Best practice People Management skills, principles, functions and processes for Information Technology Managers

1. PEOPLE SIDE OF INFORMATION
SYSTEMS (PSIS)
ITMP
CHARLES COTTER
137 MURRAY STREET GUESTHOUSE
10-12 OCTOBER 2016
www.slideshare.net/CharlesCotter

2. THE KEY FUNCTIONS OF HRM VALUE
CHAIN

3. • Step 1: HR/Workforce Planning
• Step 2: Acquiring qualified workers
• Step 3: Retaining qualified workers
• Step 4: Motivating qualified workers
• Step 5: Evaluating qualified workers
• Step 6: Training and Developing qualified and
competent employees
PEOPLE MANAGEMENT
PROCESS/VALUE CHAIN

4. LEARNING ACTIVITY
• Complete Worksheet 1:
 By referring to the HRM system (figure 1.1 on page 13), briefly outline your human
resources management roles and responsibilities as an IT manager.
 Strategic Human Resources Management (SHRM) is defined as an approach to
managing people that deals with how the organization’s goals will be achieved
through its human resources by means of integrated HR strategies, policies and
practices.
 Given this definition, indicate the five (5) propositions upon which SHRM is based.
 Given these propositions, how strategic would you rate your organization’s current HRM
practices? Substantiate your answer.
 By referring to pages 42-45 in the prescribed textbook, differentiate between the
best practice and best fit approaches to HRM. Of the two, which one do you
favour? Substantiate your reasoning.

5. LEARNING ACTIVITY
• Complete Worksheet 1:
 In the context of Strategic HRM, differentiate between horizontal
(bundling) and vertical integration. By referring to your organizational HR
strategy, rate the degree of its integration with the overall business
strategy.
 Describe the strategic business partnering role of HRM practitioners. By
referring to your current HR department, do you believe that they are
fulfilling these roles adequately? Substantiate your reasoning.
 Briefly explain how the five (5) specific issues that affect strategic
international HRM, have an impact when framing international HRM
strategies.
 Do you agree with the following statement, People are our most important
organizational asset and the only source of sustainable competitive
advantage? Substantiate your reasoning.

7. DEFINING WFP - GETTING IT “RIGHT”

9. INTEGRATING HR AND BUSINESS
PLANNING

10. STRATEGIC HR PLANNING PROCESS

11. • Forecasting should consider the past and the present
requirements as well as future organizational direction/s
Number of employees
Type of employees
Skills requirements of these employees
• Consider and assess the challenges and constraints
• Preferred Scanning tools –”What If” and Scenario Planning
FORECASTING HR DEMAND

13. • Assess the current HR capacity of the organization by
means of the Skill inventories/audits method
The knowledge, skills and abilities of your current staff need
to be identified
Employee experience, education and special skills
Certificates or additional training should also be included
• A forecast of the supply of employees projected to join
the organization from outside sources
• HRM indicators, metrics and indices e.g. turnover rates
MEASURING CURRENT SUPPLY

14. ANALYZING – RECONCILING/GAP
ANALYSIS

16. • Develop and initiate a Resourcing Strategy
• Matching strategy (intervention) with scenario
(surplus or deficit)
• Action plan-based implementation
methodology
STEP 5: IMPLEMENTING -
INTERVENTIONS

17. • There are five HR strategies for meeting your
organization's needs in the future:
Restructuring strategies
Training and development strategies
Recruitment strategies
Outsourcing strategies
Collaboration strategies
HR ACTION PLANS

18. HRM ACTION PLAN (INTERVENTION)
TEMPLATE

19. LEARNING ACTIVITY
• Refer to Chapter 15 in the prescribed text book.
• As part of your organization’s strategic planning, a
growth/expansion direction has been adopted for the
next three (3) years. This growth strategy includes
expanding IT product lines and moving into new
business markets.
• By referring to the future human resources
requirements of the Information Technology (IT)
department of this organization, apply the process of
formulating a comprehensive Human
Resources/Workforce Plan.

20. • Objective: Magnetically attracting the “Cream of
the Crop”
• Objective: Facilitating an optimal Person-
Environment (P-E) fit
• Strategy: Developing, articulating and advocating
of a compelling Employee Value Proposition (EVP)
• Strategy: Employer Branding – (re) positioning as
an “Employer of Choice”
STRATEGIC TALENT ATTRACTING AND
RETENTION

21. • A resourcing strategy is concerned with shaping what an organization has to offer
to people to join and stay in the organization. (Armstrong, 2011)
• EVP is a statement of what an organization will provide for people that they will
value - why the total work experience at their organization is superior to that at
other organizations.
• The EVP is an employee-centered approach that is aligned to existing, integrated
workforce planning strategies because it has been informed by existing employees
and the external target audience.
• Key Selling Points (KSP): Host of financial and non-financial benefits
• Non-financial benefits:
 The attractiveness of the organization
 Responsibility – corporate conduct, ethics and CSR/CSI
 Respect – diversity and inclusiveness
 Work-life balance
 Opportunities for personal and professional growth
EMPLOYEE VALUE PROPOSITION (EVP)

22. COMPONENTS OF VIABLE EVP

23. EVP PROCESS

24. • Unique Selling Points (USP) - Employer brand
that is unique and special
• Creation of a Brand image of the organization for
prospective employees
• Influenced by the reputation of the organization
• Creating an Employer Branding strategy
EMPLOYER BRANDING

25. LEARNING ACTIVITY
• Formulate a comprehensive employee value
proposition (EVP) indicating how your
organization will attract, retain and develop
its human resources.

28. RECRUITMENT PROCESS
• Defining the role (Job Analysis)
Job Specification
Job Description
• Attracting applications
Recruitment methods (internal and external)
Employee value proposition (EVP)
• Managing the application and selection process
• Making the appointment

29. MANAGING THE APPLICATION AND
SELECTION PROCESS
• The Curriculum Vitae (CV) or
• The application form
• Dealing with applications
• The ‘candidate experience’

30. SELECTION PROCESS

31. • Short-listing
• Assessing applicants to decide who should be offered a job
• Making the employment appointment (offer)
References
Medical examinations
Psychometric testing
Performance tests
• Employment offer
SELECTION PROCESS AND METHODS

34. DEFINING COMPETENCY-BASED
INTERVIEWS
• Competency-based interviews (also called structured
interviews) are interviews where each question is
designed to test one or more specific skills.
• The answer is then matched against pre-decided criteria
and marked accordingly.
• For example, the interviewers may want to test the
candidate's ability to deal with stress by asking first how
the candidate generally handles stress and then asking the
candidate to provide an example of a situation where he
worked under pressure.

35. DIFFERENTIATING BETWEEN COMPETENCY-BASED
INTERVIEWS AND NORMAL INTERVIEWS
• Normal interviews are essentially a conversation where the interviewers ask a
few questions that are relevant to what they are looking for but without any
specific aim in mind other than getting an overall impression of you as an
individual.
• Questions are fairly random and can sometimes be quite open.
• Competency-based interviews are more systematic, with each question
targeting a specific skill or competency.
• Candidates are asked questions relating to their behaviour in specific
circumstances, which they then need to back up with concrete examples.
• The interviewers will then dig further into the examples by asking for specific
explanations about the candidate's behaviour or skills.

36. CBI PROCESS FLOW

37. HOW COMPETENCY-BASED INTERVIEW
QUESTIONS ARE MARKED
Positive indicators
Negative indicators
 Demonstrates a positive approach towards the
problem.
 Considers the wider need of the situation
 Recognises his own limitations
 Is able to compromise
 Is willing to seek help when necessary
 Uses effective strategies to deal with pressure/stress
 Perceives challenges as problems
 Attempts unsuccessfully to deal with the situation
alone
 Used inappropriate strategies to deal with
pressure/stress

38. HOW COMPETENCY-BASED INTERVIEW
QUESTIONS ARE MARKED

39. S-T-A-R CBI QUESTIONING PROCESS

40. LEARNING ACTIVITY
• The person-environment (P-E) fit is a useful
approach to ensure that the most suitable and
competent applicant is appointed. Describe how
you, as an IT manager, can optimize the
match/fit between the right people to the right
jobs.
• As an IT Manager, would you favour an internal
(skills building) and/or external (skills buying)
recruitment/resourcing strategy? Motivate your
answer.

42. THE LINK BETWEEN TALENT ATTRACTION AND
EMPLOYEE ENGAGEMENT

43. • According to Hackman & Oldham:
Skills variety
Task identity
Task significance
Autonomy
Feedback
JOB CHARACTERISTICS MODEL

44. • HUMAN CAPITAL
• FINANCIAL CAPITAL
• SOCIAL CAPITAL
• INTELLECTUAL CAPITAL
• EMOTIONAL CAPITAL
• CULTURAL CAPITAL
THE IMPORTANCE OF CAPITAL – AS A
RETENTION STRATEGY

49. • Gallup’s Q12 survey:
 #1 Role clarity and expectations
 #2 Resources – materials and equipment
 #3 Role optimization and opportunities
 #4 Receipt of recognition and praise
 #5 Managerial care and interest
 #6 Encouragement of personal and professional development
DIAGNOSIS OF EMPLOYEE
ENGAGEMENT

50. • Gallup’s Q12 survey:
 #7 Opinions and inputs are valued
 #8 Job/task significance
 #9 Fellow employee commitment to performance excellence/quality
 #10 Collegial and harmonious working relationships
 #11 Managerial interest in career progression and development
 #12 Ample opportunities to learn and grow
DIAGNOSIS OF EMPLOYEE
ENGAGEMENT

51. • How can I grow?
• Do I belong?
• What do I give?
• What do I get?
FOUR STAGES OF EMPLOYEE
ENGAGEMENT

52. THE STRATEGIC IMPERATIVE OF
EMPLOYEE ENGAGEMENT

53. ENGAGEMENT’S EFFECT ON 9 KEY
PERFORMANCE INDICATORS

54. BENEFITS OF EMPLOYEE
ENGAGEMENT

56. • According to Gallup (2013) research, the best
organizations deeply integrate employee
engagement into the following four (4) areas:
Strategy and Leadership Philosophy
Accountability and Performance
Communication and Knowledge Management
Development and on-going Learning Opportunities
BEST PRACTICE EMPLOYEE
ENGAGEMENT

57. • According to Gallup (2013), strategies to improve employee
engagement are:
 Use the right employee engagement survey
 Focus on engagement at the enterprise and local levels
 Select the right managers
 Coach managers and hold them accountable for their employees’
engagement
 Define engagement goals in realistic, everyday terms
 Find ways to connect with each employee
STRATEGIES TO DEVELOP EMPLOYEE
ENGAGEMENT

58. • According to Gallup (2013), three (3)
strategies to accelerate employee
engagement are:
Select the Right People and Managers
Develop employees’ strengths
Enhance employees’ well-being
STRATEGIES TO ACCELERATE
EMPLOYEE ENGAGEMENT

59. ARMSTRONG’S EMPLOYEE
ENGAGEMENT STRATEGIES
• Refer to Chapter 14
Leadership
The work environment
Job design
Opportunities for personal growth
Performance Management

60. LEARNING ACTIVITY
• As an IT Manager, describe how you can apply each of the
following five (5) strategies to enhance engagement:
 The work itself
 The work environment
 Leadership practices
 Opportunities for self-development
 Opportunities to contribute in the workplace
• Propose alternative, viable retention strategies for IT
professionals.
• Refer to the two (2) reading articles, How Smart Companies Retain
Top Talent (Rousseau) and Reap the Benefits of Engaging with
Employees (Hartman-Weitz) and extract relevant retention and
engagement strategies, respectively.

62. WHAT MOTIVATES EMPLOYEES?

63. MOTIVATIONAL APPROACHES
CARROT STICK

64. PERCEPTUAL GAP

65. BENEFITS OF A MOTIVATED
WORKFORCE
• Quality performance
• High levels of productivity (“a team member
is a productive team member”)
• High levels of commitment (to both the team
and organization)
• High levels of team cohesion

66. MANAGERIAL MOTIVATION ACTIONS
• Set specific goals for employees
• Goals should be realistic and attainable
• Job must suit the employee’s personality
• Respect and recognise individual differences
• Provide immediate feedback to employees on their performance
• Rewards should be individualistic
• Link rewards to performance
• Honour the principle of internal equity (i.e. fairness for all employees)
• Motivational theories should be regarded as cultural bound

71. LEARNING ACTIVITY
• Employee motivation is often regarded as
both the Holy Grail as well as the most
challenging human resources management
function. As an IT Manager, recommend five
(5) of the following motivational strategies
for IT staff:
Financial motivational strategies/rewards
Non-financial motivational strategies

73. LEARNING ACTIVITY
• Employee voice can be regarded as the ability
of employees to influence the actions of the
employer. As an IT Manager, describe what
opportunities can be created to facilitate
employee grievances, participation and
involvement in decision-making.

75. PERFORMANCE EQUATION

77. PERFORMANCE MATRIX

78. CAUSES OF POOR PERFORMANCE
• Personal problems
• Skills/competence
• Lack of resources
• Organizational factors

79. LEARNING ACTIVITY
• Apply the 5-step Performance Management
process to employees of your IT department.
In particular, concentrate on the
management of poor performance, ill
discipline and application of the Performance
Matrix.

81. DEFINITION OF STRATEGIC LEARNING AND
DEVELOPMENT

89. LEARNING ACTIVITY
• The key elements of human resources
development (HRD) are learning; training and
development. As an IT Manager, recommend
both learning and on-the-job (OTJ) training
and development strategies, in order to
create an empowered and competent IT
workforce.

90. CONCLUSION
• Key points
• Summary
• Questions
• Assignment
• Administration

91. CONTACT DETAILS
• Charles Cotter
• (+27) 84 562 9446
• charlescot@polka.co.za
• LinkedIn
• Twitter: @Charles_Cotter
• http://www.slideshare.net/CharlesCotter