Flexitime
a system in which employees work a particular number of hours each week or month but can choose when they start and finish work each day
Homeworking
where employees can perform their job from home, increasingly linked to their employer via the internet
Human Resource Management (HRM)
the role of managers in planning and developing the organization's people. This is done through interrelated functions such as the recruitment, selection, dismissal and training and development of employees
Human Resource Planning
activities that managers engage in to forecast their current and future needs for human resources
Net migration
the difference between the number of immigrants and the number of emigrants
Aging population
A demographic trend that occurs as the average age of a population rises
Demography
The scientific study of population characteristics.
Gig economy
a labor market characterized by the prevalence of short-term contracts or freelance work as opposed to permanent jobs.
Migrant workers
people who move from one region to another in search of work
Mobility of labour
the extent to which workers are flexible enough to move to different locations (geographical mobility) and/or their flexibility in changing to different jobs (occupational mobility).
Portfolio workers
Those who simultaneously carry out a number of different jobs, often on a temporary basis.
Teleworking
Working from home but staying in touch with others with the help of technology
Workforce
The number of employees at any one point in time for a particular organization. It is often used to measure the size of businesses.
Accountability
describes the extent to which a person is held responsible for the success or failure of a task.
Bureaucracy
the official administrative and formal rules of an organisation that govern business activity.
Centralization
occurs when only a select few people at the top of an organization make the decisions
Chain Command
the line of authority that moves from the top of a hierarchy to the lowest level
Matrix structure
A flexible type of structure where representatives from different departments work together on a project or job.
Organised by function
Structuring a workforce according to business functions/roles/tasks e.g. marketing or finance
Organised by product
Structuring a workforce according to the foods or services produced or sold.
Organised by region
Structuring a workforce according to the different geographical areas.
Organisation chart
diagram that shows how the workers are organised in a business and who is in charge of whom.
Decentralization
Degree to which decision-making authority is given to lower levels in an organization's hierarchy.
Organisational structure
Refers to the levels of management and division of responsibilities within an organisation
Delayering
The removal of one or more of the levels of hierarchy from an organisational structure
Delegation
the empowerment of a person lower down in the organizational structure by passing on control and authority to complete a certain task or role
Flat Organizational Structure
an organization structure that has few layers of management and a broad span of control
Hierarchy
a system or organization in which people or groups are ranked one above the other according to status or authority.
Level of hierarchy
A level of management where people have the same level of responsibility.
Line manager
someone in the direct line or chain of command who has formal authority over people and resources at lower levels
Managers
those individuals in organizations who make decisions about the use of resources and who are concerned with planning, organizing, staffing, directing, and controlling the organization's activities to reach its objectives
Responsibility
refers to who is in charge of whom and in what role or capacity.
Span of control
the number of subordinates who report directly to a manager
Tall organisation structure
means that there are many layers in the hierarchy and hence managers have a narrow span of control.
Autocractic Leadership
leadership style that involves making managerial decisions without consulting others
Democratic leadership
a leadership style that promotes the active participation of workers in taking decisions
Functions of Management
Refers to the roles of managers, e.g. the planning, organising, commanding, coordinating and controlling of business operations.
Situational Leadership
a theory that argues that the most effective leadership style varies according to leader-member relations, the nominal leader's power, and the task structure
Laissez-faire Leadership
A leadership style that leaves much of the business decision-making to the workforce - a 'hands off' approach and the reverse of the autocratic style
Leadership
the ability to motivate individuals and groups to accomplish important goals
Leadership style
refers to the way in which leaders tend to function, such as in an autocratic, paternalistic, democratic, laissez-faire or situational manner.
Management
the practice of achieving an organization's objectives by effectively using and controlling the available human and non-human resources of the business
Manager
Someone with decision-making authority in an organization and has responsibility for problem-solving in order to achieve specific organizational goals.
Paternalistic leadership
A leadership style where the leader makes decisions but takes into account the welfare of employees
Commission
An amount paid to an employee based on a percentage of the employee's sales
Fringe payments
the financial rewards paid in addition to a worker's wages or salaries
Herzberg's Motivation-Hygiene Theory
A need theory that distinguishes between motivator needs (related to the nature of the work itself) and hygiene needs (related to the physical and psychological context in which the work is performed) and proposes that motivator needs must be met for motivation and job satisfaction to be high.
Hierarchy of Needs (Maslow)
physiological needs, safety needs, belongingness and love needs, esteem needs, self actualization needs, self transcendence
DIvision of labour
The specialisation of workers on specific tasks in the production process
Empowerment
delegation of authority to solve customers' problems quickly—usually by the first person the customer notifies regarding a problem
Employee share ownership schemes
Employee benefit scheme intended to motivate employees by giving them a stake in the firm's success through equity participation.
Hygiene Factors (Herzberg)
Part of a job Herzberg referred to that do not increase job satisfaction but will help to remove dissatisfaction
Induction training
introductory training program to familiarize new recruits with the systems used in the business and the layout of the business site
Job enlargement
increasing the number of different tasks in a given job by changing the division of labor
Job enrichment
changing a task to make it inherently more rewarding, motivating, and satisfying
Esteem Needs (Maslow)
Level 4: These include the need for things that reflect on self-esteem, personal worth, social recognition, and accomplishment. People often engage in activities such as going to school, playing a sport, enjoying a hobby, or participating in professional activities in order to fulfill this need.
Job rotation
a job enrichment strategy that involves moving employees from one job to another
Maslow's Hierarchy of Needs
outlines five levels of needs. Lower order needs must be met before progressing up the hierarchy.
Motivation
the desire, effort and passion to achieve something. The willingness to complete a task or job with intent and purpose
Motivators (Herzberg)
Factors that increase job satisfaction and motivation levels, such as praise, recognition and responsibility
National minimum wage
The minimum pay per hour all workers are entitled to by law
Non-financial rewards
methods used to motivate employees that do not involve giving any financial reward
Remuneration
money paid for work or a service
Safety Needs (Maslow)
second level in Maslow's hierarchy - needs for freedom from illness or danger and the need for a secure, familiar, predictable environment (shelter)
Salary
a fixed regular payment, typically paid on a monthly or biweekly basis but often expressed as an annual sum, made by an employer to an employee, especially a professional or white-collar worker.
Scientific Management Theory
According to this theory, the organization is a machine, and the worker is motivated by financial reward (Taylor)
Self-actualization (Maslow)
one of the ultimate psychological needs that arises after basic physical and psychological needs are met and self-esteem is achieved; the motivation to fulfill one's potential
Off-the-job training
all training undertaken away from the business, e.g. work-related college courses
On-the-job training
training that takes place in the work setting as employees perform their job tasks
Performance related pay
a financial reward to employees whose work has reached or exceeded a set standard
Piece Rate Pay
Employees are paid for each item produced that meets the desired quality standard
Physiological Needs (Maslow)
Level 1: These include the most basic needs that are vital to survival, such as the need for water, air, food, and sleep.
Social Needs (Maslow)
Level 3: These include needs for belonging, love, and affection.Relationships such as friendships, romantic attachments, and families help fulfill this need for companionship and acceptance, as does involvement in social, community, or religious groups.
Teamwork
A form of non-financial motivation, involving the combined efforts of a group of workers to achieve of an organizational goal.
Productivity
measures the level of output per worker.
Profit-related pay
A bonus for staff based on the profits of the business - usually paid as a proportion of basic salary
Time rate
A payment system based on the amount of time employees spend at work.
Training
A planned effort to enable employees to learn job-related knowledge, skills, and behavior
Wages
An amount of money paid to an employee at a specified rate per hour worked
Values
the ideas, beliefs, and attitudes about what is important that help guide the way you live
Barriers to communication
Obstacles that interrupt the flow of conveying and receiving messages.
Channel of communication
the way the message is delivered - whether face-to-face, in writing, on film, or in some other way
Communication
the transfer of information and understanding from one person to another
electronic mail (e-mail)
transmission of messages and files using a computer network
external communication
Communication between people inside and outside an organization
Formal communication
communication that takes place within prescribed organizational work arrangements
Grapevine Communication
informal communication system through which messages are passed in an organization, especially rumors and myths
Jargon
special words or expressions that are used by a particular profession or group and are difficult for others to understand.
Informal communication
when information is sent and received casually with the use of everyday language
information overload
A condition in which information inflow exceeds an individual's processing capacity
Internal communication
Communication between people inside the business
Internal politics
refers to conflict between people within an organization.
Non-verbal communication
Communicating without the use of words.
Open channels of communication
are used when information is not confidential and can be shared.
Restricted channels of communication
are used when information is confidential and is directed only to those who need to know.
Verbal communication
expressing ideas to others by using spoken words
Videoconferencing
using video and audio links along with computers to let people in different locations see, hear, and talk with one another
Visual communication
the use of visual stimuli to communication information or ideas
Written communication
any communication that must be read