HRM Summary - Notes obtained from the book, Chapters 1 to 4. - Human Resources Management in Canada PDF

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Notes obtained from the book, Chapters 1 to 4....

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Human Resources Management Summary Chapter I: Management of people to obtain organizational success based on performance and strategic goals. HR activities are now being seen as falling into two categories: First: traditional operational (administrative). Second: strategic activities focused on ensuring that the organization is staffed with the most effective human capital to achieve strategic goals. Human capital involves education, training, skills, and expertise of an organization workforce. And is considered a new way of competitive advantage. HRM should contributes to an organization culture, history, processes and context, while it gives value to its employee efforts and abilities which will translate in productivity and corporate financial performance achievements. Even for entrepreneurs and small business owners is essential to know the basics of HR.  SWOT analysis is key to decide which strategy use based on how internal and external facts affect the company. Concern for production as well as people and productivity, profits, tasks simplifications and workplace harmony were the reason of the creation of HRM. Phases of MRH: I. II.

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Early 1990’s: basic activities such as personnel administration, hiring, firing, payroll/ benefits. HR job consisted in ensuring that procedures were followed. 1930’s to 1950’s: HRM Jobs were more focus on new laws, performance appraisal and employee relations because of there wasn’t a stability in wages increasement which lead to human resources management practices forcing new regulations to take care of employee. 1960’s to 1980’s: This phase was a result of government legislation to workplace standard conditions and penalties for failure to meet them. HRM started using outsourcing for permanent basics administrative Functions. Resulted in a change of emphasis from maintenance and administration to corporate contribution, proactive management and initiation change.

Outsourcing: the practice of contracting with outside vendors to handle specified business functions on a permanent basics. IV.

1990’s to present: The HR activities are no longer exclusive for the HR department, now involves all managers and their involvement with HRM basics, working towards the organization strategies objectives, new roles. They’re now part of the HR process in every department they manage.

In order to reorganize the HRM function is best to use available evidence in making decisions, as well as using measurements, existing date and research studies. Productivity, quality, sales, market and profits and balanced scorecard are todays measurements.

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Evidence Based HRM: Use of data, facts, analytics, scientific rigor, critical evaluation, and critically evaluated research/case studies to support human resource management proposals, decision, practices, and conclusions.

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Metrics: Statistics used to measure activities and results.

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Balanced scorecard: A measurement system that translates an organization’s strategy into a comprehensive set of performance measures.

 Within considered Characteristics of a profession are: A common body of knowledge, performance, professional association and external perception as a professional. It is important to remember that code of ethics, training credentials, skill development and professional competence are some other characteristics of profession.

There are 9 functional areas within the HR competency model with subdivide in three areas of focus: Organizational: 1. Workforce, planning and talent management. 2. Labour and employee relations. 3. Total rewards Team Based: 4. Professional practice 5. Organizational effectiveness 6. Labour and employee relations Individual: 7. Learning and development. 8. Health, wellness, and safe workplace. 9. HR metrics, reporting and financial management.

There are multiples influences that affects HRM decision making process both external and internal:

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External Economic conditions: employment level, productivity and growth of primary, secondary and tertiary (service) sectors. Affects supply and demand for products, impacting quantity and quality of employees required and ability to pay/ give benefits.

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Productivity: the ratio of an organization’s (goods and services) to its inputs (people, capital, energy, and materials.)

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Labour market issues: increasing workforce diversity, increased non-standard or contingent workers (part time, self- employed, etc.) and generational differences. – Traditionalists (pre-1946) loyalty- era if hardship. Long term focused. – Baby Boomers (1946 to 1964) optimism, competitive, team oriented - largest group I the work force. – Generation X (1965 to 1980) first technology literate generation, independence, flexible and adaptable. – Generation Y (1981 to 2000) beginning to enter the workforce, expect to change jobs frequently. Confidence, collective action innovative and creative.

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Technology: new tech features, online behaviour. Controlling data and privacy. Government: new laws and regulations regarding the work sector. Abiding by provincial and national standards. Globalizations: changes around the world, market changes and regulation in other countries. Managing the workplace in an intense, hypercompetitive global economy. environmental concerns: sustainability, climate change and environmental issues affecting the company or market. Managing social responsibility.

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Internal Organizational culture: values, beliefs and assumptions, organization mission statement, positive culture. Organizational Climate: good atmosphere, stablished organization personality, leadership, HR polices and communication style that impacts employee motivation, job performance, and productivity. Management practices: bureaucratic organizations being replace with flatter structures, increased employee empowerment.

Chapter II.

The changing legal emphasis compliance and impact on Canadian workplaces Employer: right to modify employee work terms for legitimate needs. Ex: changes in the economy, changes in contracts and others justified reasons. Employee: right to be protected. Government: balance. 3 territories and 10 provinces in Canada. Each province has their own regulations.

The primary objective of most employment legislation in Canada is to prevent employers from exploiting paid workers, assuming that an implicit power imbalance exits in the employment relationship (in favor of the employer).   

4 % of your pay as vacations benefits. 1 year= 2 weeks. Paternity leave, maternity leave, compassionate leave.

Roles: the government’s role is to balance employers and employee’s needs through development and maintenance of employment legislation. Religion, perspectives, strikes, groups. Tort law: primarily judge-based law whereby the precedent and jurisprudences set by one judge through his or her assessment of a case establishes how similar cases will be interpreted.  Intentional torts: assault, battery, trespass, intentional affliction of mental distress.  Unintentional torts: negligence based on events in which harm is caused by carelessness. Regulations: legally binding rules established by special regulatory bodies created to enforce compliance with the law and aid in its interpretation. The charter of rights and freedoms: federal law enacted in 1982 that guarantees fundamental freedoms to all Canadians. 1. freedom of conscience and religion 2. freedom of thought, belief, opinion, and expression, including freedom of the press and other communication media. 3. freedom of peaceful assembly 4. freedom of association. Human rights legislation Jurisdiction-specific legislation that prohibits intentional and unintentional discrimination in employment situations and in the delivery of goods and services.

Discrimination Differential or unequal treatment, because of association and unintentional/constructive/systemic discrimination. Direct, third parties, for association. bona fide occupational requirement (BFOR) A justifiable reason for discrimination based on business necessity (that is, required for the safe and efficient operation of the organization) or a requirement that can be clearly defended as intrinsically required by the tasks an employee is expected to perform. EX: Bus driver- good vision. Reasonable accommodation The adjustment of employment policies and practices that an employer may be expected to make so that no individual is denied benefits, disadvantaged in employment, or prevented from carrying out the essential components of a job because of grounds prohibited in human rights legislation. Undue hardship the point to which employers are expected to accommodate employees under human rights legislative requirements. Financial cost make accommodation impossible. Extra cost Harassment: proof, go to HR and complain. sexual harassment Offensive or humiliating behaviour that is related to a person’s sex, as well as behaviour of a sexual nature that creates an intimidating, unwelcome, hostile, or offensive work environment or that could reasonably be thought to put sexual conditions on a person’s job or employment opportunities. sexual coercion Harassment of a sexual nature that results in some direct consequence to the worker’s employment status or some gain in or loss of tangible job benefits. sexual annoyance Sexually related conduct that is hostile, intimidating, or offensive to the employee but has no direct link to tangible job benefits or loss thereof. 

If discrimination is found, two forms of remedies can be imposed:

Systemic remedies Forward- looking solutions to discrimination that require respondents to take positive steps to ensure compliance with legislation, both in respect to the current complaint and any future practices.

Restitution remedies Monetary compensation for the complainant to put him or her back to the position he or she would be in if the discrimination had not occurred (this includes compensation for injury to dignity and self-respect), and may include an apology letter.   

Occupational segregation the existence of certain occupations that have traditionally been male dominated and others that have been female dominated. Glass ceiling An invisible barrier, caused by attitudinal or organizational bias, that limits the advancement opportunities of qualified designated group members. An employment equity program is designed to achieve a balanced representation of designated group members in the organization.

equal pay for equal works: Specifies that an employer cannot pay male and female employees differently if they are performing the same or substantially similar work. Classroom notes:    

If minimum wage goes on it might cause instability in the market. Employment equity act: federal only, provincially is not mandated. Underemployed: working under capacities. Survival jobs. Severance pay if you get lay off 50%.

Chapter III. Human Resources Management and technology. Automation: reduces the need for manual labour. Information and Communication Technology: increases workers’ flexibility, and the degree of integration between various functional areas. It also decreases the degree of centralization in the organization, resulting in a flattening of organizational structures. This decentralization is perceived to increase efficiency. Human capital: the knowledge, education, skills, and expertise of a firm’s workers. HR technology Any technology that is used to attract, hire, retain and maintain talent, support workforce administration, and optimize work- force management. A strong strategic relationship between HR and technology will enable HR to achieve three key objectives: 1. strategic alignment with business objectives 2. business intelligence—providing users with relevant data 3. effectiveness and efficiency—changing how HR work is performed by reducing lead times and costs, and increasing service levels19 Impact of technology on the role of HR

The impact of technology has fundamentally changed the HR role. It has enabled HR to decrease its involvement in transactional (administrative) activities and to increase its focus on how to improve its delivery of strategic services.

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Decreased Transactional Activities

Technology enables the reduction of the administrative burden, resulting in lowering basic transaction costs. 

Increased client/customer focus

human resources information system (HRIS) Integrated systems used to gather, store, and analyze in- formation regarding an organization’s human resources. Its primary function is to provide information to its clients, such as employees, managers, payroll staff, and HR professionals. data warehouse A specialized type of database that is optimized for reporting and analysis and is the raw material for managers’ decision support. metrics (workforce analytics): Statistical measures of the impact of HRM practices on the performance of an organization’s human capital.  

strategy-based metrics that specifically focus on measuring the activities that contribute to achieving a company’s strategic aims. Data mining Algorithmic assessment of vast amounts of employee data to identify correlations that employers then use to improve their employee-selection and other practices.

Applicant tracking systems (ATS) Online systems that help employers attract, gather, screen, compile, and manage applicants. Learning portal, A section of an employer’s website that offers employees online access to training courses. Learning management system: Special software tools that support Internet training by helping employers identify training needs, and to schedule, deliver, assess, and manage the online training itself.

Types of HRIS Typically, organizations follow a three-step process to choose an HRIS. The three steps are: Adoption phase: Determining the need of which system they will purchase. There are several main areas to be considered: company background, management considerations, technical considerations, HR considerations, and cost considerations. After this process is completed the following is: 

Request for proposal (RFP)

A document requesting that vendors provide a proposal detailing how the implementation of their particular HRIS will meet the organization’s needs. Implementation phase: In this phase, the company selects a project team that typically includes outside consult- ants who have knowledge and expertise on the technical side and expertise in change management to help the organization with the implementation. 

Privacy and security.

Integration (institutionalization) phase: Train the users on the system. Enterprise-wide system/ enterprise resource plan-ning (ERP) system: A system that supports enterprise-wide or cross-functional requirements rather than a single department within the organization. Stand-alone system A self- contained system that does not rely on other systems to operate. Electronic HR:    

Electronic HR (e-HR) A form of technology that enables HR professionals to integrate an organization’s HR strategies, processes, and human capital to improve overall HR service delivery. HR portal A single Internet access point for customized and personalized HR services. Employee self-service (ESS): Enables employees to access and manage their personal information directly. Management self-service (MSS) Enables managers to access a range of information about them- selves and the employees who report to them and to process HR-related paperwork that pertains to their staff.

Chapter IV. Designing and Analyzing jobs.

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Job: A group of related activities and duties held by a single employee or a number of incumbents. Position: The collection of tasks and responsibilities performed by one person. job analysis: The procedure for determining the tasks, duties, and responsibilities of each job, and the human attributes (in terms of know- ledge, skills, and abilities) required to perform it. All components

Job timeline: specifics task based on time. Ex: Tim Hortons, small task like open the branch. Job analysis

Job descriptions: duties, and responsibilities. Job Specifications: skills and qualifications, experience. Salary:

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some companies use Market Basket to assign a salary to a specific position.

The six steps involved in job analysis are as follows:

1. Relevant organizational information is reviewed. 

organizational structure the formal relationships among jobs in an organization. Should be appropriate given strategic goals.

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organization chart A “snapshot” of the firm, depicting the organization’s structure in chart form at a particular point in time. process chart A diagram showing the flow of inputs to and outputs from the job under study.

Designing an organization involves choosing a structure that is appropriate given the company’s strategy. Organization structure is divided in:  Bureaucratic: typical manufacturing organization. President-VPdirectors-managers-staff.  flat: a typical research and development organization (increased number of employees reporting to them and less time to manage them). Owner-managers-associates.  matrix. : a consumer products company. Marketing – finance- sales – production. 2 bosses

2. Jobs are selected to be analyzed Involves the selection of representative positions and jobs to be analyzed.

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job design: The process of systematically organizing work into tasks that are required to perform a specific job.

Changes and globalization have influenced in the process of analyzing jobs, focusing on competencies and skills rather than specific duties and tasks.

Evolution of Job analysis. 

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work simplification: An approach to job design that involves assigning most of the

administrative aspects of work (such as planning and organizing) to supervisors and managers, while giving lower-level employees narrowly defined tasks to perform according to methods established and specified by management. Industrial engineering: A field of study concerned with analyzing work methods; making work cycles more efficient by modifying, combining, rearranging, or eliminating tasks; and establishing time standards. Analysis and rearrange. job enlargement (horizontal loading) A technique to relieve monotony and boredom that involves assigning workers additional tasks at the same level of responsibility to increase the number of tasks they have to perform. Adding more things to the job.

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job rotation A technique to relieve monotony and employee boredom that involves systematically moving employees from one job to another. Shifting from one job to another. Sever- cashier- bagels.

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Job enrichment (vertical loading) Any effort that makes an employee’s job more rewarding or satisfying by adding more meaningful tasks and duties. Making it better, improvement- high level.

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Ergonomics: An interdisciplinary approach that seeks to integrate and accommodate the physical needs of workers into the design of jobs. It aims to adapt the entire job system— the work, environment, machines, equipment, and processes—to match human characteristics.

Competency-Based Job Analysis

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competencies Demonstrable characteristics of a person that enable performance of a job. Skills competency-based job analysis Describing a job in terms of the measurable, observable behavioural competencies an employee must exhibit to do a job well.

Reasons to Use it:   

The way of describing the job based ...