Employee Assistance Programmes (EAPs) are used to make professional help available to the employees. Typical Employee Assistance Programmes offer assistance to employees in such areas as alcoholism, drug abuse, emotional stress, family problems and financial indebtedness. Although research findings tend to vary, it is believed that EAPs are valuable contributors to both employees and employers. First of all, giving employee assistance is simply the right thing to do from the standpoint of humanity, and there are some cost-benefit arguments in favor of EAPS. Certainly, the resolution of personal problems tends to make the employee a more effective contributor to employer objectives. That is, money spent on abating alcoholism among the workforce is perceived to be cheaper than money spent on ineffective performance, lost time, illness and death on the part of employees suffering from the disease of alcoholism. Characteristics of an effective EAP The EAP should be staffed with competent Continue reading
HRM Functions
Guidelines for Effective Performance Appraisals
The performance appraisal requires willingness and a commitment to focus on improving performance at the level of the individual or team every day. Like a compass, an ongoing performance appraisal system provides instantaneous, real-time information that describes the difference between one’s current and desired course. To practice sound performance appraisal system, managers must do the same thing-provide timely feedback about performance, while constantly focusing everyone’s attention on the ultimate objective of being the best among the competitors in the market. Well-written performance appraisals are among the most effective tools for developing people. The following guidelines would be used for effective performance appraisals to significantly increase your team’s effectiveness and perceived value within your organization. Increase employees comfort level with performance appraisals. At the beginning of each review period, explain the appraisal process, rating system, and appraisal form. Agree on performance objectives and measurements for the upcoming review period. Start thinking Continue reading
International Compensation Management
Designing and developing a better compensation package for HR professionals for the international assignments requires knowledge of taxation, employment laws, and foreign currency fluctuation by the HR professionals. Moreover, the socio-economic conditions of the country have to be taken into consideration while developing a compensation package. It is easy to develop the compensation package for the parent country national but difficult to manage the host and third country nationals. When a firm develops international compensation policies, it tries to fulfills some broad objectives: The compensation policy should be in line with the structure, business needs and overall strategy of the organization. The policy should aim at attracting and retaining the best talent. It should enhance employee satisfaction. It should be clear in terms of understanding of the employees and also convenient to administer. The employee also has a number of objectives that he wishes to achieve from the compensation policy Continue reading
Types and Methods of Employee Counseling
Types of Employee Counseling In attempting to help an employee who has a problem, a variety of counseling approaches are used. All of these counseling approaches, however, depend on active listening. Sometimes the mere furnishing of information or advice may be the solution to what at first appeared to be a knotty problem. More frequently, however, the problem cannot be solved easily because of frustrations or conflicts that are accompanied by strong feelings such as fear, confusion, or hostility. A manager, therefore, needs to learn to use whatever approach appears to be suitable at the time. Flexibility is a key component of the employee counseling process. Directive Counseling: It is full counseling. It is the process of listening to an employee’s problem, deciding with the employee what should be done and telling and motivating the employee to do it. This type of counseling mostly does the function of advice, reassurance Continue reading
Working Across Boundaries
During the last decade, the concept of working across boundaries has become a popular concept. The basic premise is that individuals and organizations need to traverse boundaries if they are to achieve their goals. Essentially earlier concepts of fixed organizational demarcation lines no longer apply in modern-day business concepts. Within the organizational framework, the concept of boundaries can become a reasonably complex issue. There still remains an active debate as to whether the definitions of boundaries are realistic, objective, or imagined. The concept has become more complex with the use of outsourcing and Public/Private partnerships in terms of lines of demarcation and authority. The concept of boundaries within organizations takes on different shapes and forms. Much of this has to do with social and knowledge boundaries. The explosion in technological and communication advances has simplified the concept of working across boundaries. Despite the fact that organizations still are challenged to Continue reading
Introduction to Performance Appraisal
In almost every organization, every employee is subjected to periodic appraisal of his/her performance. This is highly important if the organization’s human resource development objectives are to be realized, if the organization wants to make best use of its human resource available and if the organization wants to have a scientific and retinal compensation system. An effective performance appraisal system brings rationality in management. If an organization wants to maximize its effectiveness then the organization must have tool by which it can discriminate between an effective employee and not so effective employee. Today, appraisal is not something of a choice left to the wishes of the corporate bosses, nor it is a privilege to be enjoyed by few businesses conglomerates. Therefore, it is a must for every organization for its survival and growth. The appraisal practices are in somewhere structured and formally sanctioned and in other instances they are an Continue reading