CASE STUDY : 1

A policy is a plan of action. It is a statement of intention committing the

management to a general course of action. When the management drafts
a policy statement to cover some features of its personnel programmers, the
statement may often contain an expression of philosophy and principle
as well. Although it is perfectly legitimate for an organization to include
its philosophy, principles and policy in one policy expression.
Q1) Why organizations adopt personnel policies explain the benefits?
Recruitment and Selection
Policies pertaining to the recruitment and selection process are the
foundation of building any workforce. You must have a plan for creating
applications, how to prequalify applicants, how applicants move up to
become a candidate and other employment procedures. This set of policies
also benefits current employees who refer applicants to your business.
Training and Professional Development
Provisions for employee training and development are included in
human resource policy documents because it informs employees of the
kind of professional development available to them. In addition, policies
related to training and development assistance in the formulation of
employee development plans or performance improvement plans.
Training and development policies serve as an outline of educational
benefits available to current employees.

Handling Employee Concerns

Many companies have written procedures for handling employee
complaints, whether they are internal, informal complaints or
allegations made about the employer to enforcement agencies. The benefit
of this policy is to document your companys commitment to
nondiscriminatory practices and how such complaints are resolved. These
policies also benefit employees because they provide important
information about workplace communication in the event an employee is
unsure of who she contacts to discuss any concerns or problems.
Workplace Safety
In a time when more than worker safety in the performance of her job
is the primary issue addressed in safety policies, employers distribute
policies that address matters such as workplace violence. These types of
policies are generally discussed in detail with employee groups; an
emergency evacuation policy isnt effective if you dont discuss it until
the emergency happens. Another benefit to having a human resources
safety policy is adherence to federal and state guidelines for workplace
safety.
Organizational Structure
an introduction to the human resources policy manual explains the
organizational structure, what departments fulfill which expectations
and company leadership. In the introductory section, many employers
also explain the company philosophy as it is related to customer service,
co-workers, and leadership and business ethics. Ethics statements are
extremely popular, especially in a world where social responsibility is

observed by so much of the population. This section of a human resources

policy manual may also state the company's compliance with federal,
state and local anti-discrimination laws.
Employment Rules
Employees are accustomed to learning specific workplace rules such
as dress code, discipline procedures, parking, attendance and working
hours, holidays, employee benefits and payroll dates. The human
resources policy on these issues is easy accessed by employees who have
questions, or reviewed by new employees eager to learn more about their
new employer. The benefit is that you have a written commitment to
employees about the operation of the business.

Q2) What are the sources and content of personnel policies?

PERSONNEL POLICY
Personnel policies constitute guide to action. They furnish the
general standards or basis on which decisions are reached.
A policy is man-made rule or predetermined course of action that is
established to guide the performance of work towards the organization. It
is a type of standing plan that serves to guide subordinates in the
execution of their work------------- Edwin B. Flippo.
Policies include that body of understanding which makes the action
of each member of group in a given set of circumstances more predictable

to other members. --------Haynes and Massie.

Policies are general statement or understanding which guide or
channel thinking in decision making of subordinates. ------Koontz and
ODonnell.
Personnel policies are statements of objectives for the guidance of
management in its relations with employees.
ORIGIN, DEVELOPMENT AND SOURCES OF PERSONNEL
POLICIES
Policies stem from a wide variety of places and people. They are not
created in a vacuum but are based on a few principal sources, which
determine the content and meaning of policies. These are:
The past experience of the organization.
The prevailing practices.
The attitude, ideals and philosophy of the board of directors.
The knowledge and experience gained from handling personnel
problems.
Employees suggestions and complaints.
Collective bargaining programme.
State and national legislations.
Changes in the countrys economy.
International forces.
Culture of the plant.
The extent of unionism.

 The attitudes and social values of labor.

The goals of the organization.
The ethical points of view or the social responsibility.
OBJECTIVES OF PERSONNEL POLICY
Attention on objectives of the organization.
Maximum individual development and satisfaction.
Maximum use of resources.
Offsetting uncertainty and change.
Good industrial relations.
Better control.
Morale.
Consistent treatment.
Continuity of practice.
CHARACTERISTICS OF PERSONNEL POLICY
1. A personnel policy is formulated in the context of organizational
objectives.
2. A policy may be in written or it has to be interpreted from the
behavior of organizational members particularly people at top.
3. A policy is formulated through the various steps in the decision
making process.
4. It provides guidelines.
5. Policy formulation is a function of all managers, however top
management has important role in policy making.

6. Policy statement should be positive, clear and easily understood by

everyone.
7. It provides two-way communication.
8. It should be balanced and maintain consistency.

PRINCIPLE OF PERSONNEL POLICY

Principle of common interest
Principle of development
Principle of recognition of work
Principle of recognition of trade unions
Principle of participation
Principle of change
STEPS IN POLICY
Initiating the needs
Fact findings
Putting the policy in writing
Communicating the policy
Evaluating the policy.

CONTENTS OF PERSONEL POLICY

Name of the company.
Procedure and techniques of recruitment and selection.
Organizational relationship---allocation of work authorities and
responsibilities.
Working conditions.
Training and development--- full details regarding planning
objectives and methods of training.
Procedure of handling the grievances.
Rules and regulations.
Joint consultation.
Line of authority.
Collective bargaining.
Industrial relations.
Health and safety.
Welfare.
Wages and salaries.

Q3) Explain few personnel policies?

MAIN POLICY STATEMENTS
1. Employment Policy----------to obtain suitable qualified and
experienced personnel and to enable them to derive satisfaction from
employment by offering them attractive wages, good working conditions,
security and opportunities for promotions.
2. Training policy-------to provide adequate training facilities to enable
employees to learn to do their job effectively and to prepare themselves for
promotions.
3. Wage and salary policy-----to pay wages and salaries that compare
favorably with those of other firms locally within a structure that has due
regards for recognized differentials and individual ability.
4. Industrial relation policy-----to operate adequate procedures for
dealing with disputes and grievances quickly and make every effort to
improve relations between management and employees through the use of
participative method.
5. Welfare policy-----to safeguard the health and safety of all employees
and to provide such welfare and social activities as are sincerely desired
by employees and are mutually beneficial to them and company.

Q4) Explain principles of personnel policies?

Principles of personnel policy
Management
Management for us means assuming responsibility for our stakeholders
and delegating at the right level. We achieve both predefined and
individual goals regardless of personal preferences and while
maintaining equal opportunities, irrespective of origin, nationality, sex,
sexual orientation, religion or age. Managers challenge and motivate, in
the same way as they themselves are challenged and motivated.
Employment plan
The employment plan is discussed annually by the Board of Directors as
part of the budget meeting. In principle, we want to avoid any labor
reserves. We cover peak times using interdepartmental support, overtime
or temporary employees.
Staff development
We demand a high level of commitment and qualifications. We
encourage the development of technical and social skills through training
and further education. Because we invest a lot in our employees, we
strive to maintain long-term employment relationships. We support
young people by offering apprenticeships and/or internships.
Social aspects
We offer progressive working conditions and competitive employee
benefits. We also provide assistance for employees who use public transport
and help with health insurance provisions. Smoking is only permitted
in designated areas.

Salaries
our system ensures that our salaries are competitive, gender-neutral and
meet requirements. The basic salary is the main component of the salary.
In addition there is a variable component which is dependent on the
extent to which individually agreed targets are achieved and on the
operating performance of the company as a whole. More details are
available in the Employment Regulations.
Job structure
We offer a practical infrastructure with modern, if not fashionable,
working tools. Depending on the position, we are open to flexible working
hours.
Information, communication and behavior
Regarding information and communication, we practice the principle of
reciprocity: actively communicate information and actively obtain
information. We behave in a respectful, loyal, open and honest manner,
and act with integrity. We complete our tasks with dedication and to the
best of our knowledge.
Working environment
We work in an environment of mutual trust. We hold joint events to
build team spirit and mutual understanding.

CASE STUDY : 2
Recruitment is understood as the process of searching for and obtaining
applicants for jobs, from among whom the rights people can be selected.
Theoretically, recruitment process is said to end with the receipt of
applications, in practice the activity extends to the screening of
applications so as to eliminate those who are not qualified for the job.
Recruitment refers to the process of receipt of applications from job
seekers. In reality, the term is used to describe the entire process of
employee hiring. These are recruitment boards for railways, banks and
other organization.

Q1) Explain in detail the general purpose of recruitment?

recruitment provides a desirable number of candidates for an
organization's open positions. Recruitment also manages the costs in
time and money for hiring employees. Recruitment enables the
organization to meet social and legal obligations. By sourcing,
developing and recruiting candidates, recruitment facilitates the
organization's hiring process.

The recruitment process is one of the most fundamental value added HR

Processes. The recruitment is especially critical for managers in the

organization. The managers use the recruitment process intensively, and

satisfaction with Human Resources is mostly about the satisfaction with
the recruitment process.
The recruitment process is sensitive to the external and internal changes,
and it can be used as the best indicator for the future HR trends. By
careful analysis of HR Recruitment Measures, the HR Management
team can predict the trends in the job market simply.
Main Recruitment Process Goals
The recruitment process is designed to staff the organization with the new
employees, and it uses many different recruitment sources to attract the
right talent in the defined quality and within a defined time.
The recruitment process has several goals:
Find the best talents for the vacancies
Manage the recruitment sources
Manage the vacancies in the organization
Run the internal recruitment process
Building the strong HR Marketing platform
Co-operation with local and international universities
Provide feedback about the trends in the job market
Most recruitment goals are not visible to managers directly, and they use
just sourcing of the job candidates as the main outcome from the
recruitment process. HR has to use the other outcomes from the
recruitment process as it is the source of valuable information.
Finding the best talents on the job market
This is the most important goal of the recruitment process. The HR

Recruiters are paid for delivering the candidates to managers, who make
the final decision about hiring a new employee.
The organizations are fighting for the best talents in the job market. HR
Recruiters have to develop the competitive approaches to make the
attractive job offers. The candidates select the organization, which is
recognized for being modern and competitive. The job adverts and job
offers have to reflect this.
The managers love to hire the best employees available on the job market.
They love to interview motivated job candidates. The role of HR is to
describe the real need to the manager. Many times, the best job candidate
is not the appropriate job candidate.
Recruitment Sources Management
The recruitment sources management is an extremely significant goal of
the recruitment process. The recruitment sources deliver the candidates
for the selection procedure in the organization. The better the candidates
are; the higher quality job candidates can be hired. The proper
management of the recruitment sources has a significant impact on the
competitive advantage of the organization.
The better employees do not have to be more expensive, but the
organization has to manage the recruitment sources to attract the high
quality job candidates.
Building the Strong Internal Recruitment Process
The external recruitment is not the only goal of the recruitment process.
Building the strong internal recruitment helps the organization to keep
the best talents in the organization. The employees have a chance to apply

for a new job position, and they can change their career path.
The internal recruitment is a difficult HR topic as the managers have to
allow their best employees to take a new role within the organization. The
role of Human Resources is in allowing the best employees to rotate and
in supporting the managers in developing the successors.
HR Marketing
The HR Marketing is essential for the large organization, which need to
attract many job candidates. The large organization cannot hire just the
experts; they have to attract many university graduates. The graduates do
select the employer by the strength of the brand name on the job market
and offered opportunities in the organization.
The HR has to design the recruitment activities, which support the name
of the employer on the job market. The organization has to build a
positive brand name, and it has to promote the job opportunities and
excellent career paths.

Q2) Explain factors governing Recruitment?

Factors Governing Recruitment:
Given its key role and external visibility, recruitment is naturally
subject to influence of several factors. These include external and internal
forces.
External Forces:
Of particular importance is the supply and demand of specific skills in

the labor market. If the demand for a particular skill is high relative to
the supply, an extraordinary recruiting effort may be needed. When the
unemployment rate in a given area is high the companies recruitment
process may be simpler. The number of unsolicited applicants is usually
greater, and the increased size of the labor pool provides better
opportunities for attracting qualified applicants. On the other hand, as
the unemployment rates drops recruiting efforts must be increased and
new sources explored. Labor-market conditions in a local area are of
primary importance in recruiting for most non-managerial, supervisory
and middle-mgt. positions. However, so far as recruitment for executive
and professional positions are concerned conditions of all India market
are important. Another external factor is political and legal
considerations. Reservation of jobs for SCs, STs, minorities, and other
backward classes(OBCs) is a political decision. The companies image
also matters in attracting large number of job seekers. Blue-chip
companies attract large number of applications. Often, it is not the
money that is important. It is the perception of the job seekers about the
company that matters in attracting qualified prospective employees.
Internal Factors:
There are certain internal forces which deserve consideration while
recruiting personnel. One such internal factor is the recruiting policy of
the organization. Most organizations have a policy on recruiting
internally (from own employees) or externally (from outside the
organization).Generally, the policy is to prefer internal sourcing, as own
employees know the company well and can recommend candidates who fit

the organizations culture. Another related policy is to have temporary

and part-time employees. An organization hiring temporary and parttime employees is in a less advantageous position in attracting sufficient
applications. MNCs operating in our country prefer local citizens as
they can understand local languages, customs and business practices well.
A major internal factor that can determine the success of the recruiting
programmed is whether or not the company engages in HRP.Effective
HRP greatly facilitates the recruiting efforts.Size is another internal
factor having its influence on the recruitmentprocess. An organization
with one hundred thousand employee will findrecruiting less problematic
than an organization with just one hundredemployees.Cost of recruiting
is yet another internal factor that has to beconsidered. Recruiting cost
are calculated per new higher and fig. isconsiderable now-a-days.
Recruiters must, therefore, operate withinbudgets. Careful HRP and
forethought by recruiters can minimizerecruitment costs. One cost-saving
measure, for instance, is recruiting formultiple job openings
simultaneously. The best solution is to use proactivepersonnel practices to
reduce employee turnovers, thus, minimizing theneed for recruiting.
Evaluating the quality, quantity and cost of recruitmenthelps ensure
that it is efficient and cost-effective.Finally, an organization registering
growth and expansion will havemore recruiting on hand than the one
which finds its fortunes declining.

Q3) Explain the Recruitment process with diagram?

AN OVERVIEW OF THE PROCESS

----------------------------------------------------------------------------------PROCESS ELEMENTS

FOR ALL POSITIONS

---------------------------------------------!------------!---------------------STEP 1
PREPARING JOB ANALYSES
PREPARING JOB DESC

---------------------------------------------------------------------------------STEP 2
PREPARING JOB SPECS

----------------------------------------------------------------------------------STEP 3
DECIDING TERMS AND
CONDITIONS OF EMPLOYMENT
[ MEETS ALL GOVERNMENT REGULATION ON EMPLOYMENT
CONDITIONS]

------------------------------------------------------------------------------------

STEP 4
ADVERTISING [COPY/MEDIA PLAN] except for senior positions [

head hunting]
[ MUST REFLECT TRUTH, NO FALSE INFORMATION,
NO GENDER BIAS, NO DISCRIMINATION,NO AGE BAR, ETC]

-------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------STEP 5
INTERNAL APPLICANT

except for tech [ outsourcing ]

ONLINE APPLICANT
and senior positions [ head hunting]
------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------EXTERNAL APPLICANT

STEP 6
SIFTING APPLICATIONS

---------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------STEP 7
PERSONAL INTERVIEW

-INDIVIDUAL PER TO PER

----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------STEP 8

-PANEL INTERVIEW

------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------STEP 9

-SELECTION BOARD
only for senior positions
------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------STEP 10
TESTING [ BEHAVIORAL]
-PSYCHOLOGICAL

procedural element for all positions except senior

position
-PERSONALITY

procedural element for all positions except senior

position
-ABILITY

procedural element for all positions except senior

position
-APTITUDE

procedural element for all positions except senior

position
procedural element for all positions
-----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------PSYCHOMETRIC

STEP 11
TESTING [ TECHNICAL ]

only for tech. positions

----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------STEP 12
ASSESSMENT CENTRE

only for senior positions

-POTENTIAL
---------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------STEP 13

procedural element for all positions

--------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------STEP 14
OBTAINING REFERENCE

procedural element for all positions

------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------CHECKING REFERENCE
STEP 15
MAKING DECISION

procedural element for all positions

[ NO DISCRIMINATION, NO COLOR BAR, NO SEX

DISCRIMINATION,
PURELY ON MERIT ]

-----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------STEP 16

OFFERING EMPLOYMENT

procedural element for all positions

------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------STEP 17
PREPARING EMPLOYMENT

procedural element for all

positions
LETTER

---------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------STEP 18

-HR sends out letters to the unsuccessful candidates.

--------------------------------------------------------------------------------------STEP 19

-HR CHECKS REFERENCES.

[ ABIDE BY LAW ]
--------------------------------------------------------------------------------------STEP 20
HR SENDS OUT OFFER LETTERS TO SUCCESSFUL CANDIDATE
S.

-----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------

STEP 21
-THE LINE MANAGERS / AGREE TO THE START DATE
AND INDUCTION PROGRAMME.
-------------------------------------------------------------------------------STEP 22
PERSONAL FILE CREATION
-HR CREATES ''PERSONAL FILE ''.
--------------------------------------------------------------------------------STEP 23
HANDOVER TO HR / ADMINISTRATION
-THE LINE MANAGER HANDS OVER THE RESPONSIBILITY
FOR PAYROLL ADMIN AND INDUCTION TO HR.
----------------------------------------------------------------------------------STEP 24
-HR PREPARES WELCOME PACK / EMPLOYEE MANUAL.
-----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------STEP 25
ARCHIVING OF APPOINTMENT FILES.
-HR ARCHIVES SELECTED CANDIDATES FILE.
-HR DESTROYS UNSUCCESSFUL CANDIDATES FILES

AFTER

6 MONTHS.

[ BY LAW, ALL OLD FILES MUST BE DESTROYED ]

Q4) Explain Recruitment planning?

Recruitment is the process used by an organization to locate and attract
job applicants in order to fill a position. An effective approach to
recruitment can help a company successfully compete for limited human
resources. To maximize competitive advantage, a company must choose the
recruiting method that produces the best pool of candidates quickly and
cost effectively. There are five steps to the process.
STEP 1: IDENTIFY THE JOB OPENING
This step would appear to be an easy one-just wait until an employee
turns in a notice of resignation. Many job openings are, in fact,
identified in this way. A major problem with this approach is that it may
take the company a long time to fill the opening. For instance, it usually
takes six to eight weeks to notify and screen applicants, and a week or
more to make a decision regarding a job offer. After the decision is made,
the selected candidate must give notice (usually about two weeks) to his
or her previous employer. Thus, the job in question is likely to remain
vacant for months, even if the process runs smoothly. Ideally,
organizations should attempt to identify job openings well in advance of

an announced resignation. The HRM department should plan for

future openings in both the short and long term. The projection of future
openings provides organizations with the time needed to plan and
implement recruitment strategies so that they do not fall prey to the
"must-hire-by-last-week" syndrome. The HR plan should answer at least
the following questions:
Are any newly budgeted positions opening soon?
Is a contract under negotiation that may result in the need for
additional hires?
What is the amount of expected turnover in the next several months?
STEP 2: DECIDE HOW TO FILL THE JOB OPENING
The first question to ask after determining that an opening exists is "Do
we need to find a new person to fill the vacant position?" Sometimes it is
unnecessary to staff a vacant position because the firm can rely on other
alternatives. For instance, it may be more prudent to provide overtime
opportunities to current workers to complete the needed work. Other
alternatives include job elimination and job redesign (i.e., incorporating
the tasks of the vacant position into currently existing positions). If the
firm chooses to fill the vacancy, it must address two issues: (1) whether to
outsource, and (2) in the absence of outsourcing, whether to recruit
candidates internally or externally.
STEP 3: IDENTIFY THE TARGET POPULATION
Now the organization must determine what types of individuals it is

looking for to fill the vacant positions. To address this question, an

organization must define its target population. Two issues arise here: (1)
specifying worker requirements and (2) deciding whether to target a
certain segment of the applicant population.An organization must
identify specific requirements of the job: the duties, reporting
relationships, salary range for hiring, and competencies required of a
new worker (e.g., education, experience, knowledge, skills, and abilities).
Ideally, much of this information will have been gathered during a job
analysis and thus be contained in the job description. If not, the
recruiter should gather it from the hiring manager. An organization
must also decide at this point whether to target all qualified applicants
or to focus its recruitment efforts on certain segments of the qualified
applicant population.When recruiting internally, the issue is this:
Should the company post the job so that all qualified employees can be
considered? Or should the company select certain high-potential
employees and groom them for the position? When recruiting externally,
the company must decide whether to inform all potential applicants or
target certain types. Companies may reap advantages when they target
members of certain groups. Another strategy is to target graduates of
specific schools that have exceptionally strong programs in the functional
areas of concern. Additionally, some companies target top-performing
employees working for other companies. Recruitment of such individuals
poses some unique problems, however; these individuals may be difficult to
reach because they are not actively seeking a new job. Moreover, the
practice of pirating employees from other firms raises some serious ethical

STEP 4: NOTIFY THE TARGET POPULATION

Once an applicant population has been targeted, the company must
determine how to notify these individuals of the vacant position. A
variety of recruitment methods may be used for communicating vacancies.
A firm can benefit from both low-involvement and high-involvement
strategies at this stage of the recruitment process. Low-involvement
strategies are things such as corporate sponsorship or advertisements of the
company's product or service may influence applicants' positive
perceptions of that firm and therefore increase applicant attraction, but
do not specifically identify a job opening. High-involvement recruitment
strategies involve things such as detailed recruitment advertisements or
employee endorsements, which occur when potential applicants meet with
current employees to hear more about their experiences with that
company. Both low-involvement and high-involvement strategies have a
positive effect on the number of applicants who apply for jobs with an
organization and on the quality of the applicants who apply.
When choosing a specific way to notify the target population, different
recruitment methods may be used. Some popular options are internal job
postings; newspaper, radio, and television advertisements; trade
magazine advertisements; Internet job sites; college campus interviews;
and current employee referrals. The choice of which to use depends on the
number of positions to be filled, the cost of each recruitment method, the
characteristics of the target audience, and economic conditions.
The more positions to be filled, the more widely the firm may choose to
advertise, perhaps using a newspaper or radio advertisement. Costs differ

for recruitment methods and a firm may be willing to invest more in

recruitment when suitable applicants are difficult to find or when poor
hiring decisions may be costly. The characteristics of the target audience
influence recruitment method; for example, using an Internet posting
would be fruitless if most of the applicant pool is unlikely to have access to
a computer. Poor economic conditions, where unemployment is high, will
result in higher numbers of job applicants and possibly a lower average
level of quality of applicants. In this situation, to avoid spending an
inordinate amount of time weeding through applications, firms must
discourage all but the best applicants from applying.
STEP 5: MEET WITH THE CANDIDATES
Finally, the most qualified candidates are brought in for interviews and
other assessment procedures. These serve both selection and recruitment
purposes. From a selection perspective, they give the firm a chance to
further assess the candidates' qualifications. From a recruitment
perspective, they provide the candidates with an opportunity to learn
more about the employment opportunity.
Candidates should be provided with information about the company and
the job. Failure to provide a sufficient amount of information could be
detrimental to the recruiting process. For example, it may be interpreted
by the candidates as an attempt to evade discussion of unattractive job
attributes, or it may be viewed as an indication of the recruiter's
disinterest in them. Without specific information, applicants might
accept a job offer without knowing about aspects of it that might affect
their long-term job satisfaction, or they may refuse an offer without

knowing about some of the job's attractive attributes.

CASE STUDY : 3
Navin AGM materials, is fuming and fretting. He bumped into Kiran,
GM Materials, threw the resignation letter on his table, shouted and
walked out of the room swiftly.
Navin has reason for his sudden outburst. He has been driven to the wall.
Perhaps details of the story will tell the reasons for Navins bile and why
he put in his papers, barely four months after he took up his assignment.
The year was 2005 when Navin quit the prestigious Sail plant at
Mumbai. As a manager material Navin enjoyed the power. He could
even place an order for materials worth Rs 25 lakh. He needed nobodys
prior approval.
Navin joined a pulp making plant located at Pune as AGM Materials.
The plant is owned by a prestigious business house in India. Obviously
perks, designation and reputation of the conglomerate lured Navin away
from the public sector.
When he joined the pulp making company, little did Navin realize that
he needed prior approval to place an order for materials worth Rs 12

lakhs. He had presumed that he had the authority to place an order by

himself worth half the amount of what he used to do at the mega steel
maker. He placed the order material arrived, were recived, accepted and
used up in the plant.
Trouble started when the bill for Rs 12 lakh came from vendor. The
accounts department withheld payment for the reason that the bill was
not endorsed by Kiran. Kiran rused to sign the bill as his approval was
not taken by Navin before placing the order.
Navin felt fumigated and cheated. A brief encounter with Kiran only
aggrarated the problem. Navin was curtly told that he should have
known company rules before venturing. Navin decided to quit the
company.

Q1) Does the company have an orientation programme?

It doesnt look like the
company has an orientation programme or it is inaffective.
---------------------------------------Q2) If yes how effective is it?
It is not as effective, as it should be.

-----------------------------------------Q3) How is formal Orientation programme conducted?

The orientation process has three stages:
1 A general orientation
2 A departmental orientation, and
3 A specific job orientation
They are conducted by different parties.
The General Orientation is usually managed by either the Training
Department or the Human Resources Department, with the
Departmental Orientation by the Department Head or first Assistant,
while the specific Job Orientation can be carried out by an experienced
and trained employee (trained on how to train). These guidelines are
intended for people conducting the General Orientation:
A general rule of thumb for having the audience interested in the general
orientation is to
1 Make them feel at ease (open circle).
2 Make sure that they had enough time to read the employee manual
ahead of orientation time.
3 Spend a good portion of the introduction time towards selfintroductions, spiced with open questions.
4 Get them to know who Management is: have a big chart in the
orientation/training room which depicts how the organisation is set up,
with photos of the management team next to their title.

5 Get them acquainted with the operation: have another large chart in
the room depicting the flow of work and communications regarding the
organization; this flow should include customers, suppliers and all
parties affecting the organisation (I had just planned such a chart for
the hotel where I dealt with Training and Development, wrote it out in
text, had an artist depict it with cartoon characters on a big white chart,
making it educational but humorous - after all this was a hotel. Maybe
in a technical company humour is not allowed. I explained it to the
artist and we showed how each job position affected the final product since
the customer's / guest's first contact with the operation and ending with
the last contact.
6 Have them know and see departments in operation: based on this
drawing I conducted the orientation and explained all functions of the
hotel, promising a personal tour of all the departments we discussed,
including back areas, where the Department Heads received us
personally and gave further insight on their departments.
7 Allay their fears and doubts: cover subjects which are usually never
mentioned in orientations, such as the difficulties new employees or
supervisors experience, about turnover figures, about how people
assimilate better after hanging out three months, about how they can turn
to you for any difficulties they experience, be it regarding their rejection
by existing old-timers or other matters. Let them know they can always
turn to you for confidential advice (do not forget that any new person
has fears and doubts regarding being accepted, succeeding or failing).
8 Encourage friendships among new employees: try to create a team

spirit among the existing group of newcomers - by the end of the day or
the two days you will have created a group of employees at different levels
and from different departments who will cooperate and enhance
communications across the organisation.
9 Extend respect to them as human beings: have lunch with them as a
group (I saw too many people who conduct orientations go to a different
lunch room and this is very insulting).
10 Enable first hand contact with upper management: have different
Executives come to welcome the group and assure them of management's
commitment to help them succeed. Introduce each of the newcomers, dwell
on their position, career background and personal interests.
11 Assure them that the organisation welcomes their observations,
comments, and critiques.
12 Last but not least, share company goals with them. Discuss it with
them. Ask what their own personal and career goals are and try to (right
there and then) mesh their own goals with the company goals.
This strategy (action plan) has proven to be highly successful. It cuts
down on turnover drastically, engenders trust, cooperation and
motivation.

Although these sessions should be welcoming, orientations for new

employees should also be more than a feel-good gesture. They should also be

more than an instructional session that provides essential human

resources, benefits, and payroll information for new employees. The most
effective orientations help new employees understand what will be
expected of them and prepare them for the organization's work culture.
Orient the expectations of new employees
Managing expectations has long been a mantra of salespeople, account
executives, and others whose responsibilities are focused primarily outside
the organization. Expectation management falls on human resources
managers as well. Managing expectations can start as early as during
new-employee orientations.
In new-employee orientations, the HR manager is essentially bringing
new employees' expectations in line with the organization's expectations.
Accurately aligning these sets of expectations in the first weeks of
employment helps employees become productive more quickly and ensures
that they enjoy greater job satisfaction throughout their tenures. Some
studies suggest that well-executed new-employee orientations can also:
1 Lengthen the time that employees stay with a company.
2 Enhance staff cooperation and communication.
3 Improve client-customer relations because staff members have better
work attitudes.
Communicate the organization's big picture
Where is your organization going? Even if your company has not made
a formal strategic planning document, it has communicated some
important long-term goals. Too often, however, these goals aren't shared
with new employees whose efforts help determine whether the

organization's goals are met. Therefore, it should come as no surprise that

employees, even entire departments, sometimes operate under disparate
assumptions about the company's priorities and objectives.
All new employees, from entry-level staff members to senior executives,
should view themselves as members of an organization-wide team working
toward a defined and united goal. Certainly new employees need to
understand their specific roles, but first they need to understand the bigpicture objectives of the organization, including objectives such as:
1 Is the organization striving to be an industry innovator?
2 Is the organization working to develop an international presence?
Whatever the objectives, new employees should be given a brief
introduction to your organization's goals. If you can, provide a copy of
your annual report or a company brochure that explains your
organization's goals. With a bigger-picture perspective, employees are
better equipped to understand their specific role as it relates to long-term
objectives.
Describe the unspoken company culture
Company culture can't be fully captured in job descriptions or employee
manuals, because culture is both explicit and unspoken. Most employees
determine what behaviors are acceptable as the organization evolves.
However, an effective orientation can help new employees transition more
easily into the unique culture of your organization.
Even in highly conventional corporate cultures, it's preferable to share
the unspoken aspects of company culture to ensure that all new employees
understand their work environments. Don't make the mistake of

assuming that cultural nuances are obvious or that new employees will
raise questions if they're unsure about what to wear or when to arrive at
work.
Some unspoken aspects of company culture to share are:
1 Dress code What's the norm for the dress code?
2 Internal communication Is vertical communication encouraged or
frowned upon?
3 Phone etiquette Do employees routinely forward their phone calls to
voice mail?
4 Parking Are there any unspoken rules about where employees can
park?
5 Lunch Do most employees eat in or out? Are there good places to eat
nearby?
6 Work hours Are work hours fixed or flexible?
7 Extracurricular activities Are there groups of employees that get
together outside work?
8 Attitudes Are work teams more cooperative or more competitive?
Share the routine details
As a seasoned HR professional, you probably already use a comprehensive
checklist to ensure that new employees receive and complete all required
documentation, from W-4 forms to insurance forms to e-mail account
requests. Unfortunately, the sheer volume of this paperwork can eclipse
the routine information that new employees need on their very first day.
To help new employees get started, be sure that they know:
1 The layout of your office or campus A tour is preferable, but at the very

least provide a user-friendly map.

2 The location of the restrooms Inform them of the locations of restrooms
near their work areas.
3 Names and contact information of two coworkers Give them the
contact information of two coworkers in their department, besides their
immediate supervisor or hiring manager.
Outline the employee's specific role
The best way for new employees to become productive quickly is by
immersing themselves in their new positions.
Immerse new employees in their jobs For positions with formal training,
immersion is easy. New employees simply pass from orientation to
training, often in the same day. For positions without formal training,
role immersion can be more difficult.
Too often, supervisors and managers aren't available when new employees
start, so employees are left with little more to do than read the company
handbook during their first few days on the job. This can be confusing,
especially for new employees who are expecting a challenging, fast-paced
environment.
Introduce new employees to their jobs The best employee orientations
conclude with introductions to each employee's specific job role. If several
employees in a single role have been hired at one time, this introduction
can occur in a group setting. Otherwise, new employees should receive
one-on-one introductions from their managers or team leaders as part of
their orientation.
Orient employees for success

Starting a new job always involves a learning curve, but effective

orientations can help new employees make the transition by equipping
them with:
1 An understanding of company goals.
2 An appreciation for the company's unique culture.
3 Routine information to get started.
4 An introduction to their role within the organization.
Employees who are well oriented to the company and to their jobs are
ready to begin making a significant contribution.

Q4) If you were Navin what would have you done?

1.DISCUSS
THE PROS/CONS OF THE CURRENT SYSTEM AND THE NEED
FOR REVISION FOR THE SAKE OF OPERATION EFFICIENY.
CASE STUDY : 4

Bitter it may taste, shrill it may sound, and sleepless nights it may
cause, but it is true. In a major shake up Airbus. The European aircraft
manufacturers has thrown a big shock to its employees. Before coming to
the details of the shock, a peep into the companys resume.
Name Airbus

Created 1970
President CEO : Vijay M.
Employees 57000
Turnover 26 Bn (Euro)
Total Aircraft sold (Feb 2007) 7187
Delivered 4598
Headquarters Paris (France)
Facilities 16
Rival Boeing
Airbus announced on February 27, 2007 that it would shed 10,000 jobs
across four European contries and sell six of its unit. N the same day the
helpless workers did what was expected of them downed tools and staged
protests. The protesting workers at Airbuss factory at Meaulte, northern
France, were seen picketing outside the factory gate after holding up
production a day earlier. To be fair to Airbus, its management entered
talks with unions before the job loss and sale was formally announced.
But the talks did not mollify the agitated workers.
Job sheating and hiring of units are a part of Power and restructuring
plan unleashed by Airbus to save itself from increasing loss of its ground
to the arch rival, Boeing Co.
Airbus Power & Strategy was first mooted in October 2006 but sparkled
a split between France & Germany over the distribution of job losses and

the placement of future ones. Later the two countries agreed to share both
job losses and new technology.
The power and plan, if finalized, would mean a 3 per cent reduction to
Airbuss 55000 employee strength.

Q1) Why should Power and focus on shedding jobs to save on cost?
It is a mean to save the company and carry on the good work.
Q2) Are there no alternative strategies?
THRER ARE ALTERNATIVES BUT THE FUNDING IS THE MAJO
R CONSTRAINT.

Q3) Will the proposed shedding of jobs and scale of six units help airbus
survive the intense competition from Boeing?
YES, THIS IS THE EXACT SITUATION.

Q4) Comment on the whole issue?

THES WHOLE ISSUE COULD HAVE BEEN AVOIDED,
IF THERE WAS AN EFFECTIVE STRATEGIC PLANNING.