Top Business Management Teams - Essay Example

HUMAN RESOURCE MANAGEMENT Human Resource Management, is widely applied in both academic and practitioner atmospheres. Though there are differences inopinion about the meaning of this terminology. Whether it's seen as a progressive way of managing people or not, factors external to a company like - employment, legal and economic affairs - shape and influence HRM. HRM needs to be taken more critically, in terms of what majority call 'strict realities' Top business management teams have always faced challenges that entail policies and strategies worth application in order to boost their business activities, goodwill and publicity. Wrong approach on these issues has seen different companies; organizations and firms topple while as correct measures have seen their excellence and succession. Recently, each and every firm has its human resource management department on the spotlight. Even though the situation is so, critics and analysts point out that it the high time line managers and human resource professionals rethought and redefined the exact meaning of human resource (Bowen and Ostroff, 2004). As a result, human resource managers are responding to scrutiny by applying new thinking and approach. They are trying to transform from the earlier concept of do-ables to focusing on more proactive measures, the deliverables. While the do-ables usually dwell on improving HR practices, upgrading HR professionals, and re-instituting or re- engineering of human resource departments. Activities involved here are emphasizing on taken actions, activities and an organizations happenings, occurrences and events. Deliverables deal mainly in outcomes, values and results that emerge from carrying out or under taking human resource upgrading or practice. Survey done on aspects towards managing performance and development of workers: shows a variety of differences depending on the nature of business. Some of the strategies applied included strategies, policies and employee recruitment, promotion, appraisals, pension payment and compensation: job design, complains handling and labor management. Managers must take competence of their workers into account very serious, technically/functionally that is individual achievements in finance, marketing and customer care, core basically in organization, crisis management, logistics and manufacturing. Social capabilities like leadership, setting directives, diversity, commitment, teamwork and credibility among other reasons. They should also consider organizational merits such as long distance work, time, speed and intellectual capital. Competencies result to correct total income and balance sheet reflection. Incase of errors or omissions, reports annual reports published would reflect a lie, even from a slight discrepancy. Competence also ensures that final products or services are of high standards thus increasing customer in flow and a growth in demand (Bowen and Ostroff, 2004). Managers should make change happen by being the change agent: In an environment that is unpredictable or even unforeseeable, they should emphasize on the ability to quickly change rather than investing on policies that might not work in such cases. They ought to prepare their workers for anything anytime. Change in the sense of perceptions and euphoria about the company is also worth consideration in efforts towards HR management. They should create an intellectual capital and play employee champions: the challenge lies in what they have and how to increase it. With keen interest on workers progress, managers can encourage and campaign for even better working conditions. By championing for their welfare in turn morale can be boosted among employees. Human resource managers need also to improve on their employee relations in order to create that friendly atmosphere. This involves understanding of their pros and cons, practicing empathy and creating a close relationship between them and the working team in their company. By showing that they really care, the workers will feel appreciated and facilitate their stay to even longer time hence improving on experience and their career. Good communication skills are key assets that any human resource manager should have. The way we communicate reflects how we relate. Listening before speaking should be put into consideration since the more respective the conversation the likelihood to win a majority of the workers. An abusive or irrespective manager makes every worker despise the firm and the job an in turn affecting their performance and development. Human resource managers can promote career progression by offering short course/training grants allocation to their workers. This helps them to rise from initial duties to being able to handle managerial roles: Instead of recruiting new staff members for those posts. This program will increase performance whereby every worker looks forward to inclusion in that training opportunity. Matters in relation to promotion through out the company should be handled professionally to avoid rows and claims. Performance and credibility and not tribalism or nepotism is the virtue to be considered in the process. If the latter is applied, it would kill morale hence hamper workers development since they feel that even if they performed their best they would not be appreciated. If performance is considered, every worker will ensure he/she works hardest to facilitate that promotion chance which comes with better pay and working conditions and utmost challenges. Identification of extra potential and its development in their workers can help improve on their performance. Workers with writing skills, sporting capabilities, acting or even musical interests should be encouraged and supported to nurture them. Workers who excel globally as a result treasure their facilitators; they become loyal and dedicated to continue being associated with the firm or corporate. Human resource managers should ensure that the company's management presents their workers with a package/kit. By this I mean, insurance and medical cover, housing and transport allowances. This makes efficiency and time management easier, it also caters for fears of job quits and resignation just incase a competitor firms tries to approach them with more attractive offers (Bowen and Ostroff, 2004). Managers should plan appraisals at each financial year end award the most productive workers from all different departments. Presenting workers with certificates of merit and trophies can help in performance boost and career development. Accomplishment of jobs becomes more of competition rather than mere tasks; it results to rivalry in a good manner whereby all workers aspire to be ranked as the best in a particular firm. Workers related complain handling should be done swift and candidly by HR managers. Speed is actually need before situations get out of hand or demonstration are launched which could result to negative publicity. If workers needs are addressed it gives them a sense of their importance in the company. Well, if they are happy with what is done, performance and development is likely to be witnessed. In addition, HR managers can apply technology that is handy to make tasks easier. Information can be attained from computer desktops and the internet. Computer linkages supply constant and current information regarding any given subject. Managers can also acquire expertise and consultancy services from private firms that are quick to react and efficient. Human resource managers need to change from rules to be followed office premises to more consultative or dialogue based ones. People sometimes feel bored by rules which in turn affect their performance (Bowen and Ostroff, 2004). Lastly on human resource management, the managers must layout and follow the company's job design, policies and strategies without adding their own responsibilities on to the workers workload. This would keep and give their mandatory performance on a growth trend and as a result, enhance development. Workers who are administered with extra task out of the policy feel, demoted and used, it becomes a turn off to them. To what extent are employee involvement practices (EIP) universally applicable Employee involvement practices are universally applicable basing the argument on the fact that, there are employees all over the world. The practices involve direct and indirect participation ranging from public policy, voice, employment regulation and accountability. Other matters that are put in to consideration include gender, work life balance, and labor management laws. First employment regulation laws can globally be translated to serve and cater any employees union. This fact is supported by the nature of same kinds of job in any country. The running of businesses takes and follows normal managerial chain links. While as the unions are constituted by employees its policies are drafted by other persons. Rarely do members run this arrangement in their unions. In this case employees are involved both direct and indirectly. Gender and employment is an issue that has severally raised alarm. It is particularly what job fits which gender-some tasks tend to be seen as male oriented but we have female workers comfortably managing to carry them out. This gender-employment debate is common almost everywhere in the universe: apart from Asian where religion hampers women's direct contact with their male counterparts. Another activity that has taken employee participation further is the working time, reporting, breaks, leaving, annual leave and overtime. Most organizations tend to force this bit on their employees and as a result led to conflicts. Activists for labor laws and rights have been speaking on behalf of the workers, hence involving them indirectly. In this world of technological advancement, it's resulted to employee involvement in settling on the way out for companies on the concept of developing information technology. Management contacts its workers in an effort to collect statistics on their educational background, further progression, skills, tactics and knowledge. Employee involvement is taking new directions; recently they are part of policy making teams which mainly deal with issues such as gender mainstreaming, wage regulation and minimizing on pay-gaps (Bowen and Ostroff, 2004). Employees are also deeply involved in trying to reconcile family relationship with employment. Many workers invest most of their time in work leaving out family. Survey indicates that this is what is causing crisis and family break-ups globally. In efforts to address the matter, employees are called upon to make decisions on what time they feel appropriate to work or take leave. Workers publicity and voice are key aspects that have seen their participation to even greater heights. Companies allocate for rights of expression, workers have the power to let their feeling and grievances known. By creating this platform, opinions on their job conditions get a scrutiny that enlightens the management on what is to be improved. It makes employees powerful giving them a voice. Human resource management works closely with the employees to facilitate health and insurance cover. Without their involvement, they would not be able to gather information about them. If the latter occurs all plans might result to halt or total omission, so, employee involvement becomes mandatory. Sometimes companies try to find this information from workmates only to end up with wrong data. Employment uncertainties can be threatening incase workers are not prepared for them. To cater for the future it becomes tantamount and unavoidable to leave them out of policy/strategy or even decision making. Involving them act as a vaccine toward immunity from vulnerability aspects of work like long working hours, career insecurity, low pay, voice and public contact control (Bowen and Ostroff, 2004). Undervaluation is another aspect that has seen more women employees involved in major decision drafting. Women have always felt under appreciated even after achieved par or pass men. This perception has seen activism and demonstrations calling out for their consideration and well, top company officials ensure a representation of women in the team. Employees must be involved when different companies try networking. In the wake of new markets and business, exchange of workers on inter-organizational contracts is the new thing; although the deal is super, company managers can not force their workers in to the program. It calls for employee's involvement in constituting such plans. For existence in mutuality management and employees must involve each other either directly or indirectly. The main aim is ti create an ambience of trust and potency where by one is dependent of the other that is, one can not be without the other. Universally workers get to play crucial parts in goals towards mutual relationship. When this is achieved, as a result of trust employees will reflect loyalty, patience, hardworking and even humility which are key aspects of business Excellency. Recently, employee involvement in almost all areas constituent of business companies has been given serious consideration. Firms have realized the hardships that come as a result of workers having to abide by rules/regulations/laws/policies and strategies whose uplift they were not part and parcel. Basically the extent to which employees are involved has gone to dimensions that no one ever thought they would reach. It worth noting that employees are important as the managers in any organization be it profit or non-profit making. Their relationship is potently mutual: they need each other for work to done. REFERENCE Bowen D. and Ostroff C. (2004), 'Understanding the HRM-firm performance linkages: the role of the "strength" of the HRM system', Academy of Management Review, Vol 29 2nd edition. Read More