Chapter 5 Notes: Planning and Policy Development

TERMINOLOGY

Core Competency – a central or important capacity of an organization

Demand – the amount of resources needed by an organization

Forecasting- involves making the best possible judgment about some future event

Human Resource Information System (HRIS) – technological system used to collect,

store, and retrieve employee data

Human Resource Planning – a process that attempts to maintain appropriate staffing

levels of qualified employees to achieve organizational objectives (supply and demand).
Efficient and effective human resource planning means efficient use of resources and
implementation of systematic strategies to meet objectives. Business objectives are
translated into skills and abilities needed to achieve specific job requirements to meet the
demands in the future business environment.

Labor Market Analysis – process of monitoring external staffing sources, considering the
unemployment rate, characteristics of the labor force, and local training programs

Organizational Capacity – ability of an organization to pursue and maintain a competitive

advantage for the products and services it offers

Planning – process of determining organizational objectives and selecting a future course

of action

Policy – a general statement that serves to guide decision making

Procedure – a guide to action usually to achieve a specific purpose

Rule – specifies what is required

Skill Inventories – collect and consolidate basic information about all of the
organization’s employees

Standing Plans – used repeatedly in managerial situations that recur

Strategic Human Resource Management – the linking of the human resource

management strategic goals and objectives in order to improve business performance and
develop organizational culture

Strategic planning – process of determining strategic objectives and actions needed to

achieve the organization’s mission
Succession Charts – list key positions and display information on their incumbents and
the readiness of different candidates for promotion to the position

Succession Planning- process by which one or more candidates are identified for key
posts. It is allows for a broader candidate search, faster decisions, and allows for the
auditing of a talent pool. Succession planning fosters a corporate culture as a group of
people share key skills, experiences, and values seen important to the organization

Supply – the amount of resources available to an organization

ACTIVITIES LEADING TO CORE COMPETENCIES

1. Shared problem solving

2. Integrating new technologies
3. Importing knowledge
4. Experimenting

HUMAN RESOURCE SHOULD UNDERTAKE STRATEGIC PLANNING

1. To meet future staffing needs

2. To cope with change
3. To attract high talent workforce
4. To remain competitive
5. To help satisfy equal employment opportunity

HUMAN RESOURCE PLANS ARE CONTINUOULY CHANGING BECAUSE

1. Required knowledge, skills, and abilities may change

2. Technology changes
3. Supply: Workforce availability shifts
4. Supply: Retention of workforce varies with strategies for recruitment, retention,
transfer, retirement, and termination
5. Demand: Changes in the environment, workforce, or organization
PLANNING IN LOCAL GOVERNMENT

1. External Relations: Planning is an open process in government. External relations

have strong input into the governmental planning process. Very political.
Governmental planning efforts receive much more media coverage than do
private sector.
2. Management Responsibility: Managers must deal with constituents (internal and
external) demand in additional to planning and evaluation of their program. In
government, making services available takes precedence over cost efficiency.
3. Budgeting: Budgets tied to political and not strategic issues. Governmental
budgeting cycles require a greater lead time than private sector. There is a greater
emphasis on contingency planning.
4. Human Relations: Governmental employees may have constitutional rights that
private sector employees do not have. Governments often have a monopoly on
services performed. Key individuals may be in a position to manipulate planning
efforts.

NEED FOR PLANNING IN LOCAL GOVERNMENT

1. Strategic planning is relatively new to local government but has proved to be

highly effective.
2. The public demand for better services pressures government to focus on results.
3. Ethical, legal, and environmental issues pressure government to be more socially
responsible.
4. Integration of information systems becomes more important as governments deal
with fragmented and outdated systems.

LATENESS

Problems arise when employees are often late arriving for work or returning from lunch.
Their work may not get done on a timely basis, or they may put extra burdens on co-
workers. It is important for supervisors and employees to know organizational policies on
lateness. Supervisors must alert employees with a lateness problem to the problems they
create and any possible penalties.

APPLICABLE REGULATIONS:

 Fair Labor Standards Act (FLSA)

Most employees arrive at work on time, or even early. Some don’t even use their full
lunch break. Others, however, have problems starting work on time. They have a variety
of reasons, from tough commutes to personal responsibilities, from a poor sense of time
to simply not feeling that their arrival time makes much difference.
Being late on occasion with a good reason is not a problem. But it is important that
employees know they are responsible for working a full day and meeting their
responsibilities to co-workers and the customer or public as the case may be.

Frequent lateness puts burdens on others, so let employees know policies and take action
before lateness problems get out of hand. Be sure to communicate policies on lateness.
Be consistent. Ask for and respond to any questions. Let it be know that the hours of
work must apply to everyone.

POLICIES ON LATENESS SHOULD INCLUDE:

 What time work begins

 How long past that time is considered late
 How to schedule and report planned and unplanned late arrivals
 How may late arrivals and are permitted per year
 What disciplinary steps may apply to excessive or chronic lateness

EXPLAIN WHY IT IS IMPORTANT TO BE ON TIME

 Make sure hours worked are equal to wages received

 Demonstrate that a job is a serious commitment
 Respect the time and needs of others

EXPLAIN HOW PAY POLICIES APPLY TO LATENESS

 Hourly employees are paid only for time actually worked

 Exempt employees wages for lateness may not be docked (FLSA Regulations)
 Employers may ask exempt employees to make up time missed due to lateness.

KEEP RECORDS OF EMPLOYEE LATENESS

 Keep time records, (recording sheets or time clocks)

 Lateness records are valuable if disciplinary steps are needed
 Attendance should be noted in employee records and performance appraisals

TALK PRIVATELY WITH EMPLOYEES WHO ARE OFTEN LATE

 Point out number of times they have arrived late. Note impact on work and on
others
 Ask for a explanation of frequent lateness
 Listen closely to employee’s response to help plan next steps

TRY TO HELP EMPLOYEES RESOLVE PROBLEMS THAT CAUSE LATENESS

  Work starting time may conflict with some employee’s family or commuting
schedules
 An employee may wait to leave for work until children are picked up for school
 The bus or train schedule may force the employee to arrive very early or
somewhat late
 The employee may have a medical problem that requires early morning treatment

SHOW UNDERSTANDING OF THE EMPLOYEE’S CONFLICTS

RESTATE THE IMPORTANCE OF WORKING HOURS THAT ARE FAIR TO THE

ORGANIZATION, COWORKERS, AND CUSTOMERS

EXPLORE SCHEDULE MODIFICATINO THAT COULD FIT YOUR POLICY AND

ELIMINATE THE LATENESS PROBLEM

 Look at flextime, job sharing, or telecommuting if these options are applicable

 See if the employee could start and leave a little later to better fit a train or bus
schedule

EXPLORE BEHAVIOR MODIFICATION THAT COULD IMPROVE THE

EMPLOYEE’S ON-TIME ARRIVAL

 Encourage the employee to set his or her watch ahead or buy a LOUD alarm
clock

TAKE DISCIPLINARY STEPS IF NECESSARY

 Follow progressive disciplinary steps

 Be sure the situation calls for discipline
 Be sure you are aware of any reasons for lateness and the employee’s
understanding of the problem
 Apply discipline consistently

USE POSITIVE REINFORCEMENT TO ENCOURAGE AND REWARD BEING ON

TIME

 Tell on-time arrivals you notice and appreciate their promptness (include in
performance appraisal)
 Credit employees who improve their on-time performance
 Consider group rewards when everyone is consistently on time and working hard