Surya S

Human resource Management SURYA.S Human Resource Management is the organizational function that focuses on recruitment of, management of, and providing direction for the people who work in the organization. The success of any organization rests with its “human assets”to a greater extent and it become so necessary for any organization to manage and develop its human resources so that it can put a dent in this competitive era. HRM mainly deals with the staffing function of the management process which means keeping the positions filled in the organizational structure so as to attain the organizational goal in an efficient manner.

It also deals with training, performance appraisal, career management etc. so that people and the organization are performing at maximum capability in a highly fulfilling manner. The development of people, their competencies, and the process development of the total organization are the main concerns of human resource management (Pareek & Rao, 1992). The various practices involved in human resource management are as follows:

1) Job analysis2) Recruitment and selection3) Training and development4) Performance appraisal

5) Career management

6) Compensation

Job analysis

Job analysis is the procedure for determining the duties and skill requirements of a job and the kind of person who should be hired for it. Job analysis requires a systematic collection, evaluation, and organization of information about the job. This information is collected through interviews, mailed questionnaires, observation, study of records, and similar methods. The collected information becomes a basis for preparing job descriptions and specifications. (Ragavan & Singh). Job analysis is the best tool to identify the recruitment needs, performance appraisal, job evaluation, training requirements etc.

Recruitment and selection

Recruitment is important in selecting the right kind of personnel in any organization. It can be done by filling the employees from inside or outside. Thus a firm should have employment planning so a to get the right kind of personnel to recruit. It can be done by forecasting personnel needs through any of the following methods

Trend analysis

Here the firm’s past employment needs are studied over a period of time to predict the future needs. Based on this the firm decides the number of employees to be recruited.

Ratio analysis

The staff need is identified by using ratios between sales volume and number of employees needed. Like trend analysis this also assumes the productivity remains constant.

Scatter plot This is another method to determine the number of employees to be recruited. This is a graphical method to identify the relation between two variables. It may be the business activity and staffing levels. By plotting these two variables in a graphical form it will be possible to predict the future needs. Computerized forecast

Here software packages are used to determine the future staffing needs by using the sales volume, production of the firm, expected future sale etc. the sales projections are done at three levels- minimum maximum and probable.

Training and development Training is the process of providing the new employees the basic skills they require to perform their jobs. Training also helps to produce more commitment in employees to their jobs. Following are the steps involved in training. (Dessler, 1999) Need analysis It is the first step in training in which the training needs of the new employees are assessed. The job is breakdown into sub tasks and each of which is then taught to the employee. Training programmes are directed towards maintaining and improving current job performance, while development programmes seek to develop skills for future jobs (Stoner & Freeman, 1992). Training has to start with the identification of training needs through job analysis, performance appraisal, and organizational analysis. Once the training needs of employees have been identified, the next step is to organize training programmes.

Task analysis and performance analysis are the two main techniques for identifying training needs. Task analysis is a detailed study of a job to identify the skills required so that an appropriate training programme can be implemented. Performance analysis verifies the performance of the employee so as o identify whether he performs according to the requirement and to rectify it through training or by some other methods.

Training techniques

The training programme can be implemented through various training techniques

as follows.On the job training Here the new employee is assigned to an experienced worker or skilled supervisor in the firm so as to train him while working. The employee thus trained while working it. In almost all the firms in one or the other way this type of training is provided. It has the advantage that it is less costly and the trainee get immediate feed back from the supervisor.Job instruction training The logical sequence of each task as well as the listing of tasks in each job is done for the employee to make the tasks simpler to him. The trainees will have a clear idea of what is to be done and how it is to be done efficiently. Lectures This is the simplest way of providing training to a large number of trainees in the short span of time. It is a very quick method as well as it can provide a more participatory mode of learning. Video conferencing This method help people in one location to communicate live with people in another city or country or with groups in several other cities. Even though the training is remote it can provide interaction between the trainer and trainee. So a better understanding can be expected from the learner. Performance appraisal

Performance appraisal is important for effective human resource management. Performance appraisal is a process of evaluating employee performance in order to guide and develop the employee's potential. In many organizations which are government departments, the performance appraisal is nothing more than a confidential judgment of work done and a character report used to facilitate disciplinary action or promotion. The employees do not get feedback about their performance. Organizations need to have an open appraisal system to provide feedback and opportunities for open discussion with employees on their performance, because they have immense potential to grow and develop. This system can create a healthy working climate and employee motivation.(Vijayaragavan and Singh)

The performance appraisal which aims at facilitating employee development has the following major purposes:

(1) To provide feedback and guidance,

(2) To set performance goals, (3) to identify training needs

(4) To provide inputs for management of pay administration, rewards, and promotion (5) provide the opportunity for organizational diagnosis and development

(6) Facilitate communication between employee and administrator

(7) Validate selection techniques and human resource policies to meet Equal

Employment Opportunity requirements

The steps involved in effective performance appraisal are (1) identification of key performance areas and setting yearly objectives under each KPA, (2) identification of critical attributes for effective performance, (3) periodic review of performance, (4) discussion of performance with employees, and (5) identification of training and developmental needs (Pareek & Rao, 1992).

Appraisal methods

Various appraisal methods are followed to assess the employees’ performance over the time against a set standards or performance standards. Some are as follows.

Graphic rating scale method A scale is developed with a number of traits and a range of performance level for each trait. The employee is rated for each of these traits by the manager and a score is given. The traits may include the aspects like productivity, honesty, reliability, quality of work etc. and the rating may be from outstanding to unsatisfactory.Alternation ranking method Here the ranking of an employee is done from best to worst on a particular trait. Manager list out the names of all the employees and then he select the best and worst from them in a particular trait followed by the next highest and lowest in that characteristic. It is an easy method than graphic rating scale because for a single trait a person can be ranked easily. Paired comparison method

The ranking is done by making a chart in which each employee is ranked for different traits and best pair in each combination is identified. A matrix is made with plus and minus signs to identify the ranking of each person. It will be helpful for the manager to have a more precise result and easy comparison among his subordinates.

Critical incident method In this method the manager is keeping a record of both desirable and undesirable traits of an employee related to his working behaviour. This will be helpful to identify the strength and weakness of each employee and how it can be better utilized as well as rectified to improve the performance of the firm.Management by Objectives It is a comprehensive managerial system that integrates many key managerial activities in a systematic manner and is consciously directed toward the effective and efficient achievement of organizational and individual objectives. (Weihrich& Koontz, 2005). In this appraisal method the managers sets verifiable or measurable objectives by discussing along with his subordinates and evaluate the performance periodically over the set objectives. 360 degree feedback It is also known as 'multi-rater feedback', 'multisource feedback', or 'multisource assessment', is employee development feedback that comes from all around the employee. The feedback would come from subordinates, peers, and managers in the organizational hierarchy, as well as self-assessment, and in some cases external sources such as customers and suppliers or other interested stakeholders. It may be contrasted with the traditional performance appraisal where the employees are most often reviewed only by their manager.Career management The deliberate process through which a person becomes aware of personal career related attributes and the lifelong series of stages that contribute to his or her career fulfillment. Each person goes through a career cycle which includes growth stage, exploration stage, establishment stage, trial stage, maintenance stage and decline stage (Dessler, 1999). Factors affect career managementi. Career stage As mentioned above people go through various career stages and depending on the stage in which they are people prefer different careers. Among these stages exploration stage is the one where a person explores all his career alternatives and chooses the best for him depending on his interest and orientation. ii. Occupational orientation

There are six basic personal orientations that determine the sorts of careers to which people are drawn. (Holland, 1973) They are

§ Realistic orientation

§ Investigative orientation

§ Social orientation

§ Conventional orientation

§ Enterprising orientation

§ Artistic orientation

More similar and compatible these orientations are, less will be the internal conflict or indecision a person will face for his career choice and vice versa. iii. Occupational skills and aptitude People will have varied occupational skills and aptitudes and for choosing a career and to be successful in that skills and aptitudes should be well taken care off. Even the managers should identify the skills of his subordinates for better implementation of the tasks of the organization.iv. Career anchors

It is a concern or value that one will not give up if a choice has to be made. This depends on his or her talents and abilities, motives and needs and attitudes and values. Edgar Schein identified five career anchors and they are as follows

technical/ functional career anchor
managerial competence as career anchor
creativity as career anchor
autonomy and independence as career anchor
security as career anchor

Depending on these career anchors people choose their best options when a choice has to be made. Compensation

An important aspect of human resource management which needs special attention in any organizations is the development of a reward system which will attract, retain, and motivate persons, as well as provide training and promotional opportunities. (Vijayaragavan, 1994). Compensation refers to all forms of rewards given to employees for their work. It can be given in different ways as follows

i) Spot bonus It is a spontaneous incentive awarded to employee for accomplishments not readily measured by a standard.ii) Piece work plans It is on the basis of Taylor’s scientific management principle. Here the employees are paid based on the unit of production they done in a unit time. Employees are paid in a ‘piece rate’ for the ‘piece work’ they do.iii) Standard hour plan In this payment method the worker is paid by an extra premium for the percent of extra work over the standard performance.iv) Team or group incentive plan

Here the production standards are kept for a team and incentives are provided if the team excels in its performance or exceeds above the set standards.

Conclusion

People are the most valuable assets of any organization and thus management of them should be done with at most importance. But in reality in most of the organizations people are under valued, under trained and poorly motivated. As a result they perform well below their actual potential. So to explore the actual potential of people they should be well managed. Thus human resource management plays its role here by the best utilization of organization’s “human assets” to the maximum possible extent.

References

Dessler, G. (1999). Human resource management, Prentice Hall of India Pvt. Ltd., New Delhi.

Holland, J., (1973), Making vocational choices: A theory of careers, Prentice Hall, New Jercy

Pareek, U., & Rao, T. V. (1992). Designing and managing human resource systems. New Delhi: Oxford & IBH Publishing Company.

Vijayaragavan, K. (1994). Agricultural administration in India. New Delhi: Concept Publishing Company.

Weihrich, H. & Koontz, H.(2005), Management: A global perspective, McGraw Hill Publications, New York.