Human Resource Management and Employment Involvement - Assignment Example

Human Resource Management Name Course Name Instructor’s Name May 28, 2010 Executive summary Human Resource Management is the function within an organization that looks out for the welfare of the human capital. The functions of this entity include employing people and developing the skills that these people have to accord them better performance as well as job satisfaction. These include hiring, training, appraisal, orientation and compensation to the employees. The HRM embraces different motivational theories and models so as to ensure that the workers enjoy their work and that they are productive and effective. These include Hezberg’s two factor theory and Maslow’s theory. This also includes the use of Porter-Lawler expectancy model. Organizations also employ different management systems which include unitary perspective management and pluralistic perspective management. The management also uses different group involvement schemes to raise motivations among the workers which include the use of quality circles. Every HRM team should embrace measures that offer satisfaction to the human capital so as to ensure maximum production. this also ensures effectiveness as well as efficiency among the workers and to the organization as a whole. Table of Contents Table of Contents 3 Introduction 4 Main roles of HRM 5 Strategies applied by the HRM 6 Motivational theories applied 6 Unitary perspective of management 8 Pluralistic perspectives of management. 9 Employment Involvement 9 Conclusion 10 Reference 11 Introduction The human resource management is an important entity in any business environment. This function mainly deals with the human resource in the organization which is considered to be the most important entity in the business environment (Zemke, 1999). The human capital within an organization is taken to be important because they unlike other resources within the business environ have feelings. The human resource management takes into consideration that the human resource are people who have different needs and different goals as well (Buckingham and Coffman, 1999). They also recognize that the behavior of the human resource can be influenced to a great extent by other activities that take place around them. The human resource management seeks to ensure that the human capital is motivated to do the work (Graef & Potter, 2002). They in collaboration with the company management ensure that the various motivation theories and models are applied in the running of the business. They also do undertake the function of appraisal among the human resource so as to ensure that the business flows as it is deemed to. This paper discusses in detail the role of Human Resource Management (HRM) within the business environment. It also analyses the value of employee involvement schemes. It also identifies the benefits that the employees derive from the HRM as well as the benefits that the organization derives from the same (Vinokur-Kaplan, Jayaratne & Chess, 1994). Main roles of HRM The HRM is a strategic unit within the business environment that is entrusted with the entire function of managing the people within the organization. This includes the action of employing people and developing their employment capacities. As the organization does this it also has to ensure that these employees. The human resource management ensures that they utilize the services of their employees maintain these services and compensate them in a pleasant standard that will ensure satisfaction to the employees. The functions performed by the HRM can be grouped largely into four categories which are organizational management personnel administration manpower management and finally industrial management. Among the activities that are carried out by the HRM are the work forces planning the planning of the human resource and the induction as well as giving orientation to the workers so as to help them get familiar with their working environment. The function of the human resource management also involves training and developing the workers as well as acting as the administration body over the activities that are carried within the organization. They also compensate the workers and ensure that time management is keenly observed within the organization. The benefits which are due to the employees and vary from one employee to another are determined by the HRM department (Buckingham and Coffman, 1999). The other functions that are performed by HRM are planning the costs that are incurred by the personnel as well as performance appraisal among the employees. The department is also concerned with the labor relations within the organization. Strategies applied by the HRM HRM employees various strategies to ensure that the organization fairs better than other organizations within the same environ. This is normally so as to ensure that the business unit remains competitive far above the others. It is noted that in the current times the only organizations that survive are those organizations that take strategic and coherent survival measures (Delery & Doty, 1996). Some of the strategic measures that the HRM undertakes are the use of motivational tools and models. This ensures that the employees are always motivated and this to a great extent affects the organization’s performance in the market place (Wellborn, 2004). The other strategies that the HRM department may utilize are the employment of recruitment as well as selection policies that make the business only employ and recruit the most qualified people in the business unit (Withers, 2001). Another strategy that is put in place is the use of reward as well as recognition policies for those employees who perform better than the others as a motivational measure. They also apply use of disciplinary procedures that ensure that coherence to the organizational culture is achieved within the organization (Falcone, 2006). Motivational theories applied One of the theories that are used is the two factor theory by Fredric Herzberg who was a psychologist. This is also called the Herzberg’s motivation hygiene theory (Falcone, 2006). This, theory states and explains the factors within the workplace that cause job satisfaction and the factors that cause job dissatisfaction (Tracy & Pine, 2000). This theory is closely related to Maslow’s theory of motivation in which individuals are not satisfied by only the satisfaction of those needs that are considered to be low level needs or low order needs. These lower order needs in this theory are the minimum levels of the salary they get and such conditions as pleasant working conditions and safe working conditions (Wanous, 1989). Instead the individuals look for the fulfillment of the higher level needs that do with achievement and responsibility (Branham, 2005). They look for psychological satisfaction that guarantees advancement in their careers and also the nature of work is highly considered. The Hezberg’s two factor theory insinuates that the nature of work that an individual, performs has a great capacity to cause gratification in this individual and increase achievement, competency, personal worth as well as self realization (Vinokur-Kaplan, Jayaratne & Chess, 1994). This in turn causes happiness as well as self satisfaction to the individual in question. It further states that it is not the absence of these factors that causes job dissatisfaction but it is rather the unfavorable conditions where the company policies are concerned. Dissatisfaction also results from technical problems and wrong interpersonal conditions in the work place and issues to do with salaries and wages being handled in the wrong way. In short the nature of the work is what causes dissatisfaction (Thuermer, 2006). The HRM by applying this theory realizes that to increase job satisfaction it has to look into the nature of the job that is to be performed. The HRM ensures that the job present an opportunity for the workers to gain status and also in assuming responsibility as far as the job offered is concerned (Wanous, 1989). To reduce dissatisfaction in the work place the HRM focuses on the job environment, the policies in the job place as well as the procedures and the supervision and the working conditions. The HRM team when it is concerned with both the satisfaction and the dissatisfaction it focuses on the two sets of factors. The HRM also use the Porter-Lawler expectancy model to determine the degree to which motivation levels are within the organization. This states that the employee’s motivation depends on the degree to which the employees value given reward. It also assumes that the employees belief that their efforts will result to, their receiving these rewards (Branham, 2005). Unitary perspective of management This is an assumption that all the people within the organization share a common mind set. This includes both the management and the staff of the organization. People are assumed to share attitudes as well as perspectives. Interests and purposes are also assumed to be shared within the organization (Collins, 2001). This is a management system that tries to bind all the people within the organization as a family unit or a clan. In this system those who disagree with the common belief are treated as outsiders and are considered to be very inconsiderable and disagreement is not expected in this system (Leek, 2005). Incase of disagreement it is considered to be damaging to the image of the organization HRM in this system assumes that there should be constant improvement of quality among the employees. Workers are in this system not expected to bargain for the rewards they get for this is not a value allowed in this system (Falcone, 2006). This benefits the individuals as there is innovation and creativity as well as discretion among the individuals. The organization benefits from the fact that the individuals act as a family and due to the formal setting the number of conflicts is reduced among the workers (Delery & Shaw, 2001). The organization also enjoys the benefit of that communication down wards is considered very core. The disadvantages of this sort of system is that individuals who do not conform no matter ho productive they are in the organization cannot be accommodated (Winefield & Barlow, 1995). Pluralistic perspectives of management. This form of management recognizes and even agrees that conflicts will occur within the organization. There are thus the set standards for how conflicts shall be solved among the employees. This calls for the firm to have industrial relations and have external arbitrators to solve conflicts if they occur. Agreement should be negotiated with the unions (Graef & Potter, 2002). The advantages of this form of system are that planning consistency and orderliness is observed in the organization (DeMers, 2002). It also has an advantage of issues that are pressing being legitimately raised by the representatives of the workers. This includes the use of unions. Feedback is also easily collected from the staff and there is stability that is normally sought through compromises that are acceptable to all the parties of the agreement (Leek, 2005). Employment Involvement Employee involvement schemes are those schemes that ensure that the employees are involved in the entire work process. These schemes that the HRM employs are Quality circles These include the use of quality circles within the organization to ensure that the performance of the employees is improved within the organization. The management works closely with the employees so as to ensure that the employees gain the appropriate knowledge and expertise. This motivates the, employees as well as improves the quality of the work that they perform. The HRM uses this, to stop the concept of division of labor which is viewed as dehumanizing. It is viewed as dehumanizing because it makes human beings to be like robots (Branham, 2005). This method usually involves the group coming together under their supervisor. The supervisor in this case is trained to identify the problem and to solve the work related problems. These people usually present their solutions to the management as a way of improving the performance of the organization. This method of group involvement brings about high performance and also improves the relationships in the world place by creating harmony among the workers. 360 degree feedback This is used to gain the holistic view of how the individual performs. This is got from the staff, the management the co workers and the peers of the individual. it helps to get the complete picture of how an individual behaves and also to increase the awareness about performance. Recommendations 1. HRM should employ the motivational theories and models such as Hezberg’s two factor theory and Maslow’s theory of motivation. 2. Where one theory of motivation does not work the HRM should use the integrated model of the motivational theories that incorporates all the theories together and therefore is more easy to use. 3. HRM should employ the pluralistic management style as it allows representation of workers. it also acknowledges the fact that conflicts will arise and therefore sets a standard for the conflict settlement. Conclusion The HRM department is very core to any organization. This is due to the roles that they perform of controlling the human capital which is the most important asset within an organization. The HRM team should always apply all the tools of ensuring that the performance of the workers is checked properly and they should always ensure that the job gives satisfaction for the employees. They should do all that is within their means to ensure that dissatisfaction is decreased. 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