Human Resource

Case 2: Ethical Dilemma

 

The stakeholders in this include the management of the club consisting of the president, club secretary, supporters group’s chairman and vice chairman and the players. Other stakeholders include the supporters, the club members and the authorities represented by the police as law enforcers. The need to have stakeholder’s representation in an organization boils down to the fact that they normally have a great influence on its success. Stakeholders involve both the internal and the external people having an interest on the goings on of the organization and their role in promoting a health working environment cannot be understated.  The management including the employees have the role of ensuring that the organizational policies that extends beyond material success are adhered to an in so doing creating a health working environment (Phillips & Gully, 2013).

1. Internal stakeholders determine the kind of environment the employees will work in and are the best positions to identify cases of policy violation. The external stakeholders especially the authorities should be involved so that cases of human rights violation and take the organization to task so that they adhere to established general codes of conduct. The shareholders of the organization such the members of a club have a role of ensuring that no actions taken by the organizational employees and management will destroy the reputation of the firm (Phillips & Gully, 2013).

The legal issues presented in this case involve sexual harassment by a member of the organization. The issue is seen in the sexual harassment perpetrated by Dale Andrews and under the watch of McManus and this is a crime that is punishable by law. Another legal issue involved is the obstruction of the course of justice by trying to cover up a committed crime through bribing. The ethical issues in the case relate to an organizational culture that encourages involvement in bribery and crime cover up with an aim of attaining the organizational success. The human resources dilemma is whether a person’s violation of the law should concealed just because they are considered to be very productive to the firm. The management considers dishonesty by retaining Andrew and Brown merely because of their instrumental role in the possibility of winning the premiership.

Case 1: Joe Wirihana conversation

To make Joe’s job more rewarding, I would consider providing him with more tasks as part of the work as well as more authority and responsibilities required for the completion of the additional tasks. Job enrichment would work very well in increasing the motivation of an employee especially when the additional tasks are selected to match their knowledge, abilities and skills.  In the case of Joe, the additional tasks would include answering phone calls, welcoming new members to the library as well as manning other security personnel working in the library (Smith, 2012).  Job enlargement is another strategy that would work well to break the Joe’s monotonous job. While it has limitation in that it adds no additional task to ones profile, it can motivate one to increase their performance or productivity. This would involve switching Joe’s position with other watchmen so that he can guard other sports in the compound. As for the Joe’s decision to resign, I would suggest that we work together in looking for ways in which his job can be made more enjoyable, rewarding and less monotonous.

Staff evaluation tools are very essential in understanding the performance and productivity of employees and identification of most effective ones. To retain the best employees a performance assessment need to be carried out using the evaluation tools and based on the obtained results, the staff who are high performers can be rewarded accordingly (Smith, 2012). The human resource manager would need to open up communication lines so that there no surprises related to expected results. To retain the employees, the evaluation tools would confirm the various areas of improvement for each one of them (Smith, 2012). This would include discussing with the employees the problems that prevent goal achievement. I would then work with them on proposing the resolutions, problem solving and focusing on future actions. If the problems are caused by a gap in the staff’s skills, I would ensure that skill development is provided, identification of training plan and resources available for the staff to overcome the obstacles and become a high performer and successful.

Case 2: No Job for a Woman

Attracting women in the male dominated occupations presents a challenge to human resources managers as is getting them to undergo the recruitment process. This requires the adoption of various strategies that will enable overcoming handles and prejudices associated with women taking up such positions. Such strategies include focusing on a broader potential pool of candidates that would attract the best potential personnel, building internal and external professional networks that will support outreach efforts by way of making recruitment to be an overall philosophy instead of just a task to be carried out, building referral networks based on employee goodwill and looking within the various departments for potential recruits (Evans, Glover,Guerrier &Wilson, 2007). In the recruitment process restructuring the whole process will help in eliminating the negative perceptions that women may have on jobs especially those related to combat roles in the army. To enlarge the pool of potential candidates would include developing internal control systems that will stump out the cases of women harassments and in return restore confidence among  such candidates with the roles they are about to undertake(Evans et al.2007). By assuring them that issues such as sexual harassment have been dealt with in accordance with the law, and the cases have greatly declined, the women would be more willing to undertake the combating positions.

Building internal professional and referral networks would involve promoting a positive perception of such roles through the employees to friends and families. Such individuals can play a vital role in persuading potential candidates to take up the potential to explore on their abilities in such jobs that are mostly associated with the men. The reputation of the profession plays an important role in influencing the decision to apply for such positions (Evans et al.2007). The restructuring of the recruitment process would ensure that the job structure is such that one is selected in accordance with portrayed abilities in the field. Such an approach needs the system to have motivational efforts that will encourage women to raise their esteem and therefore, confidence in taking part in the recruitment process.   Extensively refuting the perceptions people like Leo have by use of media can portray a completely different image of the working environment (Evans et al.2007). For example, providing real life examples of women who have succeeded in those positions can be very helpful in offering motivation. Such includes women who have succeeded in performing combat roles in Vietnam and Israel.

 

Case: Managing Diversity

Question 5

  The changing business environment in New Zealand comes with various issues that concern the diverse workforce, various legislations influencing the workplace and some technological aspects that affect the level of qualification of an organization’s employees (Varma &Budhwar, 2013).  HR managers in New Zealand who come across such issues challenges have to apply their leadership skills and expertise to prevent problems that may arise (Varma &Budhwar, 2013). Diversity is one such issue which involves multi-generational employees come from different countries, cultures and backgrounds and having varying areas or levels of qualification.  Almost four generations can be found within the workforce of an organization some young and others in the age of retirement. These people can have different sets of qualifications, expectations, values and work styles at work. The challenge is how to create a harmonious working environment that allows the young staff and new recruits to learn from the more established and experienced employees (Varma &Budhwar, 2013).  Another issue includes achieving cohesion between employees belonging to different countries and cultures which may come with challenges such as communication barriers, different levels of qualifications and sets of values.  Advances in telecommunicating can also present challenges to human resource management, as relationships between Tele-working, telecommunication and report reporting are being adopted extensively in the work places (Phillips & Gully, 2013). These kinds of changes may affect the productivity of some employees.

Such challenges are encountered by managers who have to take into account the principles outlined in the Treaty of Waitangi. This agreement has various implications in regard to the employment obligations more so among the Maori people in the departments of Public services (Varma &Budhwar, 2013). The human resource managers must consider the obligations outlined in the agreement in regard to equal opportunities in employment during the recruitment and hiring process.  This involves recognizing and respecting the diversity of the staff in the working place coming from various backgrounds. For instance the treaty would be useful in recognizing the Maori people in the working place.  A business landscape that is transforming rapidly means that human resource management will continue facing emerging challenges currently and in the nearby future. The world is ever becoming more globalized and with increased movement of professionals means that organizations in New Zealand will continue encountering people from divergent cultures working in their offices and similar environment. Communication, cultural and value-based barriers will require that managers adopt strategies that will encourage a harmonious working environment.

Question 6

For the purpose of staffing , Brendon need to  focus on demand planning which will involve determining the number of staff expected to leave the firm and how the vacant positions left can be filled. Demand planning involves considering whether staffing is done against demand appropriately. He needs to determine whom and when to higher the any positions in the organizations. Four employees are nearing their retirement but are considered the best in KSA’s in the firm which means that they have to be replaced soonest time possible to avoid disruption in the operations. In addition, the individuals to replace the four valuable employees must meet the KSA’s standards required so that no knowledge gap is left in the organization management. This staffing plan needs to adopt an effective selection and induction method for those employees performing elementary tasks.

Performance management is always aimed at promoting and improving the effectiveness of employee in an organization. It is a continuous where planning is involved in monitoring and reviewing the contribution of the employee to the achievement of the set goals and objectives in an organization (Smith, 2012). Brandon would need to align the efforts of the highly performing foreign employees to the goals of Genuine Shoes firm, a process that would require him to solve the communication barrier brought about by difference in languages. This would involve establishing a planning that encourages two-way communication so as to enable positive feedback in the monitoring and reviewing performance result (Smith, 2012). Collaboration would eliminate any fear or threat posed by their performance.

Strategic plan in compensation management is based on the need to attract best employees and retaining them. Brendon would include in his plan the payment scales and company perks, benefit packages and reward programs. The strategic plan should assist Brendon in a great way to attract competent employees who can replace the four retiring individuals. Attracting employees with same qualifications as the retiring ones should ensure continued better results and productivity.  Reward programs involve compensation of the employees on the basis of their performance. Of more importance is the need retain the skilled and highly performing employees since it would show them that their efforts are valued. Perks and benefits enhance the chances of retaining the best employees hence should be part of strategic plan (Smith, 2012).

In the strategic planning, Brendon needs to consider learning and development in order to fill the skill gaps existing especially among the employees tasked with performing elementary tasks. Rather than depending on longer serving employees to train the less experienced ones, Brandon needs to have strategic plan that identifies areas that need further training and activities that can be undertaken for the purpose if training. Development involves having all the employees understand their potential and pursue various means of utilizing them for personal growth while still being aligned to objectives of the firm (Smith, 2012).

References

 

Evans, C. Glover J., Guerrier, Y., Wilson, C. (2007). Effective Recruitment strategies and Practices. Addressing Skills Needs & Gender Diversity Challenges in ITEC and Related Sectors. Retrieved from: http://www.balatonfelvidek-tapolcaiterseg.hu/digitalcity/servlet/PublishedFileServlet/AAAAVNWI/Effective_recruitment_strategies_and_practices.pdf

Smith, T. (2012). Strategic workforce planning: Guidance & back-up plans. Scotts Valley, CA: CreateSpace. 20-50

Phillips, J. M., & Gully, S. M. (2013). Human resource management. Mason, Ohio: South-Western Centage Learning. 43-45

Varma, A., Budhwar , P.(2013).Managing Human Resources in Asia-Pacific. Routledge