MSM 533: Human Resource Management and Strategy - Lecture 1 Notes

Course Introduction

  • Welcome to MSM 533, Human Resource Management and Strategy.
  • Instructor: Leon Hutton.
  • The course will span 12-14 weeks.
  • All materials are available on Brightspace.
  • The textbook is accessible via the Connect web app from McGraw Hill.

Syllabus Overview

  • Classes are planned to be held on campus, but the format may shift to 100% online depending on the needs of international students.
  • Students should contact the professor before dropping the course to discuss potential scheduling conflicts.
  • Contact Information:
    • Text the professor at any time with questions. Include your name, the course (MSM 533), and your question.
  • Professor's Background:
    • Works at the Smithsonian Natural History Museum.
    • Previously worked at Homeland Security, Defense Acquisition University (DAU), TSA, Small Business Administration, Department of Energy, and the Coast Guard.
    • Served in the Army.

Course Description and Textbook

  • The course is a survey of various HR topics at a graduate level.
  • The required textbook is available on McGraw Hill Connect.
    • Consider renting the e-text for three months to save money.

Week-by-Week Schedule and Activities

  • Students are required to read the assigned chapter(s) before each class.
  • Each week includes a video case to review.
  • Students must post a commentary on the video case in the Brightspace discussion board.

Upcoming Topics and Assignments

  • Next week (Week 2): Chapters 2 and part of Chapter 3, covering strategic HR, the value of human resource management, and the legal environment, including employment opportunity and safety.
  • May 29: Finish Chapter 3 and begin Chapter 4, focusing on job analysis.
  • Chapter 4 (Job Analysis): The lecture will begin with a scenario: If you were authorized to have an assistant, what would their job requirements be? What are the basic components of the job, including assignments, tasks, and responsibilities from A to Z?
    • Job analysis includes determining education and physical requirements.
    • This topic is typically specific to HR and may be new to those outside the field.
  • Week 4: Chapters 5 and 6, covering human resource planning, recruitment, selection, placement, and onboarding.
  • June 12: First exam (no class). The exam will be posted on June 12 and due the following Wednesday (June 18).
  • June 19: No class due to a holiday.
  • June 26: Finish Chapter 6 and begin Chapter 7, focusing on training.
  • The first exam will cover approximately five chapters and will consist of essay questions.

Course Schedule (Continued)

  • Week 6: Training
  • Week 7: Performance management, performance appraisals, setting performance standards, and conducting performance changes.
    • This is often a controversial and challenging topic for supervisors.
    • Employee development.
  • July 3: Class will be 100% online.
  • Week 8: Finish employee development and begin separation, outboarding, and retention discussions.
  • July 24: Second exam, covering Chapters 6-10. It will be due on July 31. No class will be held on July 24.

Final Weeks and Assignments

  • Employee benefits.
  • Collective bargaining and labor relations.
    • Recommended viewing: the movie Norma Rae, about labor relations in the U.S.
  • Managing human resources globally.
  • The third exam will have a slightly shortened timeframe and will be due on Sunday, August 17.
  • A research paper is due on August 17.

Research Paper

  • Due on August 17.
  • Topic selection due next week.
  • The paper should cover the entire course.
  • Potential topics include anything related to HR.

Textbook Information

  • The professor recommends obtaining the eText rather than the international version of the textbook.

Discussion Board

  • Students are expected to write about the video case studies.
  • There is no specific word count, but approximately 200 words is suggested.

Brightspace Overview

  • Zoom recordings will be posted in the Zoom recordings folder.
  • Sample research paper topics are available under the research paper tab.
  • The gradebook includes:
    • Research paper.
    • Three exams.
    • Weekly discussions.
  • The number of weekly discussions may be adjusted due to the shorter summer session.
  • In the discussion section of Brightspace, pick a topic by next Wednesday.

Clarification on Assignments

  • There are assignments listed that are not graded. Ignore these and concentrate on graded assignments from now on.
  • All assignments will close the Wednesday before the class session with the exception of the final exam and the research paper, except for Exam 3 and paper which are due Sunday, Aug 17.

Introductions

Introductions are done by all students.

PowerPoint Presentation: Roles, Activities, and What the HR Team Does

  • The instructor works at the Smithsonian Natural History Museum.
    • The museum is dealing with a federal hiring freeze.
    • The HR team is focusing on trust hiring instead of federal hiring, which are roles paid for by donations and endowments as opposed to federal funding.
  • The Smithsonian is more than just exhibits; it involves world-class scientists and research teams.
    • Example: An office studies the effects of bird strikes on aircraft and advises the FAA and defense based on migratory flight patterns.
  • Strategic HR Management:
    • Addresses job analysis.
    • Planning.
    • Recruiting, selection, training, and development.
    • Onboarding processes.
    • Labor law compliance.
    • Job descriptions.

HR Functions and Services

  • HR provides administrative services, sets up policies for compensation, hiring, and staffing.
  • They should be involved in executive-level discussions and utilize modern HR systems.
  • Shared services model: One organization provides HR services for multiple organizations.
    • Examples: Accenture for executive recruitment, the Department of Treasury for relocation, and the USDA's National Finance Center for payroll.
  • Reasons for outsourcing:
    • Cost savings.
    • Allows HR to focus on more strategic issues.

Measuring HR Effectiveness

  • Questions to consider:
    • Does the HR office provide value-added services to internal clients?
    • Does HR support align with business priorities?
    • How is HR's effectiveness measured?
  • Onboarding is critical for new employees to feel welcome and important.

External Issues and Future Trends

  • HR needs to consider external issues and advise the executive suite on improving marketplace position and preparing for the future.
  • AI (Artificial Intelligence):
    • Use AI carefully as a tool for brainstorming and thought development, but not as a final product.
    • Be aware that AI can provide conflicting answers and may produce generic-sounding writing.
  • Grammarly can be used for word selection, grammar, and spelling.

Employee Development and Workforce Analytics

  • Personal responsibility for training and development.
  • Evidence-based HR, workforce analytics, and data-driven decisions.
  • Challenges in the HR field include: knowing all the rules, regulations, policies, and laws.

Succession Planning

  • Succession planning is important for preparing employees for potential promotions.
  • It does not guarantee positions but ensures readiness.
  • The speaker welcomes research on HR and organizational succession planning.

HR Competencies and Ethics

  • Nine key competencies include:
    • Technical expertise: Knowledge of laws affecting staff and HR practices.
    • Business acumen: Understanding organizational policies.
    • Critical evaluation.
    • Ethical practice and discretion.
    • Global and cultural effectiveness.
    • Communication skills.
  • The speaker shares a story about inadvertently violating a union contract early in his career.

Corporate Social Responsibility

  • The company should meet stakeholder needs, including staff and organizational needs.

Competitive Challenges and Assets

  • Changing skill demands and an evolving economy.
  • Different types of assets:
    • Financial assets (cash).
    • Physical assets (property, plant, equipment).
    • Intangible assets (human capital, intellectual capital, customer capital, social capital).
  • Human capital is an intangible asset that does not appear on financial statements but brings value to the company.

Employee Engagement and Balanced Scorecard

  • Common themes of employee engagement: pride in the employer and satisfaction with the employer.
  • The balanced scorecard is a method to evaluate a company beyond financial reports, focusing on: the customer, internal processes, innovation and learning, and finances.
  • A balanced scorecard is an internal assessment regarding relationships with clients.
  • Recommended mission statement: Johnson & Johnson, is a perfect example of including every possible stakeholder.

Quality Management and Workforce Trends

  • Total Quality Management (TQM): A holistic approach to improving quality and processes.
  • The Westinghouse study: Demonstrated that employee productivity increases when they feel important and monitored.
  • Malcolm Baldrige National Quality Award: Recognizes superior quality in organizations and can impact stock prices.
  • ISO 9000: International standard for high-quality companies.
  • Six Sigma: A process of identifying and improving efficiency.
  • Focus on employees, as employees will take care of the work, process, and customers.
  • Internal labor force versus external labor market.
  • Workforce is aging and becoming more diverse.

Diversity and Inclusion

  • The workplace is stronger and better with diverse voices.
  • The speaker prefers the concept of an orchestra, where each culture adds its unique sound rather than a melting pot.

Legal Issues and Ethics

  • Employment law knowledge is essential.
  • Breaking employment law can lead to severe consequences, while violating company regulations may result in job loss.
  • Ethical behavior, discretion, and confidentiality are crucial in HR.
  • Compliance is required regarding labor laws.
  • The HR expert stated, do whatever's legal.

Sarbanes-Oxley Act and Ethical Companies

  • The Sarbanes-Oxley Act primarily affects financial practices.
  • Ethical companies emphasize mutual benefits and have a sense of purpose.
    *HR must take accountability for following what the corporate practices are.

Global Assignments and HR Information Systems

  • Prepare employees for global assignments as companies return to normal after the pandemic.
  • Human Resource Information System (HRIS): A database for storing employee data, including payroll, tax, hiring, and application information. A company needs to have proper safety regarding client data.
    *Speaker tells a story of how OPM was hacked when the speaker worked there.

Final Remarks

  • Contact the professor with any questions or concerns.
  • All questions must be answered.
  • The professor will be available in the classroom next week.
  • The speaker will reach out regarding the new assignments.