Chapter 09 Assignment: Managing Human Resources and Diversity

Sophia takes personal responsibility for her career growth.

By taking personal responsibility for her career growth, Sophia is participating in the new social contract. In today's workplace, employees take personal responsibility for their career path, focusing on enhancing their employability and expecting to be very mobile. Thus, they are interested in what jobs can teach them because they expect at some point to take those skills to their next job. They understand that organizations need to adapt to a dynamic environment and offer to partner with the organization to meet that challenge.

Premier Machinery promotes all its machine operators who perform satisfactorily to Machine Operator 2 after three years on the job.

Because it has a predetermined promotion path, Premier Machinery is participating in the old social contract. Traditionally, employers have given employees the skills and information needed to do their current jobs, which are routine and inflexible. Career paths are determined by the employer and follow a predictable path, as do pay raises and training opportunities. In return for security, organizations expect their employees to be loyal.

The biomedical division needs to hire the best biomedical engineers in the world to be competitive in this global industry, and competition to attract talent is stiff. Many of the most innovative engineers work for startups. What would be the most appropriate HRM approach?

Of the three options, the most appropriate is acqui-hiring, or acquiring startups to get their employees. These employees are already trained and are used to working together as a team, which means they can contribute to organizational performance on day one. It is important to have a plan to integrate these employees into your company's culture so they don't feel isolated from the rest of the large company they're now working for. While using contingent workers can bring skills into your workforce in a flexible, low-cost way, one of the disadvantages of this approach is that without a long-term relationship, the organization has no incentive to invest in these employees' training. In a cutting-edge field like biomedical engineering, you want your engineers to keep up-to-date. Continuing to use social media sites and online job boards to recruit talent is what you've already been doing and is unlikely to give you a competitive advantage. Also, if you can poach an engineer from another company, yet another company can poach one of your people, resulting in no net gain.

Lovia likes knowing that she will get a raise every year, even if it's a small one.

Lovia likes getting a raise at dependable intervals, thus participating in the old social contract. Traditionally, employees have brought ability and loyalty to the organization and expected in turn that the firm would take care of their careers. Employees in this model expect the employer to provide steady wages, dependable benefits, and training as needed and to make routine work demands.

Pure Nature Vitamins rewards employees with annual incentive pay based on that year's performance rather than salary increases based on seniority.

Rewarding employees with incentive pay shows that Pure Nature Vitamins is participating in the new social contract. Organizations know their employees want opportunities to grow in their current job and may well have a number of employers during their career. Therefore, firms develop systems to facilitate lateral job transfers, decentralized decision making, and pay for recent performance. They also offer employees challenging assignments and creative development opportunities.

Jon wants to develop his skills as much as possible to prepare for his next job.

By focusing on developing his skills in preparation for his next job, Jon is participating in the new social contract. In today's workplace, employees take personal responsibility for their career path, focusing on enhancing their employability and expecting to be very mobile. Thus, they are interested in what jobs can teach them because they expect at some point to take those skills to their next job. They understand that organizations need to adapt to a dynamic environment and offer to partner with the organization to meet that challenge.

Smith and Smith Accountants has detailed job descriptions and policy manuals that tell each employee exactly how to do their job.

Because it it tells employees exactly what to do, Smith and Smith Accountants is participating in the old social contract. Traditionally, employers have given employees the skills and information needed to do their current jobs, which are routine and inflexible. Career paths are determined by the employer and follow a predictable path, as do pay raises and training opportunities. In return for security, organizations expect their employees to be loyal.

Your consulting division is finding that competition for experienced business consultants who earn clients' trust is intense. Furthermore, once a good consultant is hired, it is important to retain that person so they don't go elsewhere—taking their clients with them. What would be the most appropriate HRM approach?

Of the three options, the most appropriate is becoming well-known for providing what consultants want in a workplace. By branding the company as an employer of choice, managers of this division will be able to recruit, select, and retain the most capable talent. Providing pay and benefits that match what competitors offer would give the division no competitive advantage in attracting and retaining talent. Contracting with employees on a short-term basis would actually undermine the consultant-client relationships that are important to profitability.

Yahoo aggressively acquires small start-up companies in a strategy of ___________ to add talented technology employees to its workforce

acqui-hiring