Human Resources Management (Chapters 7–12)

Chapter 7: Orientation, Training, and Development

• Onboarding: The integration process for new employees to become productive and align with the company’s goals.

• Orientation: An introductory session that covers:

  • Company policies

  • Job expectations

  • Benefits

• Socialization: A long-term learning process regarding workplace culture and norms.

• Training vs Development:

  • Training: Short-term, job-specific focus aimed at improving skills for current roles.

  • Development: Longer-term focus on career growth and personal development.

• Needs Assessment: Helps identify training gaps through:

  • Task Analysis: Examines specific tasks to determine necessary skills.

  • Performance Analysis: Evaluates current employee performance to identify areas for improvement.

• Learning Theories & Principles:

  • Kolb’s Learning Cycle: A model that outlines how experience leads to learning.

  • Learning Styles (VARK): Identifies different preferences in how individuals learn.

  • Key principles include: Relevance, Participation, Repetition, Feedback, Transference.

• Training Techniques:

  • On-the-job: Job rotation, coaching to provide practical experience.

  • Off-the-job: Lectures, simulations, Virtual Reality (VR) to enhance learning experience.

• Evaluation: Assessing training effectiveness on four levels:

  • Reaction: Immediate response to the training.

  • Learning: Knowledge and skills gained.

  • Behaviour: Changes in workplace behaviour post-training.

  • Results: Overall impact on organization’s goals.

Chapter 8: Performance Management

• Performance Management: A systematic approach to improve organizational performance by aligning employee performance with strategic goals.

• Performance Appraisal: A formal evaluation process of employee performance against set standards.

• Goals of Performance Management Systems:

  • Define clear expectations through SMART (Specific, Measurable, Achievable, Relevant, Time-bound) goals.

  • Measure elements such as quality, cost, customer service, and satisfaction.

• Designing Effective Performance Management Systems: Key factors include:

  • Validity: Measures what it is supposed to measure.

  • Reliability: Consistency of the measurement over time.

  • Fairness: Perceived fairness by employees.

  • Employee input and rater training for improved accuracy.

• Evaluation Methods: Different approaches to performance evaluation:

  • Comparative: Ranking employees, forced distribution methods.

  • Non-comparative: Behavioral Anchored Rating Scales (BARS), rating scales, Management by Objectives (MBO) techniques.

  • 360-Degree Feedback: Involvement of multiple sources in the evaluation process.

• Rater Errors: Common biases include:

  • Halo effect: General impression influences ratings.

  • Leniency: Inflated ratings regardless of performance.

  • Strictness: Harsh evaluation regardless of actual performance.

  • Contrast error: Comparison bias relative to other evaluations.

  • Recency effect: Overemphasis on recent performance over the entire evaluation period.

• Legal Considerations: Performance management systems must be job-related and well-documented to avoid discrimination claims.

Chapter 9: Compensation and Benefits

• Objectives of Compensation: Ensure the organization can attract, retain, and motivate employees while keeping equity and controlling costs.

• Internal Equity: Ensures fairness within the organization through methods such as:

  • Job Ranking: Ranking jobs based on subjective assessment.

  • Job Grading: Grouping jobs by similar worth.

  • Point System: Quantifying job evaluations based on skill, effort, and responsibilities.

• External Equity: Maintaining competitiveness in the market through:

  • Wage surveys: Gathering data on market pay rates.

• Pay Equity:

  • Equal Pay for Equal Work: Ensuring equal pay for similar roles; reinforced by legislation.

  • Pay Equity Act: Mandates equal pay based on skill, effort, responsibility, and working conditions.

• Incentives for Compensation:

  • Individual incentives: Piecework pay, bonuses, commissions.

  • Group incentives: Team-based rewards to enhance collaboration.

• Benefits:

  • Legally required: Contributions like Canada Pension Plan (CPP) and Employment Insurance (EI), mandatory vacation.

  • Voluntary benefits: Health insurance, retirement savings plans (RRSP), tuition reimbursement, childcare support.

  • Indirect Compensation: Comprises a significant portion of total compensation, aligning benefits with employee needs.

Chapter 10: Managing Employee Relations

• Communication Strategies:

  • Downward Communication: Managers communicating policies, updates through memos and emails.

  • Upward Communication: Employees sharing feedback and suggestions via systems or meetings.

  • Grapevine: Informal but influential communication that can impact employee relations.

• Discipline: Approaches to enforce policies and manage issues:

  • Preventative: Strategies to prevent issues from arising.

  • Corrective: Addressing misconduct while ensuring due process is followed.

• Organizational Justice:

  • Distributive Justice: Fairness of outcomes (rewards, recognitions).

  • Procedural Justice: Fairness in the processes used to make decisions.

  • Interactional Justice: Degree of respect and dignity shown during interactions.

• Dismissal Types:

  • Just Cause: Termination without notice due to significant breach of conduct.

  • Wrongful Dismissal: Termination without a legitimate cause or due notice.

  • Constructive Dismissal: Situations where significant changes in job conditions force an employee to resign.

• Turnover Types:

  • Voluntary vs Involuntary: Distinction based on whether the employee leaves on their own or is terminated.

  • Functional vs Dysfunctional:

  • Functional: Departure of poor performers is beneficial to the organization.

  • Dysfunctional: Loss of top talent is detrimental to organizational performance.

Chapter 11: Health and Safety

• Employee Rights: Basic rights under workplace safety laws include:

  • Right to Know: Information about hazards.

  • Right to Participate: In safety programs and training.

  • Right to Refuse Unsafe Work: Employees can refuse tasks they believe are unsafe without fear of retribution.

• Accident Causes: Common factors contributing to workplace accidents:

  • Conditions: Equipment malfunction, poor lighting, inadequate facilities.

  • Work Factors: Stress from schedules or workload.

  • Unsafe Actions: Improper techniques (e.g. lifting) or shortcuts taken by employees.

• Prevention Strategies: Key initiatives include:

  • Management Commitment: Leadership commitment to prioritize safety.

  • Training and Selection: Proper training and selection to mitigate risks.

  • Positive Reinforcement: Encouraging safe behaviour through incentives.

• Worker Types and Protections:

  • Coverage under laws extends to temporary, remote, and travelling workers.

• Wellness & Mental Health:

  • Focus on preventing burnout, promoting ergonomic practices, and violence prevention.

  • Implementation of wellness programs can reduce costs and absenteeism.