of HRM.
NIoSH defines job stress as harmful physical and emotional responses that occur when the
requirements of the job do not match the capabilities, resources, or needs of the worker.
Stress is hard to address since people perceive and handle stress differently; items stressful to
one person may not be a problem for someone else. The distress that a person may feel is not
a result of what actually exists objectively in the job. It is a result of how the person perceives
what is happening. While a certain amount of stress is necessary for human functioning,
excessive stress is proven to be harmful to your health. In a general-duty clause, occupational
Safety and Health Administration (oSHA) regulations demand that every employer shall
provide a hazard-free work environment.

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originally employee and labor relations dealt primarily with negotiations with the unions and
administering collective bargaining agreements, or maintaining union-free status in those
non-union environments in their organizations. Although programs such as profit sharing
helped align interests of employees with that of their employers, some degree of conflict is
inevitable between workers and management as their interests will not always align. This
opens the door for unions to exist and increases the need for good labor relations. As
unionization continues to exist, the process of labor relations is very important to an
organization as it provides a way manage and resolve conflicts by hearing complaints and
negotiating labor contracts between employees and employers.

A successful manager decides if his organization has the strategies, structures, and human
resources to be viable on a global level. A manager must instill a commitment to
globalization throughout his company. Rather, there needs to be a widespread adjustment of
attitude, as well as sweeping changes in operation, to ensure the company’s profitability. A
successful manager will modify his company’s global strategies to suit its resources and
capability. This involves setting realistic goals without losing sight of more elevated ones.
While a manager should take the limitations of his corporation into account, he must also
remember that quality of products and services can achieve goals that mere size cannot. To
achieve this, it is critical to match the talents and experience of each employee to the task best
suited to him. Different cultures, laws, and market conditions make international operation a
complicated process of system engineering. A manager must develop employees that have
the skills necessary to interact with people throughout the world. It is therefore the duty of the
manager to establish which strategies work best and to follow up with appropriate policies in
international marketing, finance, and human resource. Manager needs to clearly outline the
challenges and opportunities of an international market and to address the individual talents
of each employee.

I feel that Human Resource management course will help me to improve my management
skills. It was interested to learn how to perform Job analysis, company policy, recruiting and
selecting the human resources. I strongly believe that the HRM course I have conducted will
help me in managing a company as a Human Resource Manager. This information will make
it easier to maintain good employees and develop a reputation for being a great employer. I
have gain knowledge and skills to organize, analyze, enhance, assess and understand the
dynamics of business. What I have learned from the course will help me focus on becoming a
successful professional in the changing world of business. The courses helped me to build
technique in areas of problem solving, communications, decision-making, ethical
management and appraisal.

Human Resource Management and Conflict Management( Week 1)

It was a bunch of mixed feelings inside me while getting ready for the very first class of
Conflict Management, I was excited but also nervous at the same time, but credit to our
teacher Jason who made everyone in the class very comfortable and soon the environment in
the class was very lively

The class started from the scratch of the subject, we were given the introduction of the
module first, and then what is ‘Human Resource Management’ as a subject and then moved
forward towards Conflict and Industrial relations. In my opinion understanding Human
Resource as a subject was very important before starting with Conflict Management and
Jason did an excellent job by clearing the basics first and then moving on to the new
concepts.

Before understanding Human Resource as a subject it was really necessary to know the
history of the subject, as what did Human Resource meant to the organisation in the past, and
what it means now, I felt that there was a huge difference as in the past the preference was
given to (1800 — early 1900’s known as scientific management era) processes, increasing
productivity, cost reduction, which then further moved on to (1920- 1940 known as Human
Relations movement) social environment, employees view perspective and then finally to the
present era( 1940 – Present), according to which Human Resource is the most significant
component in the organisation and laid emphasis on Human Resource Department
responsibilities including motivation for employees, Individual needs and values, social
influences etc., which means that in the present time ‘Human Resource Management’ as a
department is very essential for organisational survival, because the organisation is by the
people and to manage organisation we have to manage people which is the responsibility of
Human Resource Department. The present scenario of Human Resource Development has
been contributed by changes in technology, advanced communication, globalization and
increasing diversity.

After studying the history, we discussed the Human Resource Environment and the
challenges faced by it.

During this session, there were few things that got clear in to my mind about ‘Human
Resource Management’, most importantly it is not only about staffing people, it is far more
than that.

I personally feel that Human Resource Management has moved on to a new level, and it is
equally important if not more, than all the other functions in the organisation. i.e marketing,
finance, operations etc., because of globalisation Human Resource Department has become
critical in the success of an organisation as it has to look and consider the laws and practices
of other countries, their work practices which plays a great role in international business.

After studying Human Resource Management as a subject and clearing all the basics we
moved on to another and the main dimension of our course ‘Conflict Management’

The question in my mind was how do the managers handle conflicts, apart from doing all the
basic work of Human Resource Management such as staffing people, training and
development, streamlining operations etc, When and how do they manage conflicts? I got my
answer when Jason discussed the process, techniques and the methods that managers
undertake to handle the conflicts, we were explained different stages of conflict resolution
from a manager’s point of view and then the different approaches that managers undertake to
resolve the conflicts, i.e assertive, objective, informed, and flexible

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The approaches that we were taught could be of great help in our future because we can come
to know that what approach suits our personality and what approach we should use to resolve
a particular conflict.

I’m sure all the learning’s from the first week of this subject will take me a long way in my
career, and I will practice all the concepts in my real life, and moreover all the basics of the
subjects got cleared in this session which is very necessary to build on your knowledge about
the subject, and it gave me an idea about what our employers will expect out of us when we
finish this course.

Conflict and its Stages (Week2)

Almost in every day routine or in newspapers, magazines, TV we all come across this word
CONFLICT. Conflict can be seen in almost every human activity and every relation we make
(Freddie Strasser, 2004) Conflict can be defined as a struggle to resist or overcome. It can be
over any reason .They are just inevitable in nature. Like anyone else I used to treat conflict as
an untouchable disease and used to run away from it, but with my sessions with my module
leader and readings changed my opinion about them. All conflicts can’t be regarded negative
in nature. They can be broadly classified as

Positive Conflict-Theses conflicts are the conflict that let the people and the organization to
grow solve problem effectively and stimulates creativity. A study conducted by American
Management Association showed the following positive outcomes of the company:

Tension instils creativity

Pressure leads to better ideas

People get chance to test their capabilities

Negative Conflict-Such negative conflicts are those conflicts which decrease the efficiency
the team by creating an atmosphere of mistrust, tension and fear. Such disputes divert the
energy towards the destructive end.

According to me conflict just can’t happen all of a sudden (in most of the case), it’s a series
of various phases. According to Pondy there are basically four phases of conflict:

Latent conflict-Such type of a conflict is under the surface and is waiting to abrupt. It is
conflict waiting to happen. There are basically three types of latent conflict (Harold J.
Leavitt, 1964)

Competition for scarce resources,

Drive of autonomy &

Divergence of subunit goals

Perceived Conflict-According to Pondy conflicts is sometimes perceived even when there is

no latent conflict. Such type of conflicts occur majorly due to misunderstanding between the
parties and can be improved by communication.
Felt Conflict-At this stage there is involvement of emotions which results to stress,
awkwardness, anxiety etc. According to Pondy emotions get involved in the conflict only if
the personality of an individual is involved in the relationship

Manifest Conflict- This stage is characterized by overt and rude behaviour, which results due
to earlier conflicts.

Conflict and after that-If the conflict gets resolved it results in satisfaction among the parties
and better working relationship in the future while on the other hand if conflict don’t get
resolved it results in more serious conflicts

Organisation and Classical Theory (Week 3)

Organisations are the group of people working together to attain a common goal. I believe
organisations develop out of necessity because a single individual cannot accomplish great
tasks without help. The main objective of all the organisation is to earn profit and provide
services to its customers. Organisation plays a major role in the diversification of its
employees and is also a source of motivation and coordination among them. Organisations
are not made up with the set of rules or policies, but are made up of group of people working
together towards the same direction.

The organisations are basically structured according to its purpose. Traditionally

organizations followed the concept of division of labour, however now work may be divided
into teams or different departments, more organisation today are striving for horizontal
structure (L.Daft, 2007).

Talking about the organisational theories, most of the organisation falls under the classical
theory which was evolved in the first half of this century. It basically represents the following
three theories:

Bureaucratic Theory (Max Weber)- Weber emphasized on the hierarchal distribution of

powers. A formal set of policies and rules were introduced so as to maintain uniformity.
Weber suggested that working in a bureaucratic way routines’ your work just as the machine
routines the production. The main aim of Weber was to achieve speed, accuracy, efficiency,
regularity and ambiguity in work but ironically today according to Clifton people in
bureaucratic organizations spend more time on muddling through the red tape then to work
towards their aim

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Scientific Management Theory (Fredrick W. Taylor)- This theory is often referred to as

“Taylorism”. This theory have basically four principles: a) find the best way to perform, b)
division of labour according to the skills, c) keep a check on workers, provide motivation as
well as punishment when required and d)management role is to plan and control.
Administrative Theory (Henri Fayol)-According to Fayol management had basically five
functions namely to forecast & plan i.e. anticipating future and planning accordingly, to
organize i.e. developing and harnessing institutional resources both human as well as
material, to command i.e.to keep the system of order in the institution, to co-ordinate i.e.
harmonization and alignment of group effort and to control i.e. performing the above
activities according to the rules and regulation.

Fayol also gave 14 principles of administration to go with the management namely

Unity of command Division of labour

Unity of direction Centralization

Scalar chain Discipline

Remuneration of employees Spirit de corp

Equity Initiative

Stability of tenure Authority with responsibility

Subordination of individual interest to general interest

Limitations of Classical Theory

It looks organization on a whole as a machine whose efficiency can be checked only by
productivity, the overall approach is too mechanistic. According to this theory employees can
be motivated only through the intrinsic way and no attention is given to their social or
emotional needs.

Negotiation & Conflict Resolution (Week 4)

Negotiation can be defined as the process through which conflict positions are mutually
adjusted to reach to an agreement. It is a problem solving process that is used to resolve a
conflict. Earlier the attention of the conflict researchers was solely conflict resolution but now
there has been a gradual shift conflict resolution to conflict settlement i.e. negotiation.
Negotiation at times is also used as a synonym for conflict resolution. Negotiation process is
not passive, it includes commitment. It can be only achieved if both the parties have the
desire and ability to reach to a mutual agreement.

Despite the uniqueness of different problems there are few preferred approaches to
negotiation. (Volkema, 1995)Let’s have a look at these negotiation styles:

http://cnx.org/content/m15934/latest/conflict.png

Source: Adapted from Roger J. Volkema ( 1995)

Collaborating Style- It includes exploring mutual interest in order to satisfy everyone’s need.
Through collaboration win -win situations are achieved. This style brings the issue into open
and discussing them and finding solutions in such a way in such a way that makes both the
parties look as winners.
Compromise Style-This style is basically partial win and partial loose proposition wherein
you get some of what you desire but not everything. This tactic basically comprises of
managing the differences between the parties by giving up something for something in
exchange.

Avoiding Style- Negotiators exhibiting this style are passive; prefer to avoid conflict and the
parties in dispute. This style is low in both assertiveness as well as cooperativeness.

Competing Style- Negotiators that exhibit this style pursue their own needs and try to impose
their views on the other party; they are high in confidence and self assertiveness. Such style is
basically concerned with I win-U loose. This style is high on assertiveness and low on
cooperativeness.

Accommodation Style-Negotiators who follow accommodating style choose relationship over

conflict. According to such negotiators the way of winning over other people is to give them
what they want. Such negotiators are high on cooperativeness but are low on assertiveness.

The way we negotiate reflects our personality and how much can we approach others. One
should design the negotiation strategy keeping in mind his personality and style and also the
counterparties needs and objectives.

Mediation (Week 5)
While in my Conflict Management classes I came across a new term called Mediation.
However subconsciously I (in fact every one of us) have been through the process of
mediation several time in my life, but studying it formally gave me an insight to the topic.

In earlier centuries people used to resolve conflicts by the use of power, the one with the
greater power would win, but however with the development people realised power was not
the best way to resolve conflicts and hence different conflict resolution tools were
formulated, mediation being the one of them. Mediation is a conflict resolution tool which
can be defined as facilitated negotiation (Stitt, 2006) .It can be further explained as a process
wherein a mediator (impartial) would facilitate the dialogue between the parties those in
dispute in order for them to come to a solution. According to me mediation is one of the best
ways to solve a dispute, as it allows you to come to harmony by understanding and
negotiating each other’s demands. It’s the most recognized Alternative Dispute Resolution
(ADR).Let’s have a look at the various steps involved in the process. According to
Administrative Appeals Tribunal these are the following steps:

Preparation and Mediator’s opening Statement- It’s basically to make everyone familiar with
the role of the mediator participant, mediation process and the rules used in it.

Party’s statement and Mediator Interpretation-Each party comes up with its own perspective.
These statements recorded by the mediator for the future reference and parties are assured
that their concerns have been heard. This step helps the parties in dispute to listen to each
other’s point of view.

Agenda Setting-The major issues are listed for more effective negotiation and mutual
problem solving.
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Joint Exploratory Discussions-In this step the mediator encourages the parties to discuss the
issues listed in above stage. Direct communication among the parties is facilitated for further
clarification and understanding of each other’s need.

Private Meeting-Mediator provides the parties with an opportunity to talk to the mediator in
personal and express opinions and give information in person. This step also helps parties to
generate options for negotiation.

Joint Negotiation-A stage for joint problem solving is provided here by exploring and looking
for possible agreements followed by private meeting or joint session where necessary.

Final Session-Finally the parties meet together in the presence of mediator and look out for
negotiation. . Both parties are given equal time to voice their concerns, opinions and feelings.
Then based on the issues raised the mediator proposes an agenda and encourages both parties
to answer each other question. At the same time mediator analyse and summarise what is
being said, acknowledge differences while at the same time looking for a common ground.

After that the mediator helps the parties to create and analyse options by highlighting the
offers and problem solving. Once an agreement has been reached mediation agreement can be
drawn up and signed by all parties

Why Mediation??
Mediation let the parties have economical, private and expeditious resolution to their
problem. The process encourages the participation of both the parties in finding the solution.
The outcome of the mediation is always in the control of the parties. The best thing about this
process is that gives more satisfaction to the parties, then going to the court where they have
no choice but to accept the judgement.

Limitations
Mediation is a voluntary process, any party can back out any time and also not every problem
come to a solution by this process.

Conclusion
I think Conflict Management as a subject is very significant component in the Human
Resource study, because where it says ‘HUMAN’, conflict follows it. So there can’t be any
Human Resource Management if there is no Conflict Management. In the starting of the
course I was not clear about the connection between Conflict Management and Human
Resource Management, But then while studying this subject I gradually learnt that Conflict is
bound to occur where there are people, i.e. the organisation, and as HR students to manage
people we have to manage conflicts between them.

Conflict is a part of one’s integral life. We experience conflicts in our daily life. This subject
helped me gain a lot of things and has taught me various concepts that I can use in my
personal and most importantly in my professional life to solve conflict like mediation and
negotiation. Studying this subject has given me an insight and confidence to handle conflicts
in a much more matured way. I was lucky to have Jason as my teacher, he was more of a
guide friend to the students in the class, and the best thing about his sessions were the
freedom of expression we were offered, which allowed everyone including me to express and
share different experiences with each other and learn from them, it was very interactive and
creative working in groups and sharing knowledge.

I being a fresher never had a clue about conflict management and the scenario of conflicts in
an organization, but I have learned a lot through group work and real life case studies .Every
lecture with Jason was a new experience for me and learnt that no matter what, conflict can’t
be avoided, but can be resolved smoothly, If it is not managed properly then it will result in
time and resource wastage for an organisation, But when managed properly and in a right
manner, then it can be beneficial and can be turned in to a positive thing for the organisation.

I believe that all the learning’s and different experiences from this subject will help me in my
professional career. High quality of teaching, support given by the faculty and the resources
provided made it easy for me to understand different concepts in this subject such as
negotiation, coaching, mediation, source and stages of conflicts etc, and most importantly this
subject has taught me to be patient and take matured decisions in difficult situation which
will not only benefit my professional but my personal life too.

In the end I would like to say, that this subject has taught me a lot and it was a great learning
experience for me throughout, and I’m thankful to Jason for being a wonderful guide.

Human Resource Management encompasses ways to

manage the human skills and talent and ensure that
they work to achieve the organizational goals. Human
resources are factors that any organization value the
most and without them it would be difficult for an
organization to operate (Snell, & Bohlander, 2013).
Over my previous classes, I have learned a lot about
the various aspect that institute the Human Resource
Management that include employee and labor relation,
compensation and benefit, safety and health, and
human resource development. Similarly, I was able to
learn how human resource management employs EEO
and affirmative action, and the planning, recruitment
and selection process. In this paper, I will provide a
reflection on a brief description of how the various
aspects of Human Resource Management can be
applied together to perform the primary function of
human resource management.

I had previously worked with the human resource

department in a food retailing company, and they kept
on bringing capable human assets to perform duties
and responsibilities that will make the company
competitive in the market. Other than our various jobs,
the company ensured we employ ethical culture within
the company and relate well to the executives,
managers, and other employees.

The human resource planning is the most important

role in the department and can be explained as ways
an organization can assess and plan for its future.
Precisely, it involves what the company needs to
survive and how it should be applied. Therefore, a
strategic planning in human resource entails
estimating and meeting human resource demand, and
this will help the HR to facilitate the achievement of
the company’s objectives (Snell, & Bohlander, 2013).
On a further note, the HR planning process involves
estimating capacity, researching and evaluating
deployment of resources and identifying and handling
human talent. Planning is an ongoing process since
the organizations are always affected by the internal
and external business environment. Before an
organization can start working on their strategic plan,
they are required to use the following four steps. First,
the company should determine its mission, assess the
environment, set the objectives and lastly set the
strategic plan. The organization’s objectives should be
recorded and ensures that it is measurable so that the
company can track its success over a period.
The human resource department should also present
themselves with a challenge, but it should be easy for
the workforce to attain at the start. Job analysis and
design in human resource involve specifying
responsibilities in certain jobs. It helps the managers
understand and comprehend what the jobs entail and
how they should be performed to maximize the
productivity within the company. Some of the detailed
critical information collected for job analysis include
human behavior, job context, work activities,
equipment and performance records.
Also, the human resource managers have the role to
plan, direct and coordinate their functions in the
company. They mainly involve in recruiting,
interviewing and hiring new workers. Similarly, they
area also engaged in consultative matters such as
strategic planning with top executives (Snell, &
Bohlander, 2013). Precisely, the measures human
resource managers use in the recruitment process
include advertising for jobs, screening, interviewing,
and testing the potential employees. The human
resource managers consider selection and job fit to
determine whether the potential employees meet the
requirements of the job, and they will choose the best
person from the group.
Employee selection is one of the critical processes
the human resource managers go through since they
require to get qualified employees who will meet and
fulfill the company’s goals. Besides, the qualified
employees will make the organization successful and
ensure it withstands the competitive nature of the
market. According to (Snell, & Bohlander, 2013),
without a human resource manager in an organization,
the operations within the organization will not run
smoothly. Their responsibilities cover every area of
Human Resource Management in an organization.
Also, they bridge the gap between the management
and the employees.

.
The organization can create a discussion forum and
use it to reach the candidates. Similarly, the company
can use their social media profile to get feedbacks
from potential employees. On a further note,
employers can are fit for the job and will maintain the
organizational culture from their hobbies, motivations
and interest. Therefore, social media will allow both
the employer and employee to understand one
another.
However, I realized that the selection process at the
company I am currently working with a bit different
since it can take more than a month for the applicants
to get feedback hence this might frustrate them. The
selection process for a particular individual will only
be successful if his/her knowledge and skills meet the
requirements for that particular job. Therefore,
companies choose the highly qualified people for fill
the positions advertised. Also, companies should use
the current successful employees to help them
identify the best candidates for their jobs.
After selecting employees, the company always
engage them in various forms of orientation to equip
them with the knowledge to understand the culture of
the organization and how to perform their various
duties. Precisely, orientation is the commonly used
form of development and training that companies use
for their newly selected employees to improve their
job performance by reaching full potential, and foster
their growth. Other forms include mentoring and
coaching, career development and technical and non-
technical training.
The society experiences changes every time;
therefore, the organizations need to invest their
resources in employees training and development for
them to maintain a competitive and knowledgeable
workforce. The company that I work for utilizes
mentoring and coaching, professional career
development, online training, and onboarding. During
my training in the company, the measures employed
were effective, and I developed to be an amazing
employee.
Providing compensation, rewards or benefits are ways
organizations use to attract and retain talented
employees. Laws and regulations control the benefits
administration. The laws employed should ensure that
the program runs smoothly by controlling the new
development that may alter the benefits program.
Nowadays, it is like a culture that most organizations
offer benefits to their employees. Contrary, there are
individuals who love their profession and they would
not be affected if they are not rewarded for the good
work they do.
According to research most people consider the
benefits offered before signing the employment
contract. Therefore, the benefits offered by the
company is what will seal their deal. It has always
been a tradition that salaries and benefits make up
the critical factors that will attract, motivate and
retain employees. These factors not only draws
employees into working with the company but also
boost their loyalty to the organization. In a situation
when an employee realizes that the company has
identified and would love to continue with his/her
services, he/she will develop loyalty and tend to
increase the pride and interest in the company. In my
opinion, I believe that pay is not the main motivating
factor for most jobs seeking individuals and
employees. I think that most of the employees and job
seekers will consider the pay, benefits and the cost
incurred to get the benefits as their main motivating
factor. However, it might also be true that job seekers
will, first of all, consider the pay before applying for a
job. I will recommend employees to get the best job
that will satisfy his/her needs.
Human resource development entails managing the
human skills through training, career, and
organizational development to improve their
effectiveness. It is the role of the Human Resource to
ensure all employees are aware of the career
development initiatives that he company offers. They
should also provide the various assistance to both
leaders and junior employees on how to develop a
correct career plan. This will improve their
performances and hence they will achieve the
company’s goals. The company, in turn, will attain a
competitive advantage over others in the market.
Also, the HR should accurately and strategically
assess the role of training. This will ensure that the
employees trained end up being competent and
efficient. Moreover, before the organization takes a
step to evaluate the effectiveness of the training
program, they should, first of all, measure its impact
on the employees. Some of the aspects that will be
considered include the increased productivity, the
cost efficiency of the training method and employees’
complaints. The top management has the
responsibility to ensure that the staff including the
managers and employees use the human resource
development policies on everyday tasks and should be
equally applied to the employees. It does not matter
the kind of profession you are, the most important
thing as a human resource manager is to obey your
responsibilities and perform the relevant functions.
The human resource management handles the safety
and health issues of the employees. All jobs involve
the use of machines; therefore, employers should
consider the health and safety of their employees. In
recent years accidents, occupational illnesses and
injuries to employees have impacted companies and
the U.S economy. It will be to the interest of the
company if they have strategies or plans to avoid
health and safety issues. For example, if a company
offers health insurance benefits that are good,
individual will be attracted to such an organization
(Briscoe, & Schuler, 2004). Similarly, according to the
law, companies should provide the employee with an
insurance coverage for injuries incurred in the course
of employment. Moreover, I will be ideal if companies
conduct campaigns on safety awareness. They should
also employ health and safety programs, distribute
handouts or pamphlets with details on safety and
regulatory policies and reward employees who preach
about safety.
Both Equal Employment Opportunity (EEO) and
Affirmative Action are principles set by the federal and
state government. Precisely, EEO ensures that job
applicants and employees regardless of their race,
color, age, status, gender, and nationality are granted
equal opportunity in the hiring process, promotion,
professional development programs and termination of
the contract. Therefore, it forbids discrimination
against anyone (Society for Human Resource
Management, 2012).
Affirmative Actions are a tool used to address the
historical and present practices of discrimination.
Similarly, they are the social and moral obligation to
eliminate any current impact of past discrimination
practices. Affirmative Action was specifically
designed to protect and allow minorities, people with
disabilities and females to be on the same level with
other people (Society for Human Resource
Management, 2012). However, it does not mean that
human resource managers should now start hiring an
incompetent and unqualified individual. They should
hire people who have met the requirements for the
jobs applied but without discriminating anyone.
Some of the human resource management areas that
will be impacted most by the current and future trends
include recruitment process, human resource
legislation, and benefits compensation. Companies
will have to invest heavily in human capital
management practices to attract employees, retain
talents and motivate the future generations of
potential employees. Moreover, companies must try
and employ the following into their system. They must
incorporate online recruiting including through social
media and adapt to technological changes.

The human resource department must also keep up to

date with the changes in the legal environment. They
are required to protect the rights of their employees.
Ultimately, it is the responsibility of the HR to
consider the cultural aspect and well-being of the
workforce. Such a move will promote diversity and put
a sense of community among the staff and; hence
promoting growth within the company.
In this course, I have learned and gained knowledge
about the processes human resource managers use to
ensure that the company maximizes its most valuable
assets to attain effectively the company’s objectives. I
also learned that discrimination in the workplace is an
offense, and the HR should provide every applicant an
equal opportunity. The continuous emergence of
outsourcing and growth of the economy will influence
human resource managers to handle and manage
diversity in a different way. Besides, the human
resource managers may be required to make use of
technological advancement and manage the global
workforce from far. In addition, they must also have
the ability to understand and integrate their various
cultural aspect. They need to protect the safety and
health of the workforce. Currently, I work as an intern
with diverse groups of individuals, and my company
has employed adequate strategies to cater for a global
workforce.

In conclusion, the various critical aspect I learned in

my human resource management course could have a
great impact on my future profession as a human
resource officer. Precisely, I am pursuing a degree in
Human Resource Management, and there is a high
possibility that I may be among the leaders called
upon to oversee and manage the ever-changing global
workforce. I will use the information and knowledge
learned in this course to exercise my responsibilities
as a human resource officer in any company that will
employ me. On a further note, I will recommend my
colleagues to make use of technological change and
employ it in the human resource management. It is
important for them to use technology such as social
media during the hiring process. Lastly, discrimination
in the workplace is something that the current and the
future generation should try and avoid since it
damages the image of the company and enhances
conflicts within an organization.