HRM/OB 2
Companies intending to make mass redundancies are obliged to:
Consult the organization representing the employees (work council, union) and give them at least an opportunity to formulate proposals on how to avoid such redundancies or limit their number and how to mitigate their consequences. Inform them about reasons, number of affected employees and the time of the dismissal. Timeline could be as follows: Notification of intent to dismiss in first week. Consultation in weeks 1 & 2 with employees. Week 3 notification to employee office. 30 days later official notice period begins.
What are typical services of outplacement
- Self-assessment (personal goals, resources, potential etc.) - Planning the career transition - Job interview training - Career coaching - Assisting candidates to improve their resumes and online profiles - Practical advice regarding finding a new job
What are the typical contents of a social plan
- Severance pay - Early retirement - Arrange / pay fees for (re-)training / development - Extended notification periods - Assistance in finding other work - Outplacement / New Placement
What is Article 335a
1 Notice periods must be the same for both parties; where an agreement provides for different notice periods, the longer period is applicable to both parties. 2 However, where the employer has given notice to terminate the employment relationship or expressed an intention to do so for economic reasons, the employee may be permitted a shorter notice period by individual agreement, standard employment contract or collective employment contract.
HRM contributes to the performance of individuals/teams/the organization by:
1. ensuring that employees have appropriate knowledge, skills, abilities via HR Development 2. enhancing their motivation 3. empowering employees with appropriate job design (e.g. job rotation, job enlargement, job enrichment, flex work etc.)
Define Career Path
A career path is a flexible line of movement through which a person may travel during his work life.
Define Groupshift
A change between a group's decision and an individual decision that a member within the group would make; the shift can be toward either conservatism or greater risk but it is general toward a more extreme version of the group's initial position.
Define OB
A field of study that investigates the impact that individuals, groups and structure have on behaviour within organizations. HRM and Leadership are fields applying this knowledge to improve organization's effectiveness.
Discuss Career Development & PLanning
A formal approach used by organizations to ensure that people with the proper qualifications and experience are available when needed. Career development is a major reason why people remain at their companies. Career planning rests with the employee but must closely parallel with career development if a firm is to retain its best workers. Companies must help their employees achieve career objectives and give career security. Development should begin with job placement and initial orientation.
What is the Nominal Group Technique
A group decision making method in which individual members meet face-to-face to pool their judgements in a systematic but independent fashion. A problem is presented then the group takes the following steps: 1. Before any discussion takes place, each member independently write down ideas about the problem. 2. After this silent period, all ideas are presented without discussion until after all are finished. 3. The group discusses the ideas for clarity and evaluates them. 4. Each group member silently ranks the ideas, the one with the highest aggregate score is the final decision.
Define Role
A group property, a set of expected behavior patterns attributed to someone occupying a given position in a social unit. Role requirements change in different situations, for example husband, father, Catholic, tennis player, etc.
What is an HR T&D Portfolio
A matrix rating low to high on performance and potential.
What are some issues with T&D Implementation
A perfect plan will fail if management cannot convince the participants of its merits. Participants must believe a program has value and will help achieve personal and professional goals. Implementing T&D is tricky. Managers are typically action-oriented and feel they are too busy for T&D. Also, qualified trainers must be available and know the company philosophy, goals, and have strong communication skills. Training implies change, which employees may resist. It can also be difficult schedule the training and keep the records of the trainings.
Define Group Think
A phenomenon in which the norm for consensus overrides the realistic appraisal of alternative course of action. This results in the group to avoid unusual or unpopular solutions / views.
Define Outplacement
A service for laid off employees. Outplacement consists of processes and procedures involved in helping a job seeker whose employment has been terminated by a former employer secure a new job. This is typically outsourced to specialists (third party). The costs are usually covered by the job seeker's former employer that terminated their employment. The goal of outplacement is to ease the transition process.
Define Interrole Conflict
A situation in which the expectations of an individual's different, separate groups are in opposition.
Define Status
A socially defined position or rank given to groups or group members by others.
Define Status Characteristics Theory
A theory stating that differences in status characteristics create status hierarchies within groups. According to this, status tends to derive from one of three sources. 1. The power a person wields over others. 2. A person's ability to contribute to a group's goals. 3. An individual's personal characteristics.
What is the punctuated equilibrium model?
A unique sequencing of actions (or inactions) that temporary groups with finite deadlines pass through with six stages: 1. First meeting sets the group's directions 2. The first phase of group activities is one of inertia and thus slower progress 3. A transition takes place when the group has used up half its allotted time 4. This transition initiates major changes 5. A second phase of inertia follows the transitions 6. The last meeting is characterized by markedly accelerated activity.
What is the T&D Process
After evaluating our T&D programs we determine specific needs. Then establish goals, select methods and delivery systems, then implement T&D, then evaluate T&D again. Found in performance planning, performance appraisal, and monitoring and feedback.
Define Brainstorming
An idea-generation process that specifically encourages any and all alternatives while withholding any criticism of those alternatives.
Define Role Perception
An individual's view of how he or she is supposed to act in a given situation. We get role perceptions from stimuli all around us.
Define Psychological Contract
An unwritten agreement that sets out what a manager expects from an employee, and vice versa. This is how we look at role expectations in the workplace. When such a contract also focuses on relationships between employers and employees, employees may also be more likely to engage in organizational citizenship behaviors.
Decribe Apprenticeship Training
Apprenticeship training combines classroom instruction with OJT. Common in craft jobs and increasingly important with worker shortage.
Describe alternative T&D delivery systems
Corporate Universities provides rather formal education under corporate umbrella. This is quite expensive and is being used less but is very affective. It is proactive and strategic training aligning to a company's goals. University Community colleges Online higher education is a formal education opportunity delivered either partly or fully online. This is growing rapidly and is gaining more and more accreditation. Vestibule system is training that takes place away from the work site with equipment closely resembling the equipment used on site. Video media i.e. learning videos Simulators, such as flight simulators
Describe the Case Study Method of Training
Case Study is when students study the information provided in a case and make decisions based on them. This helps sharpen critical thinking skills.
Describe the Classroom Method of Training
Classroom method is where an instructor is physically in front of students. Here he can deal great deal of information in a short time. This works best if the group is small for discussion purposes and if the instructor can capture the imagination of the class to bring out creativity.
Define Demotion
Demotion is the process of moving a worker to a lower level but can help an older employee escape unwanted stress without being viewed as a failure. Free agents take charge of all or part of their careers via self employment or very flexible working conditions.
Distinguish between Formal & Informal Groups
Formal Group - A designated work group defined by an organization's structure. The behaviors that team members should engage in are stipulated by and directed toward organizational goals. Informal Group - Neither formally structured nor organizationally determined. Informal groups in the work environment meet the need for social contact. Three employees working in different departments regularly having lunch are an example. These type of interactions, though informal, deeply affect behavior and performance.
T&D Needs Assessement
Helps companies determine whether training is necessary (3 parts). Organizational analysis focuses on the firm's strategic mission, goals, and corporate plan along with the results of strategic HR planning. Task analysis focuses on the tasks required to achieve the firms purposes. These tasks help HR determine training content and how to deliver the training. Person analysis focuses on obtaining the answers to who needs to be trained, what do they need, etc. Performance appraisals and interviews are helpful for this. T&D must have clear and concise objectives and be developed to achieve organizational goals.
Define Reference Groups
Important groups to which individuals belong or hope to belong and with whose norms individuals are likely to conform.
Describe In Basket Training
In-basket training is when a participant is asked to establish priorities, beneficial to help predict performance success in management jobs.
What are the 3 levels of HR Development (Think OB Model)
Individuals: Training & development of individual employees. Short-term (present job): training and improve performance. Long-term (career): development Team Development Organizational Development
What are the two differing Perspectives on Selection vs Development
Innate perspective: focus on selection, assesment, identification of talent Acquired perspective: focus on education, training, experience, learning as tools for talent development. Depends on implicit person theory that prevails in the organization: - Some decision makers believe: people «are who they are», the odds of people changing over time are low (i.e., 'fixed' or 'entity' mindset) - believe that people are determined primarily by the lessons they learn from experience, and that people can change even at a later age (i.e., 'growth' or 'incremental' mindset) Or culture
What makes up an OB Model
Inputs, Outputs, Processes; All three contain aspects at an individual, group, and organizational level
Define Network Career Path
Network career path contain both a vertical sequence of jobs and a series of horizontal jobs. This recognizes the interchangeability of experience at certain levels and the need to broaden experience at one level before promotion. However this is often difficult to explain to employees the specific route their careers may take
What are 5 T&D Methods
T&D Methods: - Into-the-job: Apprenticeship, orientation, onboarding, trainee-program - Off-the-job: Conferences, professional education, leadership seminars, university, blended education - Near-the-job: Quality circles, E-learning, communities of practice - On-the-job: Learning from experience i.e. project work, deputizing, coaching, job design - Out-of-the-job: Outplacement, retirement planning
Define Conformity
The adjustment of one's behavior to align with the norms of the group.
What is the Traditional Framework for Evaluating T&D
The traditional framework for evaluation of training is based on reactions, learning, behavior, and organizational results.
Which HR function(s) is/are relevant regarding reduction/dismissal
The two most important are staffing and employee & labor relations. Also important but not as much as the other two is HR development.
What are the Pros and Cons of Group Decision Making
This generates more complete information and knowledge, more diverse views, and increased acceptance of a solution. However, these give way to conformity issues, can be dominated by a few people, and suffer from ambiguous responsibility. Group decisions are generally more accurate, slower, and accepting. Not as accurate as the most accurate group member)
What is Strategic the HRM Model Harvard
This map is based on an analytical approach and provides a broad causal depiction of the 'determinants and consequences of HRM policies.' It shows human resource policies to be influenced by two significant consideration: Situational Factors & Stakeholder Interests
Identify career planning approaches
Today a new job assignment is often thought of as being paid to learn a new task and increase your experience level. Career planning is an ongoing process whereby an individual sets career goals and identifies the means to achieve them. Self-assessment is the process of learning about oneself. A self evaluation procedure is the strength/weakness balance sheet and a likes and dislikes survey. Combining self-assessment with formal assessment tools is more comprehensive.
List Factors influencing T&D
Top management support The supply of skilled workers also influences T&D. Perhaps no other factor has influenced T&D more than technology. The world is becoming more complex so companies must provide employees with leading-edge skills and encourage employees to apply their skills. The difference in learning styles also make T&D tricky. Successful HR functions also influences T&D, if we're recruiting excellently then we may need to train a bit less.
Define Traditional Career Paths
Traditional career paths are where an employee progresses vertically upward in the organization from one specific job to the next. Therefore the employee must move step by step to gain the important experience and knowledge for the next step.
Describe Trainee Reactions in Evaluating T&D
Trainee reactions refers to the extent to which the trainees liked the program related to its usefulness and quality of conduct. This is measured by survey. It provides suggestions for improvements and feedback quickly and inexpensively.
Describe the Training Games Method of Training
Training games help encourage learner involvement and stimulate interest in a topic. Business games permits people to assume roles and compete against one another.
Define Interacting Groups
Typical groups in which members interact with each other face-to-face. Interacting groups often censor themselves and pressure individual members toward conformity of opinion.
Describe Exit Management
Typically one of the most sensitive processes of HR/line managers. This process is often lengthy and cumbersome: many functions/departments involved (several management levels, several HR functions, Finance etc.). All parties involved have to proceed with care as it is the last impression that tends to stick.
Define Role Conflict
When compliance with one role requirement may make it difficult to comply with another.
Define Social Identity Threat
Where people believe they will be personally negatively evaluated due to their association with a devalued group, usually resulting in a lower confidence and performance effectiveness.
How Do You Prevent Social Loafing
setting group goals, increasing intergroup competition, engage in peer evaluations, select members who have high motivation and prefer to work in groups, and base group rewards in part on each member's unique contributions.
What are the disadvantages of the internal labor market
- Higher overhead, incl. costs of talent management. - Risks of investments in training or experience are borne by the company, not the individual. - Lack of flexibility; rigidity and higher salary costs in times of decline and change; slower to adjust in time of major technological/market changes - May foster greater mediocrity and conformity; risk that poor performance goes unchallenged. - Insular; fewer insights into competitors; less innovation through bridging with external agents. - Risk of unchallenged glassceilings. - Risk of overstaffing or understaffing, esp. with difficulties of forecasting talent demand.
Name Ways to Improve Employee Retention
- Hire smart - Onboarding and orientation - Mentorship programs - Rewards systems / compensation, raise pay - Recognition - Work-life balance, offer flexibility - Training and development, discuss careers - Communication and feedback, provide direction - Fostering teamwork, use high-performance practices
What is the strategic value of offboarding
- Maintain Employer's Brand Reputation. Companies that offer outplacement are considered responsible "brands" - Part of employee benefits - Mitigating the risks of negative departures affecting the perception of remaining employees / future job seeking candidates (when departing staff feels supported and respected, they're more likely to reference their former employer in a positive light to external parties)
Define Norms
Acceptable standards of behavior within a group that are shared by the group's members. Norms can dictate the experience of emotions for the individuals and for the group.
What are the reasons for dismissal in the EU Recently
According to ERM, 70% of these occurred due to internal restructurings. Roughly 20% were due to bankruptcy / closure. Next up was offshoring / delocalization then came M&A.
What is Article 335
Addresses Labor Reduction: An employment relationship for an unlimited period may be terminated by either party. 2 The party giving notice of termination must state his reasons in writing if the other party so requests.
Define Deviant Workplace Behavior
Also known as counterproductive work behavior, this is voluntary behavior that violates significant organizational norms, and, in doing so, threatens the wellbeing of the organization or its members.
Describe the Behavior Metric in T&D Evaluation
Behavior changes refers to the changes in job-related behaviors or performance that can be attributed to the training. Specifically, this assesses transfer of training, the extent to which an employee generalizes knowledge and skill learned in training to the workplace as well as maintains the level of skill proficiency learned in training. The best demonstration of value is if it leads to lasting change. Behavior is difficult to accurately be tested if the change really did come from the training or not.
Describe Behavior Modeling Method of Training
Behavior modeling permits a person to learn by copying or replicating behaviors of others. This is used to train in tasks like performance reviews, correcting unacceptable performance, delegating work, and mediating.
Describe the Role Playing Method of Training
Role-playing is acting out real-world situations, essentially learning by doing. Helps deal with emotional situations.
Survivor's Syndrome
Survivor guilt (or survivor's guilt; also called survivor syndrome or survivor's syndrome) is a mental condition that occurs when a person believes they have done something wrong by surviving a traumatic event when others did not, often feeling self-guilt.
What is the benefit of Training and Developing Individual Employees
Training provides employees with knowledge/skills/abilities (competencies) needed for the present job. Development is learning that goes beyond the present job; long-term focus (career).
Define Group
Two or more individuals, interacting and interdependent, who have come together to achieve particular objectives.
Describe Team Training
Team training focuses on knowledge and skills for collective work toward meeting a common objective. Cross training is a form of this, being able to do multiple jobs at once (think restaurant work).
What are the 8 Steps of the Offboarding Process
1. Accrued and pending payments (Finance/Accounts department) 2. Utilized/Pending leaves and resulting impact (see point 1) (HR department) 3. Sign-off from immediate superior and department head (respective department) 4. Clearance on expenses from other departments (e.g. canteen, employee services like library, gym etc.) (Administration Department) 5. Closure of employee online account, email ID and handover of Employee ID card and other digital access codes (IT department) 6. Communication of the same to other employees (Internal communication department) 7. Position Filling: transfer/new hire (HR department) 8. Job hand-over (respective department)
What Are Aspects of Employee Termination
1. Kinds of dismissal 2. Necessity of reasons for dismissal 3. Notice period - Notice rights have the purpose of giving the employee the opportunity to take appropriate measures in preparation for the termination 4. Forms of dismissal 5. Special dismissal protection - For reasons of pregnancy, military duty, persons with disabilities sick/maternity/parental leave. Also: work council members (Germany), people close to retirement (Poland), if dismissal is connected to discriminatory reasons (Spain), union representatives (Sweden) 6. Legal means of employees 7. Severance pay 8. Managing Directors
What is article 335I
1. The employer must hold negotiations with the employees with the aim of preparing a social plan if he: a. normally employs at least 250 employees; and b. intends to make at least 30 employees redundant within 30 days for reasons that have no connection with their persons. 2. Redundancies over a longer period of time that are based on the same operational decision are counted together. 3. The employer negotiates: a. with the employee associations that are party to the collective employment contract if he is a party to this collective employment contract; b. with the organisation representing the employees; or c. directly with the employees if there is no organisation representing the employees. 4. The employee associations, the organisation representing the employees or the employees may invite specialist advisers to the negotiations. These persons must preserve confidentiality in dealings with persons outside the company.
HR Development is included in what 4 aspects of HRM
1. Training & Development 2. Organization development 3. Career planning 4. Career development Found in performance planning, performance appraisal, and monitoring and feedback.
What are the benefits of an internal labor market
Developing firm-specific strategic skills underlying competitive advantage - Building loyalty and commitment (better retention) - Better screening of job candidates; more rapid and cheaper decision making on staffing - Potentially lower supervisory cost i.e. greater capacity for self-monitoring - More control over salary levels; lower salary costs in times of growth(lags the external market) - Encourages sharing of information and team works; beneficial in terms of innovation in complex value chains. - Better maintenance of the culture, incl. social networks, if the culture is a source of competitive advantage.
What are the 6 Group Properties
Diversity, Roles, norms, status, cohesiveness, size
Define Dual Career Path
Dual-career path recognizes that technical specialists can and should be allowed to contribute their expertise without having to become managers.
Describe T&D on the Various Levels
During appraisal, Assess and review employees performance and potential. Then in management circle assess total employee portfolio of a team based on strategic needs. Result and action plan as follows: Organizational level: Workforce planning, Succession planning, Recruitment, Organizational Development Individual level: Development measures (development center, training etc.), Promotions, Manage low performers.
Describe the Elearning Method of Training
E-Learning is online instruction using tech-based methods. Massive open online courses (MOOCs) are popular in this. E-Learning is cost effective, convenient, and has better retention rates. It can be self paced and individualized. Firms that have a high turnover rate have turned to e-learning for cost effectiveness. E-Learning needs to be easy to learn usually. Helpful for technicians who need frequent training.
Describe Low Performer Management
Each employee gets enough time and opportunities to improve performance. Once identified, low performers receive intensified support to improve performance rather than fire. Guidelines and reasons for action are transparent and predictable. If all attempts fail then the termination decision initiates a clear and efficient exit management process. Decisions are not automated but owned by business. HR provides guidance, oversees identification and tracking process, and manages exit.
Career development programs are expected to achieve one or more of the following:
Effective development of talent, self-appraisal opportunities for employees seeking new paths, development across divisions and locations, improvement of performance, increased loyalty.
The AMO-Formula of Performance
Explains the linkage between human resources management and performance. - Performance = Ability x Motivation x Opportunity
What stops people from raising questions about their future
Lack: of time and opportunity or pressure of work. Lack of trust: Manager not the right person to talk to, manager not interested, unsuccessful at last attempt, etc
The best demonstration of value in T&D is
Lasting change
Define Lateral Career Path
Lateral skill path allows for lateral moves for revitalization and new challenges. He can learn new skills and become more important. This awards, without promotion, an employee by increasing a challenge, giving a job more meaning, and a greater sense of accomplishment.
Describe the Learning Metric in T&D Evaluation
Learning refers to the extent to which principles, facts, and techniques were understood and retained in memory by the employee. This is conducted after the program and via tests such a pretest posttest.
Summarize the T&D Process
Major adjustments in the external and internal environment necessitate corporate change. The general T&D process anticipates such change. Needs are considered at the levels of organization, task, and persons. From that HR judges what the training should be, who should be trained, etc. Then specific objectives (narrow for management broad for 1st line) are made. Then methods and delivery are selected then evaluated continuously.
What are some methods for career planning
Manager/employee self-service (manager helps with development), discussions with knowledgeable individuals, company material, appraisal systems, workshops.
What is Article 335D
Mass redundancies are notices of termination given by the employer to employees of a business within 30 days of each other for reasons not pertaining personally to the employees and which affect: 1. at least 10 employees in a business normally employing more than 20 and fewer than 100 employees; 2. at least 10% of the employees of a business normally employing at least 100 and fewer than 300 employees; 3. at least 30 employees in a business normally employing at least 300 employees.
Describe On The Job Training
On-the-job training permits an employee to learn job tasks by actually doing them. This has a significant impact of personal development. Key here is to transfer knowledge and pass on critical how to information.
What is the most powerful sources of Ingroup Favoritism
One of the most powerful sources of ingroup-outgroup feelings is the practice of religion, even in the workplace.
Describe the Organizational Metric in T&D Evaluation
Organizational results refers to outcomes such as enhanced productivity, lower costs, higher quality, etc. Results in this indicate whether an organization has attained a competitive advantage. Here metrics address the business's bottom line, such as productivity data, rather than amount of trainings completed. Organizations can only justify trainings if they deliver business success.
Describe Orientation in T&D
Orientation is the initial T&D effort to inform new employees about the company, the job, and the work group. It reinforces the fact that they made the right career choice, familiarizes them with culture, and helps them become quickly productive. First impression is always very important. It helps the employee socialize, know their development plan, emphasize importance of team work, and familiarizes them with compensation.
What are the Four Classes of Norms
Performance norms, Appearance norms, Social arrangement norms, Allocation of resources norms
Define Ingroup Favoritism
Perspective in which we see members of our ingroup as better than other people, and people not in our group as all the same. People with low openness and or low agreeableness are more susceptible to ingroup favoritism.
Define Social Identity Theory
Perspective that considers when and why individuals consider themselves members of groups. Proposes that people have emotional reactions to the failure or success of their group because their self-esteem gets tied to whatever happens to the group. Social identities can lead people to experience pleasure as a result of seeing another group suffer. Within our organization groups we can develop identities through relational identification, when we connect with others because of our roles, and collective identification, when we connect with the aggregate characteristics of our group.
Define Organizational Development
Planned and systematic attempts to change the organization. Designed to develop more open, productive, and compatible workplace despite differences in personalities, cultures, or technologies. Applies to entire system, such as a company or plant. Intervention methods include survey feedback, quality circles etc.
Define Labor Reduction
Reduction of excess workforce. This can be done with dismissal or without dismissals. Without dismissals can be achieved by hiring freezes (but strategically continue to hire in areas where skills are difficult to find and in positions that will immediately generate revenue for the business), letting contractors or temp workers leave, incentivizing employees to leave (voluntary layoffs, buyouts, early retirement), reducing hours, etc. Remember, pay cuts reducing fringe benefits have a negative impact on employees' morale.
What are the 4 Cs of the Harvard HR Model
The authors also contend that human resource policies have both immediate organizational outcomes and long-term consequences. Managers can affect a number of factors by means of the policy choices they make, including: - the overall competence of employees, - the commitment of employees, - the degree of congruence between employees' own goals and those of the organization, and - the overall cost effectiveness of HRM practices.
Define Cohesiveness in a Group Context and why are some more cohesive than others
The degree to which group members are attracted to each other and are motivated to stay in the group. Some groups are cohesive because they've known each other long, are brought together by external threats, or are a small size promoting high interaction.
Define Diversity
The extent to which members of a group are similar to, or different from, one another. Diversity appears to increase group conflict, especially in the early stages.
Define Faultlines
The perceived divisions that split groups into two or more subgroups based on individual differences such as sex, race, age, work experience, and education. In general: splits in a group are detrimental to group functioning and performance. However, recent research indicates that it can be strategically employed to improve performance, especially if cultures that emphasize results are strong.
Define Retention
The systematic effort to create and foster an environment that encourages employees to remain within the company. Retention is the result of many measures and actions, especially around leadership, development opportunities, total compensation and team environment.
Define Social Loafing
The tendency for individuals to expend less effort when working collectively than when working individually. This can be prevented by: setting group goals, increasing intergroup competition, engage in peer evaluations, select member who have high motivation and prefer to work in group, and base group rewards in part on each member's unique contributions.