One of the most challenging aspects of human resource management is employee motivation. It manifests itself through employee morale, output, absenteeism, effort, labor turnover, loyalty and achievement. Motivation is generally defined as an internal state that induces an employee to engage in particular behaviors, or a set of factors that cause employees to behave in certain ways, but it is extremely complex. This is because employee motivation is the product of many interacting factors such as the culture of the organization, management’s leadership style, the structure of the organization, job design and HR policies and practices. The employee’s personality, skills, knowledge, abilities and attitudes also play a part. Motivation is not understood by managers and its essence remains enigmatic. It is what makes the “high fliers” fly. It is why some employees demonstrate a burning desire to achieve, and accept increased responsibility, while others remain passive or openly hostile. What Continue reading
Human Resource Concepts
International and Comparative Human Resource Management
International Human Resource Management has been defined as HRM issues, functions, policies and practices that result from the strategic activities of MNEs. International Human Resource Management deals principally with issues and problems associated with the globalization of capitalism. It involves the same elements as domestic HRM but is more complex to manage, in terms of the diversity of national contexts and types of workers. The emphasis is on the MNCs’ ability to attract, develop and deploy talented employees in a multinational setting and to get them to work effectively despite differences in culture, language and locations. International HRM tends to mitigate the impact of national culture and national employment practice against corporate culture and practices. Comparative Human Resource Management, on the other hand, is a systematic method of investigation that seeks to explain the patterns and variations encountered in cross-national HRM rather than simply describe HRM institutions and practices in Continue reading
Career Counselling in Organizations
Career counselling is a process whereby an employee is guided by a manager in performance-related behavior. The employee is unable to perform the job satisfactorily. His work behavior is inconsistent with the work environment and organizational culture. It is manifested in fighting, stealing, unexcused lateness and absence. Career counselling involves guiding of employee by a manager to overcome performance problems. The problem is desire-created based on unwillingness. Career counselling involves the following steps: Identification of the performance problem – The reason for poor performance should be identified. Specific job behavior should be objectively documented in terms of date, time, and what happened. The manager should have good listening skills to uncover the reason for performance problem. The manager should focus on job performance problems only, not the employee as a person. He should treat the employee objectively, fairly and equitably. Make sure the employee owns up the problem – The Continue reading
Corporate Entrepreneurship (CE) and Human Resource Management (HRM)
Today’s economy is experiencing its ups and downs very quickly: rising competitiveness and fast changing technologies create pressure to the companies that want to stay at the top of their markets. This is not going to slow down, so the need for tools of success is arising. At the same time we are moving away from the belief that “entrepreneurs are born, not made”. That is why the wanting, believing, hoping, planning must be followed by doing. As already Confucius said: “When it is obvious that the goals cannot be reached, don’t adjust the goals, adjust the action steps”. It is time for action and one form of it that suits different businesses nowadays is — Corporate Entrepreneurship (CE). Corporate entrepreneurship is the process whereby an individual or group of individuals, in association with an existing organization, create a new organization or instigate renewal or innovation within that organization. There Continue reading
The Alignment of Compensation and Business Strategies
Compensation is a key element in the success of any business. Although compensation plans were not always seen as a strategic business initiative, their huge impact on a company’s bottom line, recruiting, retaining and motivating people has led to compensation design being considered an important element to achieving success. Compensation and Business Strategies Alignment It is essential that a fair, competitive and attractive compensation plan is created in order to ensure the future success of the company. If the compensation plan is carried out properly it can improve organisational effectiveness, support human capital requirements of a business, and motivate and reward achievement of key corporate strategic and financial goals. It is thus essential that compensation plans are well thought out and effectively designed. Compensation is the answer to attracting, retaining and motivating employees who have the necessary competencies to carry out the business strategy and handle greater responsibilities. Managers must Continue reading
Non Traditional HR Approaches: Investment in Disabled Employees
Before we move on to the core of the issue, we must define what disability or being disabled means “Someone who is disabled has an illness, injury or condition that tends to restrict the way they live their life, especially by making it difficult for them to move about.” Thus, the employee, who is working for the organization, will be termed disabled if he/she is suffering from an injury or illness which affects or restricts them from performing their job effectively. There can be two types of disabled employees 1. Disabled – while employed: i.e. the person was fit and sound during the start of employment relationship, however, during the tenure of his/her service he turned disable, which can be either: On-the-job: This is during the work hours while working at premises. Off-the-job: This is not at work premises, but surely after the start of employment relationship. 2. Disabled – Continue reading