HRM Techniques II - Unit 1

HRM Techniques II - Unit 1

• Organizational Culture: A pattern of values, norms, beliefs, and assumptions that shape how people and organizations behave.
• It's not dynamic and constantly changing
• It's multi-dimensional and challenging to define precisely
• Leaders form the culture, through visionaries
• Culture develops from effective relationships and creates values/expectations
• Culture is influenced by the environment
• There can be variations of cultures within organizations in different departments
• Organizational cultures have different components, including:
  • Values (beliefs about what's good for the organization)
  • Norms (unwritten rules on how to behave)
  • Artefacts (tangible aspects like environment, tone, language)
  • Leadership style (e.g., charismatic, enabling, autocratic, transactional)

HRM Techniques II - Unit 1, Organizational Culture Continued

• Classifying organizational culture: Different models for classifying cultures exist (Harrison, Handy, Schein, Williams, Dobson & Walters)
• Harrison: Power-orientated, People-orientated, Task-orientated, Role-orientated
• Handy: Power, Role, Task, Person
• Schein: Power, Role, Achievement, Support
• Williams, Dobson and Walters: Power, Role, Task, Person

HRM Techniques II - Unit 2

• HR Policies: Continuing guidelines for how the organization manages its people.
  • Define philosophies and values on how people should be treated
  • Establish principles for managers when handling personnel matters.
  • HR policies are written guidance for diverse situations
• Purpose of HR policies: Support cultures of trust, fairness, and inclusion. Impacts talent attraction and retention, employee motivation. Supports sustainable performance
• Formalization of HR policies: Useful in induction, team leader/management training and communicating policies within the organization.
• Reason for introducing/reviewing policies: Internal change, reflecting legislation, to support business strategy, following latest developments in employee management, to comply with head office policy, operating in wider markets

HRM Techniques II - Unit 3

• HR Policy Areas: Overarching policy that encompasses varied specific policies.
  • Issues covered include substance abuse, equal opportunity, age and employment, managing diversity, promotion, employee development, work/life balance, new technologies, health & safety, sexual harassment, bullying and employee relations.
• Formulating and implementing policies:
  • Understanding corporate culture & values
  • Analyzing existing policies (written, unwritten, implicit)
  • Assessing external influences (national/EU legislation, professional codes)
  • Gathering manager and employee feedback
  • Consulting with unions
  • Developing draft policies
  • Approving and communicating policies (with training materials)
• Implementing policies requires the participation of line managers.

HRM Techniques II - Unit 4

• Communication in Companies: Communication happens between employees, company parts, and managers.
  • Communication process: Sender → Encoding → Message → Decoding → Receiver
• Types of communication: Downward (management to employees), upward (employees to management), horizontal (collaboration between different parts within an organization)
• Informal communication: Communication without strict formal channels (e.g., gossip).
• Importance of communication for organizational success: Building a transparent & positive culture, engaging employees regarding organizational priorities, empowerment/involvement, improving employee retention/motivation
• Forms of communication:
  • Formal networks (chain, wheel, Y, circle, star)
  • Informal networks (gossip, clusters)

HRM Techniques II - Unit 5

• Case Study: Nestlé HR Policies: Focus is on policies to manage people in a large global organization.
• Additional data on this topic is required for further study.