Human Resource Management Employment Relations - Rio Tinto - Case Study Example

UMАN RЕSОURСЕ МАNАGЕMЕNT ЕMРLОYMЕNT RЕLАTIОNS Student’s name Code & Course Professor’s name University City Date Contents Assessment activity tasks 1 3 1.1.1Rio Tinto Case 3 1.1.2. Defining Worker Functions and Importance of the Task 3 1.1.2Using HRM for better results 4 Assessment Task 2 5 Assessment Task 3 5 Assessment Task 4 5 Assessment Task 5 6 Assessment Task 6 7 Assessment Task 7 8 Assessment Task 8 8 Assessment Task 10 9 Assessment Task 11 9 Assessment Task 12 12 Assessment Task 13 12 Reference list 13 Assessment activity tasks 1 1.1.1 Rio Tinto Case Rio Tinto is a global manufacturing company whose headquarters are in the UK and operates in various locations across the world. It finds extracts and processes major mineral resources like Uranium, coal, gold and iron ore. One area that the company and the mining sector in general lack are in gender equality when hiring. In 2014, women represented 18.7 percent of the total workforce; 31.8 percent of the graduate intake, 15.5 percent of the senior management and 21.4 percent of the board (Rio Tinto, 2014).One of the main objectives of the new Gender equality act of 2012 is the promotion and improvement of gender equality in the workplace and the removal of barriers to equal participation of women in the workplace (AGEA, 2013). 1.1.2. Defining Worker Functions and Importance of the Task One of the company’s goals is to ensure they build the skills and capability of their human capital to ensure they contribute to the organizational goals effectively. For instance, in terms of improving the company’s engagement with local communities, gender plays a crucial role in influencing the social dynamics. A greater attention to gender dynamics improves the company’s social license to operate. Diversity makes good business sense as it gives the business access to different perspectives that enable it to make good business sense. In order to achieve the gender equality, the company must remove such barriers as a change in internal and external perceptions and location of employee roles. The company must also drive its equality agenda more aggressively by ensuring the targeted 20 per cent of senior management and 40 percent of graduate recruit estimates are met in the next round of recruitment. 1.1.2 Using HRM for better results Even with the equality and diversity targets reached, the role of Human Resource management is still huge in terms of leveraging strategy to take advantage of the possibilities brought about by a more diversified workplace. Here is the five aspects of the workplace that will inform a strong motivational human resource management model. i. Skill variety: the ability to make use of several skills ii. Task identity: the level to which one identifies personally with what they do iii. Task significance: the level to which one feels that what they do is important iv. Autonomy: the amount of self-control and responsibility one has for their work v. Feedback: the knowledge of the results of one’s work (Valencia, 2015) Developing a HR strategy that takes into account all five factors mentioned above will be important to the motivation of employees to reach, for instance, the one million monthly sales target. In order to improve skill variety, it is important to choose the right individuals for the job, and encourage and support on the job training and development in order to take on more responsibility. The matching complexity of the job and the skill level has been known to result in increased motivation (Valencia, 2015). As such, it augments levels of responsibility and autonomy through the removal of common barriers and bureaucratic limits within an organization. The vertical loading strategy, where the worker’s responsibilities increase with the work they take on will also improve their motivation. Task significance can be improved by showing the employee direct connections between their contribution and the achievement of the overall organization’s goals. Feedback is equally important, regarding all the five aspects of the workplace. Remuneration is also an important aspect of motivation at work. While money is important, it is not enough and should be augmented by such intrinsic and external motivators as awards and company recognition. Assessment Task 2 Australian employment laws can be divided roughly into national laws such as those enacted by the federal parliament, and laws that govern employment in the individual states or territories. The two major national laws are the fair work act of 2009 and the gender equality act of 2012. Other national laws enacted by the federal government parliament the Australian human rights commission act of 1986, the disability discrimination act of 2004, the sex discrimination act of 1994, the racial discrimination act of 1975 and the age discrimination act of 2004. Individual provinces also have laws specific to them that govern equal opportunity in the workplace. For instance, in Queensland, the industrial relations act of 1999 relates to the industrial relations for state and local government employees (AWU, 2014). Assessment Task 3 To change a flat tire i. First, find a safe spot to park the vehicle. On the freeway, it is advisable to take an exit as it is the safest option ii. Turn on the hazard lights and get the necessary tools for the job: the wrench, jack, and spare tire iii. Using the wrench, loosen the nuts but do not remove them completely. iv. Lift the vehicle off the ground using the jack v. Now remove the nuts and pull off the entire spare tire from the vehicle vi. Place the spare tire on the car and put the lug nuts in place vii. Put the lug nuts on, but just enough to hold the tire in place and not too tightly viii. Lower the car down to the ground ix. Tighten the lug nuts completely x. Put the flat tire back into the trunk xi. Make sure to leave the side of the road clear Assessment Task 4 Receptionist job description Duties i. To welcome visitors personally or through the phone, and referring any queries ii. To direct and answer visitor questions regarding different departments iii. Maintain a clean and organized reception area iv. Maintain security by following company admission procedures, maintaining the visitor logbook and giving badges v. Maintains and facilitate the continuity of tasks and collaboration between various departments Person Specification i. Good communication skills ii. Ability to multitask iii. Strong organizational ability iv. Must have technical skills v. Good professional demeanor in both appearance and attitude vi. Good interpersonal skills Assessment Task 5 Internal recruitment Advantages i. Improves employee morale ii. Cheaper than looking outside the company for talent iii. Opens up new positions allowing for recruitment of a new generation of talent iv. The competition for positions becomes an incentive for employees to perform v. The promoted employee will already be familiar with the organizational culture vi. It is likely to result in disruptions Disadvantages i. Narrow pool to choose from means a narrowing of ideas ii. Potential disruption of internal political landscape iii. Internal employee will likely know the old salary, making it hard for company to effect market-related changes to salary iv. Affirmative action goals might be difficult to reach Might result in a ripple effect with a need for hiring at almost all levels of the organization External recruitment Advantages i. Provides new ideas and perspectives ii. Help improve the company’s competitivenes by bringing in new perspectives from other industries iii. Hiring only happens at one level in the organization iv. Bigger talent pool to choose from v. Hiring an experienced employee reduces the need for training Disadvantages i. Less information available on the potential employees ii. The search lasts longer and is more costly iii. Can hurt the morale and loyalty of the employees iv. Outsiders take time to familiarize with the culture of the organization Assessment Task 6 JOB OPPORTUNITY! IT Engineer Our firm is looking to fill three IT Engineer jobs Requirements i. Aged between 23 and 27 ii. Fresh graduates are encouraged to apply iii. must have at least a diploma in computer science, information technology or relevant field iv. familiarity with the UNIX operating environment v. Women/ people with disabilities or indigenous are encouraged to apply Interested graduates should send their applications to (email address) on or before 1st October To hire the best people, one must market to them. Reaching them through an effective job ad is important (Ryan, 2015). To reach the desired pool, the most effective location to advertise will be on college boards. Assessment Task 7 Employee induction is one of the most important aspects of company human resource management practices (Runola, 2013). There are four major purposes of employee induction: to make them more welcome, to provide them with basic information about their roles and responsibilities, to enable them understand the organization in a broad sense, and to have them familiarize themselves with the organization’s culture (Dessler, 2013). The incomplete Induction will have the employee taking the time to settle because of confusion and a general lack of perspective in the organization. They will not feel as welcome, and this might affect their motivation. Assessment Task 8 HR planning helps in the setting of performance objectives. Employees and managers must clarify their objectives, and link the employee role to the organization’s overall goals. Objectives should be definable using the SMART goal setting system. HR planning also helps to identify the most effective behaviors for success. Determining objectives and success behavior helps to set strong development goals (Berkley HR, 2015). The matching of worker skills to the task complexity has been proven beneficial especially in a thick market (Kok, 2013). It is only through proper job analysis that HR departments can properly match skill to task complexity. Employee retention is important to the company’s ability to survive in today’s economy (Terera & Ngirande, 2014). Performance is a factor of the retention rates and the employee motivation. Employees will feel loyal if they feel that the company equips them to handle their jobs through constant training. High organizational turnover damages the company reputation and performance abilities (Kabungaidze, et al., 2013). Training and development bridge the skill gap and ensures motivated employees. Remuneration also influences the ability of a company to attract, retain and motivate employees (Onyancha, et al., 2014). However, remuneration in terms of salary should not be the only motivator. Other forms of motivation such as awards and public recognition also motivate employees and improve performance. Assessment Task 10 Situations where employee counseling is required i. When other forms of conflict resolution have failed ii. When there is sensitive organizational politics involved iii. When the relevant authorities cannot agree on a suitable solution iv. When there are high stakes involved Assessment Task 11 1. Job description and specification for IT audit manager Job Description The IT Audit Manager will be required to i. Work with several iconic clients across different industries ii. Be an important part of a team providing innovative solutions to clients iii. Utilize their skills and training to resolve business problems iv. Coach and mentor staff members on technical aspects of auditing and on the management of client relationships v. Deliver external audit support Job Specification i. An understanding of the latest technology trends ii. Strong project management skills iii. Proactive in managing engagements iv. At least three years of experience in auditing v. CA/ CPA and CISA qualifications vi. Experience in managing multiple teams and undertakings 2. Application letter Dear Sir, Re: Application for the IT audit manager position This letter is in response to the job advertisement that appeared on Careerone.com regarding an IT Audit Manager position at your company. I am an IT and Business graduate with four years of experience working in the auditing field. Three of these years have been in a management position. Additionally, I have certifications in CPA and CISA and have worked on auditing projects for various industry leaders. I am a proactive leader and active follower, willing and able to work with the best to deliver quality for both the company and the client. I can and have managed multiple projects and teams, which is a testament to my project and time management abilities, as well as my ability to multitask. Having been in the industry for the past five years, I have a keen understanding of the latest technology trends and technical capabilities. My ability to deliver both independently or as part of a team make me uniquely suited for the position of IT Audit manager at your firm. Looking forward to a positive response, Yours faithfully, John. 3. Resume John Smith Smith.john@gmail.com 123 on the street, Sydney, Australia Education 2005- 2008: Bachelor’s Degree in information technology 2009- 2010: Master in Business Management and Administration 2010-2012: CPA and CISA certification Employment experience 2010-2012: IT auditor and Deloitte 2013- present: IT Audit Manager at Deloitte Skills and qualities i. Project and time management ii. Technical and interpersonal skills iii. Strong industry understanding Assessment Task 12 Human capital is important to company success. For instance, at Apple, their training and development programs are important in their ability to attract and retain employees with the skills and competencies to achieve the results they need to keep the company at the top. Apple’s SEED, the training program it operates in collaboration with its suppliers, has managed to train 861,000 to date (Apple, 2015). Apple also has an internal training program called the Apple University, which is a way that Apple inculcates employees into the history and culture of the organization. It is said to be a very secretive organization, running full time all year round (Chen, 2014). Assessment Task 13 Three important dynamics helps improve the performance of the organization; motivation and loyalty, reduction of skills gap through the matching of skills to the job complexity and the access to new generations of talent. The facilitation of training and development helps improve all three aspects. This is especially evident in the tech industry where the industry leaders engage in training and development. Apple does it through a program that holds its suppliers to account in terms of educating employees. It also has a secretive Apple University that teaches important aspects of the organization’s culture. Google also has its GoogleEDU program, a learning, and leadership program that have been in existence for close to five years now. It constantly revamps and restructures the program, and has had up to a third of the workforce pass through the school (Walker, 2012). Reference list AGEA, 2013. Workplace Gender Equality Act 2012. [Online] Available at: . [Accessed 24 September 2015]. Apple, 2015. Supplier Responsibility. [Online] Available at: . [Accessed 25 September 2015]. AWU, 2014. Employment Legislation that effects you at work. [Online] Available at: . [Accessed 24 September 2015]. Berkley HR, 2015. Performance Management Phase I: Planning. [Online] Available at: . [Accessed 25 September 2015]. Chen, B. X., 2014. Simplifying the Bull: How Picasso Helps to Teach Apple’s Style. [Online] Available at: . [Accessed 25 September 2015]. Dessler, G., 2013. Human Resources Management. 13 ed. Essex: Pearson Education. Kabungaidze, T., Mahlatshana, N. & Ngirande, H., 2013. The Impact of Job Satisfaction and some demographic Variables on Employee Turnover Intentions. International Journal of Business Administration, 4(1), pp. 53- 65. Kok, S., 2013. Matching worker skills to job tasks in the Netherlands:Sorting into cities for better careers, Hague: CPB Netherlands Bureau for Economic Policy Analysis. Onyancha, W. N., Elijah, M. C. & Muturi, W., 2014. Effect of Remuneration on Employees Performance in the Ministry of Internal Security: A Case of Kisii County. International Journal of Human Resource Studies, 4(1), pp. 223-231. Rio Tinto, 2014. Our People. [Online] Available at: . [Accessed 24 September 2015]. Runola, J., 2013. Employee Induction, Turku: Turku University of Applied Sciences. Ryan, L., 2015. How To Write Job Ads For Humans. [Online] Available at: . [Accessed 25 September 2015]. Terera, S. R. & Ngirande, H., 2014. The Impact of Training on Employee Job Satisfaction and Retention among Administrative Staff Members: A Case of a Selected Tertiary Institution. Journal of Social Sciences, 39(1), pp. 43- 50. Valencia, C., 2015. Motivation and Productivity in the Workplace. [Online] Available at: . [Accessed 24 September 2015]. Walker, J., 2012. School's in Session at Google. [Online] Available at: . [Accessed 25 September 2015]. Read More