Hanna T.
Villaflor 3FM-D
Human resource management
7. Exercises
A. Discussion questions
1. Why study human resource management?
Ans:
A Human Resources department is a vital part of any large business, handling a vast
array of tasks from recruiting new employees, conducting interviews, dealing with conflict
resolution, and managing the holiday allowance, benefits and payroll for existing employees.
There are many routes into a career in HR, however the safest route for securing employment
in this field is to do a HR specific course such as a degree, postgraduate course or diploma.
Not only will a HR qualification help you to get on the career ladder, there are many other
reasons why studying HR can be beneficial. Their four reasons why we study human resource
management. First is job diversity Studying a HR course opens doors and not just in the field
itself. The subjects you undertake lend themselves to a variety of career paths and job positions
in human resource management and beyond. Managing people and client relations is an
important skill to acquire in business, and this is just one aspect of HR that you can apply to any
job. Other useful skills you will learn include organisation, administration, multitasking,
presentations, reporting and communication. Second is job satisfaction, Satisfaction with the
work that we do is one of the most important factors for employees when choosing a job, and
there is plenty of job satisfaction to be found from working in HR. Even in a junior position you
will see the direct results of your work very quickly, and you will be able to measure the positive
impact you have made on the workplace. Highlights may include offering someone a job
position within the company, promoting from within, improving salary and benefits, introducing
processes and procedures to improve staff retention and boost staff morale, and training and
coaching employees. Third is working with people A HR degree or postgrad can be a big plus if
you enjoy meeting new people and working alongside clients, colleagues and senior HR
management. Working with people is a huge part of any HR role, and so getting to grips with
the psychology of human nature will be very beneficial to you in this career. From interview
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Human resource management
techniques to conflict resolution, you will become an expert at managing staff relations, which
will stand to you throughout any aspect of business and life. And last is opportunities to
progress Many important decisions are formed by HR departments and it is important to
remember that this is a responsibility-laden role from the get go. If this is something you are
comfortable with you can do very well and find success fast. Senior HR positions will pay
generously because of the level of authority involved which is another great benefit to studying
this discipline.
2. Define human resourcs management?
Ans:
Human Resource Management (HRM or HR) is the strategic approach to the effective
management of people in a company or organization such that they help their business gain a
competitive advantage. It is designed to maximize employee performance in service of an
employer's strategic objectives. It's primarily concerned with the management of people within
organizations, focusing on policies and systems. HR departments are responsible for overseeing
employee-benefits design, employee recruitment, training and development, performance
appraisal, and reward management, such as managing pay and benefit systems. It also concerns
itself with organizational change and industrial relations, or the balancing of organizational
practices with requirements arising from collective bargaining and governmental laws. The
overall purpose of human resources is to ensure that the organization is able to achieve success
through people.
3. Explain the need for human resource management?
Ans:
This are some of the reasons why we need human resource management: 1. For Good
Industrial Relations 2. Create Organisational Commitment 3. Meeting with Changing
Environment 4. Change in Political Philosophy 5. Enhanced Pressure On Employees and 6.
Meeting Research and Development Requirements.
Hanna T. Villaflor 3FM-D
Human resource management
Human resource management tries to create a better understanding between management
and employees. It assists employees in attaining individual and organisational goals. This
approach has been gaining the attention of management professionals in the last decade or so.
First is For Good Industrial Relations, there is large spread unrest, labour- management
disputes, lack of trust in each other, increasing expectations of workers, growing of militancy in
trade unions etc. These factors have generated a gap among workers and managements. Both
sides are blaming of exploitation by the other side. In the absence of cordiality in an
organisation, the performance of workers is adversely affected. HRM approach is needed to
bring proper understanding among workers and management. The workers are trained and
developed to meet their individual and organisational objectives. The workers are made to
understand that various managerial actions will assist them in achieving their aspirations and
organisation’s goal. Second it Create Organisational Commitment, there is a humanisation of
work environment in industrially advanced countries like Japan, U.S.A., and Germany etc.
Globalisation of economy has exposed Indian industries to international competition. An
improvement in efficiency and quality of work can come only when workers develop
organisational commitment. HRM approach helps in creating a sense of pride for the
organisation among the employees. Third is Meeting with Changing Environment, The business
environment is changing rapidly. Technological improvements have revolutionised production
processes. Automation has been introduced in office operations. Good communication
methods have revolutionised important areas of business. Therefore, there is a need to cope
with new and changing situation. The operational efficiency of workers must cope up with a
revolutionary change in the technology which necessitates a new approach to manpower.
Fourth is Change in Political Philosophy, it has also undergone a substantial change all over the
world. The new approach is to develop human resources properly for making their better use.
In India, Central Government has created a separate ministry as Human Resource Development
and put it under a Senior Cabinet Minister. This shows the importance given to human
resources in India, which opened up a door for a fresh approach to human resource
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Human resource management
development in the industrial sector too. Fifth is Enhanced Pressure On Employees, The
technological innovations have made possible the use of sophisticated machines. The
installation, monitoring of machines, maintenance and controlling of operations etc., require
large number of trained and skillful personnel. Technicians, repairers and service people are
also necessary. The more the technical development and automation, the more would be the
dependence on human beings. There should, therefore, be greater need for humane approach
to manpower. Similarly, use of more capital intensive methods would result in greater
productivity of men necessitating greater motivating and greater human resources approach to
management. And last is Meeting Research and Development Requirements, Fresh initiatives
and emphasis on research and development in the realm of industry also led to a new policy of
human resource development to cope with the increasing demand for technically capable
people. As a result of this, a need arose for a new approach to human resources.
4. Discuss the importance of Human Resource Planning.
Ans:
It is important because, Human resource planning enables businesses to meet their current and
future demands for talent, allowing human resource managers to anticipate and develop the
skills most valuable to an organization, and providing the enterprise with the optimal balance of
staff in terms of available skill-sets and numbers of personnel. Proper planning also provides a
path for future development by establishing a reservoir of talent capable of filling leadership
roles. And in the long term, human resource planning helps align human capital management
more closely with business strategy. It also HR planning enables a business to optimize its usage
of human resources, increasing productivity while reducing labor turnover, employee unrest,
and absenteeism. It’s important to the enterprise in several respects.
The five business management functions of planning, organizing, leading, directing, and
controlling rely on the oversight and action of human resources planners for their effective
execution. At the organizational level, good HR planning enables the enterprise to optimize its
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Human resource management
deployment and utilization of available talent, and to recognize earlier and in more detail the
need for additional or alternative skills.
5. Management of men is a challenging job. Explain
Ans:
“The Management of Man” is a very important and challenging job; important because it is a
job, not of managing ‘men,’ but of administering a social system. The management of men is a
challenging task because of the dynamic nature of the people. No two persons are similar in
mental abilities, traditions, sentiments, and behaviour; they differ widely also as groups, and
are subject to many and varied influences. People are responsive; they feel, think, and act;
therefore, they cannot be operated like a machine or shifted and altered like a template in a
room layout. They, therefore, need a tactful handling by management personnel. If manpower
is properly utilised, it may prove a dynamic motive force for running an enterprise at its
optimum results and also work as an elixir for maximum individual and group satisfaction in
relation to the work performed.
Manpower management is a most crucial job because “managing people is the heart and
essence of being a manager.” It is concerned with any activity relating to human elements or
relations in organisation. Material elements, however, are beyond its domain. This view has
been rightly summed up by J. M. Dietz (of Chicago). He observes- “A business or an industry can
be thought of as an inter-weaving of human elements and material elements, with the human
elements as the warp; while interlocking and inter-weaving with this element are the material
elements the woof of the fabric. The warp of the fabric is the human element appearing and
reappearing, the strength giving element holding the entire fabric together, and giving it life
and a character of continuity.” A business cannot succeed if this human element is neglected.
6. What do you understand by industrial relation?
Ans:
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Human resource management
The Industrial Relations or IR encompasses the relationship between the management and
workmen and the role of a regulatory body to resolve any industrial dispute. As the name
implies, Industry Relations comprises of two words, Industry, and Relations. Where industry
covers the production activity in which the group of workmen is engaged in, while the relations
show the relationship between the management and the workers within the industry. IR plays a
significant role in today’s working scenario where the harmonious relationship between the
employers and employees is needed to have an uninterrupted production.
7. Briefly explain the importance of discipline.
Ans:
Discipline and punctuality are two most essential traits required in a professional to be
successful. Discipline ensures individuals behave in an acceptable way at the workplace and
also adhere to the rules and regulations of the organization. Individuals who are disciplined are
not only successful professionally but also in their personal lives. Disciplined employees are
liked and appreciated by not only their superiors but also other fellow workers. Such employees
climb the success ladder quickly as compared to individuals who attend office just for the sake
of it and they often find themselves out of the system in no time. Misbehaving at the workplace
spoils the entire work culture eventually leading to zero or very less productivity. You need to
understand that there is a difference between office and home and you just can’t behave in the
same way at work as you behave at home. Discipline is crucial at workplace as it ensures
employees behave in a decent way and also maintain the decorum of the workplace. It ensures
individuals maintain silence at workplace and work as a single unit with their team members to
achieve organization goals and objectives. Discipline is in fact the lifeline of an organization.
Without discipline, employees would not only misbehave but also do whatever they want to do.
Discipline is important as it binds the employees and also motivates them to respect their
organization.
8. Discuss the basic objectives of human resource management effectiveness.
Ans:
Hanna T. Villaflor 3FM-D
Human resource management
The primary objective of resource management is to ensure seamless experience for the staff
and other people associated to management and organisational goals. Objectives of HRM
include ensuring availability of resources, easy access to data, on-time payroll, ensuring
compliances, etc. HRM objectives are basically influenced by organisational goals and vertical.
Objective of HRM is to ensure a stable work environment with data at one place and efficient
operations.
9. Briefly describe the importance of motivation.
Ans:
The process of motivation plays a very important role in any organisation, profit or non-profit.
The managerial process of direction is driven primarily by the process of motivation as it creates
within the mind of an employee the desire to work in the direction determined by the manager.
The following aspects may be considered under this head. It Increases Productivity: Motivation
as a process leads to an increase in productivity of the employee. Motivation meets the needs
of the employee and thereby creates the drive to work at the best of his abilities. A well-
employee will be willing to put in more effort towards the betterment of the organisation than
another disheartened employee. It ensures Organisational Efficiency: Motivation plays an
important role in changing the attitudes of the employees in the organisation. And it ensures
Loyal Workforce: A well-motivated workforce is a loyal workforce. Motivated employees have
high levels of morale and commitment towards the organisation and its goals and objectives.
10. What are the different objectives of HRM?
Ans:
The Human resource Managements, objectives may be influenced by organizational, individual
and social goals/objectives. The organizational objectives consists of, to earn profit, growth and
expansion, to survive in the competition, stability and diversification etc. These objectives can
be achieved by human resources of the organization. Therefore human resources are managed
and utilize in such a way that, organizational objectives can be achieved. The primary objective
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Human resource management
of HRM is to ensure the availability of competent and willing workforce to the organization as
well as to meet the needs, aspirations, values and dignity of individuals/employees and having
due concern for the socio-economic problems of the community and the country. HRM
objectives are broadly classified into four categories. First is the Societal Objectives, HRM is
socially responsible for the needs, demands and challenges of the society. All the resources
must be utilized for the benefit and in the interest of the society. HRM should follow the rules
and laws or legal restrictions imposed by the society. It has to develop and maintain healthy
relations between union and management.
Second is Organizational Objectives, It consist of recognize the role and importance of
HRM to bring organizational effectiveness. HRM has to prepare human resource planning, to
recruit, select, place, induct, train and develop the human resources, to arrange for
performance appraisal and to achieve the organizational objectives like to earn profit, growth
and expansion, survival, diversification etc. Third is the Functional Objectives, It consists of to
maintain the department’s contribution at a level appropriate to the organization needs.
Departmental functions are carried out by the human resources. To see the functions are
performed in time or not. And last is the Personal Objectives, It consist of to assist employees in
achieving their personal goals, such as, higher wages and salaries, job satisfaction, better
working conditions, standard working hours, promotion, motivation, welfare facilities, social
security and so on. These objectives of employees must be met if workers are to be maintained,
retained and motivated. Otherwise employees may leave the organization and join some other
organization.
