HR Research

Research is also used to evaluate HR practices and performance. Research is a systematic and scientific process of
collecting information, analyzing the information and drawing conclusions for decision-making. At times the research
may be advanced, relying on sophisticated designs and statistics. But whether information is rigorous or not, research
seeks to improve the performance. There are two kinds of research – academic and applied. Academic research seeks
answers to contribute to the existing body of knowledge. Application – oriented research efforts are called applied
research. For evaluating the HR performance applied research is conducted. There are following five kinds of applied
research.

a) Comparative Approach: The research team compares its organisation (or division) with another organisation (or
division) to uncover areas of poor performance. This approach commonly is used to compare the results of specific
activities or programs. It helps detect areas of needed improvement.

b) Outside Authority Approach: The research team relies on the expertise of a consultant or published research
findings as a standard against which activities or programs are evaluated. The consultant or research findings may
help diagnose the causes of problems.

c) Statistical Approach: From existing records, the research team generates statistical standards against which
activities and programs are evaluated. With these mathematical standards, the team may uncover errors while they
are still minor.

d) Compliance Approach: By sampling elements of the human resource information system, the research team looks
for deviations from laws and company policies or procedures. Through its fact – finding efforts, the team can determine
whether there is compliance with company policies and legal regulations.

e) MbO Approach: When an MbO approach is applied to the human resources area, the research team can compare
actual results with stated objectives. Areas of poor performance can be detected and reported.

Research Method

A number of research methods are available that can be chosen to suit the research objectives. However, most
research is conducted by using one or more of the following methods.

a) Interviews: Interview though time consuming provide very valuable information. It refers to a face-to-
face discussion with managers and other employees to get information on a particular issue. Interview has
several advantages.
 It provides an opportunity to verify information
 Information relating to motivation and commitment can best be sought by interview.
 It provides an opportunity to explain.
 It is a two-way interaction and hence provides one opportunity to get in-depth information.

Interviews of employees and managers offer research teams a powerful tool for collecting information about HR
activities and identifying areas that need improvement. Criticisms and comments from interviews can help pinpoint
perceptions and causes that can form the basis for departmental action. Likewise, suggestions by managers may
reveal ways to provide them with better service. When the criticisms are valid, changes should be made. But when the
HR department is correct, it may have to educate others in the organization by explaining the procedures that are being
researched.

One useful variation of interview is Exit Interview. Such interviews are conducted when the employees has decided
to leave the organizations. At this time the employees can very openly discuss problems issues and concerns because
now he /she is not afraid of reprimanded by the authorities. Some extremely useful information can be gathered through
exit interviews, which can be very handy in reviewing HR policies, identifying training needs and examine behavioural
problems that are not easily identifiable.

b) Questionnaires: Since interviews are time –consuming and costly and often are limited to only a few
people, many HR departments use questionnaires to broaden the scope of their research. Also,
questionnaires may lead to more candid answers than do face-to-face interviews. Besides being less costly
questionnaires provide an opportunity to collect large amount of date in short period of time as they could be
administered to a group. Questionnaires generally consist of a list of statement / items to which respondent
responds by either saying yes or no or showing varying degrees of agreement/disagreement. However one
major disadvantage of questionnaire is that it assumes that respondents can read and write in language used
in the questionnaire. Hence they can be given to only literate people.
c) Secondary Source of Data: Both interviews and questionnaires require human beings to provide
information. If the focus of research is to collect historical data perhaps the best source could be what is called
as secondary source. Where data is available in published documents, government reports, journals and
magazines, house magazines, minutes of the meetings and achieves etc. Such data can be extremely useful
to examine trends in terms of growth or otherwise. Needless to say secondary source of data can be very
handy method to collect specific information.

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 1.

How to Deal With a Negative Coworker: Negativity Matters

Some people exude negativity because they don’t like their jobs and they don’t like their company. Their managers are always
jerks and bad, bad, bad bosses. They are always treated unfairly by their boss and their organization.

They think that the company is always going down the tube and that their customers are worthless. You know these negative
Neds and Nellies—every organization has them—and you can best address their impact on you by using these nine tips.

 02

How to Implement Strategic Planning: Vision Statement, Mission Statement, Values

Earlier, you were provided with a strategic planning framework, samples, and examples for creating your organization’s mission
statement, vision statement, and more.

As a result of the strategic planning article, people asked: now that I know what all of this strategic planning should look like,
how do I actually make strategic planning happen in my organization? And, how does an organization ensure that once the time
was spent on planning, that the planning has an impact?

This strategic planning question strikes at the heart of how to make changes of any kind happen in your organization. Find out
how.

 03

When Management Systems Fail: Why Employees Don't Do What You Want Them to Do

•••

In an age-old dilemma, managers perennially ask why employees don’t do what they are supposed to do at work. While part of
the responsibility falls on the choices that individual employees make, managers need to shoulder a portion of the blame, too.

Employees want to succeed at work and managers are responsible for creating the work environment in which they can succeed.

Do you know a single person who gets up in the morning and says, “Gee, I think I’ll go to work to fail today.” Many of the
reasons employee responsibility fails are due to a failure in the employee management systems. Start with the failure of the
manager to provide clear direction.

 04

How Do You Know When It's Time for You to Go?

Are you feeling increasingly unhappy about your job? Are you listening to yourself complain more as each day passes? Are
friends at work avoiding you due to your complaining?

Do you find yourself daydreaming about the other things you could do with the time and energy you now expend at work? Do
you dread the thought of going to work on Monday mornings to the point of spoiling Sunday evenings with the feelings of dread?
If so, then it is probably time for you to quit your job. Take a look at ten possible reasons why it's time to quit your job.

 05

Personal Courage and Conflict Resolution at Work

•••

Practicing personal courage is necessary if you want to really resolve conflicts at work. Why doesn't successful conflict
resolution occur more frequently at work?

Many people are afraid of conflict resolution. They feel threatened by conflict resolution because they may not get what they
want if the other party gets what they want.

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Even in the best circumstances, conflict resolution is uncomfortable because people are usually unskilled and unpracticed. They
are afraid to hurt the other party's feelings and they are afraid they will get hurt, too. See how you can gain more personal and
professional courage.

 06

Workplace Conflict Resolution: Managing Your Human Resources

•••

As an organization leader, manager or supervisor, you are responsible for creating a work environment that enables people to
thrive. If turf wars, conflicts, disagreements and differences of opinion escalate into interpersonal conflict, you must intervene
immediately.

Conflicts do not resolve themselves and they rarely disappear without some form of intervention. Conflict resolution, with you as
the mediator, is essential. Conflict resolution is an immediate priority for your organization.

 07

Achieve Your Dreams: Six Steps: Accomplish Your Goals and Resolutions

Don't let your goals and resolutions fall by the wayside. Chances are that to achieve your dreams and live a life you love, those
goals and resolutions are crucial. You can focus on accomplishing goals.

Goal setting and goal achievement are easier if you follow these six steps for effective and successful goal setting and
accomplishing your resolutions.

 08

Rise Above the Fray: Dealing With Difficult People at Work

Difficult people exist in every workplace. Difficult people come in every variety and no workplace is without them. How difficult
a person is for you to deal with depends on your personal self-esteem, your own self-confidence, and the amount of professional
courage you are willing to exercise.

Dealing with difficult people is easier when the person is just generally obnoxious or when the behavior affects more than one
person. Dealing with difficult people is much tougher when they are attacking you or undermining your professional
contribution. See how to deal with the difficult people you find in your workplace.

 09

Bad to the Bone: Dealing With a Bad Boss or Bad Managers

You're weary. You're frustrated. You're unhappy. You're demotivated. Your interaction with your boss leaves you cold. He's a
bully, intrusive, controlling, picky and petty.

He takes credit for your hard work and never provides positive feedback. Moreover, he misses every meeting he has scheduled
with you.

He's a bad boss, seriously bad to the bone. Dealing with less than effective managers, or just plain bad managers and bad
bosses is a challenge too many employees face every day. These ideas will help you deal with your bad boss.

 10

12 Tips for Team Building

People in every workplace talk about building the team, working as a team, and my team, but most of them do not understand
how to create the experience of team work or how to develop an effective team.

These twelve tips cover the concepts necessary to build a successful work team. Use these twelve tips to build successful work
teams.