Human Resource Management Assesment - Essay Example

Executive Summary Under the assistance of the company I have being asked to provide a considerable report on beyond contract HRM practices. The areas to focus are work-life-balance and stress management, which are practices related to human work and nature within the organization system and environment (Martin, 2005). Work-life management is a concept related to personal values of employees, including the system in which employees create a balance between work activities and their personal life events. The report is going to analyze how such social HRM practices (work life balance and stress management) are important for employees’ personal behaviour and performance at the work place (Martin, 2005). The recommendations will be based on the analysis and the information obtained from the assessed practices. It will lead out to benefits of beyond contract HRM practices (Martin, 2005). Introduction In organizations there are different HRM practices and policies being adapted and implied by managers at the workplace (Martin, 2005). Like there are activities which are based on contracts with the employees (formal activities), and there are activities which are beyond papers/contracts and for the support of employees and their personal value system. Such non contractual practices are the most relevant and significant for employees’ engagement and performance at the work place. Work-life balance is one of those activities which pursue the objective of reducing stresses in employees work environment (Martin, 2005). This is to create a balance between employee personal life aspects and work activities, to come to better performance and appraisal respectively. This report is about such social HRM norms, in order to access and judge that how such norms are adaptable in organization systems. The primary objective will be to access two of beyond contract activities, first is the work-life balance and second the stress management policy (Martin, 2005). The secondary objective of the report will be to understand the benefit of the practices, in respect of employee performance and with respect to organization performance as a system. This is how a relationship will be understood between employees, their values and role of HRM personnel management practices in a system (Martin, 2005). Work-Life Balance Policy Work-life balance is one of social HRM policies which supports employee’s will to manage his or her time in work and in the daily life activities. The concept relates to employee’s participation in work by providing them moral support and enthusiasm towards personal life activities. Such activities may include social networking, joining friends and family, giving sufficient time at home, self-care and personal health development (Clutterbuck, 2003). When HR managers adapt policies of work-life balance at the work place, their motive is to organize and develop employee’s mental health and behaviour. When the employee becomes mentally stable (stress reduced), he or she is able to create a balance between work and life acting affairs. By this time at work becomes hundred percent to deliver, and the time at home is entirely dedicated to life carrying situations, creating a balance and bringing the performance (Clutterbuck, 2003). For such reason work-life balance is counted in social development policies, a policy that develops employee’s internal peace and serenity to come out full on the productive side. By adapting the policy, employees carry the work at a good pace and so as the life activities, which are important to develop mental stability (Clutterbuck, 2003). The culture of social policies (work-life balance) adaptation comes right from the top, like from the senior HR managers. It is the HR department which frames out such substantial and vital activities. Organizations often set back due to additional investments required in organizing such work-life balance policies, but when managers are convincing to bring up the concept, there is no obstacle to restrain such vital norms (Clutterbuck, 2003). In UK the importance have been understood, due which there are firms that have features to adjust with such social HRM policies. The important features include policy (setting up the environment/culture of work-life balance), practice (adapting the culture) and provision (giving flexibility- flexible work hours, life sharing) (Clutterbuck, 2003). This is how by including three basic features, HRM is able to formulize and imply such vital social norms “work-life balance” (Clutterbuck, 2003). Stress Management Policy It has been found in organizations that employees face timely stresses at the work place. This could be in the form of delayed working hours, precise work load, demoralizing expectations or overhyped responsibility. Such stressors are continuous and damaging, if not managed at the right time like at the time of development (Cornelius, 2001). They could bring intense affects like affects on employee personal health, physical or mental health and affects on employee working attitude and behaviour. Such constant stressors require instant management, and the policy which can do it is the HRM social management policy “stress management policy” (Cornelius, 2001). There are organizations that give much consideration to stress management. It is because their systems are well aware of stress disruption and its contagion (Cornelius, 2001). Organizations adapt policies on the basis of managerial decisions, like policy of stress management is adapted when the HR managers are willing to understand their employees stress levels. So the culture comes from top to bottom in an organization, which is further promoted by practice and replication (Cornelius, 2001). In HRM practices there are distinct policies that correspond to stress management and control activities. One of the most important is the job design activity. When managers design the job of personnel, their aim is to bring the highly efficient jobs; jobs which are productive and could minimize the stress load on the employees. Reducing the size of job (responsibility), there is much of the stress that gets distributed (shared with peers/employees) and by this overall stress load is minimized (Cornelius, 2001). This is how by such decisive activity and practice, HR managers are able to promote the stress management policy at the organizational level. It is one policy that understands employee’s mental level, strength and weaknesses which helps the managers to design specialized job (suitable jobs for employees). Hence stress management is a complete package, a package that distributes work load and dejects stress at all major levels of the work (Cornelius, 2001, pp.323). Conclusion In organizations there are different activities that HR managers imply in their organization setup. Like there are activities that control and manage employee’s personal value system. Work-life balance is one of those activities that deal with employee’s personal value system, a practice that creates a balance between work and life carrying activities. It is one social method that encourages employees to participate in life events, like in social networking, giving time to family and friends, paying attention to self-care and health development respectively (Martin, 2005). When employees are able to manage time between work and personal life, there are more chances of growth and progress at the work place. Work-life balance is a concept that values such notions; it is one method that engages employees to both work place and home, which is to exceed the performance and progress all at the same time (Martin, 2005). There are different features of a Work-life balance HRM practice, in the most significant ones there are three basic features, policy (creating environment and culture), practice (adapting the culture of work-life balance) and provision (giving room and extension-flexibility to employees) (Clutterbuck, 2003). Employees often face intensified stressors at the work place. Stressors could be in different forms like in the form of late working hours, precise work load, excessive expectations or overhyped responsibility (Clutterbuck, 2003). Such stressors require immediate management because if they are not managed at the earliest, could become genuine hurdles for employees at the work place (Cornelius, 2001). Stress management policy is one HRM practice that initiates the method of stress reduction. When employees become stress free, they are able to exceed performance, progress and productivity at the work place. This is how stress management is one major policy that contributes in total stress management (Cornelius, 2001). Recommendations In account of the analysis being conducted, it can be indicated that both employee and organizational performance is driven by best HRM policies. The best of the policies include work-life balance (a social policy for employee engagement) and stress management (a policy to minimize stress). Both conceptions are replicable and productive as they hold the concept of social activism plus a concept in which employees find a trust in HRM rationales (Clutterbuck, 2003). To lead organization in a substantial manner, it is necessary that HR managers adapt such viable social norms. It is for improving the health of employees (mental and physical capability) with respect to work and with respect to the health of organization as a system. On behalf of the assessment being made and the information gathered, both work-life balance and stress management policies are recommended to the administration. The policies are highly applicable and are in the direct benefit for both employees and organization system (Martin, 2005). There are certain features of each of the policy being discussed. Like in work-life balance policy, the managers have to include policy, practice, and provision as fundamental features of the policy (Clutterbuck, 2003). The features will compel the policy effectively and in a comprehensive manner. Meanwhile the policy of stress management can be driven by different methods like by the method of job design, which asserts suitability of the job and minimizes stress by placing the right person at the right job. With all the methods discussed, both work-life balance and stress management principles are highly recommended to the HRM administration, as they are most applicable and can be adapted for the longer period (Martin, 2005). List of References Clutterbuck, D., 2003. Managing Work-life Balance: A Guide for HR in Achieving Organisational and Individual Change. London: CIPD Publishing. Cornelius, N., 2001. Human Resource Management: A Managerial Perspective. London: Thomson. Martin, J., 2005. Organizational Behaviour and Management. London: Cengage Learning. Read More