Effective Habits and Human Resources Management Practices
Effective Habits for Personal and Professional Growth
Be Proactive: Take initiative and control your feelings. Begin with the End in Mind: Mental creation precedes physical creation. Put First Things First: Practice effective time and self-management using methods like the Eisenhower Matrix. Think Win-Win: Strive for mutually beneficial solutions. Seek First to Understand, Then to Be Understood: Practice empathetic listening. Synergize: Recognize that the whole is greater than the sum of its parts. Sharpen the Saw: Renew yourself in four dimensions: physical, mental, spiritual, and social. This allows you to work more quickly and efficiently.
What is Human Resources Management (HRM)?
HRM is a strategic function within organizations designed to maximize employee performance. It ensures the proper fit between employees and their roles, providing a competitive advantage. HRM involves a set of integrated professional practices to ensure a professional approach to managing people.
HRM Responsibilities
- Managing transformation and change
- Listening and responding to employee requests
- Aligning HR and business strategy
The HR Cycle
Strategy, recruiting, selecting, contracting, training, leadership, motivation, and promotion.
Best Fit vs. Best Practice in HRM
Best Fit
Tailoring HR practices to the specific business strategy. There are three main types: innovation, quality, and cost strategy. Adjust HR practices to align with the chosen strategy.
Best Practice
Implementing universally recognized best practices, such as teamwork, retention strategies, effective recruitment and selection processes, performance appraisal, and employee involvement.
Elements of Organizational Structure
Key elements include levels of hierarchy, line positions, staff positions, and horizontal relationships (coordination). Different organizational structures include:
- Functional Organization: (e.g., kitchen, reception, cleaning)
- Advantages: High efficiency, short training period, high specialization
- Disadvantages: Less flexibility, limited communication between departments
- Divisional Organization: (e.g., hotel, restaurant, spa)
- Advantages: Higher flexibility, specialization on products, improved communication at lower levels
- Disadvantages: Duplication of resources
- Matrix Organization:
- Advantages: High innovation, strong problem-solving potential, suitable for complex projects
- Disadvantages: Increased workload and capacity demands
Recruiting: Job Analysis and Description
Job Analysis: The process of collecting, analyzing, and organizing information about a job’s content to create a job description. Methods include job observation, work diaries, and interviews with job holders. The output is a job description and a person specification.
Job Description: A document outlining the job’s purpose, objectives, reporting relationships, and tasks involved.
Selection Process
The selection process involves choosing the most suitable applicant using various methods, such as reviewing CVs and cover letters, conducting interviews, administering psychometric tests, and utilizing assessment centers.
Contracts
A contract is a legally binding agreement, which can be verbal, written, or implied by conduct. Essential elements include mutual assent, legality, and capacity. An employee agrees to perform duties in exchange for a salary. The contract specifies conditions, duties, rights, and responsibilities. Types of contracts include full-time, part-time, fixed-term, apprenticeship, traineeship, freelance, and agency staff.
Effective Feedback Rules
When giving feedback:
- Describe behavior, not character
- Provide concrete examples
- Give balanced feedback
- Use “I” statements (e.g., “I see,” “I notice,” “I observe”)
- Show how to improve
When receiving feedback:
- Listen without interrupting
- Ask clarifying questions if needed
- Express gratitude
- Assess the feedback’s usefulness
- Take time before responding