Human Resource Management (MB0043)

Assignment -II

MBA 1st Semester Roll No: 521103149 Divyang Panchasara

Q.1 Discuss the factors affecting recruitment? Answer: The ability to identify the correct talent for not just the role/job but also from the organizational values perspective can be summarized as the key recruiting challenge. All organizations, whether large or small, do engage in recruiting activity, though not to the same intensity. Few factors that impact the nature of recruitment: i) The size of the organization- the smaller the organization the more the need to carefully scrutinize the candidate for a job and the fitment to the organizational culture. The risk in case of job-candidate mismatch can prove equally expensive for a smaller organization as compared to the larger one. The employment conditions in the country where the organization is locatedcritically impacts the recruiting strategy. The methods for recruiting, the selection tools that are most suited and the legal framework that bear on the employer are some aspects that need to be considered. The affects of past recruiting efforts which show the organizations ability to locate and keep good performing people- constantly reviewing the effectiveness of the recruiting methods and the selection tools used, evaluating the success at-work of the new recruits are some methods used by organizations to ensure that quality hiring practices are in-place. Working conditions and salary and benefit packages offered by the organization this may influence turnover and necessitate future recruiting; (v) The rate of growth of organization- the phase in the life-cycle of the firm is a measure of the recruiting effort. The level of seasonality of operations and future expansion and production programs ensuring that the recruitment numbers come form a well-planned Human Resource Plan is critical to ensure that there is no over-hiring or underhiring of the required talent to achieve the organizational objectives. Cultural, economic and legal factors these too affect the recruiting and selection methods that are used.

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Q.2 Right Time is a watch manufacturing company. It has hired 20 people recently for the company. They will be involved in manufacturing, assembling of watches. They will be using different machines and tools for this. What type of training is best for them? What may be the advantages and limitations of the training method? Answer:

Vestibule/classroom training is best for twenty people hired by Right Time, a watch manufacturing training since they will be involved in manufacturing and assembling of watches. Vestibule / Classroom Training: This method attempts to duplicate on-the-job situations in a company classroom. It is a classroom training which is often imparted with the help of the equipment and machines which are identical with those in use in the place of work. This technique enables the trainee to concentrate on learning the new skill rather than performing an actual job. In other words, it is geared to job duties. Theoretical training is given in the classroom, while the practical work is conducted on the production line. The advantages of using the vestibule-training system are the disadvantages of specialization. The instructor, a specialist, should be more skilled at teaching. The student avoids the confusion and pressure of the work situation and thus is able to concentrate on learning. One can also often attain a given level of skill more quickly in the specialized learning situation. We have more assurance that adequate time and attention will be given to training and that it will not slighted in favour of other problems. More individualized instruction can be given, and training activities do not interfere with the regular processes of production. Among the disadvantages are the splitting of responsibilities leads to organizational problems. Second, an additional investment in equipment is necessary, though the cost may be reduced by getting some productive work done by trainees while in the school. Third, this method is of limited value for the jobs which utilize equipment which can be duplicated and finally the training situation is somewhat artificial.

Q.3 Write a note on 360 degree appraisal method. Answer: Typically, performance appraisal has been limited to a feedback process between employees and Managers. However, with the increased focus on teamwork, employee development, and customer service, the emphasis has shifted to employee feedback from the full circle of sources depicted in the diagram below. This multiple-input approach to performance feedback is sometimes called "360-degree assessment" to connote that full circle.

The 360 degree matrix There are no prohibitions in law or regulation against using a variety of rating sources, in addition to the employees Manager, for assessing performance. Research has shown 2

assessment approaches with multiple rating sources provide more accurate, reliable, and credible information. For this reason, HR Management supports the use of multiple rating sources as an effective method of assessing performance for formal appraisal and other evaluative and developmental purposes. The circle, or perhaps more accurately the sphere, of feedback sources consists of Managers, peers, subordinates, customers, and ones self. It is not necessary, or always appropriate, to include all of the feedback sources in a particular appraisal program. The organizational culture and mission must be considered, and the purpose of feedback will differ with each source. For example, subordinate assessments of a Managers performance can provide valuable developmental guidance, peer feedback can be the heart of excellence in teamwork, and customer service feedback focuses on the quality of the teams or agencys results.

The objectives of performance appraisal and the particular aspects of performance that are to be assessed must be established before determining which sources are appropriate. Superiors: Evaluations by superiors are the most traditional source of employee feedback. This form of evaluation includes both the ratings of individuals by Managers on elements in an employees performance plan and the evaluation of programs and teams by senior managers. Q.4 Given below is the HR policy glimpse of ZoomVideo, a multimedia company 1. It offers cash rewards for staff members 2. It promotes the culture of employee referral and encourages people to refer people they know, maybe their friends, ex. colleagues, batch mates and relatives. 3. It recognizes good performances and gives good titles and trphies to the people who perform well and also felicitates them in the Annual Day of the company. Identify what all aspects does it take care of, based on different levels of Maslows Need Hierarchy ? Answer: Maslows Need Hierarchy Theory
Maslow s theory of basic needs draws chiefly from human psychology. He arranged the human needs of an individual in a hierarchical manner. Maslow proposed an individual s motivation as a predetermined order of needs which he strives to satisfy. His model of Hierarchy of Needs indicates the following propositions about human behaviour. i) Physiological Needs: These are basic to life, viz., and hunger for food, thirst, shelter and companionship among others. They are relatively independent of each other and in some cases can be identified with a specific location in the body. These needs are cyclic. In other words, they are satisfied for only a short period; then they reappear. ii) Safety Needs: If the physiological needs are relatively satisfied, a set of needs emerge for protection against danger and threats. In an ordered society, a person usually feels safe from extremes of climate, tyranny, violence and so on. iii) Social Needs: If the physiological and safety needs are fairly satisfied, the needs for love and affection and belongingness will emerge and the cycle will repeat itself with this new centre. If he is

deprived of these needs he will want to attain them more than anything else in the world. An individual desires affectionate relationships with people in general and desires to have a respected place in his group.

iv) Esteem Needs: Everyone has a need for self-respect and for the esteem of others. This results in the desire for strength, confidence, prestige, recognition and appreciation. These egoistic needs are rarely completely satisfied. The typical industrial and commercial organization does not offer much opportunity for their satisfaction to employees at the lower levels. v) Self-actualization Needs: The term "self-actualization" was coined by Kurt Goldstein and means, to become actualized in what one is potentially good at. A person may achieve self actualization in being the ideal fitter, supervisor, mother or an eminent artist. People who are satisfied with these needs are basically satisfied people and it is from these that we can expect the fullest creativeness. A sound motivational system to be successful must take care of this hierarchy of needs of the team members in order to work efficiently. It must cover basic as well as higher needs and it must be flexible to cater to changes in the environment. Q.5 Describe the emerging employee empowerment practices.

Answer:
In today s organizations the focus is moving towards collaboration at the workplace. One of the most common instruments established in large organizations has been the Employee Suggestion Schemes (ESS). The ESS has proved effective in allowing employees a discrete method of voicing their opinions and suggestion for what can be better managed in the company. The management invites the employees suggestions on all/any issue that is a source of irritation for the employees including topics mentioned in 13.3 above are open for comment. What however is different is that the employee is encouraged to frame it as a suggestion and make a recommendation for a change, rather than the classic fault finding approach about what is going wrong or what is not working well. There are ESS forms/ templates that are left in common places or the employee can download from the company intranet and fill in the suggestion for change and drop it in boxes left common places like the coffee area or the lunch rooms etc.. These suggestions are then collated by the HR team and on a quarterly basis the Suggestion Committee meets to review all of the suggestions received. The Suggestion Committee includes line managers, HR representative and Finance and Facilities & Administration team members and senior management representative who can provide the necessary guidance for approval of the suggestions. The committee meets and discusses each suggestion in depth and evaluates the scope for implementation of the suggestion. The feasibility of implementing the suggestion and its other implications are evaluated closely and the suggestion accepted/set aside for future review/rejected. There are awards given away for excellent ideas that help the company optimize costs, productivity and improve quality, customer satisfaction etc.. The HR then communicates the suggestion committee report with all employees through a mail or during the employees Open-house sessions.

The employee s open house also called the all hands meeting is one more communication forum effectively used by the senior management of a company to connect with its employees. This usually is a quarterly or a half-yearly meeting to which all employees are invited. There is a brief sharing of the company s performance and the rest of the time devoted to answering any queries that employees might have on any issue that concerns the company and its employees. This is often followed with by a informal interactions over lunch/breakfast, where once again employees can speak to the senior executives and ask general questions. Often employees might not feel comfortable asking tough questions in a open forum, hence there are drop-boxes provided where the employee can write and drop a question or a opinion that he wants the senior management to answer. The employee need not mention his name on the question slip. If the senior management is unable to answer a question then and there the same is reviewed subsequently by the senior management and a response shared with all employees over mail or posted on the notice board or on the intranet site for everyone to read. Some organizations also operate a email communication method where any employee who has a query or a observation can write his question to the mail alias and obtain a response. Usually the HR is the custodian of this mailed and they do the necessary review to suitably answer the questions and seek the manager s inputs on a as needed basis. The concept of taskforce is also a common mechanism that organizations use to build cross-functional teams (with one representative each from each department) that will work on concerns that are commonly voiced. For example a leading medical transcription company wanted to review its incentive policy and in order to have a collaborative approach put together a team of employees one each from each of the departments including representatives from HR and Finance. The team was provided with all the historical information they would need and were given all of 6 weeks to work on the project and make a presentation to the senior management of the company. After the first presentation to them and having incorporated the feedback received the taskforce then presented the new scheme to the employees. Finally it was approved as a policy and made effective. Today s organizations therefore adopt a collaborative approach to employee issues. While the technology companies are more informal the traditional brick-and-motor companies have formal processes. Whatever the approach whether formal or informal employees are encouraged to openup and ask questions and perform as contended employees. Q.6 Write a note on directive, permissive and participative type of leadership.

Answer:
According to Chris Argyris, leadership is classified into three groups as follows: a) The Directive type b) The Permissive type c) The participative type

Authoritarian Leadership (Autocratic)

Authoritarian leaders are those who provide clear expectations of what needs to be done, when it should be done, and how it should be done. Authoritarian leaders usually make decisions independently with little or no input from the rest of the group. Very evidently decision-making was less creative under authoritarian leadership. Lewin also found that it is more difficult to move from an authoritarian style to a democratic style than vice versa. The leader was viewed as controlling, bossy, and dictatorial. Authoritarian leadership is best applied to situations where there is little time for group decisionmaking or where the leader is the most knowledgeable member of the group. Participative Leadership (Democratic) Lewin s study found that participative (democratic) leadership is generally the most effective leadership style. Democratic leaders offer guidance to group members, but they also participate in the group and allow input from other group members. While it is possible that this style productivity is lower than that in the authoritarian group, but the contributions were of a much higher quality. This could also be more time taking. Participative leaders encourage group members to participate, but retain the final say over the decision-making process. Group members feel engaged in the process and are more motivated and creative.

Delegative (Laissez-Fair)
Delegative leaders offer little or no guidance to group members and leave decision-making entirely to group members. While this style can be effective in situations where group members are highly qualified in an area of expertise, it often leads to poorly defined roles and a lack of motivation.

Transformational Leader
Transformational leaders offer a purpose that transcends short-term goals and focuses on higher order intrinsic needs (as discussed above). This results in followers identifying with the needs of the leader.

Charismatic Leader
Charismatic Leader is the degree to which the leader behaves in admirable ways that cause followers to identify with the leader. Charismatic leaders display convictions, take stands and appeal to followers on an emotional level. This is about the leader having a clear set of values and demonstrating them in every action, providing a role model for their followers.