Measuring Employee Morale

Employee morale can be measured by assessing attitudes and job satisfaction. As morale is intangible and subjective concept, it cannot be directly measured or evaluated. Employees may be unwilling to express their feelings of satisfaction or dissatisfaction with their job to the management is no longer a valid assumption. Today’s employees and workplaces allow for a lot more transparency and open door philosophy seen in most organizations allow for employees to openly voice their views. Measuring employee morale ranges all the way from the “hunch” /general “feeling”, to more scientific efforts such as employee satisfaction surveys. Also the liberated employee of today feel very comfortable looking for a new job in another company rather than be unhappy and work in a company where he’s unhappy. It is important to study the commonly used methods for measuring employee morale, however increasingly the ‘employee satisfaction survey’ is the most preferred method in Continue reading

Introduction to People Capability Maturity Model (PCMM)

The People Capability Maturity Model framework was developed by Carnegie Mellon University, Software Engineering Institute to define the organizational maturity of people processes and practices. It helps the businesses to manage knowledge workers across global borders, as well as between graying and millennial generations. It is the framework that addresses the needs of employees, their competencies and the processes that need to be in place to ensure an organization is continuously improving and able to meet business needs effectively and efficiently and ranks on a scale 1 to 5, with 5 being the highest achievable maturity level. The People Capability Maturity Model (PCMM) is a well documented set of practices that enable growing original workforce competencies. It is more of a strategic management framework for building and growing original competencies. The PCMM practices help to retain, grow and nurture competent individuals. PCMM is an evolutionary framework that guides organizations in Continue reading

Factors of Job Evaluation

The criteria for job evaluation is the consideration of various factors,  which analyse a position in relation to the skills and experience  required for competent performance, the demands made on the job  and the overall structure and responsibility/accountability involved. In some cases minor changes to the wording are used to  define factors and levels made in order to better align the job evaluation methodology  with the client’s culture and environment. Where this is done, great care  is taken to ensure inter-organisation consistency is not compromised. The  primary factor in determining compensation is an evaluation of work performed.  The internal worth of a job is evaluated based upon factors like – Know-How,  Problem Solving,  Accountability, Education, Experience, Complexity  involved in the job, Scope of job, Supervision received and Authority  Exercised. Know-How — The knowledge, skill and experience required for  standard acceptable performance. It considers the requirement for  technical and professional skills, Continue reading

Role of Case Studies in Employee Training and Development

One way to help trainees learn analytical and problem solving skills is by presenting a story (called a case) about people in an organization who are facing a problem or decision. Cases may be faced on actual events involving real people in an organization, or they can be fictional. Business case studies are included in college text books and courses in management, public administration, law, sociology, and similar subjects. They are increasingly available using video and other media. While cases vary in complexity and detail, trainees should be given enough information to analyze the situation and recommend their own solutions. In solving the problem, the trainees are generally required to use a rational problem-solving process that includes the following steps: Restating important facts. Drawing inferences from the facts. Stating the problem or problems. Developing alternative solutions and then stating consequences of each. Determining and supporting a course of action. Proponents Continue reading

The Art of Managing Human Resources in an Organization

Organizations and corporations are multifaceted. Such complexity within a business necessitates the need to strategic approach to the management of the employees, whose task is to enable the business to achieve its objectives. Human capital is an imperative asset of an organization and proper use of a potent assent can construct a successful and resourceful organization. In an organization, human capital can make or break an objective or a strategy. The human resource department is the most important department of an organization. Almost all activities directed at attracting, developing, and maintaining effective workforce are implemented in this department. The functions of human resource management are, but are not limited to, hiring the right candidates, at the right time, and at the right price. It also involves training the existing employees, motivating them to give the best to the organization, resolving conflicts, discipline the employees who violate the organization’s rules and Continue reading

International Human Resource Selection Procedures

Multinational Corporations (MNCs)  use a number of selection procedures. The two most common are tests and interviews. Some international firms use one; a smaller percentage employ both. Theoretical models containing the variables that are important for adjusting to an oversea assignment have been developed. These adjustment models can help contribute to more effective selection of expatriates. The following sections examine traditional testing and interviewing procedures, then present an adjustment model. Testing and Interviewing Procedures Some evidence suggests that although some firms use testing, it is not extremely popular. For example, an early study found that almost 80 percent of the 127 foreign operations managers who were surveyed reported that their companies used no tests in the selection process. This contrasts with the more widespread testing that these firms use when selecting domestic managers. Many  Multinational Corporations report that the costs, questionable accuracy, and poor predictive record make testing of limited Continue reading