2. Table of content:
Contents
page
Executive Summary:
iii
Task- 1
1.1 Guest’s model of HRM:
4
1.2 Difference between Story’s definition on HRM, personnel and industrial relations:
5
1.3 Developing a strategic approach to HRM and impact of line managers and 5
employees:
Task- 2
2.1 Flexibility model in practice:
6
2.2 Types of flexibility for organizations:
7
2.3 Flexible working practices from employer and employee perspective:
7
2.4 Impact of changes in labor market on flexible working practice:
8
Task- 3
3.1 Discrimination in workplace:
8
3.2 Implication of equal opportunity legislation for organization:
10
3.3 Differences between managing equal opportunity and diversity:
10
Task- 4
4.1 Comparing methods of performance management:
11
4.2 Evaluation of employee welfare management:
12
4.3 Implication of health and safety legislation on HR:
12
4.4 Impact of topical issue on HR practices:
13
References:
14
ii
3. Executive Summary:
HR managers are responsible for the management of staffs, their development and
maintenance within the firm and for satisfying the organizational need for personnel. HRM is
the most significant segment of an organization because the success of other segments
depends mostly on the effective personnel recruitment and management within. The primary
activities and objectives of HRM are recruiting, developing performance, motivating staffs
and ensuring welfare in workplace. HR managers concern with the flexibility in workplace,
safety issues, discriminatory factors and motivating factors. To maintain an attractive image
to the labor market, organization set HR strategies and policies for ensuring equal
opportunities ignoring gender factor, age factor or other affecting issues. Because of the
demographic changes in labor market, firms require to reform the HR plans and activities.
HRM includes contribution and liability of both employers and employees to reach
organizational goal and fulfill HR needs. The working condition, safety on using operational
tools, employer co-operation all these are important factors for providing a satisfied feelings
in the employees’ mind.
iii
4. Task- 1 Human resource management from different perspective
1.1 Guest’s model of HRM:
The HR model was introduced by David Guest (1997) which is anappropriate model in
comparison with the other models on HR. The model identifies that an organization has to
start with different strategies requires specific activities and that results in output. The model
bears 6 sequential modules-
HR
strategies
HR
practices
HR
results
Behavioral
output
Performance
outcome
Financial
consequences
Amongst world’s top most companies, Unilever is one of the leading companies. Their goal
is to attain a more viable growth, minimize their operational impact on the environment and
doubling their profit. The association between the HR policy of Unilever and Guest’s model
is discussed below:
Unilever forms HR strategies linked with the firm’s core objectives and structures.
More orderly supply chain staff management, discrimination free job atmosphere, long period
commitment, equal privileges and maintenance of child labor strategy.
In turn personnelacquireenthusiasm, more goal-oriented and pleased in their work.
Employeesexecute standard performance and their developed performance emphases on
corporate structural goals and principles.
Personnelparticipation, co-operation and consumer-focused activities resulted in better profit
and achievement of more consumer and market portion.
4
5. 1.2 Difference between Story’s definition on HRM, personnel and
industrial relations:
HRM
Personnel management
IR
and
Personnel
management
HRM
means
theutilization It’s a directional task which IR is the link and relation
anddevelopment of human assets, tries and guides to bring between
managers,
personnel, managers, suppliers, productivity in operation.
employees
consumers and retainsuperiority,
parties like Government.
commitment
and
external
to
achievestructuralgoals.
Unileverinitiatesevents on health Unilevercomprisesactions
&
hygiene,development
people,
takes
supplier
of like
training,
and knowledge
professionalcounsel and which performance
It contains the interactive
guidance, perspective of HR, laborand
record
save union relationship.
to
helps to build an effective supply- improve the personnel.
chain system.
1.3 Developing a strategic approach to HRM and impact of line managers
and employees:
HRM is a procedure and structure of hiring, training and developing the human resources of
all structuralstages. To possess pace with the altering environmental condition, Unilever
attempts recruitment and improvement of suitable,capableapplicants to acquire performance
and this will increase the corporate value. HR line managers havehuge responsibilities to
fulfill HR necessities for the alteredbusinessatmosphere. For line managers and employees of
Unilever applyingmethodsthat can be beneficial and appropriatea. Create desire: The line managers require the sense of aspiration and significance of
HR responsibility and action. To apply HR methods in work more efficiently and
practically, HR divisionshouldaid them creating a desire.
5
6. b. Developing competency: Training services can be introduced to develop their HR
proficiencies and abilities which will encourage them to accomplish HR
accomplishmentssuccessfully.
c. HR responsibility: Strong HR theory, strategies, rules, techniques and duties will be
very supportive for the line managers and personnel to visibly understand the
significance of HR activities.
d. Providing support: HR authorities need to help and deliver support to line managers
to be able in applying HR strategies successfully.
e. Grow capacity: Line managers need to complete immense short term basis
operational tasks which don’t motivate their HR duty. Their HR capacity needs to be
effectively amplified along with their operating tasks.
Task- 2
Developing flexibility within workplace.
2.1 Flexibility model in practice:
Atkinson’s model of core and peripheral workforce: This model describes that the
peripheral and core workforce balance fluctuates due to the unstructured usage of peripheral
workforces in the managerial positions. The managers should maintain appropriate coreperiphery policy for workforces, to make certain that they don’t make unbalanced employee
selection.
1. Core workforce: Staff from this division is extremely skillful, superior performers
and has job security. Flexibility function explains the suitable approach for core labor
force. According to Guest (1987), core labor force is well-known as high commitment
labor force.
2. Peripheral workforce: Staffs from peripheral zone perform the numerical and dayto-day undertakings of firms. They complete jobs which are important but not the
most essential for a firm.
6
7. 2.2 Types of flexibility for organizations:
Flexibility in work environment means how rapidly the staffs can adapt to fluctuations and
instabilities in supply and demand of labor market. Atkinson gave suitable flexibility type in
work surrounding. Atkinson described four approaches can be very useful for getting
workforce equilibrium flexibility in Unilever.
a. Peripheral numerical flexibility: It means the modification of labor entry from the
labor market. It entails the activities ofemploying temporary labors, fixed-term
contract, and Easing of Occupation security rules for firing permanent workers as
managerial need.
b. Functional flexibility: It comprises of the shifting of employees from one task to
other tasks and duties within the firm. It’s the training of staffs and outsourcing of
tasks.
c. Temporal flexibility: Temporal flexibility comprisesmodification of workplan, flexi
time, working shifts, overtime of presently working workforces.
d. Financial flexibility: This flexibility is like more difference in salarylevel from
person to person but not fixed as a whole. Financial flexibility can be achieved by
giving assessment based and performance based payment.
2.3 Flexible working practices from employer and employee perspective:
From managers and workersperspective, there aresomegenerally used flexibility approaches
in work environment.
- Job sharing:Two employees usually share a job otherwise done by one individual. Through
this kind of flexibility, salary is reduced through job distribution.
- Part-time:Employeesoccupy less time functioning;typically around 35-40 hours a week.
- Teleworking:Employees need not to join at the work but execute the job from home or
outdoor through the telecommunication.
- Staggered hours:This working method works like when all staffs don’t arrive or leave the
firm at same time but produce vast overlaps.
- Compressed hours:Personnel can work stretched hours every day to reach a predetermined
total weekly hours which permits them to have a day off in a week.
7
8. - Homeworking:Organizationsemploy these employees to accomplishparticularjobs which
can be done from the home.
- Zero hour contract:This is a sort of procedure between the staffs and managers where no
time is set for completing a task. Manager can provide a job or not and also worker can
agreeon the job or not. The payment is made on the basis of hours worked.
2.4 Impact of changes in labor market on flexible working practice:
For financial and environmental fluctuations, labor market is altering continually. To achieve
structural objective, manager has to identify and confirm that they employright staffs with
neededproficiencies and skills for suitable role. Due to the modifications in the labor market
demand-supply condition, work life flexibilities must be reformed.
Labor marketdemography: Demography has been restructuring labor market demand
andsupply for a long interval. Falling birthrate decreases the new labor resource available.
The improveddurability of people raises the supply of elderindividuals working after the
retirements. Women’s improvedinvolvement in business world has improved the picture of
gender share and workplace strategies. By these ways demographic phases are changing the
flexibility outlines that are commonlyfitted. Diversified workforces and their shifting
demographic phasesobligemultiplicity of flexibility plans to attain strategic goals.
Task- 3
Impact of equal opportunities in workplace
3.1 Discrimination in workplace:
Employees face discriminations of diverse types in workplace. ILO demarcated
discrimination occurs due to the presence of dissimilarities in personal background, age, race,
gender and individualities which block equivalent opportunity at workplace. When a
company faces discriminations in workforces, human improvement practice is inhibited,
degradation, violations occurs and as a consequence the employees lose inspiration and
standard. Firm falls into trouble not being able to attain its HRM objective and structural
purposes.
8
9. - Discrimination of gender:Companiesface gender discrimination when women experience
negligence in working place compared to the male colleagues who get morechance and pride.
Women become discouraged to partake in business world and economic progression. Firm
mustsupplyequivalentprivileges in recognition, promotion and accountability to male and
female employeesboth as they geta message of superiority and motivation.
- Discrimination of religion: Employees of diverse religions face discrimination in
occupation life.
Individuals coming from
a smaller religious background
face
variousdifficulties to keep pace with company structure, philosophy and behavior. Company
policies must be established as it comply with the spiritualdissimilarities and deliver them
equal chances.
- Discrimination of age:Employees are differentiated from chance of promotion,
transmission and power because of their age differences. HRM managers must offer
equivalent opportunity of incentive, advancement and transmission to all the employees
established on their performances and triumphs.
- Discrimination of disability: Disable applicants are frequently underestimated and
mistreated in recruitment because some people think that they have less capabilities and
skills. But these individuals can do some definite tasks and work with superiority. Their
disability should be undervalued during the selection and their performance must be similarly
measured.
- Discrimination of background: Personnel from diverse educational and family
background experience differentiatedapproaches, treatments and behavior from the superiors.
Thus individuals from certain family or educational experienceobtain more consideration and
welfares in their work life than the other personnel. All the employees must be
benefittedsimilarlysubjectto their abilities and proficiency; background shouldn’t be
considered.
9
10. 3.2 Implication of equal opportunity legislation for organization:
For the equal privileges of the employees and reducing discrimination in work atmosphere,
organizations try to develop equal right and opportunity rules. Worker’srights areprotected in
HR and other divisions of operations and administrationscontaining job building, staffing,
remuneration, transfer and economicassistances after leaving. Discrimination is of two typesdirect and indirect.
Direct:Persons who are differentiated and provided with less advantages than other staffs
from preferredexperience, characteristics to the managers.
Indirect:All employeesget equal privileges and guidelines but those directions might prove
unmanageable or tough to abide by because of certainlimitations and principles.
To present and increasefairness in all segments of firm’s activities, organizationsmust comply
with some vital factors
Equal salary structure andpromotion opportunities.
Supportpersonnel to shaperelation and communication between individuals who own
advantageous position and those who don’t.
Eliminate any illegal acts or work harassment.
Adjust services and privileges for employees that don’t carry certain characteristics.
Abide by the workplace legislation act.
3.3 Differences between managing equal opportunity and diversity:
Diversity controlling is a paradigm which is termed as the expansion of equal opportunity
privilege. Equal opportunity is developed to diminish discriminations. But differentiated
personnel benefit a firm and require a planned administration of the diversity.
Aspects
Managing equal opportunity
Managing diversity
Driver aspects
Externally driven
Internally driven
Method structure
Operational configuration
Strategic configuration
Measured as
A problematic state
A favorable state
Focus base
Group discrimination considered
Individual dissimilarities
Understanding base
Thinner
Wider
10
11. Task- 4
Approaches to human resource practices.
4.1 Comparing methods of performance management:
A company shoulddevelop the performance of its personnel to make essential adjustments
through performance evaluation. Different evaluation practices are used to evaluate the
performance. The procedures of assessment that could be advantageous for valuation of
performance quantity and quality are:
MBO: Performance is sorted based on the achievement of structural goal through
performance. Performance standard is determined and real performance is linked to
discover new programs and other changes.
360 degree feedback: In this method evaluation is determined from superiors, teammembers and clients and self. This method is very advantageous to get multiple
assessment, more self-development and right response.
Assessment centers: Managers take part in assessment centers to experience work
relatedapplicationand then performance iscalculated by the trainers. Through training
process like virtual work set-up, group operation, the communicationtalent, planning
ability, leadership merit, ingenuity, patience range etc. are evaluated. This system is
more reliable and effective to assess the future prospect and development of
performance and necessities than the other assessmenttechniques.
Psychological assessment: This method is used to calculate the understanding and
prospect for future performances. Psychological evaluation is applied through
expressive test, knowledge profoundness discussion and other in-depth evaluations.
This assessment is used to identify the expressive and motivational traits and
individualisms which affect output and performance.
4.2 Assessment of employee welfare management:
Employee welfare management involvesactions that enrich employeework life and make their
lives valuable. Superiors should providesupports, facilities, encouragement, welfare, medical
services and traditional events to retain the labor force for anextended period. The motives of
an organization behind the employeewell-being are as follows:
11
12. To achieveretained labor force and lessen labor turnover.
To attain more efficiency and beneficialworker relation that support co-ordination.
To controlthe trade and labor union movements.
To grow job attractiveness for more effective engagement.
To deliver healthy work condition.
Employee welfarepractice must be evaluatedrepeatedly to examine the monetary paybacks
and expenditures. Welfare superiorsneedmeasuringparticularcodes of welfare management
Decide if the activitiessatisfy the actual necessities of staffs.
Facilities and aids rulesshould be adjustedto cover the personal heterogeneity. This
differentiationinservices is also recognized as cafeteria approach.
The cost of well-beingmust be well-adjusted and sustainable and the fundingsystem
must be well-planned.
Periodical evaluation will clarify the success of the undertakings through criticism.
4.3 Implication of health and safety legislation on HR:
Health and safety law directs the health and safety standard necessary to be maintained in the
place of work. It aims to avoid harms, injury, violence and other security concerns. This is
aliability ofsupervisors, superiors and workers to successfully follow safety laws and
principles. Employees wouldn’t agree to work ifoperationalcondition is risky. Organization
might be unsuccessful to attract theskilled and capableemployees and fall in competitive
weakness. So, to increasebrand image of the business to the potential labor market, attain
sustainable labor force and gain efficiency; they should guide and comply with health and
safety codes.
Health and Safety at work policystatescrucialprinciples of workplace safety, health and wellbeing concern and the duties of the managers, employees and those stakeholders who own
control in operational activities.
4.4 Impact of topical issue on HR practices:
12
13. The topical matters of HR rise during successful recruitment effort, better efficiency, training
and alleviating discriminations. Changes in such HR related issues can occur any time and for
that employers have to be prepared to reform and improve the HR activities. Individual
difference is a key driver of alterations in HR approaches and policies.
Some essential and noteworthy topical matters are
Organizing training facilities.
Conflicts resolution.
Successful recruitment practice.
Protection at workplace.
Maintaining labor force diversity.
Lessening of discriminations.
Improving efficiency.
13
14. References:
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European Foundation for the Improvement of Living and Working Conditions,
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productivity of manufacturing firms – an empirical study, International Journal of
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Erbes-Seguin,
S. (1989) `Flexibility and
the
Relationship
between
the
Individual
Employment Contract and Collective Labor Law'.
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Mumbai
Story,
D.J. and Johnson,
S. (1987) Are
Small
Firms
the
Answer
to
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14