Training, Reward and Employee Relation - The Role of Human Resource Department - Essay Example

Training, Reward and Employee Relation Report Training, Reward and Employee Relation Report The Role of Human Resource Department Every company has some form of human resource department (HRD) that deals with typical issues such as staff employment. The department’s purpose is to sort out problems that emanate during the operation of a firm. In reference to TESC Company, it is clear that the impending problem is the drop in sale and share price. The HRD therefore is mandated to find solution to the malady. To effectively achieve this, the department is obliged to work with the management as well as the staff (Amos, 2008). The human resource team has the mandate of developing, giving appropriate advice, and implementing recommendations and policies at the work setting. It is vital for the employees to have a clear understanding of the role of the human resource department. In addition, it is crucial for organizations or companies to align their staff with the values of the organization where they render their services (AlYahya, Norsiah and Alharbi, 2013). The culture, values and principles of an institution should commensurate with those of the employees as they (employees) are likely to sweat off their blood to help in the achievement of goals and objectives of the firm. Some organizations scan for talents for the purpose of selection, succession and development of a diverse pool of talented staff. On the other hand, some recruit staff through employee referrals. This approach is becoming common as it reduces the cost of recruitment as well as ensuring that new employees fit in the culture of the organization. Others prefer the conventional method where an advertisement is carried out, interview conducted after which the candidate with the desired traits is absorbed. Firms through their human resource facet are expected to have not only the right employees but also the right number of staff (Brian, 2011). Training (Learning and development) To have an effective training programs, organizations should do appropriate assessment of the need analysis of both the organizations and the employees. The needs assessment is ideal in structuring programs that enhance organizational productivity and performance (Amos, 2008). The gap training method is one of the techniques of assessing the above mentioned needs such that the employees are equipped or provided with an arsenal of knowledge for the future operations of the firms (OECD, 2011). However, this training method is only possible if the manager or the management is conscious to the needs that are informational to the company. Moreover, the degree of employees’ participation determines the effectiveness of the human resource department. Motivation and elevation of the employees’ participation through the set policies and strategies are developed when there is clear comprehension of the factors that determine learning by participation as well as well stipulated patterns (Armstrong, 2011). There is a relationship between choice of information and selection of programs during training. Those employees who are perceived to actively participate in training with freedom exhibit high post training reaction in comparison with those with little choice. Perhaps, this is due to the individuals having a sense of achievement unlike the other lot who are compelled to participate in training. Besides, when employees receive a converse of the type of training they chose, then in most cases the results can be detrimental as it potentially leads to poor motivation coupled with poor learning outcome (Storey, 2007). In the training programs, there are factors that influence participation. Some of these factors are determined by how the employees perceive the working environment, individual self-efficiency, learning attitude and the perception of the developmental needs (Dyck & Neubert, 2010). The Abraham Maslow’s Theory The needs of individuals should fit and coincide with those of the companies they work for. Maslow’s theory of human needs provides a theoretical framework which can be employed in fitting these needs (both the organizational and employees) to commensurate. The theory outlines the human needs in a pyramid structure in preferential order with the most essential need at the base of that pyramid (William and Claudia, 2013). It illuminates the physical needs as the most essential followed by the safety needs, belongingness (social needs), self esteem, and self actualization respectively. The application of these needs in business or company suggests that good working environment and salary are categorized as physiological needs while safe working environment coupled with job security considered as safety needs. On the other hand, social needs encompass teams work and rational supervision while esteem needs involves job titles and recognition of one’s achievements. Lastly on self actualization, capitalizes on the need for personal growth, promotions et cetera (William and Claudia, 2013). Reward The most common area of employees rewards are compensation, recognition, benefits, and appreciation. Therefore, companies should be strategic in rewarding their employees. The problem of the reward techniques of numerous companies is that most companies rarely use the appreciation and recognition techniques. Moreover, these rewards are never aligned with the strategies of the company (Storey, 2007). The ideal strategy is one that identifies and recognizes two categories of employees based on performance and behavior. Performance is linked to the goals set for the employees and the outcome of the results (Brian, 2011). For instant, in TESCO Company an incentive plan can be draw to reward or recognize individuals working in the top sales stores. On the other hand, identification of the best modality to employ in rewarding employees based on behavior can be a hard nut to crack. However, TESOC Company can identify the best behavior for the company by incorporating how individuals enhance customer relationship, individuals impacting managerial skills to other employees, or fine tuning processes that are critical in the operations of the company. Despite the fact the compensation (which is usually employed by most organization) being an immediate motivating factors, inclusion of some of the long term rewards to individual employees is also important (Armstrong, 2011). Benefits as a form of reward should be clearly outlined to ensure that they either match or don’t exceed the benefits levels of rivals. It helps in not only attracting good employees but also in maintaining and retaining the existing good workers (Condrey, 2010). Recognition and appreciation cannot be washed away in a winning reward strategy due to their low cost. Workers usually want to know how good they are in the tasks mandated to them. It is therefore important to make them aware that the company recognizes their good work and appreciates them (Townsend & Wilkinson, 2011). Recognition entails giving an acknowledgement to individuals before their peers for the exemplary action or attitude while appreciation encompasses showing gratitude for an individual or group for the superb actions or attitude through statements and expressions. This can be achieved by conveying the appreciation through personal notes or stopping by the employee’s desk. The other approach can be the combination of both the recognition and appreciation methods in a public statement before other worker and elaborating reasons for the appreciation and recognition (Condrey, 2010). Employee relations Employees’ satisfaction at work place correlates with their productivity. Successful organizations have mastered the art of building mutual and serene conditions that help in managing and building relationships that are long lasting with the employees. Employment relation gives the platform and oversight in which employment matters such as absence leaves, disciplinary matters, staff productivity, grievances of the employees, among many other issues are addressed. It assists the employees and the management or supervisors on the interpretation of policies as well as the implementation of these policies. The relations provide guidelines that companies use to either prevent or resolve challenges and problems that emanate from work situation. They are usually oriented in increasing employee satisfaction and maintaining good morale among the employees (Andrea, 2015). One of the signs which illustrate that a company has good relation with its workers is fair and consistent treatments by not discriminating on the employees. This promotes employees commitment to the organizations as they tend to develop a sense of belonging for the organization (OECD, 2011). The other element is the existence of clear and precise policies that denote the business philosophies, rules and guidelines that address matters that are related to the workers as well as problem resolution at work place. However, for successful relationship, the most vital and inevitable element is communication (Andrea, 2015). Management should provide communication channels such as employees’ portals, emailing, meetings and events through which information is conveyed. Communication ought to be in form of a two way traffic as employees also should feel that their concerns and opinions are valued and addressed by their managers and supervisors (Dyck & Neubert, 2010). An ideal human resource strategy incorporates employee relation that is conscious to the employees by placing them as stakeholders of the company. It is important for the workers to feel valued in a more capacity as not just laborers but also as stakeholders with the authority and power to influence change or outcome (Townsend & Wilkinson, 2011). Conversely, there are certain elements that organizations should focus on to determine if the relationship between the employees and the organization is on the downhill. One of these element is the decline in the productivity due to the individual withdrawal of employees by constantly being absent from work place. The second element can be due to psychological withdrawal which manifests in the workers’ apathy and passivity. The third element is resistance through deception and sabotage (Andrea, 2015). Power struggle especially those aimed at climbing the bureaucratic structures of the organization as well as formation of coalitions with the intention of addressing the imbalances of power within the company can also be the evidence of poor employee relation. In reference to TESCO Company, perhaps the illuminated elements would have infiltrated in the system thus resulting into low sales and decline in the share prices (Flynn, 2010). Recommendation The following illuminated recommendations can be employed by TESC Company in an attempt to providing solutions to the existing problems. Revamping of the superstores by prioritizing on those that delivered huge profit margin. This can be achieve by effectively factoring in the best structure employees relation technique with the intension of optimizing the employees output. The company should embark on training their employees on the values and philosophy of the company. During training, more emphasis should be made on the importance of focusing on customer and customer service. The employee relation strategic program should be reviewed by the human resource program and an independent body to investigate on the how the policies on the programs were implemented during the period where the sale as well as share prices dropped. The reward techniques employed by the company should also be reviewed by adapting to those that tend to specifically impact positively. The company should also review their recruitment methods and try to investigate how effective the previous technique in relation to the performance. Reference List: Brian, K., (2011). Does HR differ in theory and in practice? Retrieved on 12th March 2015 from: http://www.hrreporter.com/blog/hr-policies-practices/archive/2011/12/06/does-hr-differ-in-theory-and-in-practice AlYahya, M, S., Norsiah, B, M., and Alharbi, M, A., (2013). Review of Theory of Human Resources Development Training (learning) Participation. Journal of WEI Business and Economics, 2, 1:47-58 Andrea, R., (2015). What Is Employee Relations? - Definition, Lesson & Quiz. Retrieved on 12th March 2015 from: http://study.com/academy/lesson/what-is-employee-relations-definition-lesson-quiz.html Armstrong, M., (2011). Armstrongs handbook of strategic human resource management. London: Kogan Page. Townsend, K., & Wilkinson, A. (2011). Research Handbook on the Future of Work and Employment Relations. Cheltenham: Edward Elgar Pub. Flynn, S. M. (2010). Linking human resource strategy and operations: An integrated framework. Leicester: Matador. Storey, J. (2007). Human resource management: A critical text. London: Thomson. Condrey, S. E. (2010). Handbook of Human Resource Management in Government. New York, NY: John Wiley & Sons. Dyck, B., & Neubert, M. J. (2010). Management: Current practices and new directions. Boston, MA: Houghton Mifflin. Amos, T. (2008). Human resource management. Wetton, Cape Town: Juta. OECD (2011). Skills for innovation and research. Paris: OECD. William, K and Claudia, H. (2013). Abraham Maslow and the pyramid that beguiled business. Retrieved on 2nd Feb 2015 from: http://www.bbc.com/news/magazine-23902918 Read More