HRM processes
This sub section illustrates the processes involved in executing the HRM functions. Each
of the functions: planning, recruitment, selection, orientation and training, performance
appraisal etc. goes through a process. Unless otherwise stated, the rest of this section will
be drawn from (Dessler et al., 1999)’s literature based on pages 165 to 533.
2.3.1 Planning process
Human Resource Planning (HRP) process reviews human resources requirements to
ensure that the organization has the required number of employees, with the necessary
skills, to meet its goals, also known as employment planning. HRP is a proactive process,
which both anticipates and influences an organization’s future by systematically
forecasting the demand for and supply of employees under changing conditions, and
developing plans and activities to satisfy these needs. Key steps include forecasting 10
demand for labor considering organizational strategic and tactical plans, economic
conditions, market and competitive trends, social concerns, demographic trends, and
technological changes.
2.3.2 Recruitment process
Recruitment is the process of searching for and attracting an adequate number of
qualified job candidate, from whom the organization may select the most appropriate to
field its staff needs. The process begins when the need to fill a position is identified and it
ends with the receipt of résumés and completed application forms. The result is a pool of
qualified job seekers from which the individual best matching the job requirements can
be selected. The steps in recruitment process include identification of job openings,
determination of job requirements, choosing appropriate recruiting sources and methods,
and finally, generating a pool of qualified recruits. Job openings are identified through
human resource planning or manager request. Next is to determine the job requirements.
This involves reviewing the job description and the job specification and updating them,
if necessary. Appropriate recruiting sources and methods are chosen because there is no
one, best recruiting technique. Consequently, the most appropriate for any given position
depend on a number of factors, which include organizational policies and plans, and job
requirements.
2.3.3 Selection process
Selection is the process of choosing individuals with the relevant qualifications to fill
existing or projected openings. Data and information about applicants regarding current
employees, whether for a transfer or promotion, or outside candidates for the first time
position with the firm are collected and evaluated. The steps in the selection process, in
ascending order include preliminary reception of applicants, initial applicant screening,
selection testing, selection interview, background investigation and reference checking,
supervisory interview, realistic job previews, making the hiring decision, candidate
notification, and evaluating the selection process. However, each step in the selection
process, from preliminary applicant reception and initial screening to the hiring decision, 11
is performed under legal, organizational, and environmental constraints that protect the
interests of both applicant and organization.
2.3.4 Orientation, training and development process
Employee orientation is the procedure of providing new employees with basic
background information about the firm and the job. Is more or less, considered as one
component of the employer’s new-employee socialization process. Socialization process
is an ongoing process of initialing in all employees the prevailing attitudes, standards,
values, and patterns of behavior that are expected by the organization. Training however
is the process of teaching new or present employees the basic skills/competencies needed
to perform their jobs. Whereas training focuses on skills and competencies needed to
perform employees’ current jobs, employee and management development is the training
of long-term nature. The aim is to prepare current employees for future jobs with the
organization or solving an organizational problem concerning, for example, poor
interdepartmental communication. Training and development processes include needs
analysis, instructional design, validation, implementation, and evaluation and follow-up.
2.3.5 Career planning and development process
It is the deliberate process through which persons become aware of personal career
related attributes and the lifelong series of activities that contribute to their career
fulfillment. Individuals, managers, and the organization have role to play in career
development. Individuals accept responsibility of own career, assess interests, skills, and
values, seek out career information and resources, establish goals and career plans, and
utilize development opportunities.
The career stage identification entails career cycle (the stages through which a person’s
career evolves). These stages include the following: growth, exploration, establishment,
maintenance, and decline stages. Occupational orientation identification is the theory by
John Holland. This theory enumerates six basic personal orientations that determine the
sorts of careers to which people are drawn. They include realistic orientation, 12
investigative orientation, social orientation, conventional orientation, enterprise
orientation, and artistic orientation.
2.3.6 Performance appraisal process
Performance appraisal may be defined as any procedure that involves setting work
standards, assessing employee’s actual performance relative to these standards, and
providing feedback to the employee with the aim of motivating the worker to eliminate
performance deficiencies or to continue to perform above par.
Processes in performance appraisal contain three steps: defining performance
expectations, appraising performance, and providing feedback. First, defining
performance expectation means making sure that job duties and standards are clear to all.
Second, appraising performance means comparing employees’ actual performance to the
standards that has been set, which normally involves some type of rating form. Third,
performance appraisal usually requires one or more feedback sessions to discuss
employees’ performance and progress and making plans for any required development.
Some of the appraisal methods include graphic rating scale, alternation ranking, paired
comparison, forced distribution, and critical incident methods.
2.3.7 Employee Compensation and benefits process
Employee compensation involves all forms of pay or rewards accrued to employees and
arising from their employment. This however consists of two main components: direct
financial payments, and indirect payments. While direct financial payments are in the
form of wages, salaries, incentives, commissions, and bonuses, indirect payments are in
the form of financial benefits like employer-paid insurance and vacations. Moreover,
legal considerations in compensation, union influences, compensation policies, and
equity and its impact on pay rates are the four basic considerations influencing the
formulation of any pay plan.
Benefits are indirect financial payments given to employees. These may include
supplementary health and life insurance, vacation, pension, education plans, and 13
discounts on say company products. Furthermore, income and medical benefits to victims
of work-related accidents or illness and/or their dependents, regardless of fault are all part
of employees’ compensation.
The processes in establishing pay rates involve the following five steps: First, conducting
wages/salary survey to determine the prevailing wage rates for comparable jobs, which is
central in job pricing. Second, determine the relative worth of each job (job evaluation)
by comparing the job content in relation to one another in terms of their efforts,
responsibility, and skills. This eventually results in wage or salary hierarchy. Third, group
similar jobs into pay grades, a pay grade comprises of jobs of approximately equal value
or importance as determined by job evaluation. Forth, price each pay grade using wage
curves. A wage curve is graphical description of the relationship between the value of job
and the average wage paid for the job. However, if jobs are not grouped into pay grades,
individual pay rates have to be assigned to each job. Fifth, fine tune pay rates. This
involves correcting out-of-line rates and usually developing rate ranges.
2.3.8 Occupational health and safety process
Occupational health and safety process aims at protecting the health and safety of
workers by minimizing work-related accidents and illnesses. Laws and legislations to
ensure and observe general health and safety rules bound employers. More so, rules for
specific industries, for example, mining and rules related to specific hazards, for instance,
asbestos have to be adhered to. The following steps are important in this process.
Checking for or removing unsafe conditions by using checklist to audit a company’s
adherence to safety rules that are guarded against hazards, which cannot be removed.
Next, through selection, screening out of employees who might be accident prone for job
in question without compromising the human right legislation. More so, establishing a
safety policy, this emphasizes on the importance of practically reducing accidents and
injuries. Setting specific loss control goals by analyzing the number of accidents and
safety incidents and then set specific safety goals to be achieved. Enforcing safety rules
through discipline and conducting health and safety inspections regularly by investigating 14
all accidents and near misses, and by having a system in place for letting employees
notify management about hazardous conditions.
2.4 Chapter Summary
There is no clear-cut definition of HRM. However, the common ground settled by
different HR professionals and academicians is that they recognize that HRM is closely
fitted with business strategy than personnel management.
HR processes starts by planning labor requirements. This include, resource specifications,
long range planning, forecasting supply and demand of labour, staffing, applicant
qualification, training programs, costs analysis, salary, contract type, and other related
issues. Other key HR processes involve recruiting, selecting, performance appraising,
training and orientation, career development, occupational health and safety, and
compensation and benefits.
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