Human Resources in Organizations - Coursework Example

Name: Course: Institution: Tutor: Human Resources in Organizations Introduction The human resources function plays a fundamental role in any company. The following paper, based on a case study, discusses some of the human resource issues facing the organization in the case. As a summary, the paper finds poor communication to be the most important HR issue in the case. The paper recommends that companies should develop a selection and recruitment process as a strategy for obtaining the best employees. Major HR Issue in the Case Study The main HR issue evident in this case study is poor communication between the university’s HR department and Dr Wong who has just been recruited by the university. This issue arises from the fact that Wong was not sufficiently informed of the terms of service before he relocated from Hong Kong to Australia. While in Hong Kong, it was agreed that the university could pay for Wong’s air travel expenses and a relocation allowance equivalent to one month’s salary. Moreover, the university was to cater for the health insurance expense of Wong’s children. These terms were however changed the moment Wong relocated to Australia and hence became a bone of contention between him and the university. In his book, Rau and Adams (2005) have noted that effective and honest communication has an incredible on the success and productivity of human resources because without it, employees become frustrated as is the case with Wong. Moreover, lack of effective communication causes confusion in the work place, which kills employee morale and motivation. From employee recruitment, hiring and development, good communication in the workplace is what successful human resource development is built upon. Undeniably, communication is used during recruitment and hiring to relay important information about terms of service and job requirements. This information also pertains to employee welfare in relation to company policy and goals. This way, communication makes newly recruited employees prepared to face challenges in the workplace by boosting morale and attitudes about the work environment (James et al, 2005). It was therefore imperative for the university to maintain professionalism and be honest in its communications with Wong before he moved to Australia. In the work place, employees should not be made to feel uncomfortable for whatever the reason, lest this impacts adversely on their productivity and motivation. Hence, it was wrong for the university to micromanage Wong instead of communicating the right information and respecting his professionalism. One of the effects of poor communication as can be illustrated from the case study is that it can dis-empower employees. However, with proper communication as well as effective recruitment policies in place, new employees feel empowered and motivated to take their jobs and work to the best of their abilities. In addition, communication keeps everybody in the know and dispels fears of wrong information or confusion (Heggestad, Morrison, Reeve & McCloy, 2006). One thing which can be deduced from the case is that if Wong reject the current terms of service, the university will be compelled to look for another employee. This will not only cost the university in terms of time and resources but will also demonstrate the inability of the university to use appropriate recruitment procedures. Therefore, poor communication on the side of the HRM has the potential to cause reduced productivity and leave an organization in chaos (Chapman, Uggerslev, Carroll, Piasentin & Jones, 2005)). When the HRM is not able to communicate clearly during the recruitment process, employees may expect more than is necessary. If this happens, multiple expectations which don’t work together to reach the same goals may develop. While some people may misconceive communication as being limited to what is said, it is the case that HRM makes a deeper impact through what it fails to say. This can be through the way HRM treats employees and the lack of appreciation for employee’s personal commitments. The net effect of good communication in HRM is a healthy and thriving corporate culture, one in which intangible norms make employees unique to an organization. Essentially, the more effective communication by HRM is, the more respected and honored employees feel. This creates a positive work culture which motivates employees including new recruits to work hard and look forward to facing challenges with enthusiasm. In addition, positive communication by the HRM creates a work environment that reduces employee turnover. For the purpose of competiveness, it is critical for organizations to retain experienced employees within the company, who can in return be used in training and motivating others (Chapman & Zweig, 2005). Avoiding the Situation The situation in the case study could have been easily avoided by considering that employees are the most vital resource in an organization (Chapman & Webster, 2006). With this consideration in mind, the university could have been compelled to be honesty in negotiating terms of employment with Wong. It is apparent from the foregoing discussion that the misunderstanding in the case arose from the decision by the university to change terms of service after Wong had relocated to Australia. This was in fact unethical considering the huge inconvenience that the decision caused Wong. In addition, it could be worse for the university if Wong refused to accept the new terms of service. The situation could also have been avoided if Wong had sought an assurance from the university that the terms of service as discussed in the telephone interview could be respected. Essentially, it was a bit irrational for Wong to accept the offer made through the telephone interview before he even had a chance to see his employers face-to-face. Generally, offers made in face to face and followed by appropriate documentations are more binding than those made in telephone interviews. Most important, the whole situation could have been avoided if the university had developed and implemented policies and procedures for recruitment. An effective recruitment procedure could not have allowed the university to change terms of service without first consulting the affected employees (Dowling, Festing & Engle, 2008). If the university had developed a formal recruitment procedure, it could have been easy to foresee potential challenges about Wong’s job offering. This way, the university could have developed appropriate strategies for avoiding these challenges. As an example, it could have been easier for the university to determine appropriate wage level for Dr Wong. This could have helped avoid the probability of job applicants, once recruited and selected leaving the university only after a short stint. A formal recruitment process could have also increased the effectiveness of the university’s recruitment techniques. Ethical Issues Involved In the Case The most important ethical issue in this case is the decision by the university to shortchange employees once they have accepted the job offering. As can be shown, the university annulled the prior decision to pay for Dr Wong’s air travel expenses as well as a relocation allowance. In addition, the university decided not to pay for the insurance cover of Wong’s expenses. This ethical issue is in turn related to employee benefit and compensation. According to McDaniel et al, (2007) it is crucial that organizations offer attractive salaries and appropriate benefits to their employees. Research studies have found strong correlation between job satisfaction and the amount of benefits and salaries that employees receive. In typical job settings, good remuneration not only reduces chances of employee turnover but also increases the prospects of a company to attract and retain talented employees, capable of competing effectively. Because new employees are more interested with terms of service and the amount salaries that they will receive, it was critical for the university not to shortchange Dr Wong. Moreover, the university could the inconvenience that Wong suffered in relocating from Hong Kong to Australia. Being a foreigner in Australia, Wong deserved hefty benefits to maintain his family. Advice for Dr Wong As pointed out in the case study, it is clear that the university will not change the decision not to pay for Wong’s air travel expenses, relocation allowance and the children’s medical insurance. Considering that moving back to Hong Kong together with the family will be too expensive for Dr Wong. It is advisable for him to accept the current offer even if temporarily. Another piece of advice for Wong is that he should not accept offers based on telephone interviews especially when these offers involve overseas transfer. Conclusion In the case study, it has been note that the university’s Human Resource function is faced with many challenges and issues. Most of these issues re primarily related to failure by the university to implement a standard recruitment and selection procedure. As a result, the university is unable to guarantee terms of service to its employees. In light of this, it is recommended that organizations develop a recruitment policy as a basis for all their HR functions. References Chapman, D and Webster, J 2006, ‘Integrating applicant reactions into the critical contact framework of recruiting’, International Journal of Human Resource Management, 17, p. 1032–57. Chapman, D and Zweig, D 2005, ‘Developing a nomological network for interview structure: Antecedents and consequences of the structured selection interview’, Personnel Psychology, 58, p. 673–702. Chapman, D.S., Uggerslev, K.L., Carroll, S.A., Piasentin, K.A. and Jones, D 2005, ‘Applicant attraction to organizations and job choice: A meta-analytic review of the correlates of recruiting outcomes’, Journal of Applied Psychology, 90, p. 928–44. Dowling, P., Festing, M & Engle, A.D. 2008, International Human Resource Management (5th Edition), Cengage Learning: South Melbourne. ISBN 978-0-17- 013701-0 Heggestad, E.D., Morrison, M., Reeve, C.L. and McCloy, R 2006, ‘Forced-choice assessments of personality for selection: Evaluating issues of normative assessment and faking resistance’, Journal of Applied Psychology, 91, p. 9–24. James, L.R., McIntyre, M.D., Glisson, C.A., Green, P.D., Patton, T.W. and LeBreton, J 2005, ‘A conditional reasoning measure for aggression’, Organizational Research Methods, 8: 69–99. McDaniel, M.A., Morgeson, F.P., Finnegan, E.B., Campion, M.A. and Braverman, E 2007, ‘Use of situational judgment tests to predict job performance: A clarification of the literature’, Journal of Applied Psychology, 86, p. 730–40. Rau, B and Adams, G 2005, ‘Organizational Attraction of Retirees for Bridge Employment’, Journal of Organizational Behavior, 26, p. 649–60. Read More