| About Human Resource Management and | | | | facilitated. These ways vary from job-sharing |
| Successful Organizations | | | | (twopeople filling a 40-hour workweek), and |
| | | | flextime (different people startingand ending |
| HR (Human Resource) management is an | | | | their workday at different times, with two |
| often-underestimated task | | | | specific core-chunksin which everyone is |
| inwork-environments. However, it is adequate | | | | present), to telecommuting (working from |
| and conscientious HR managementthat will | | | | outside theworkplace), and more. |
| establish and retain a qualified, | | | | |
| well-cooperating workforce andtherefore, | | | | The basic message here is that different |
| ultimately, an increase of organizational | | | | people perform better underdifferent |
| growth, efficiency, andprofitability. | | | | circumstances, and that they also get |
| | | | motivated in different ways: |
| The most important tasks of the Human | | | | |
| Resource department are to make surethat the | | | | What works for one may not work for another. |
| people working in an organization 1) feel | | | | Managers, in conjunction with |
| happy, 2) are in theright job, and 3) get the | | | | |
| opportunity to upgrade their skills | | | | HR, should therefore tailor the way they |
| whennecessary. | | | | reward employees to these employees |
| | | | |
| Of course it is also HRÆs task to | | | | Æ particular preferences, otherwise a |
| coordinate the recruitment of newemployees | | | | reward can have a reverse effect on |
| for vacant positions. This brings up the | | | | aworkerÆs performance. |
| interesting point ofinternal recruiting | | | | |
| versus external recruiting. Both have their | | | | In light of the motivation issue, several |
| advantagesand disadvantages. Yet, it is the | | | | theories come to mind, of which Iwill discuss |
| HR department, together with theparticular | | | | two here: |
| department management, to determine which way | | | | |
| to go in certaincases. HereÆs the dilemma | | | | * MaslowÆs hierarchy of need, for |
| in a nutshell: | | | | instance, which teaches us that,depending on |
| | | | the need-level of a worker, certain rewards |
| A) When you hire people from the inside you | | | | will or will notwork for him or her. A worker |
| have the advantage thatthey are already | | | | who is at the basic level will probably |
| familiar with the culture and the work | | | | caremore for an extra dollar per hour than an |
| climate, but youalso have the disadvantage of | | | | expensive company present, while aworker who |
| having to retrain the ones that are | | | | is already settled with regards to basic |
| nowperforming in new positions, and having to | | | | needs, security, safety,and social contacts, |
| fill the positions that fell openwhen | | | | may care more for a prestigious title or a |
| employees got promoted. | | | | wonderfulaward complete with the entire |
| | | | ceremony that goes along with it. |
| B) Hiring externally, on the other hand, has | | | | |
| the advantage of bringingin fresh ideas, | | | | * HerzbergÆs motivation-hygiene theory |
| saving costs by hiring the person with the | | | | teaches us that there aredifferent issues at |
| right skills, butit may have the disadvantage | | | | stake when we talk about job satisfaction |
| of having to guide this newly hired | | | | than when wetalk about job dissatisfaction. |
| personthrough the organization, which can be | | | | That means so much as that you can decreasea |
| a time consuming process. And younever know | | | | workerÆs job dissatisfaction and still |
| what you get with new people, right? | | | | not have achieved an increase inhis or her |
| | | | job satisfaction. It is important for |
| So, as you can tell, everything has at least | | | | managers, together with the |
| two sides, and, again, it is HR | | | | |
| | | | HR specialists, to take note of that. In a |
| Æs call, together with departmental | | | | nutshell, Herzberg claims thatdissatisfaction |
| management, to figure out what is thebest | | | | will decrease when a worker enjoys good pay |
| decision at a certain time and in a given | | | | and security;good working conditions; good |
| situation. | | | | interpersonal relationships; good |
| | | | companypolicies; and good supervisors. |
| Another valuable point to consider is that | | | | Satisfaction, on the other hand, willincrease |
| the HR department should be moreinvolved in | | | | when a worker enjoys the feeling of |
| strategic decisions of an organization, which | | | | achievement; recognition;fulfilling work; a |
| still does nothappen as much as it should. | | | | feeling of responsibility; and advancement |
| But think of it: if the HR department | | | | and growth. |
| knowswhat the long term plans of top | | | | |
| management are, it can adjust its | | | | The simple message embedded in all of the |
| hiringrequirements to those plans and save a | | | | above is that people need to bekept satisfied |
| lot of the hassle that the retrainingand | | | | in order to perform well in a workplace. |
| laying off of employees will bring about. | | | | Managers should tryto treat all workers |
| | | | correctly and never make the mistake of |
| And then the motivation-issue: HereÆs | | | | playing workersagainst each other, while, at |
| where we contemplate on how to retainthe best | | | | the same time, they should also be aware |
| workers and keep them satisfied. There are | | | | thatthe ways in which workers get motivated |
| various ways in whichmanagers, with support | | | | vary richly. A good rapport |
| of the HR department, can generate | | | | betweendepartmental management and HR is |
| improvedperformance from workers. | | | | therefore recommended, |
| | | | although,unfortunately, it is not implemented |
| An interesting concept is the "flexibility | | | | too often yet. |
| issue" in which various workroutines are | | | | |
| discussed. TodayÆs workplaces are trying | | | | Dr. |
| all kinds of methodsto keep good workers | | | | |