Introduction to Human Resource Management

Introduction to Human Resource Management

• Human resources encompass the knowledge, education, training, skills, and expertise within an organization's workforce.
• Human Resource Management (HRM) entails the management of people within organizations.
• HRM comprises two main functions:
  • Operational function: Managing day-to-day operations.
  • Strategic function: Aligning employee efforts with organizational goals.
• Key HRM systems include job analysis, workforce planning, recruitment, selection, training and development, performance management, compensation, and employee/labor relations.

Strategic Goal: Employee Retention

• HR teams can improve employee retention through targeted recruitment and selection, better training, and clearer performance feedback.
• Clear selection procedures, targeted training, and performance feedback can aid in employee retention.
• Competitive compensation and benefits packages can also encourage retention.

HRM and Corporate Culture

• HRM and corporate culture (organizational culture) describe the identity of the organization.
• Core values and beliefs are shared by members of the organization.
• Clear standards of behavior (norms) are part of HR systems.

HRM and Corporate Climate

• HRM and corporate climate (organizational climate) are the prevailing atmosphere within an organization.
• It is employees' perceptions of the organization's working environment, impacting aspects such as mood, motivation, and job performance.

Benefits of HRM

• Effective HRM systems reduce costs, leading to greater employee retention and more significant organizational goals.
• Effective HRM can also boost employee job satisfaction and increase organizational performance and profits.

Evidence-Based HRM

• Evaluating HRM practices against research to ensure desirable outcomes.

Research Methods

• Research methods use various approaches; these can include true experiments (controlling settings, assigning participants to groups), quasi-experiments (observing in natural settings), or surveys (measuring variables in controlled or natural settings).
• Correlation measures relationships between two or more variables; however, correlation doesn't equal causation.

Legal Issues in Human Resources Management

• The Canadian Charter of Rights and Freedoms guarantees fundamental rights and freedoms to all Canadians.
• The charter applies to government actions and all legislation must meet charter standards.

Job Analysis and Design

• Job analysis is a systematic process of collecting detailed information pertaining to a specific job.
• This information includes tasks, duties, responsibilities, human attributes, and work-related characteristics.
• Understanding job analysis helps to clarify knowledge, skills, and abilities (KSAs) for training and performance management purposes.
• Job analysis is also essential for determining appropriate compensation and benefits.

Job Analysis Steps

• Review previous job analysis data and available digital databases (such as NOC).
• Choose and collect appropriate job information resources (using organizational charts, etc.).
• Document key information and develop relevant documents.

Job Analysis: Sources of Job Information

• Subject matter experts (SMEs) can provide valuable information related to the job tasks, duties, responsibilities, human attributes, and KSAs needed to perform a given job.

Job Analysis: Key Documents

• Job description: Outlining job tasks and responsibilities.
• Job specification: Detailing the KSAs required to perform the job.

Competency Analysis

• An alternative to traditional job analysis, which identifies characteristics (competencies, including knowledge, skills and abilities).
• Competency modeling describes characteristics in behavioral terms and defines successful job performance, aiding organizational benefit.
• Categories of competencies, such as "Core," "Cross-Functional," and "Functional," can be used to categorize job competencies

Competency Modeling Methods

• Critical incidents technique is used to identify critical incidents in a given job, assess and categorize for analyzing job performance and successful job outcomes.

Job Design

• Job design defines roles and responsibilities of a given position.
• It can establish or revise existing roles. Job design improves employee effectiveness and is optimized for performance and efficiency.

Factors Affecting Job Satisfaction

• Meaningfulness of work and degree of autonomy; importance of responsibility to outcomes.
• Knowledge of results and quality of feedback about job performance also affect satisfaction.

Job Design Strategies

• Job Rotation involves temporary movement of employees between different job or departments for variety, and identity.
• Job Enlargement adds activities to existing job roles.

Employee Recruitment

• The recruitment process identifies and attracts potential new employees and generates an applicant pool
• Internal recruitment actively seeks qualified existing employees, while External recruitment targets individuals who are not part of the existing workforce.

Sources of Recruitment

• Internal recruitment seeks and finds existing qualified employees
• External recruitment, active or passive, seeks new employees from organizations and individuals outside of the target company.

Screening Methods

• Standardized application forms and resumes to collect preliminary information (identifying basic criteria for job specifications)
• Selection tests (aptitude and achievement tests, personality, and integrity tests) to determine potential skills, abilities, and traits.

Preliminary Screening

• Review applications and related information, ensuring qualifications and skills match position criteria, and eliminating unqualified candidates.

Selection Interview

• Selection interviews using a structured format.
• Evaluate candidate qualifications, skills, and characteristics against job requirements.
• Provide job candidates with realistic insights to manage expectations and expectations.

Background Checks

• Conducting background checks validates candidate information.
• Thorough assessment of various background characteristics, ensuring compliance and accountability.

Selection Decision Approaches

• Multiple hurdles and compensatory models determine appropriate candidates for a position with reference and information checks, validation of credentials, and other criteria.