Key Principles Underlying Human Resources Procedure, Policies, and Rules - Literature review Example

Key principles underlying HR procedure, policies and rules

Most organizations in the modern era have found it wise to use the benefits brought about by human resources management techniques (Coyle-Shapiro, et al., 2013). The shift in the management of firm’s resources has forced most companies to develop human resource management departments. These departments are in place to deal with all affairs of an organizations employee. The shift came in place after it was realized that the human component of any organization has the potential to increase output once managed effectively. Unlike other resources, the human component of an organization is one of the most sensitive components since it reacts differently to a wide range of factors such as remuneration, rules, and regulations. The human component of an organization can respond to specific goals set by an organization. They are the people who can condition the rest of the resources to meet the goals and objectives of an organization. According to Marsden et al. (2013), the department of human resource management can be simple and tricky at the same time. The tricky parts of Human resource management are evident when dealing with issues such as organizational behavior and organizational culture. Some of the functions of the HR department in an organization include planning of the organization workforce and implementation. In addition, the HR department is responsible for ensuring that the working environment is conducive for all employees (Coro, 2009). The HR takes into concern the performance management measures for all employees within an organization. In any organization where HR management is practiced, there are rules and guidelines of how the practice should be conducted. The procedures opt to be standard and universally accepted in many organizations around the world. This paper will look into the HR policies, procures and rules that are universally acceptable in as far as HR management is concerned.

Human Resource Management Practices

In understanding the various practices of HR department, it is important to consider the fact that the department manages the human component of an organization (Mic021). For this reason, HR department has a task of managing the social, cultural and political environment within an organization. The three parameters that surface whenever people meet are very important in determining the manner in which the people interact. Therefore, it is the role of the HR department to ensure that these parameters remain within tolerable limits. An over-exercising authority on such parameters would interfere with personnel orientation as well as the resulting input while on duty. HR managers are required to find a balance among all the three components for the role to be regarded as the best HR practice.

The Human Resource management practices can be identified as those actions taken to ensure that an organization has the right type of personnel in the right state of mind to conduct the business affairs of an organization. It can be recognized that practices such as training, appraisal, training, recruitment and compensation. Other practice also includes staffing practices and employee skill development. These factors can be broken down and discussed independently. The factors are very broad and multifaceted in a way that one factor can affect another in one way or another.

Human Resource Policies

According to Tan and Nasurdin (2011), managing the human component of an organization requires policies more than any other department. People have a different way in which they display their reactions to some factors such as remuneration procedures, breaks, time for work, disciplinary issues and organizational goals. The newest organization, may not exhibit complexities in such factors as compared to the established organizations. The growth of such companies tends to increase the complexities in the HR department. Therefore, the issue of complexity implies that the HR has to identify specific policies that would govern the human resource.

The HR unit is responsible for designing policies that are reasonable and applicable to the personnel in an organization (Mathis et al., 2013). The role comes along with effective coordination to ensure that the policies are adequately implemented. The HR unit has a responsibility to ensure that the organization develops wide HR policies and rules. It is also the role of the HR department to ensure that relevant information relating to HR policies is availed to all personnel of within an organization. Mangers within an organization receive training on HR policies and procedures from the HR department. Manager helps the HR unit develops HR policies and reviews the existing policies. Managers help organizations to implement and provide feedback on the performance of the operational policies within an organization (Laursen and Foss, 2013). Human resource management policies can be categorized into recruitment policies, job classification policies, allowances, benefits, attendance, leaves, training, evaluation, and development, termination of employment and employee conduct policies. In addition, other policies relate to occupation health, occupational safety, grievances, and discipline and dismissal policies.

According to Laursen and Foss (2013), it is a requirement that the HR department develops a reliable policy framework that would help an organization in the recruitment of personnel. All positions that are considered as regular within an organization must be filled through a recommended recruitment process. By recommendation, it implies that vacancies should be posted using appropriate channels. Recruitment policies should be explicit regarding external and internal recruitment. All procedures that are required for recruitment such as selection, interview or vetting should be open and well explained in the recruitment policy. An interview policy should also be open and understood to ensure that honesty and equality are well maintained in the entire recruitment process.

Policies relating to employees must be well established in an organization, and all employees should have adequate knowledge concerning the policy articulations (Washington, 2014). For instance, employees must understand what is required of them regarding performance and code of conduct. Some of these employee-related policies are reflected in the missions and visions of various organizations. For instance, organizations that aim to protect consumer interests will have such goals articulated in the employee related policy. Network service providers will always have a policy that requires their employees to treat clients with ultimate respect.

HR policies should also include expectations from the employee end and it is delivered in form of ‘the company expects.’ Time management factor is one area that most organizations concentrate on and develop time-related policies (Prince Muhammad Bin Fahd University, 2013). Some of the time-related policies have punitive measures once breached which is one of the tools used to reinforce such policies. For instance, personnel are advised to be at their workstations on time or else risk pay cut. In this case, the pay-cut is the tool used to reinforce the policy (Asadi, 2012). HR managers must be keen to use tools, which will ensure that the HR policies are adhered to, and at the same time, these tools should not affect the working morale of employees. Consider a situation where warnings are not an option, and a single mistake leads to serious consequences such as firing. The tool used to implement the HR policy in this situation is intimidating in nature is likely to scare other employees. Employee related policies must not intimidate employees but rather provide a framework for the conducive working environment.

Daud (2006) explain that employee related policies might also entail social issues such as specific constraints and permissions. For instance, most organizations develop policies that discourage employees from having a romantic affair with fellow employees as this may affect the professional relationship. Such policies are meant to enhance employee relationship at the workplace as well as prevent the negative effects that accompany the discouraged relationships. In most cases, the tool used to enforce such measures is termination of contracts or firing. Employee related policies have two major goals of enhancing social relationship at the workplace and eliminating ‘viral’ personnel from an organization. The two objectives must be achieved with an appropriate balance being established for both cases.

Employees must be fully aware of the policies used in cases of employee appraisal and promotion (Mathis, Jackson, & Valent, 2013). Such policies when proven to be explicit and operational within an organization, they can be useful in encouraging the employees to present the best qualities. When poorly managed, these policies can prove to be the major discouraging factor among employees. As stated before, the complexity of these matters often increases with the size of the organization. Large organizations may find it challenging to develop policies, coordinate and implement. Small organizations can easily develop policies and change them whenever deemed necessary. One of the major reasons why large organizations face a challenge in changing of existing policies is the fact that most of its employees are likely members of trade unions.

Welfare policies are very important as this describe the entitlement of employees in an organization (State of Delaware, 2013). Welfare policies much are explicit to identify the exact situations in which employees are entitled to certain elements of welfare. Welfare policies must be good enough to show employees that an organization appreciates good work from personnel. The concept of employees’ welfare displays an organizations capability to take into concern the best interests of the personnel (Mathis et al., 2013). When employees are to be fired, reasonable explanation has to be provided. For instance, employees can be fired only if they breach the contractual terms or if proven to have divided interest. The process of firing employees should be carried out in a professional way to avoid tarnishing the image of an organization. In most minor cases, it is recommended to give warning first. Several warnings can then lead to firing depending on the stipulations of the HR practices.

According to HR Council (2009), some factors have been-been considered as standards needed for HR management. The conflict of interest is one area that employer and employee must establish professional standards. The employee must not show any divided interest as this may affect productivity, erode trust and jeopardize privacy issues. Staff development standards must be well instituted, and the employer should establish a way of committing employee to skill development and training (Washington, 2014). In any organization, employers and employees tend to have issues of concern at one time or another. These issues of concerns may be in the form of complaints or suggestions that requires a response from either end. A formal procedure for delivering such information must be laid down by the employer to ensure that there is a free but professional flow of information within the organization. An organization must have a conflict at one point or another since it is a social area where people from different backgrounds interact. When conflicts arise, organizations must have a formal way in which they mediate some conflicts at all stages of the organization. HR department must develop conflict resolution recommendation for various types of conflict such as related professional conflicts and personal conflicts. It must also be realized that the conflict resolution approaches vary depending on the levels of management in an organization from the operational level to executive level. In most cases, the HR department develops conflict resolution procedures for the managerial levels and operational levels within an organization.

Another important standard that must be established between the employer and employee is the issue of confidentiality (Sims, 2007). One important reason why confidentiality should be maintained is to ensure that the social environment of an employee at a workplace is well maintained. Personal data such as biographical data should be professionally handled in such a way that only the employer and the employee get access to such information. When fellow employees must not access personal information of fellow employees as this may affect the relationship in the organization.

Human resources management rules

Any concept of management in an organization requires that specific rules be put in place to control the authority of managers (Zanko, 2002). The department of HR in an organization has a risk of exploitation or misuse of power by people in higher ranks. The situation can affect the working environment. Therefore, rues are necessary to ensure that the relationship among workers remains professional. The HR rules are very diverse and come from both external and internal sources but still have the effect of the HR management practices. While policies may only originate from within, HR management rules are very powerful and in most cases are controlled by outside forces such as market regulations, labor law, and national laws.

One of the rules that govern the HR practices is the labor standard law, which has been considered to have the power to control the working condition (Sims, 2007). The working condition for the personnel should be in a position to serve both the interest of the employer as well as the employee. For instance, standard labor laws require that all contracts between the employer and the employee be drafted in a way that exploitation of one party is minimized (HR Council, 2009). The LSL imposes minimum standards that all employers and employees must adhere to. LSL may not provide specific rules for individual firms but requires two contractual parties in the name of employer and employees. Working rules can be established by the employees, which can cover important factors such as working hours, remuneration and retirement or cancellation of the contract. These rules must be clear and easily accessible by all employees in an organization. Before such rules come into play, it is recommended that both the employer and the employee get to an agreement as far as the work-related rules are concerned. According to (Daud, 2006)Employers who develop rules that are not clear to the employees are exploitative and intimidating in nature. Labor rules may also include procedures for specific employee related issues such as punishment procedures.

Key principles underlying HR procedures

According to Asadi ( 2012), HR resource management has some activities that must be carried out in a specific way to ensure that efficiency is attained. Procedures must be well identified and adhered to by the HR department to ensure that the morale of all employees is sky high. Open and standardized procedures enhance the employees’ orientation towards work while undisclosed procedures often leave the personnel in the dark (Laursen and Foss, 2013). Poor procedures can prove to destroy employee’s orientation towards work. Standard procedures must adhere to universally agreed work related atmosphere especially for important factors such as occupational health and safety. Other areas that require standard procedures are recruitment, training, development, salary raise, promotion, and transfer.

Recruitment

Recruitment is one of the important areas that the HR concentrates on when in need o specific talent and qualities from the job market (Tan and Nasurdin, 2011). However, standard procedures must be used in this area to ensure that the best skill is brought on bought and that new staff does not affect the current staff negatively. HR must consider the fact that either new staff or current staff can fill vacant positions in an organization. A reliable procedure must exhaust all possibilities to fill vacant positions from current staff before they can resort to outside skill (Asadi, 2012). The condition implies that the HR must begin the process of filling a vacant position by posting internal job advertisements before moving to the external job advert. In case internal talent can fill the position; It is recommended that the HR consider such promotions since it will have a positive effect on other employees. The junior employees would work hard to emulate such progress. It would also serve the best interest of the employer regarding maintaining organizational culture and behavior.

In situations where the employer may fail to find the necessary skill from the available staff, it is recommended that a public job advert is made and potentially invited to present their application (Daud, 2006). Specific dates for an interview should be set by the HR as well as the criteria to be followed during the interview process. The interview should be conducted in a professional manner with recommended vetting techniques deployed in the process. According to Mathis et al. (2013), the best vetting process will ensure that the HR gets the best candidate from all the potential applicants. Referrals may be preferred depending on the job, but the situation must not be used to include unprofessional trends such as nepotism. Unprofessional referral strategies may only bring on board poor qualities to the workforce, which may affect the rest of employees. In situations where referrals are made, the HR must consider the referrals that meet the conditions required for the job.

Personnel training and development is another procedural activity that the HR must ensure is in the right order (Zanko, 2002). It is important that the HR department establishes a way in which its personnel can undergo training to input new skill or development to enhance the current skills. Training and development can be conducted through seminars and retreats. Therefore, HR must determine the frequency in which each employee in an organization is subjected to training and development. All the content to be included in the training and development programs must be well developed by the HR department to ensure that only relevant skills are trained (Washington, 2014). An assessment of the impact of the training and development is necessary to determine the impact of training and development of staff on the relative output. In case an assessment proves that the training and development did not have impacts on the output, the HR has a task to restructure the program. Three factors must be considered when developing training and development programs. The HR must provide a precise description of the activities to be learned, the relevant goals of the training, required time and the expense to be incurred during the training process. A written report must be developed to provide an account for the entire process for future references.

Human resource plan

According to Coyle-Shapiro et al. (2013), any human resource department of an organization has a mandate t establish ways in which futures HR activities will be implemented. The future of the HR pans has to be well documented to ensure that the department is aware of their mandate. Planning is also essential in helping the department maintain focus on their mandate and duty. The need to design strategic HR plan should be given priority, especially when dealing with policies and standards. In human resources planning, a systematic approach is used to anticipate the future personnel demands and traits (Mathis et al., 2013). The projection allows the HR department to develop possible ways to deal with the future HR demands. human resources planning allow the logistic planners within HR to identify and avail the needed logistics for some HR practices. HR department can either assume a formal or informal method of planning and must be included in the annual budgets of organizations (Asadi, 2012). Strategic planning documents have to be presented in a logical way and should be in line with all the organizational policies. HR management has to establish a virtual position in future and develop strategies to orient its personnel in line with organizational goals.

Conclusion

Modern organizations have adopted the use of HHR management and integrated it as a vital part of the organizational structure. The human component of any organization has the potential to increase the output of an organization if well managed. The process of managing a human resource is what entails the concept of human resource management. In HR, many practices and policies have been identified as necessary for any HR department. It has been established that the HR managers must work in way that will improve the working relationships. Important aspects such as personnel training, recruitment, appraisal, performance management and firing are of prime concern. Key principles underlying HR procedures and rules should be considered for efficient HR management.