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Block 2 Steps in Human Resource Management

Unit 1 Introduction To Human Resource Management, Planning And Management

1) Define HR management.

Definition of HR Management

• Human Resource Management (HRM) is the process of managing the people within an organisation to achieve its objectives. It involves ensuring that the organisation has the right number of people with the right skills in the right place and at the right time.
• It is the people dimension of the organisation and needs to be carefully nurtured.
• HRM is also described as a strategy for the acquisition, utilisation, improvement, and retention of an enterprise’s human resources.
• HRM is a psychological contract between management and employees that should offer challenging and meaningful work in return for a loyal, committed, and self-motivated employee.

2) What are the functions of HR manager?

Functions of an HR Manager

• HR managers have managerial functions including: planning, organising, directing, and controlling.
• They are also responsible for human resource utilisation, maintenance/sustenance, and exiting.
• Essential features include:
  • Human resource utilisation (direction, leadership, placement, performance planning, performance appraisal)
  • Human resource maintenance/sustenance (compensation, welfare, benefits)
  • Human resource exiting (retrenchment, dismissal, retirement)
• In addition to regular HR functions, HR managers also act as a counsellor, guide, and change agent.
• They maintain the psychological balance of employees by motivating and guiding them towards organisational goals.
• They manage change by ensuring employees accept and adjust to new environments through counselling and retraining.
• The HR manager also performs non-managerial functions, such as:
  • Job analysis
  • HR planning
  • Recruitment
  • Selection
  • Compensation
  • Human relations
• HR managers are also responsible for building the organisation's culture.

3) What is the role of HR managers?

• The role of an HR manager includes being a counsellor, guide, and change agent.
• They motivate employees and guide them toward organisational goals.
• They facilitate change by helping employees adjust to new environments.
• They play a key role in determining the competitive success of a firm.
• HR managers are also expected to be empathetic, sensitive and helpful.
• HR managers must also act as strategic partners by contributing to the development and accomplishment of the organisation-wide business plan and objectives.
• HR professionals should also act as employee advocates and change mentors.

4) What is management by integration and self control?

Management by Integration and Self-Control

• The sources do not specifically use the phrase "management by integration and self-control". However, they do discuss the idea that HRM integrates all members of an organisation to work towards common goals.
• The concept of a psychological contract between management and employees suggests that employees will be self-motivated and committed if they are given meaningful work.

5) Delineate the objectives of human resource planning.

Objectives of Human Resource Planning

• Human resource planning aims to ensure that the organisation has the right number of people with the right skills.
• The objectives of HR planning include:
  • Assessing the strategies of human resource management
  • Predicting future requirements
  • Assessing training needs
  • Determining cost-cutting strategies
  • Meeting professional competencies
  • Meeting customer demands
  • Managing organisational change
  • Managing a diverse workforce
• Human resource planning should create interactive links between business objectives and people planning activities.
• HR planning ensures the organisation is ethically and socially responsible.
• HR planning contributes to the effectiveness of the organisation.
• HR planning maintains the department's contribution at a level appropriate to the organisation's needs.
• HR planning assists employees in achieving their personal goals.

6) Discuss Human resource planning. What is the need for Human Resource Planning?

Human Resource Planning

• Human resource planning is the process of ensuring that an organisation has the right number and type of qualified people in the right jobs at the right time.
• It involves anticipating and responding to needs both within and outside the organisation.
• It is concerned with the flow of people into, through, and out of the organisation.
• Human resource planning is an integral part of business planning.
• The need for human resource planning arises from the understanding that the most important asset for any organisation is its human resources.
• It is essential for organisations to nurture their human resources to stay competitive.
• The purpose is to match human resources to business needs in both quantitative and qualitative terms.
• It also addresses how people are employed and developed to improve organisational effectiveness.

The need for human resource planning:

• To manage the increasing complexities and size of organisations
• To offer advancement and opportunities to high-potential employees
• To address the values of a workforce that wants to be more involved
• To meet the career needs and life satisfaction of employees
• To provide quality of work life
• To address the changing demographics of the workforce

7) Differentiate between human resource planning and business planning.

Human Resource Planning vs. Business Planning

• Human resource planning focuses on the human resource requirements of an organisation to achieve its goals. It is concerned with the flow of people into, through and out of an organisation.
• Business planning defines projected changes in the scale and types of activities carried out by the organisation.
• HR planning should be integrated with business planning.
• Human resource plans should be linked to business plans.

8) What is meant by hard and soft human resource planning?

Hard and Soft Human Resource Planning

• Hard human resource planning is based on quantitative analysis to ensure the right number and type of people are available when and where needed.
• Soft human resource planning focuses on ensuring that people with the right attitudes, motivation, and commitment are available.
• Soft HR planning uses staff surveys, performance analysis, management reviews, and focus groups to gather data.

9) What is the difference between Human Resource Planning and ManPower Planning?

Human Resource Planning vs. Manpower Planning

• The sources suggest that human resource planning is broader than traditional manpower planning.
• Manpower planning is more focused on quantitative approaches and long-term assessments of supply and demand.
• Human resource planning is more concerned with broader issues about the employment of people, including skills, development, and deployment.

10) What are the limitations of Human Resource Planning?

Limitations of Human Resource Planning

• Human resource planning is limited by the difficulties of making accurate long-term predictions.
• It is also affected by shifting policy priorities and strategies within the organisation.
• Some managers may distrust the theory and planning.
• It is difficult to predict the future availability of people and match supply to demand.

11) What is the rationale for human resource planning?

Rationale for Human Resource Planning

• The rationale for human resource planning is that it helps organisations to attract and retain the right people.
• It helps in anticipating problems with potential surpluses or deficits of people.
• It helps in developing a well-trained and flexible workforce.
• It helps in reducing dependence on external recruitment.
• It aims to improve the utilisation of people by introducing more flexible systems of work.
• It helps in matching the human resources to the changing requirements of the organisation.

12) What is the organisational context of human resource planning?

Organisational Context of Human Resource Planning

• The use of human resource planning depends on whether management recognizes that success depends on forecasting future people requirements and implementing plans to satisfy those requirements.
• The approach to HR planning will be affected by how accurately forecasts can be made.
• Organisations in turbulent environments may rely on ad hoc and short-term measures.

13) Discuss labour market context of Human Resource Planning.

Labour Market Context of Human Resource Planning

• HR planning considers both internal and external labour markets.
• The internal labour market consists of the stocks and flows of people within the organisation who can be promoted, trained, or redeployed.
• The external labour market is the source of new recruits, including local, regional, national, and international markets.
• HR planning identifies likely shortages in the labour supply to take steps to deal with them.

14) What are the aims of Human Resource Planning?

The aims depend on the context, but typical aims include:

• Attracting and retaining the required number of people with the appropriate skills, expertise, and competencies.
• Anticipating potential surpluses or deficits of people.
• Developing a well-trained and flexible workforce.
• Reducing dependence on external recruitment.
• Improving the utilisation of people.

15) Discuss resourcing practice.

Resourcing Practice

• Resourcing strategy involves planning to achieve a competitive advantage by developing intellectual capital.
• This includes employing more capable people than rivals, developing organisation-specific knowledge and skills, and becoming an 'employer of choice'.
• Resourcing practices should match human resources to the changing requirements.

16) Define management.

Definition of Management

• Management is an integrating force in all organised activities.
• It involves coordinating activities to achieve common objectives.
• It is responsible for the attainment of objectives within a structured organisation and with prescribed roles.
• Management involves people working beyond themselves and exercising formal authority over the performance of other people.
• Management is also defined as getting work done through the efforts of other people.
• It is a process of efficiently getting jobs completed with and through other people.
• Management involves planning, organising, leading, and controlling activities.

17) Discuss the relationship between management and administration.

Relationship Between Management and Administration

• The sources differentiate between management and administration, but do not provide a clear definition of administration.
• Management is defined as a process of getting work done through other people.

18) Describe the process of management.

Process of Management

• Management is a process that is undertaken at all levels of the organisation.
• It is an integrating activity common to all other functions within the organisation.
• The process includes planning, organising, leading and controlling activities.
• The overall responsibility of management is to attain the given objectives of the organisation.

19) Elucidate the common activities of management

Common Activities of Management

• Fayol analysed the activities of industrial undertakings into six groups:
  • Technical (production, manufacture, adaptation)
  • Commercial (buying, selling, exchange, market information)
  • Financial (obtaining capital, using funds)
  • Security (safeguarding property and persons)
  • Accounting (economic position, stock taking, balance sheets, costs, statistics)
  • Managerial (administration)
• Drucker identified five basic operations in the work of a manager:
  • Sets objectives
  • Organises
  • Motivates and communicates
  • Measures
  • Develops people

20) What are the principles of management?

Principles of Management

• The sources do not explicitly list the principles of management.
• However, the common activities of management listed by Fayol and Drucker suggest some principles:
  • Planning and setting objectives
  • Organising resources
  • Leading and motivating people
  • Controlling activities and measuring performance

21) Discuss management as a social process.

• Management is a social process because it involves people working together to achieve common objectives.
• It also includes the effective management of the relationships between employees and management to achieve organisational goals.
• HRM integrates all members of an organisation to work with a sense of common purpose.
• Management also considers the ethical and social responsibilities of the organisation.

22) Who according to Drucker is a manager?

• Drucker defines a manager by their function and contribution, not simply by their responsibility for the work of others.
• A manager gives others the vision and ability to perform.
• A manager is someone who fulfills the specific purpose and mission of the institution, makes work productive, and manages social impact and responsibilities.

23) Discuss the importance of management.

Importance of Management

• Management is crucial for the success of an enterprise, its public standing, and the future of the economic and social system.
• The responsibility of management is decisive for the survival of the enterprise as an autonomous institution.
• Effective management directs the vision and effort of all members towards a common goal.

24) What is the popular view of management?

• The popular view of management is "getting work done through the efforts of other people".
• This focuses on the core of management.

25) Differentiate between management in private and public sector organizations

• Management in the private and public sectors differs due to the particular features of public sector organisations.
• Public sector organisations tend to have:
  • More rigid personnel policies.
  • A demand for uniformity of treatment.
  • Public accountability for their operations.
• These features can lead to increased bureaucracy within public sector organisations.
• Despite the differences, both private and public sectors face the same general problems of management and apply the same basic principles.