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Unit 6
Unit 6
Structure: 6.1 Introduction Objectives 6.2 Concept of Employee Growth 6.3 Managing Career Planning 6.4 Elements of a Career Planning Programme 6.5 Succession Planning 6.6 Other Career Programmes 6.7 Summary 6.8 Glossary 6.9 Terminal Questions 6.10 Answers 6.11 Case Study
6.1 Introduction
In the previous unit, we discussed the meaning and methods of training, concept of management development and management development methods. We also learnt the evaluation of training and development, and the differences between training and development. Now let us look into an employers career planning and growth. An individuals career describes the different positions held by him throughout his work life. An evaluation of a career would show the extent to which one has accomplished the specific career goal. Career can be defined as a sequence of positions. Organisations have to help employees plan their careers and manage them. The employees have to be given a chance to identify their competencies and aptitudes, and then provided with the right opportunities. Organisations that help their employees plan their career, enjoy and benefit from a motivated and loyal workforce. A career can be viewed from two perspectives, objective and subjective, as objective perspective of career deals with the past position held by an individual. In this unit, we will discuss the concept of employee growth and managing career planning. We will also study the elements of career planning programme, succession planning and other career programmes.
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Objectives: After studying this unit, you should be able to: analyse the concept of employee growth describe the dimensions of career planning review promotions and internal job postings describe succession planning evaluate other programmes for special employee growth
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Self Assessment Questions 1. Companies are designing __________________________ to increase employee productivity, prevent job burnout and obsolescence, and improve the quality of employees work lives. 2. To cope in todays turbulent times, it has become increasingly important for both _______________ and ______________ to better redress employee career needs. 3. The end result for a ____________ workforce is one that has selfreliant workers who are capable of uninventing themselves to keep us with the fast pace of organisational changes.
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opportunities. Therefore, an organisation that shows concern for the employees future by providing them the best opportunities can attract and retain talented people. Ensures growth opportunities for all: A comprehensive planning exercise by the organisation ensures growth opportunities for all the employees. Handles employee frustration: Todays workforce is more knowledgeable and has greater expectations. They desire more responsibility and greater challenges. A good career development programme can help in handling the expectations of the employees. Career management: is the process of designing and implementing goals, plans and strategies that enable HR professionals and managers to satisfy workforce needs and allow individuals to achieve their career objectives. Career development programmes help in the achievement of career objectives. Career anchors: It is attitudinal characteristics that guide people throughout their careers. Autonomy/Independence: Desire to have freedom and not to be bossed over. Security/Stability:Individuals who want to be free from any anxiety of uncertainty or insecurity prefer to remain in the same kind of job and with the same employer. Technical/Functional competence:-Those with a technical/functional competence exhibit a strong inclination to develop something which they can call their own, e.g., engineers, scientists, technologists etc. General management: Have good planning, organising, managing and controlling skills. They have a broader view of things and play a facilitating role. Entrepreneurial creativity: Individuals with creativity as an anchor are more often successful as artists, free lancers, entrepreneurs. Service: Service as a career anchor drives individuals to take up jobs in not for profit service organisations. Pure challenge: People who just love to solve difficult problems.
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Life-style: For some people, nothing is more important than enjoying life. They have a disinclination to sacrifice life-style solely for career advancement. Self Assessment Questions 4. _________ can be defined as a sequence of positions, roles or jobs held by one person over a relatively long time span and over his/her life time. 5. ___________refers to the process by which an individual selects career goals and the path to these goals. 6. _________ is an attitudinal characteristic that guides people throughout their careers.
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Career counselling This is the final stage of career planning. The supervisor as well as the HR department, has to counsel the employee regarding the available opportunities, the employees aspirations and of course, his competencies. Activity 1: Speak to a friend or a relative working in a large company and find answers to the following questions: How is career planning handled by the company? What career planning policies does this company have?
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A succession planning exercise concludes with an organisation chart of all key positions with listing of possible potential candidates and the readiness rating for each potential candidate. For example, a position that can immediately be filled is rated higher than a position which does not have a ready-now candidate. Other components include performance appraisal of these employees, and individual development plans and management development programmes. Additionally, the factors rated as most important in selecting specific internal/external potential candidates for grooming includes: past job performance, past positions or prior employment, perceived credibility, area of expertise and career paths and values and attitudes. Following are the benefits of having a formal Succession Planning System: Provides a clear framework to strategic business planning as the key positions for the businesss success are what are being planned for. Aligns strategic goals and human resources to enable the right people in the right place at the right time to achieve desired business results. Develops qualified pools of candidates ready to fill critical or key positions. Provides stability in leadership and other critical positions to sustain a high-performing service. Identifies workforce renewal needs as a means of targeting necessary employee training and development. Helps individuals realise their career plans and aspirations within the organisation. Improves employees ability to respond to changing environmental demands. Provides opportunity for timely corporate knowledge transfer. Regardless of what type of succession planning programme is used (formal or informal), most successful programmes obtain the support of top management.
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Self Assessment Questions 7. Succession planning is usually restricted to senior-level management positions and can be _________________or ____________. 8. Formal succession planning involves an examination of strategic (longrange) plans and HR forecasts and a review of the data on all ___________________ employeers. 9. Succession planning reduces ___________________ of managerial development movements.
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opportunities within the company, linking them with job placement consultants as well as sponsoring the cost of re-training or picking up a new skill. The amount and nature of support could vary from company to company. Some firms have altered their policy to allow for hiring both spouses while they may not be allowed to work in the same department/team. Worklife balance seminars and flexible HR practices Through these practices, organisations design programmes to help employees manage their work-family conflicts and coping strategies. Especially prevalent in the business process outsoursing organisations where the work-life balance is a concern. This practice is now part of most organisations where the increasing work pressure is driving companies to help employees cope with personal pressure. Various stress management workshops and stretchexercise schedules are practiced to help employees cope with stress. Lifestyle management workshops too are becoming popular in larger organisations. Organisations are also changing their practices for recruitment, travel, transfer, promotions, scheduling hours and benefits to meet the needs of the larger number of dual career couples. Flexible work schedules Are being increasingly instituted at the workplace. These include flexitime, job sharing, part time work, working from home, compressed workweeks, temporary workweeks, etc. Such programmes enable employees to address their work and family concerns and reduce their potential stress or conflicts between their various life roles. Telecommuting has become very popular. This provides for organisational as well as employee related advantages. Some difficulties with telecommuting are communication problems with other employees, limited access to necessary supplies and equipment and family interruption. Outplacement programme During retrenchment and downsizing is a professionally managed process in most organisations. The objective here is to assist the affected employees in making the transition to new employment. It could involve re-skilling for new, more relevant skills per market demand, so finding a new job is easier. Companies might tie up with training institutes and provide the skills training. Else the company might prefer to reimburse the cost of re-skilling directly to the impacted employee for a course of his/her choice. Outplacement services would also involve working with placement agencies and recruitment firms to provide
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interviewing opportunities for the employees. Outplacement programmes stress the importance of self confidence and individual career planning beneficial for middle or late-career employees who are being laid off. Special programmes for women, minorities and employees with disabilities With organisations increasingly tapping into this critical talent pool, more employees in these special categories are entering the workforce. This calls for special focus on the importance of assisting these employees with their career needs. Fast track employees Are now being increasingly identified as stars with high potential for bright future in the organisation. The identification and development of these employees requires organisations to exert efforts to build and monitor special programmes that cater to this special audience. These employees are identified in a formal process and are placed on a fast track programme. The objective here is to enable them to move to senior positions quickly. As is with all other such initiatives, this initiative helps in retaining this critical talent. Among other activities that target this group they are offered quicker job changes and more challenging job assignments.
6.7 Summary
Let us recapitulate the important concepts discussed in this unit: Employee growth is an evolving HR activity in todays corporate. While immediate returns are not measurable the payoffs from these investments have proven long-term benefits. Career development programmes must be integrated with and supported by the existing HR programmes if they are to be successful. Career development initiatives need to be well communicated and supported by the business leaders and HR to ensure its benefits both for the organisation as well as the employee. There are four distinct elements of career planning: a) individual assessment and need analysis b) organisational assessment c) need-opportunity alignment d) career counseling.
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Succession planning involves an examination of strategic (long-range) plans and HR forecasts for all identified key positions in an organisation. There are many benefits of having a formal Succession Planning System. It provides a clear framework to strategic business planning, aligns strategic goals and human resources, helps in the development of pools of qualified candidates, provides stability in leadership, identifies workforce renewal needs, helps individuals realise their career plans, improves employees ability to respond to changing environmental demands, and the opportunity for timely corporate knowledge transfers. Some other career planning initiatives that are being practised in the industry these daysare work-family programmes, relocation assistance and hiring practices, work-life balance seminars and flexible HR practices,flexible work-schedules, outplacement programmes, special programmes for women, minorities and employees with disabilities. Career development programmes must positively impact organisational and individual effectiveness over the short and long term.
6.8 Glossary
Career counselling: A process by which a counsellor, or another qualified professional or experienced person, provides information and advice to employees to facilitate their career planning and development. Downsizing: It refers to indicate employee reassignment, layoffs and restructuring in order to make a business more competitive, efficient, and/or cost-effective. Outplacement: The provision of assistance to laid-off employees in finding new employment, either as a benefit provided by the employer directly, or through a specialist service Retrenchment: Employee termination because of changing business, financial, technological or organisational circumstances. Work life balance: A range of practices designed to improve the balance between the demands of an employees work and personal life.
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6.10 Answers
Self Assessment Questions 1. 2. 3. 4. 5. 6. 7. 8. 9. Employee growth programmes Organisations and employees Career resilient Career Career planning Career anchors Informal or formal Potential candidates Randomness
Terminal Questions 1. Career planning is the process by which individuals select career goals and the parth to these goals. Refer section 6.3 for more details. 2. There are four distinct elements of career planning: a) individual assessment and need analysis b) organisational assessment c) needopportunity alignment d) career counseling. Refer section 6.4 for more details. 3. Succession planning involves an examination of strategic (long-range) plans and HR forecasts for all identified key positions in an organisation. There are many benefits of having a formal Succession Planning System that provides a clear framework to strategic business planning: Aligning strategic goals and human resources, development of qualified pools of candidates, providing stability in leadership, identifying workforce renewal needs, helping individuals realise their
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career plans, improving employees ability to respond to changing environmental demands, and the opportunity for timely corporate knowledge transfer. Refer section 6.5 for more details. 4. Some other career planning initiatives that are being practised in the industry these daysare work-family programmes, relocation assistance and hiring practices, work-life balance seminar and flexible HR practices,flexible work-schedules, outplacement programme, special programme for women minorities and employees with disabilities. Refer Section 6.6 for more details.
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person was Chandra Patton, and in May of 2002, Roy convinced the company to assign Chandra as Alliance site coordinator full-time. Chandra and Jay took a different approach to creating a new Labour/Management team for 2800. They spent the rest of 2002 meeting, communicating, and building relationships with the local AT&T management and CWA leadership. Their focus was on the Administrative Supervisors, as they were the ones who could get the support needed for classroom space, particularly space for an upgraded computer lab, and for company time when the building was affected by a surplus declaration. A Leadership Team was formed to support these efforts. It consisted of Chandra Patton (Alliance Site Coordinator), James Bates, Debbie Shelton, John Bozart and Alicia Brock (AT&T Administrative Supervisors), Roy Hegenbart (Local 3250 V.P.), and Jay Ott (Alliance Associate Director). In order for Jay to fully participate in this team, Christine Deas from The Insight Group was brought in to facilitate the meetings. The goals of the Leadership Team were: Develop a stronger, more viable relationship between AT&T Management, CWA and The Alliance at 2800 Century Parkway. Work with the Alliance Local Committee to develop training opportunities for the surplus, represented workforce on company-time. Identify and offer training that will enhance employee skills and marketability within as well as outside of AT&T. Reestablish a viable after-hours training schedule that employees would support. Encourage more Business Unit Initiatives on company-time. Encourage all employees to take advantage of opportunities to grow and develop their skills, talents and interests. The everyday work of implementing the programme still needed to be addressed. The Leadership Team appointed ALC members who had the skills and initiative to make the day-to-day operational decisions (e.g., what classes, when, where, marketing, registration, follow-up, etc.). By June of 2003, the work of the Leadership Team and the ALC resulted in a huge increase in Alliance activity. 2800 had surpassed its annual goals in only 9 months! Its success did not go unnoticed. Chandra Patton, Debbie Shelton and Jay Ott presented the 2800 story to The Alliance Board of Trustees at
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their July meeting in New Jersey. This story of cooperation and achievement was outlined in a unique way. The team developed a series of CD-ROMs to explain who they were and how they achieved so much success in a short period of time. It was obviously well received. However, wait! This is only half the story. What happened next is what makes 2800 stand out from most other Alliance locations in the country. The Leadership Team had always kept the people to whom they reported informed of the success of The Alliance, and the AD made special efforts to reach out to those upper level managers and union officers in order to find common interests and goals. The Board of Trustees presentation was used as a springboard to pitch the District/Division level managers and CWA leadership on even more opportunities that potentially could be in the best interest of the Company, the Union and the represented employees. Because of those presentations, Sharon Cochrane District Manager Date Group, Bernie Ragland Division Manager and Terry Parr District Manager Voice Group supported many Business Unit Training Initiatives on company-time. Some of the more notable activities were Customer Relations Skill Certification, Voice over Internet Protocol (VoIP), CCNA Certification, CCP@, and Net+ Certification. These programmes, along with the more traditional Alliance programmes, helped the 2800 location exceed their annual goals for the third time in as many years. Another indication of the strength of the Alliance commitment is the support that AT&T provides to CWA represented employees from Avaya and Lucent. The only Alliance lab with the equipment to provide high level IT training is at 2800. The Alliance committee works closely with management (including GRE and Security) to make this lab accessible to all Alliance participants in the area. The opportunities available at 2800 Century Parkway are a direct result of Labour and Management seeing value in creating a more skilled workforce through The Alliance. Together, they really do walk the talk.
(Source: http://www.employeegrowth.com/success_stories_6-05.htm)
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References: Fisher, S, and Shaw.(2010). Human Resources Management. New Delhi: Cengage Publication. Aswathappa, K. (2010). Human Resource Management. New Delhi: Tata McGraw Hills. Wayne, C. F. (1998). Managing Human Resource. Irwin/McGraw Hills. Durai, P. (2010). Human Resource Management. New Delhi: Pearson Publication.