Vital Role of Human Resource Management in the Management of People in a Diversified Workplace - Essay Example

Human Resource Management Xxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxx Name Xxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxx Course Xxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxx Instructor Xxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxx Date Executive summary Due to globalization and immigration, diversity in work places has become very common. When a workforce comprises of people from different cultures, there are very high chances that corrosion will be inevitable, culminating from misunderstanding of each other cultural beliefs, values and norms. When not managed well, it can incapacitate the performance of the entire organization. However when managed well, it can be a very strong tool towards realization of goals and objective in the organization. Human Resource Management, which deals with the management of people can employee various strategies so as to effectively manage people from different cultural background and utilize them towards the good of the firm. Understanding the cultural background, training and development and observing the ethical standards is the only way out for the HRM to ensuring that, all the workforce is motivated and satisfied. Table of Contents Table of Contents 3 Introduction 4 Culture 5 Training and development 8 Fundamentals 9 Managing diversity 11 Ethics and values 12 Positive Impact 13 Identity 14 Employee retention 14 Conclusion and Recommendations 15 Bibliography 16 Introduction Human resource management is an organization function that deals with the management of the relationship between groups of people in their capacities as employees, employers and even managers (Ruta 2005). The human resource for this case is the most important aspect in any organization for it is the workforce towards the realization of goals and objectives. Human resource diversity is increasing in organizations globally. The levels of international mobility, especially through migration, have increased, impacting upon the human resource management (HRM) strategies of firms. In the recent past there has been changes that are associated with this diversity and managing of the same have been marred by various challenges to human resource management (HRM) bearing in mind that, the working composition has a mixture of different languages, age, religion/ethnic and cultural backgrounds (Fields, Chan & Akhtar 2000 ). There is therefore a need for HRM departments to ensure that, they have strategies in place that are aimed at managing a diversified workforce well, to the realization of the overall goals and objectives. The Human Resource Strategic Plan should in the long run establish vision and direction not only for the effectiveness of the human resource management, but also for the overall effectiveness of the organization. The human resource management therefore must be able to cater for each and every worker irrespective of their culture, language, religion, just to mention but a few, if at all they have to realize the overall objective which is maximizing the returns on investment (Hofstede 2000). This being the case, the HRM must employ specific strategies in order to accommodate diversity in the workforce, which is inevitable currently. It is worth noting that, cultural diversity within a workforce is now a common case as well as an economic necessity. Due to globalization and increased mobility, the need for skilled immigrants to fulfill labor shortages has called for many changes in the workplace. This on the other hand poses tremendous challenges which range from basic communication and language difficulties to even more complexity in decision making. When the HRM recognizes and understand the cultural diversity in the workforce, they are better positioned to fully exploit the opportunity of cultural synergy to strategic advantage. With not only valuing employees for what they give and increasing satisfaction, a well managed multicultural workforce generates opportunities for learning, creativity, innovation and leadership, just to mention but a few. Culture Culture refers to values, beliefs and behaviors shared by a group of people. In this case, a group can be classified inform of nationality, religion, gender and even profession and mostly it refers to a nation state and geography. It is also worth noting that, culture has certain ways of thinking, felling and even reacting. Culture consists of traditional ideas and especially those which have a close correlation with values (Gagnon & Cornelius 2002). HRM has become of strategic importance as organization has come to recognize the value of their employees as a source of core competence and competitive advantage. The use of bundles of progressive HR practices, increases profitability, productivity and reduces staff turnover (Ruta 2005). Quality of life, training and development, performance management t, teamwork, flexibility are some of the good practices that HRM must encompass in relation to diversity. When talking about the culture, the HRM must recognize that, national culture differ in various ways. For instance; power distance, uncertainty avoidance, individualism-collectivism and Masculinity – Femininity. In this case, the HRM need to cultivate to effective relations between employees. In regard to collectivism, the organization is expected to take care of the employees family members, defend their personal interest and belief in group decision. When the HRM is aware of this the workforce is going to be very effective for there are not going to be collisions of interest (Ruta 2005). The HRM therefore must understand the kind of culture they are dealing with so that they can satisfy their employees and cultivate for effective coexistence amongst the employees and the management. The HRM must adopt and equilibrated attitude in the synergy administration of the cultural differences. In this case, they must ensure that all employees recognize and adapt to other’s habits. This can only be adhered to if there will be effective communication and collaboration between employees. The main reason for this is the fact that, “reconciliation of differences leads to the discovery that diversity is very pleasant and that integration of the reflection and of global action very fruitful” (Ruta 2005). In a culture diversified environment, it is the work of the HRM to ensure that, pluralism is part and parcel of the management of people. This system implies that, differences should be recognized, accepted and perceived as elements which contribute much to the success of the entire organization. Culture places a lot of emphasis on having interdependent relations, social responsibility and welfare of the group. This is exhibited in cultures which have emphasis on collectivism or individualism. For instance in collectivist culture, workers yearn for respect for authority and group unity. In individualist cultures, theirs is self expression and individual thinking and therefore if they are dissatisfied with a group (Fields, Chan & Akhtar 2000 ). It is also worth noting that, collectivists believe in developing and sustaining stable, hierarchical roles and their properties can be shared while individualist are for equalitarian relationships and flexibility roles and their properties can never be shared. This therefore means that, when the HRM are aware of the kind of a culture they are dealing with, there are higher chances that they will make the right decisions and come up with the best policies (Hofstede 2000). Knowledge of the values, beliefs and practices of different culture in a working environment is of great importance for it results to HRM making efforts towards having a satisfied workforce. This is due to the fact that, managers will adhere to cultural norms when approaching their people managerial tasks. This for instance cultural diversity awareness helps managers and supervisors avoid sociotyping which is the accurate generalization about cultural groups as whole, which may result to poor coexistence and hence disable the organization from getting the best from the affected individuals. All this will even play critical roles when the HRM is strategizing on employee development and training (Fields, Chan & Akhtar 2000 ). Training and development Training and development is one of the main tasks that HRM must employ in order to manage diversity in the work place (Jayne & Dipboye 2004). However when training, it is very important to concider that communicationn is the only medium to effect it. This being the case, having a clear understanding of people from different cultures, will mean that the training program will be effective and get the desired results. When training in a multicultural environment, communication is a prerequisite (Hofstede 2000), In other words, communication is multidimensional and therefore involves verbal, non verbal and written communication, which can also be formal or even informal, direct or indirect. The mode of communication in one culture varies from another culture. This incase, one has no understanding of the involved culture may lead to misinterpretation and the communicated message. This therefore means that, if at all there has to be effective communication, then, understanding of other culture is of great importance (Fields, Chan & Akhtar 2000 ). When this is not taken good care of, the HRM, which main aim is to manage people in the organization will be failing in its duty. It is also worth noting that, cultural and communication styles can impact positively or negatively the interactions within the workplace. Cultures have different approaches to directness, formality and non verbal communication. For example, there some cultures which use direct and straight to the point approach while others use less direct communication in order to preserve the feelings or even dignity to others. Non verbal communication also differs from one culture to the other. For instance direct eye contact is viewed as rude in many Asian cultures but in western countries, lack of eye contact signals a students disrespect or dishonesty. Also the distance or the space can also cause miscommunication in intercultural interactions. This therefore means that, workers may experience difficulties forming relationships due to mismatched communication and this may affect the over all performance of the entire organization. Moreover, when this is effected and adhered to in any organization, then there are high that even the coexistence among the workers will be positive, resulting to a motivated workforce. Consequently, effective training will result to all employees having an understanding on each other beliefs and values and therefore encourage team work which is of the greater benefit of the organization and enhanced good relationships between employees (Hofstede 2000). Fundamentals Another key issue that arises in the global market is the different fundamentals due to interaction of people internationally. Countries may agree on the same pricing, promotion in a place of work but the big problem is the fundamental issue. Culture and the expectations all affect the operations and management of organizations. Differences in the systems of laws across nations lead to the management establishing and accept human resource management system, organizational culture and the professional cultures and codes of conduct (Fields, Chan & Akhtar 2000 ). Laws and firms rules establish guidelines for decision –makers in the organizations. Organizations develop ethical guidelines for their members. In the past, there has been a proliferation of ideas about the proper role of global business organizations in a global market. Organizations should adopt fundamentals in business and marketing, they include; sound marketing strategy, professional marketing research, and excellent product development, effective pricing, motivating promotion and the appropriate distribution. Moreover, As mobility increases, organizations need to be aware of the new agenda that requires them to embed the culture and behaviors that can deliver both public trust and business success .Leaders should lead by example by truly embodying the values and behaviors of their organizations and communicating with the stakeholders in manner that is genuine (Fields, Chan & Akhtar 2000 ). If an organization aspires to be considered as one that take ethics seriously. It will need also to work on embedding ethical values. The result and outcome of trust are fruitful because trust based organizations costs less and are more productive. Such a reputation can provide sustainable competitive advantage because it enables the organizations to attract and retain top talent, establish valuable business partnerships and retain a loyal customer base. A focus now is being made to the talent and interest of the employees. Recruitment and retention of workers is becoming more essential in the modern world because of the diversification. Organizations are aware that competitiveness is devised from talent and it follows that recruitment and retention are considered as organizations strategy. This implies that an entity must have the right people a right time. The digital environment plays an enormous role in the fluidity of talent. As we know that there is increased level of international mobility because the borders are not rigid. Talent can easily move to a workplace on higher demand, opportunity and demand. To keep and be able to retain a talent within an organization, the HRM is required to develop internal talents and find ways for the stakeholders to improve their interest with the organization and its products (Hofstede 2000). Managing diversity Human Resource Management must adequately manage the differences that people bring in the organization. In this case, it is of crucial importance to recognize that, there are no two humans who are alike, mostly when they are coming from different backgrounds and nationalities (Sonja & Phillips 2004). This management must be directed at brining a productive result especially to the firm and its mission. In this management, The HRM must address it, by the use of two dimensions: primary which entails the visible entities like age, gender, race, ethnicity, sexual orientation and disability, just to mention but a few and the secondary one’s which includes psycho social/spiritual, mindsets, ethics, paradigms and intelligence. All these differences can give rise to differences that can affect the entire performance in the organization however, if the HRM manages them well, then there are higher chances of synergetic unity in the organization (Fields, Chan & Akhtar 2000 ). As for the primary category, the HRM must ensure that differences are embraced and valued so as to ensure a clear understanding and cooperation of the administration and the employees so that he greatest potential can be maximized for optimal excellence (Ruta 2005). Workshop, Cultural awareness, cross cultural communication and conflict resolution are of great importance in this case. All these aspects must be developed with the institution in mind as well as the employees. The secondary option must be applied to harness and empower diversity. In this case, the corporate culture and structure, the way tasks are subdivided to ensure that the goals are met and most importantly the thinking systems. This if applied will make the work place a desirable place for all employees (Sonja & Phillips 2004). This is the long run culminates to changes in the organization which benefit both the employees and the employee. Ethics and values Human Resource management must be governed by the ethical standards that govern in when it comes to workforce diversity. In other words, they should be bound by the law to treat employees fairly and not discriminate against any identified groups. This being the case, there are essential aspects that must be considered when it comes to the ethical situation of the HRM. First, recruitment and selection should use fair and just assessment measures. In other words, whatever assessment criteria they use, should be fare and be used indiscriminately (Aragon & Hatcher 2001). Additionally, the rewards management system has to be fair in allocation of pay and benefits. In many cases, where there are people from other culture or nationalities, burying is a common occurrence. The human resource management must put in place effective and paramount measures that are geared towards curbing any form of burying and harassment. It is worth noting that, HR professional must be responsible for adding value to the organization and therefore they must actively contribute to the ethical success of the organization (Bansai & Sama 2000). They are solely responsible for their decisions and action, thus, should engage in activities that enhance credibility and value. For example, they should consider and protect the rights of an individual, mostly in the acquisition and dissemination of any information while ensuring truthful communications and facilitating informed decisions (Husted 2000). It is also the work of the HRM to come up with code of conduct or ethical practices within the organization so as to cater for all workers regardless of their cultural background. For a long time, HRM has been marred by various ethical dilemmas and this has exposed the competent of the entire department in many cases. However, it is noteworthy that, regarding the sensitivity of the work assigned to HRM which include, hiring, compensating and even firing, the use of procedural justice is paramount (Schuller 2000). This a very important ethical standard that can be used to guide the practice of any ethically challenging issue in the organization which has people from different cultures. In this case, all employees will be judged fairly irrespective of their job titles. In tasks like firing an individual, delivering negative feedback and denying bonuses are just a few of a kind which cause pain and discomfort to another person in the name of the greater good. When this is done ethically, with the use of procedural justice, then HRM will be discharging their duties without incapacitating the ethics of their department. Positive Impact To enhance positive coexistence, The HRM must foster for positive impact. In this case, they should design and structure jobs and task with much attention put to foster interpersonal interaction and connection. This in the long rum will enable employees to become more aware of the impact of their actions on others. This is in the long run entails that, managers must cultivate dignity and motivate those prone to any harm and in this case, they will be sustaining their own moral sensibility other than just withdrawing or resolving dissonance (Sonja & Phillips 2004). Identity How people implicitly see themselves has substantial influence on their behavior. In regard to managing HRM ethics in their practices, examining the control identify condition can cause divergent and counterproductive effects (Goodstein 2000). The Human Resource Management therefore must ensure that, all ethical standards are observed so as to ensure that every individual in the workforce is motivated to do what they are discharged to do. In the long run, the HRM is entitled to making sure that the organization utilizes the expertise of the employees to the realization of the objectives and goals. This being the case, there is a very important need to have all rights that are associated with the employees observed to the good of the firm and its employees. Employee retention Any sort of discrimination should not be encouraged in a diversified workforce, because, first, it will de-motivate workers leading to poor performance or second, it will result to employee seeking for work in other firms, increasing the cost of retaining employees. Retention is critical for all organizations, if you shore up your existing workforce, ensure they understand your employers brand and develop their potential then recruitment becomes easier (Greenwood 2002). The existing employees are the best advocate of the entity and they can be very cost effective in introducing of new talent in the entity .An organization should establish a platform that offers to communicate to its stake holders not only in its opportunities but its shared values .This widens up the entities to a world-wide pool of potential talent. Therefore, as the global market for talent tightens, organizations should ensure that their systems are fit to find and identify the right talent Conclusion and Recommendations Human resource management plays a very vital role in the management of people in a diversified workplace. Since not all people come from the same cultural background, it is only the HRM that can help them merge, understand each other and coexist to the good of the entire organization. HRM must have deep knowledge of the values, beliefs and practices of different culture in a working environment so as to have a satisfied workforce. Managers therefore must adhere to cultural norms when approaching their people managerial tasks. Ethical standards must be adhered to so as to ensure that fairness and justice is done to those who deserve it. Human Resource Management must therefore train and develop the employees so that they can relate well to enhance performance. When conducting the training and development programs, they should consider the beliefs, values and norms of other culture present so as to ensure that the communication is effective and avoid misinterpretation of information. When training in a multicultural environment, communication is a prerequisite. In other words, communication is multidimensional and therefore involves verbal, non verbal and written communication, which can also be formal or even informal, direct or indirect and therefore should be considered amicably. Bibliography Aragon, S. R., & Hatcher, T. . (2001). 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