Deck 12: Human Resource Management

Question 1

Go to www.net-temps.com , a website geared toward temporary employment. Imagine that you have to take a year off from college and are seeking a one-year position. Guided by your own interests, use this website to learn about your options and possible employment opportunities.
Would you ever rely on a website like this to help you find a position? Why or why not?

Answer 1

One can rely on the mentioned website to find a position for as it is quick and takes less time. One can research about the validity of the position through a mail or by calling the help desk.
These websites also help in finding various jobs available in the industry on the basis of person's specification. Therefore, these websites are a good source to find jobs according to the requirement of the individual.

Question 2

What are the potential disadvantages of "case study-style interviews" for job applicants?

Answer 2

Disadvantage of case study style interviews for applicants are as follows:
• The applicants do not have the chance to clear their doubts if any. They add their own perception and respond in that manner resulting in miscommunication.
• Secondly it becomes difficult for the candidate to direct the interview process rather it is the interviewer who controls the whole process.

Question 3

Discuss why training and development are ongoing activities for all organizations.

Answer 3

Training and development is one of the function of human resource management which helps in providing better performance on the job.
Training and development are one of the essential part of the organisation which will help the employees to enhance their skills and perform better on the jobs they do. One of the essential factors of training and development is to recognise and adapt the change in the conditions prevailing in the organisation.
Organisations should always aim at progressing and in this process, it will encounter many challenges to face and accept new responsibilities. It is considered as an on-going process in the organisation as it focuses on developing new challenges and new standards for the employees. It is considered as a vital for employees to learn the class room instructions as it will result in the progress of the employees and develop heir skills by on the job training. This is an ongoing process in almost all organisations.
Therefore, training and development is considered as an ongoing activity for all the organisations.

Question 4

Do you think that managers should feel free to socialize and become good friends with their subordinates outside of the workplace, if they desire? Why or why not?

Question 5

Building a Human Resource Management System
Form groups of three or four people, and appoint one group member as the spokesperson who will communicate your findings to the class when called on by the instructor. Then discuss the following scenario:
You and your three partners are engineers who minored in business at college and have decided to start a consulting business. Your goal is to provide manufacturing process engineering and other engineering services to large and small organizations. You forecast that there will be an increased use of outsourcing for these activities. You discussed with managers in several large organizations the services you plan to offer, and they expressed considerable interest. You have secured funding to start your business and now are building the HRM system. Your human resource planning suggests that you need to hire between five and eight experienced engineers with good communication skills, two clerical/ secretarial workers, and two MBAs who between them have financial, accounting, and human resource skills. You are striving to develop your human resources in a way that will enable your new business to prosper.
Describe the training and development the engineers, the clerical/secretarial workers, and the MBAs will receive.

Question 6

How is performance of this job appraised? Does performance feedback contribute to motivation and high performance on this job?

Question 7

What are the potential advantages of "case study-style interviews" for employers?

Question 8

Describe the type of development activities that you think middle managers are most in need of.

Question 9

You are Walter Michaels and have just received some disturbing feedback. You are the director of human resources for Maxi Vision Inc., a medium-size window and glass door manufacturer. You recently initiated a 360- degree performance appraisal system for all middle and upper managers at Maxi Vision, including yourself, but excluding the most senior executives and the top management team.
You were eagerly awaiting the feedback you would receive from the managers who report to you; you had recently implemented several important initiatives that affected them and their subordinates, including a complete overhaul of the organization's performance appraisal system. While the managers who report to you were evaluated based on 360-degree appraisals, their subordinates were evaluated using a 20-question BARS scale you recently created that focuses on behaviors. Conducted annually, appraisals are an important input into pay raise and bonus decisions.
You were so convinced that the new performance appraisal procedures were highly effective that you hoped your own subordinates would mention them in their feedback to you. And boy did they! You were amazed to learn that the managers and their subordinates thought the new BARS scales were unfair, inappropriate, and a waste of time. In fact, the managers' feedback to you was that their own performance was suffering, based on the 360-degree appraisals they received, because their subordinates hated the new appraisal system and partially blamed their bosses, who were part of management. Some managers even admitted giving all their subordinates approximately the same scores on the scales so their pay raises and bonuses would not be affected by their performance appraisals.
You couldn't believe your eyes when you read these comments. You spent so much time developing what you thought was the ideal rating scale for this group of employees. Evidently, for some unknown reason, they wouldn't give it a chance. Your own supervisor is aware of these complaints and said that it was a top priority for you to fix "this mess" (with the implication that you were responsible for creating it). What are you going to do?

Question 10

Building a Human Resource Management System
Form groups of three or four people, and appoint one group member as the spokesperson who will communicate your findings to the class when called on by the instructor. Then discuss the following scenario:
You and your three partners are engineers who minored in business at college and have decided to start a consulting business. Your goal is to provide manufacturing process engineering and other engineering services to large and small organizations. You forecast that there will be an increased use of outsourcing for these activities. You discussed with managers in several large organizations the services you plan to offer, and they expressed considerable interest. You have secured funding to start your business and now are building the HRM system. Your human resource planning suggests that you need to hire between five and eight experienced engineers with good communication skills, two clerical/ secretarial workers, and two MBAs who between them have financial, accounting, and human resource skills. You are striving to develop your human resources in a way that will enable your new business to prosper.
Describe how you will appraise the performance of each group of employees and how you will provide feedback..

Question 11

How are people recruited and selected for this job? Are the recruitment and selection procedures that the organization uses effective or ineffective? Why?

Question 12

What levels of pay and benefits are provided for this job? Are these levels of pay and benefits appropriate? Why or why not?

Question 13

Go to www.net-temps.com , a website geared toward temporary employment. Imagine that you have to take a year off from college and are seeking a one-year position. Guided by your own interests, use this website to learn about your options and possible employment opportunities.
What are the potential advantages of online job searching and recruiting? What are the potential disadvantages?

Question 14

What are the potential disadvantages of "case study-style interviews" for employers?

Question 15

What are the potential advantages of "case study-style interviews" for job applicants?

Question 16

Evaluate the pros and cons of 360-degree performance appraisals and feedback. Would you like your performance to be appraised in this manner? Why or why not?

Question 17

Discuss why it is important for human resources management systems to be in sync with an organization's strategy and goals and with each other.

Question 18

Building a Human Resource Management System
Form groups of three or four people, and appoint one group member as the spokesperson who will communicate your findings to the class when called on by the instructor. Then discuss the following scenario:
You and your three partners are engineers who minored in business at college and have decided to start a consulting business. Your goal is to provide manufacturing process engineering and other engineering services to large and small organizations. You forecast that there will be an increased use of outsourcing for these activities. You discussed with managers in several large organizations the services you plan to offer, and they expressed considerable interest. You have secured funding to start your business and now are building the HRM system. Your human resource planning suggests that you need to hire between five and eight experienced engineers with good communication skills, two clerical/ secretarial workers, and two MBAs who between them have financial, accounting, and human resource skills. You are striving to develop your human resources in a way that will enable your new business to prosper.
Describe the pay level and pay structure of your consulting firm.

Question 19

Either individually or in a group, think about the ethical implications of managers becoming friendly with subordinates.

Question 20

Discuss why two restaurants in the same community might have different pay levels.

Question 21

Building a Human Resource Management System
Form groups of three or four people, and appoint one group member as the spokesperson who will communicate your findings to the class when called on by the instructor. Then discuss the following scenario:
You and your three partners are engineers who minored in business at college and have decided to start a consulting business. Your goal is to provide manufacturing process engineering and other engineering services to large and small organizations. You forecast that there will be an increased use of outsourcing for these activities. You discussed with managers in several large organizations the services you plan to offer, and they expressed considerable interest. You have secured funding to start your business and now are building the HRM system. Your human resource planning suggests that you need to hire between five and eight experienced engineers with good communication skills, two clerical/ secretarial workers, and two MBAs who between them have financial, accounting, and human resource skills. You are striving to develop your human resources in a way that will enable your new business to prosper.
Describe the steps you will take to recruit and select (a) the engineers, (b) the clerical/secretarial workers, and (c) the MBAs.

Question 22

Explain why union membership is becoming more diverse.

Question 23

What training and development do people who hold this job receive? Is it appropriate? Why or why not?

Question 24

Interview a manager in a local organization to determine how that organization recruits and selects employees.