Difference between Employee Participation and Employee Involvement :
Employee participation stems from the puralistic view that everyone within an organisation has different interests and conflicts, which need to be managed. For example employees maybe interested in increasing their pay while managers and leaders will be interested in increasing the profits of the business, therefore conflict will occur. Many organisations involve trade unions when conflict arises. Employee participation means that staff have some say in decisions and trade unions protect the interests of employees when there is resistance from management. If employees are allowed to participate in decisions that affect them they are likely to be more productive and motivated. Many businesses allow their employees to be part of a Trade Union, and staff can approach the trade Union if they have any grievances against their employer.
Employee involvement stems from the unitarist view and is different from employee participation in that all members of an organisation whether they are managers or employees, have the same goals and interests, therefore they will work towards achieving a common set of goals almost like a football team. Employee involvement means staff have a say in matters involving their jobs, working conditions, working environment etc. If members of staff are able to feel involved in decisions that affect their working life they are unlikely to want to join a union therefore both the employee and employer benefits. Employee involvement is about management wanting to incourage individual employees to be committed to the business and its values.
Many organisations now involve employees in decision making in the following ways:
1) Sharing information - this is important because employees feel they are updated and involved with everything that is going on in the business. Information can be shared via social network sites, email and roadshows.
2) Individuals - many organisations encourage their employees to take part in surveys, which look at things such as what type of benefits they would like to receive, what they think of their line managers and leaders etc. This information is then used to improve working conditions, benefits etc so that the staff feel they have had a say in how the business is run.
3) Financial participation - Profit related pay means that if the organisation has performed well, then the employees are rewarded accordingly. This also includes share schemes for employees and this is benefical for both the employer and employee because they are both working to the same goal.
Social networking sites as a means of involving employees
Communication helps to build the psychological contract, in which employees feel valued by their employer, and the employer values employees contributions. Employees feel more involved if they have:
1) The opportunity to feed information onto management
2) They are well-informed of what is happening in the organisation
Many organisations use social networking sites to keep their employees updated as well as advertising job vacancies:
Some organisations use a company intranet and extranet to communicate with employees. This intranet can be used by staff to look for current job vacancies, search for up to date information on products, and day-to-day issues such as bad weather and problems people have had getting into work.
Bucks New University use facebook to communicate with the students to keep them updated. On facebook the students can ask questions about issues they may have and on the group page students can see what events are taking place. This is useful because facebook is a common social networking site and people are familar with how this works.
MySpace is another social networking site which is used by the likes of the Tesco's and others to communicate with employees. Tesco employees use this site to communicate with one another on such issues as to what sort of day they had at work.
Other social network sites such as Twitter and Bebo are used by Universities and other companies such as Deloitte. These sites are used to keep people informed of what events are happening and allows for employees to be involved.
Conclusion
It is important for employees to be involved as they perform better if they feel valued and are happy at work. Equally if the organisation listens to the needs of their employees they will have loyal staff and there will be less staff leaving the organisation. Communication is therefore vital for both employer and employee as it leads to good employee engagement and results.
Reference list:
Times Online [online]. Available from: http://business.timesonline.co.uk/tol/business/career_and_jobs/best_100_companies/ [Accessed on 2nd of May 2010].
CIPD - employee communication [online]. Available from: http://www.cipd.co.uk/subjects/empreltns/comconslt/empcomm.htm [Accessed 2nd of May 2010].
(Myspace (2010) Tesco [online]. Available at: http://www.myspace.com/9944826 [Accessed on 2nd of May 2010].
Monday, May 3, 2010
Friday, April 30, 2010
Reward - Week 24
Rewards and recognition are powerful tools of motivation and performance improvement in employees. Rewards can be of two different kinds, monetary and non-monetary.
"Monetary" awards are known to bring about more motivation in employees than non monetary wards although recent studies differ in this view. Reward and recognition usually that direct costs associated to them, for example cash bonuses, discounts, shares or a variety of paid perks by the company which may include parking, car allowances etc., However, other rewards, “non monetary” may be less tangible but still effective. These intangible rewards may include informal or formal acknowledgement of an employee and his work, more job assignments, different training opportunities etc. The primary goal of rewards as defined by Jack Zigon is “something that increases the frequency of an employee action” (1998). Allen & Helms suggest that “reward systems should be closely aligned to organisational strategies, to achieve desired goals” (2002). Steven Keller (1983) suggests that “people are motivated to higher levels of job performance by positive recognition from their managers and peers”.
As some employees are motivated mainly by monetary rewards, they will try to improve their job performance to achieve these rewards. On the other hand some people view monetary rewards as vulgar and are discouraged by such offers. It is important to understand that not everyone can be motivated to increase work performance with financial perks. This group is more likely to be motivated by non-monetary perks like getting an extra day off, or having lunch with the head.
I work on a part time basis for the Arcadia Group. The organisation I work for rewards its employees in the following way:
• Salary
• Bonuses
• Paid Holidays
• Pension Plan
• Discount on all Arcadia Group merchandise
• Company cars
• Flexible reward scheme to suit an individual’s life style
• Interest Free season ticket for travelling
• Cash incentive if you recommend a friend to work for the organisation
The Arcadia Group has different rewards for different groups, for example senior managers and top executives are given allowances for company cars and this is good for the corporate image of the group. However, a part time junior sales representative such as myself is not given this benefit but is entitled to a staff discount on goods. Another example of this difference is a pension scheme which a permanent member of staff is entitled to whereas I do not have a permanent contract with the company, therefore, I am not entitled to this benefit. These rewards differ because I do not work permanently with the company however, in the examples given above, senior managers and permanent staff have probably been with the company for a long time therefore they deserve and expect these rewards as part of the reason why they have been with the company for so long. In my opinion there should be different rewards for different people dependant on the job they do and how long they have been with the organisation. As a relative new recruit I would not expect to receive the same benefits enjoyed by someone who has been with the company a long time. In this way fairness and equity are ensured.
John Stacey Adams (1963) theory of job motivation suggests “The actual sense of equity or fairness (or inequity or unfairness) is arrived at only after incorporating a comparison between our own input and output ratio with the input and output ratios that we see or believe to be experienced or enjoyed by others in similar situations”.
Inputs - Inputs are typically: effort, loyalty, hard work, commitment, skill, ability, adaptability, flexibility, tolerance, determination, heart and soul, enthusiasm, trust in our boss and superiors, support of colleagues and subordinates, personal sacrifice, etc.
Equity
dependent on comparing own ratio of input/output with ratios of 'referent' others - People need to feel that there is a fair balance between inputs and outputs. Crucially fairness is measured by comparing one's own balance or ratio between inputs and outputs, with the ratio enjoyed or endured by relevant ('referent') others.
Outputs - Outputs are typically all financial rewards - pay, salary, expenses, perks, benefits, pension arrangements, bonus and commission - plus intangibles - recognition, reputation, praise and thanks, interest, responsibility, stimulus, travel, training, development, sense of achievement and advancement, promotion, etc.
Do you think Chief Executives should still receive large bonuses even if the organisation they have led has underperformed?
Arguments For:
1. Chief Executives are the ones who take on all the stress and responsibility for the business, making decisions which can either be good ones or bad ones.
2. They are the ones who have the links to save the company if the situation got so bad that a take over had to happen.
3. Many chief executives have been with the company for a long time and have helped to build the company up. If the company underperforms they are the ones who can still turn the company around.
Arguments Against:
1. Why should they still receive large bonus when the company does not perform well and others in the organisation may lose their job or have to take a pay cut.
2. They have made the bad decisions that have led to under performance, therefore, they should not receive the bonuses.
3. In fact they should take a pay cut like other members of staff may have to and they should lead by example.
Financial & Non Financial Ways of Rewarding a teacher at a primary school
Financial
1. Salary
2. Longer Paid Holidays
3. Career progression (leading to higher financial reward)
Non Financial
1. Less stress teaching primary school children compared to high school children
2. Longer holidays
3. Having an impact on the lives of the children they teach
Conclusion
In conclusion rewards and recognition are very important because they motivate and improve performance of employees. Money is not the only motivator for people because things such as job satisfaction are also important.
Reference list:
Equality [online]. Available from: http://www.brainyquote.com/words/eq/equality161136.html [Accessed on 1st of May 2010].
Adams equity theory [online]. Available from: http://www.businessballs.com/adamsequitytheory.htm [Accessed on 1st May 2010].
Burton [online]. Available from: http://www.dorothyperkins.com/promostores/dp/recruitment_2003/site/ [Accessed on 1st May 2010].
ZPG [online]. Available from: http://www.zigonperf.com/aboutjz.html [Accessed on 1st May 2010].
Rewards and recognition [online]. Available from: http://edweb.sdsu.edu/people/arossett/pie/Interventions/incentivesrewards_2.htm [Accessed 2nd of May 2010].
"Monetary" awards are known to bring about more motivation in employees than non monetary wards although recent studies differ in this view. Reward and recognition usually that direct costs associated to them, for example cash bonuses, discounts, shares or a variety of paid perks by the company which may include parking, car allowances etc., However, other rewards, “non monetary” may be less tangible but still effective. These intangible rewards may include informal or formal acknowledgement of an employee and his work, more job assignments, different training opportunities etc. The primary goal of rewards as defined by Jack Zigon is “something that increases the frequency of an employee action” (1998). Allen & Helms suggest that “reward systems should be closely aligned to organisational strategies, to achieve desired goals” (2002). Steven Keller (1983) suggests that “people are motivated to higher levels of job performance by positive recognition from their managers and peers”.
As some employees are motivated mainly by monetary rewards, they will try to improve their job performance to achieve these rewards. On the other hand some people view monetary rewards as vulgar and are discouraged by such offers. It is important to understand that not everyone can be motivated to increase work performance with financial perks. This group is more likely to be motivated by non-monetary perks like getting an extra day off, or having lunch with the head.
I work on a part time basis for the Arcadia Group. The organisation I work for rewards its employees in the following way:
• Salary
• Bonuses
• Paid Holidays
• Pension Plan
• Discount on all Arcadia Group merchandise
• Company cars
• Flexible reward scheme to suit an individual’s life style
• Interest Free season ticket for travelling
• Cash incentive if you recommend a friend to work for the organisation
The Arcadia Group has different rewards for different groups, for example senior managers and top executives are given allowances for company cars and this is good for the corporate image of the group. However, a part time junior sales representative such as myself is not given this benefit but is entitled to a staff discount on goods. Another example of this difference is a pension scheme which a permanent member of staff is entitled to whereas I do not have a permanent contract with the company, therefore, I am not entitled to this benefit. These rewards differ because I do not work permanently with the company however, in the examples given above, senior managers and permanent staff have probably been with the company for a long time therefore they deserve and expect these rewards as part of the reason why they have been with the company for so long. In my opinion there should be different rewards for different people dependant on the job they do and how long they have been with the organisation. As a relative new recruit I would not expect to receive the same benefits enjoyed by someone who has been with the company a long time. In this way fairness and equity are ensured.
John Stacey Adams (1963) theory of job motivation suggests “The actual sense of equity or fairness (or inequity or unfairness) is arrived at only after incorporating a comparison between our own input and output ratio with the input and output ratios that we see or believe to be experienced or enjoyed by others in similar situations”.
Inputs - Inputs are typically: effort, loyalty, hard work, commitment, skill, ability, adaptability, flexibility, tolerance, determination, heart and soul, enthusiasm, trust in our boss and superiors, support of colleagues and subordinates, personal sacrifice, etc.
Equity
dependent on comparing own ratio of input/output with ratios of 'referent' others - People need to feel that there is a fair balance between inputs and outputs. Crucially fairness is measured by comparing one's own balance or ratio between inputs and outputs, with the ratio enjoyed or endured by relevant ('referent') others.
Outputs - Outputs are typically all financial rewards - pay, salary, expenses, perks, benefits, pension arrangements, bonus and commission - plus intangibles - recognition, reputation, praise and thanks, interest, responsibility, stimulus, travel, training, development, sense of achievement and advancement, promotion, etc.
Do you think Chief Executives should still receive large bonuses even if the organisation they have led has underperformed?
Arguments For:
1. Chief Executives are the ones who take on all the stress and responsibility for the business, making decisions which can either be good ones or bad ones.
2. They are the ones who have the links to save the company if the situation got so bad that a take over had to happen.
3. Many chief executives have been with the company for a long time and have helped to build the company up. If the company underperforms they are the ones who can still turn the company around.
Arguments Against:
1. Why should they still receive large bonus when the company does not perform well and others in the organisation may lose their job or have to take a pay cut.
2. They have made the bad decisions that have led to under performance, therefore, they should not receive the bonuses.
3. In fact they should take a pay cut like other members of staff may have to and they should lead by example.
Financial & Non Financial Ways of Rewarding a teacher at a primary school
Financial
1. Salary
2. Longer Paid Holidays
3. Career progression (leading to higher financial reward)
Non Financial
1. Less stress teaching primary school children compared to high school children
2. Longer holidays
3. Having an impact on the lives of the children they teach
Conclusion
In conclusion rewards and recognition are very important because they motivate and improve performance of employees. Money is not the only motivator for people because things such as job satisfaction are also important.
Reference list:
Equality [online]. Available from: http://www.brainyquote.com/words/eq/equality161136.html [Accessed on 1st of May 2010].
Adams equity theory [online]. Available from: http://www.businessballs.com/adamsequitytheory.htm [Accessed on 1st May 2010].
Burton [online]. Available from: http://www.dorothyperkins.com/promostores/dp/recruitment_2003/site/ [Accessed on 1st May 2010].
ZPG [online]. Available from: http://www.zigonperf.com/aboutjz.html [Accessed on 1st May 2010].
Rewards and recognition [online]. Available from: http://edweb.sdsu.edu/people/arossett/pie/Interventions/incentivesrewards_2.htm [Accessed 2nd of May 2010].
Thursday, April 29, 2010
Training and Development - Week 22 & 23
Induction Programme For Graduates
The purpose of induction is to make sure staff are integrated into an organisation so that both parties benefit. The induction programme allows graduates to make contacts who may assist them later and provides a good platform to start their career.
An induction programme for new graduate entrants for a retail chain could include the following:
Day 1 - Welcome the graduates followed by:
1) Orientation (physical) - describes where facilities are. Graduates are advised of their job role and the department/office they will based in.
2) Health and safety - this is a legal requirement and covers things such as what to do in the event of a fire and the procedures to be followed.
3) Orientation (organisational) - shows how the graduate fits into the team and how their role fits in with the organisations strategy and goals.
Day 2 - Includes:
4) Details of the organisations history, its products, services, culture and values - This ensures the graduate receives information about the organisation.
5) A clear outline of the job requirements are explained.
6) Guest speakers - to include senior managers from across the business who will welcome the graduates and tell them about the direction the company is going in.
Remainder of the week:
7) The graduates will be introduced to retail stores including meeting people in different roles to gain insight into how the retail operation works.
Induction week closes with a motivational speaker:
The induction programme will be held at a regional management training centre.
The effectiveness of the programme
To see how effective the induction week is candidates can initially be given questionnaires to complete which then can be assessed. Long term effectivness can be measured by the number of graduates who stay with the company.
The purpose of the induction is to give positive image of the business as these graduates will be store managers at the end of their 2 year training programme. Most graduates are assigned a mentor who is often a senior manager or director. The mentor's role is to give valuable on going advice on the graduates career goals and how best to achieve them.
Reference List:
Your M&S [online]. Available from: http://corporate.marksandspencer.com/mscareers/opportunities/graduates [Accessed 29th of April 2010].
Graduate Training and Induction Programme [online]. Available from: http://www.exxonmobil.com/Australia-English/HR/About/AU_HR_induction.asp [Accessed 29th of April 2010].
FSA [online]. Available from: http://www.fsagraduates.com/GraduateProgrammes.aspx [Accessed 29th of April 2010].
Tesco [online]. Available from: http://www.tesco-graduates.com/home/programmes [Accessed 29th of April 2010].
The purpose of induction is to make sure staff are integrated into an organisation so that both parties benefit. The induction programme allows graduates to make contacts who may assist them later and provides a good platform to start their career.
An induction programme for new graduate entrants for a retail chain could include the following:
Day 1 - Welcome the graduates followed by:
1) Orientation (physical) - describes where facilities are. Graduates are advised of their job role and the department/office they will based in.
2) Health and safety - this is a legal requirement and covers things such as what to do in the event of a fire and the procedures to be followed.
3) Orientation (organisational) - shows how the graduate fits into the team and how their role fits in with the organisations strategy and goals.
Day 2 - Includes:
4) Details of the organisations history, its products, services, culture and values - This ensures the graduate receives information about the organisation.
5) A clear outline of the job requirements are explained.
6) Guest speakers - to include senior managers from across the business who will welcome the graduates and tell them about the direction the company is going in.
Remainder of the week:
7) The graduates will be introduced to retail stores including meeting people in different roles to gain insight into how the retail operation works.
Induction week closes with a motivational speaker:
The induction programme will be held at a regional management training centre.
The effectiveness of the programme
To see how effective the induction week is candidates can initially be given questionnaires to complete which then can be assessed. Long term effectivness can be measured by the number of graduates who stay with the company.
The purpose of the induction is to give positive image of the business as these graduates will be store managers at the end of their 2 year training programme. Most graduates are assigned a mentor who is often a senior manager or director. The mentor's role is to give valuable on going advice on the graduates career goals and how best to achieve them.
Reference List:
Your M&S [online]. Available from: http://corporate.marksandspencer.com/mscareers/opportunities/graduates [Accessed 29th of April 2010].
Graduate Training and Induction Programme [online]. Available from: http://www.exxonmobil.com/Australia-English/HR/About/AU_HR_induction.asp [Accessed 29th of April 2010].
FSA [online]. Available from: http://www.fsagraduates.com/GraduateProgrammes.aspx [Accessed 29th of April 2010].
Tesco [online]. Available from: http://www.tesco-graduates.com/home/programmes [Accessed 29th of April 2010].
Tuesday, April 27, 2010
Performance Management - Week 21
Work Appraisal
A recent appraisal I had at work involved a 1-2-1 discussion with my line manager. Managing Performance involves setting targets and appraisals are used to measure whether or not a member of staff has met those targets. Businesses measure performance in different ways. I am measured on the number of sales I achieve and the number of complaints or compliments I receive in respect of customer satisfaction. In this interview I was given the opportunity to go through the number of sales I had achieved and my line manager gave me feedback on the number of compliments I had received. This information was motivating for me because my line manager informed me that I would get a bonus as I had reached all my targets.
Edwin A. Locke (1960) Goal Setting Theory suggests that if an individual sets goals he/she wil be motivated to reach those goals by virtue of having set them. However several elements must exist for the goal setting effect to take place. Goals need to be clear, challenging and attainable, and there must be some method of receiving feedback. Locke suggested that the goal itself is not the motivator but the perceived difference between what was actually attained and what had been planned for is.
Appraisals are good for both the employee/employer because it is a time for both parties to express their views on matters such as personal development, review of individuals performance, recoginition and reward. At appraisals the employer also has the chance to point out any issues like conduct, sickness records, time keeping, behaviour etc.
The Times article on Mentoring
Having read this article on mentoring I think the skills needed to be an effective mentor are:
1) Successful - Successful people are good mentors because they are organised, focused and dedicated to acheiving their own goals and objectives. They are positive role models for people they mentor.
2) Listening - Mentors need to be good at listening because they need to be sympathetic and sensitive, encouraging solutions out of the person they mentor instead of telling them what to do.
3) Experience - Mentors need to have experience because their experiences can help you with problems you may come across.
4) Different background - Mentors from a different background to your own can be good because their experiences and insights can help you manage your own success.
Mentor in my own life
The person I aspire to be like is my older sister. My sister has been a positive role model for me. This is because she is 6 years older than me, but has achieved success by doing well and getting her degree. Since graduating she has found a very good job and works for the metropolitan police as a trainer. My sister's success has motivated me into studying for my degree, stay focused and to either find a good job or to start my own business after graduation. My sister has had a huge impact on my life.
Reference list:
Times Online [online]. Available from: http://business.timesonline.co.uk/tol/business/entrepreneur/article3778514.ece [Accessed 27th April 2010].
Locke's Goal Setting Theory [online]. Available from: http://www.ehow.com/about_5370945_lockes-goal-setting-theory.html [Accessed 27th April 2010].
Goal-Setting Theory [online]. Available from: http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Goal-setting_theory [Accessed on 27th April 2010].
A recent appraisal I had at work involved a 1-2-1 discussion with my line manager. Managing Performance involves setting targets and appraisals are used to measure whether or not a member of staff has met those targets. Businesses measure performance in different ways. I am measured on the number of sales I achieve and the number of complaints or compliments I receive in respect of customer satisfaction. In this interview I was given the opportunity to go through the number of sales I had achieved and my line manager gave me feedback on the number of compliments I had received. This information was motivating for me because my line manager informed me that I would get a bonus as I had reached all my targets.
Edwin A. Locke (1960) Goal Setting Theory suggests that if an individual sets goals he/she wil be motivated to reach those goals by virtue of having set them. However several elements must exist for the goal setting effect to take place. Goals need to be clear, challenging and attainable, and there must be some method of receiving feedback. Locke suggested that the goal itself is not the motivator but the perceived difference between what was actually attained and what had been planned for is.
Appraisals are good for both the employee/employer because it is a time for both parties to express their views on matters such as personal development, review of individuals performance, recoginition and reward. At appraisals the employer also has the chance to point out any issues like conduct, sickness records, time keeping, behaviour etc.
The Times article on Mentoring
Having read this article on mentoring I think the skills needed to be an effective mentor are:
1) Successful - Successful people are good mentors because they are organised, focused and dedicated to acheiving their own goals and objectives. They are positive role models for people they mentor.
2) Listening - Mentors need to be good at listening because they need to be sympathetic and sensitive, encouraging solutions out of the person they mentor instead of telling them what to do.
3) Experience - Mentors need to have experience because their experiences can help you with problems you may come across.
4) Different background - Mentors from a different background to your own can be good because their experiences and insights can help you manage your own success.
Mentor in my own life
The person I aspire to be like is my older sister. My sister has been a positive role model for me. This is because she is 6 years older than me, but has achieved success by doing well and getting her degree. Since graduating she has found a very good job and works for the metropolitan police as a trainer. My sister's success has motivated me into studying for my degree, stay focused and to either find a good job or to start my own business after graduation. My sister has had a huge impact on my life.
Reference list:
Times Online [online]. Available from: http://business.timesonline.co.uk/tol/business/entrepreneur/article3778514.ece [Accessed 27th April 2010].
Locke's Goal Setting Theory [online]. Available from: http://www.ehow.com/about_5370945_lockes-goal-setting-theory.html [Accessed 27th April 2010].
Goal-Setting Theory [online]. Available from: http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Goal-setting_theory [Accessed on 27th April 2010].
Monday, April 26, 2010
Equal Opportunities & Diversity - Week 20
Difference between Equality and Diversity
Equality is the revised name for "Equal Opportunities". Equality protects people from being discrimanted against on the grounds of their sex, race, disability, sexual orientation, religion, belief, or age. Equality is about creating a fair society. Employers have a legal obligation to treat all employees fairly and to comply with anti-discrimination legislation.
Diversity on the other hand, is about recognising individual or group differences. Diversity is about valuing each employee based on their capablity and talents. We live in a multi cultural society therefore a diverse workforce is good for any business.
Review of Margaret Mountford's article
Equality is the revised name for "Equal Opportunities". Equality protects people from being discrimanted against on the grounds of their sex, race, disability, sexual orientation, religion, belief, or age. Equality is about creating a fair society. Employers have a legal obligation to treat all employees fairly and to comply with anti-discrimination legislation.
Diversity on the other hand, is about recognising individual or group differences. Diversity is about valuing each employee based on their capablity and talents. We live in a multi cultural society therefore a diverse workforce is good for any business.
Review of Margaret Mountford's article
Having read Margaret Mountford's opinions on women in senior positions I agree with the following comments she suggested:
1) "Women should not be in high positions unless they really want to and have earned it" - Most individuals would like to be promoted on their own merits because they feel proud to achieve their success through hard work.
2) "If you think you only get on board because 50% of people have to be women, what self-respect can you have?" - If women are given senior positions just to make up numbers they will feel less valued in their position and may have low self esteem knowing they are in a position which they have not earned.
3) "You can't complain that you are not on the board if you decide to leave the main stream have a few years off then come back and not work the hours". - senior positions require a high amount of commitment so women should not demand flexibility during child bearing years.
Having read Margaret Mountford's opinions on women in senior positions I disagree with the following comments she suggested:
1) "Women should stick at it, hang on in there. In the professions, certainly women can get to the top but they don't always want to" - As most women are responsible for child rearing/family commitments with men being the main bread winners they do not always have the same opportunities as they are too busy looking after the family to worry about their careers.
2) Margaret Mountford is disdaindul of women demanding to work more flexibly during child bearing years "They want companies to bend over backwards" - it is unfair to say that women should not have help from their companies during child bearing years in terms of flexibility because even the most committed and hardworking female may want children.
3)"If they are talented enough people will want them but why should companies be forced to have them?" - It is good for any organisation to have a good mix of male/female employees otherwise they are not complying with the law.
The Age Legislation Act 2006
The Age Legislation Act was introduced in 2006, as an employer you are not allowed to target people of certain age groups for jobs you advertise for and you can not refuse to employ someone on the basis of their age. Businesses must therefore be careful when advertising for a vacancy by making sure they do not directly or indirectly state an age preference. We tend to hold stereotypes about young and old people. The stereotype of young people are that they are unreliable and do not take their job seriously. The stereotype views of older people are that they are slow in their work and not efficient as young people even though they might be more experienced.
Benchmark practice in relation to Equal Opportunities
Sainsbury's carried out an extensive recruitment drive in 2005 before the age legislation became law, by making 10,000 full time jobs available for the over 50's. This was a good idea as the older generation were given opportunities to fill these jobs and bring their experiences to Sainsbury's. This also promoted equal opportunity and diversity.
B&Q 2008 launched a campaign to attract more women to its stores. B&Q attempted to "feminise" their stores to appeal to women. B&Q now have a 50/50 gender employment split in their business.
Conclusion
In conclusion Equality and Diversity is important for any business. An employer has a duty to treat all staff fairly without discrimination and diversity in the workplace is good because each individual can bring talent to a business. Legislation is in place to make sure that employers do not discriminate anyone.
Reference list:
Equality and Diversity [online]. Available from: http://www.ed.ac.uk/schools-departments/equality-diversity/about/equality-diveristy [Accessed 25 April 2010].
Margaret Mountford [online]. Available from: http://business.timesonline.co.uk/tol/business/career_and_jobs/articles 6830916.ece [Accessed 25th April 2010].
Sainsbury's [online]. Available from: http://www.personneltoday.com/articles/2005/05/18/29965/sainsburys-seeks-to-recruit-10000-50-somethings.html [Accessed 26th April 2010].
B&Q (2008) [online]. Available from: http://www.personneltoday.com/articles/2008/03/11/44853/b.html [Accessed on 26th April 2010].
Saturday, April 24, 2010
Selection - Week 17 & 18
Different Selection Methods Used in Recruitment:
The main aim of the selection process is to choose the best person for the job. Employers use different selection methods to recruit new employees:
• Personality Tests also known as psychometric testing
• Interviews
• Assessment Centres
• Telephone Screening
• Graphology
• Role plays
• Work Simulations – realistic job preview
• References
• Short listing from information on CV’s and application forms
Personality Tests
These tests are normally carried out at Assessment Centres and used to measure the personality characteristics of applicants that are related to future job performance. They are carried out in the early stages of the selection process. Personality tests measure one or more of five personality dimensions: Extroversion, emotional stability, agreeableness, conscientiousness, and openness to experience. Hook & Krauss (1971) administered 3 tests to sergeant candidates: the Minnesota Multiphasic Personality Inventory, The Allport-Vemon-Lindzey Study of Values, and the Gough Adjective Check List. However, these tests did not differentiate candidates rated as good sergeant material from those rated as poorer candidates. The researcher’s conclusion was that the groups may have been so similar that these tests were not sensitive enough to differentiate them. In addition, litigation has suggested that some items for these types of tests may be too intrusive.Soroka v. Dayton Hudson, (1991).
The advantages of personality tests:
1) Can result in low turnover if applicants are chosen for traits that correlate highly with employees who have been with the organisation for a long time.
2) Can reveal more information about the abilities and interests of the applicant.
3) Can identify interpersonal traits that may be required for certain jobs.
The Disadvantages of personality tests:
1) Applicant’s training & experience may have a greater impact on job performance than the applicant’s personality.
2) There would be lack of diversity amongst the applicants if they were all selected because of the same personality traits.
3) As there is not a correct answer to personality tests, the scoring procedure could be questioned.
Interviews
The interview selection procedure is designed to predict future job performance and is based on the applicant’s verbal response to verbal enquiries. Interviews are generally carried out the final stage of the selection process, after a candidate has been through various tests at an assessment centre. There are different types of interviews used in recruitment:
• Unstructured – when different questions are asked of different applicants.
• Situational interview – applicants are interviewed about what action they would take in various job related situations and then scored using a scoring guide constructed by job experts.
• Behaviour Description Interviews – applicants are asked what actions they have taken in previous job situations that are similar to situations they may come across in the new job. The interview is then scored using a scoring guide constructed by job experts.
• Comprehensive Structured Interviews – applicants are asked questions relating to how they would handle job situations, job knowledge, and how the applicant would perform in various job situations.
• Structured Behavioural Interviews – this involves asking all applicants standardised questions about how they handled previous job situations that were similar to what they may come across in their new job. The applicant’s responses are then scored using behaviour rating scales.
• Oral Interview Boards – this involves the applicant giving verbal responses to job related questions asked by a panel of interviewers. The members of the panel then each rate the applicant on dimensions such as work history, motivation, creative thinking and presentation.
The advantages of interviews are:
1) Interviewer can obtain additional information.
2) Determines if the applicant has the communication or social skills which may be necessary for the job.
3) Allows the applicant to ask questions that may reveal additional information useful for making a selection decision.
The disadvantages of interviews are:
1) Not as reliable as tests.
2) Interviewer can form stereotypes of the characteristics needed.
3) Applicants can be discriminated against because of their ethnic background.
Role Plays
Role playing is an assessment centre exercise where the applicant takes on the role of the job being applied for and has to deal with another person in a job related situation. A trained role player is used and he/she responds “in character” to the actions of the applicant. The applicant’s performance is then observed by the interviewers and rated. Role plays are usually carried out in the early stages of the selection process. Two of the most common exercises used in role plays are:
• In – Basket - The applicant is given time to review material and initiate in writing whatever action they believe to be most appropriate in relation to each in-basket item. At the end of the exercise the in-basket material and any notes, letters, correspondence written by the applicant is collected and then reviewed by one or more assessors. The in-basket exercise may be thought of as an approach which assesses an applicant’s “practical thinking” ability (Scribner, 1986:1984), as it involves the applicant solving job relevant tasks.
• Group exercises - Candidates are given a topic or a role-play exercise and are invited to discuss the topic or role-play in a group. During the discussion/role play, observers who are looking for specific attributes award marks to each candidate.
The Advantages of role plays:
1) Provides opportunity for applicant to assume the job role and the applicant can display skills they possess.
2) Helps to identify applicants with qualities such as leadership skills.
3) Helps to show communication and social skills.
The Disadvantages of role plays:
1) This technique is not appropriate for larger groups.
2) Some applicants may be too self-conscious and therefore can be disadvantaged as they may not be able to show their true potential.
3) Four or more applicants needed to make this a worthwhile exercise and enough people to mark the applicants properly.
Interview I have taken part in
This interview was job related when I applied to work part time for Burtons. The interview was effective because it was a two way process during which I was able to ask questions as well as give answers to questions that the interviewer asked me. The interview was face to face and I did not feel under stress because there was no personality test involved and no role plays which can put extra pressure on a person.
Interview involving family member
I interviewed my mum to see if she felt personality tests that are used in selection have advantages. My mum did not think these tests would show a person's true ability because the response to answers in these tests can be what can be what the interviewer wants to hear, instead of what is actually the person's real ability. She felt these tests can put pressure on people.
Organisation I am familar with
I work for the Arcadia Group (Burtons) who undertake selection through the following:
1) Online application form
2) Culture Questionnaire
3) Ability Test
4) Telephone Interview
5) Assessment Centre (one day)
This selection process is similiar to many other companies way of selecting new staff. There is no more that could be done to improve this selection process. Although some people may find some of these tests stressful, they will give a fairly good indication of someone's ability.
Conclusion
In conclusion companies use different methods and ways to recruit staff. This has changed over the years, but most companies work on a similar basis and this is the way forward for most people looking for a job today.
Reference list:
Interviews and Beyond [online]. Available from: http://www.graduatecareers.com.au/content/view/full/125 [Accessed on 25 April 2010].
Selection Methods [online]. Available from: http://www.grb.uk.com/selection-methods.0.html [Accessed on 25 April 2010].
Recruitment and Selection [online]. Available from: http://www.hr.unimelb.edu.au/advicesupport/recruitment/shortlisting [Accessed on 25 April 2010].
Personnel Selection [online]. Available from: http://www.hr-guide.com/data/G318.htm [Accessed on 25 April 2010].
Interview [online]. Available from: http://www.hrmguide.co.uk/hrm/chap8/ch8-links4.htm [Accessed on 25 April 2010].
The main aim of the selection process is to choose the best person for the job. Employers use different selection methods to recruit new employees:
• Personality Tests also known as psychometric testing
• Interviews
• Assessment Centres
• Telephone Screening
• Graphology
• Role plays
• Work Simulations – realistic job preview
• References
• Short listing from information on CV’s and application forms
Personality Tests
These tests are normally carried out at Assessment Centres and used to measure the personality characteristics of applicants that are related to future job performance. They are carried out in the early stages of the selection process. Personality tests measure one or more of five personality dimensions: Extroversion, emotional stability, agreeableness, conscientiousness, and openness to experience. Hook & Krauss (1971) administered 3 tests to sergeant candidates: the Minnesota Multiphasic Personality Inventory, The Allport-Vemon-Lindzey Study of Values, and the Gough Adjective Check List. However, these tests did not differentiate candidates rated as good sergeant material from those rated as poorer candidates. The researcher’s conclusion was that the groups may have been so similar that these tests were not sensitive enough to differentiate them. In addition, litigation has suggested that some items for these types of tests may be too intrusive.Soroka v. Dayton Hudson, (1991).
The advantages of personality tests:
1) Can result in low turnover if applicants are chosen for traits that correlate highly with employees who have been with the organisation for a long time.
2) Can reveal more information about the abilities and interests of the applicant.
3) Can identify interpersonal traits that may be required for certain jobs.
The Disadvantages of personality tests:
1) Applicant’s training & experience may have a greater impact on job performance than the applicant’s personality.
2) There would be lack of diversity amongst the applicants if they were all selected because of the same personality traits.
3) As there is not a correct answer to personality tests, the scoring procedure could be questioned.
Interviews
The interview selection procedure is designed to predict future job performance and is based on the applicant’s verbal response to verbal enquiries. Interviews are generally carried out the final stage of the selection process, after a candidate has been through various tests at an assessment centre. There are different types of interviews used in recruitment:
• Unstructured – when different questions are asked of different applicants.
• Situational interview – applicants are interviewed about what action they would take in various job related situations and then scored using a scoring guide constructed by job experts.
• Behaviour Description Interviews – applicants are asked what actions they have taken in previous job situations that are similar to situations they may come across in the new job. The interview is then scored using a scoring guide constructed by job experts.
• Comprehensive Structured Interviews – applicants are asked questions relating to how they would handle job situations, job knowledge, and how the applicant would perform in various job situations.
• Structured Behavioural Interviews – this involves asking all applicants standardised questions about how they handled previous job situations that were similar to what they may come across in their new job. The applicant’s responses are then scored using behaviour rating scales.
• Oral Interview Boards – this involves the applicant giving verbal responses to job related questions asked by a panel of interviewers. The members of the panel then each rate the applicant on dimensions such as work history, motivation, creative thinking and presentation.
The advantages of interviews are:
1) Interviewer can obtain additional information.
2) Determines if the applicant has the communication or social skills which may be necessary for the job.
3) Allows the applicant to ask questions that may reveal additional information useful for making a selection decision.
The disadvantages of interviews are:
1) Not as reliable as tests.
2) Interviewer can form stereotypes of the characteristics needed.
3) Applicants can be discriminated against because of their ethnic background.
Role Plays
Role playing is an assessment centre exercise where the applicant takes on the role of the job being applied for and has to deal with another person in a job related situation. A trained role player is used and he/she responds “in character” to the actions of the applicant. The applicant’s performance is then observed by the interviewers and rated. Role plays are usually carried out in the early stages of the selection process. Two of the most common exercises used in role plays are:
• In – Basket - The applicant is given time to review material and initiate in writing whatever action they believe to be most appropriate in relation to each in-basket item. At the end of the exercise the in-basket material and any notes, letters, correspondence written by the applicant is collected and then reviewed by one or more assessors. The in-basket exercise may be thought of as an approach which assesses an applicant’s “practical thinking” ability (Scribner, 1986:1984), as it involves the applicant solving job relevant tasks.
• Group exercises - Candidates are given a topic or a role-play exercise and are invited to discuss the topic or role-play in a group. During the discussion/role play, observers who are looking for specific attributes award marks to each candidate.
The Advantages of role plays:
1) Provides opportunity for applicant to assume the job role and the applicant can display skills they possess.
2) Helps to identify applicants with qualities such as leadership skills.
3) Helps to show communication and social skills.
The Disadvantages of role plays:
1) This technique is not appropriate for larger groups.
2) Some applicants may be too self-conscious and therefore can be disadvantaged as they may not be able to show their true potential.
3) Four or more applicants needed to make this a worthwhile exercise and enough people to mark the applicants properly.
Interview I have taken part in
This interview was job related when I applied to work part time for Burtons. The interview was effective because it was a two way process during which I was able to ask questions as well as give answers to questions that the interviewer asked me. The interview was face to face and I did not feel under stress because there was no personality test involved and no role plays which can put extra pressure on a person.
Interview involving family member
I interviewed my mum to see if she felt personality tests that are used in selection have advantages. My mum did not think these tests would show a person's true ability because the response to answers in these tests can be what can be what the interviewer wants to hear, instead of what is actually the person's real ability. She felt these tests can put pressure on people.
Organisation I am familar with
I work for the Arcadia Group (Burtons) who undertake selection through the following:
1) Online application form
2) Culture Questionnaire
3) Ability Test
4) Telephone Interview
5) Assessment Centre (one day)
This selection process is similiar to many other companies way of selecting new staff. There is no more that could be done to improve this selection process. Although some people may find some of these tests stressful, they will give a fairly good indication of someone's ability.
Conclusion
In conclusion companies use different methods and ways to recruit staff. This has changed over the years, but most companies work on a similar basis and this is the way forward for most people looking for a job today.
Reference list:
Interviews and Beyond [online]. Available from: http://www.graduatecareers.com.au/content/view/full/125 [Accessed on 25 April 2010].
Selection Methods [online]. Available from: http://www.grb.uk.com/selection-methods.0.html [Accessed on 25 April 2010].
Recruitment and Selection [online]. Available from: http://www.hr.unimelb.edu.au/advicesupport/recruitment/shortlisting [Accessed on 25 April 2010].
Personnel Selection [online]. Available from: http://www.hr-guide.com/data/G318.htm [Accessed on 25 April 2010].
Interview [online]. Available from: http://www.hrmguide.co.uk/hrm/chap8/ch8-links4.htm [Accessed on 25 April 2010].
Wednesday, April 21, 2010
Recruitment - Week 16
Review of online recruitment site
I reviewed the www.monster.co.uk recruitment site and found this to be easy to access. The layout and colours used were kind to the eyes and you did not feel put off from searching for information from this site. The site allowed you to build your C.V online which could then be uploaded with a covering letter. I was also able to search for jobs and able to refine the search to narrow this down to areas and postcodes. The career tools function allows you to see a snapshot of the career you are interested in, this career can then be benchmarked against other companies and advice can also be found to develop your career further. The advice function on this site lets you take part in a virtual job interview which is very useful. This function gives you five top tips on building your C.V, five top tips on interview techniques and five top salary tips which would help to negotiate a pay package. In comparison to another site (www.prospects.ac.uk) this was far better to look at and easy for practically anyone to use.
Advantages of Online Recruitment
1) Cost Effective - It is cheaper to put a job advert on own website which costs nothing compared to advertising in a newspaper or paying a recruitment agency fees.
2) Online recruitment is quick - For example a job advert can be placed on the website in the morning and applications can follow in the afternoon and candidate can be interviewed by the end of the day.
3) Online recruitment gives you a wider audience - Online recruitment is not only for young people and is now the norm for most people who are job hunting no matter what their age.
4) Online recruitment is easy - Putting a job on own site is not difficult and you do not need to have much knowledge of IT.
5) Online recruitment gives a better chance of success - A job advert on a website is there 24 hours a day or for as long as you like, unlike placing an advert in the papers which will only be seen on the date of publication.
Disadvantages of Online Recruitment
1) Too many candidates - As the internet is available around the world it would be hard to limit the number of applicants therefore time could be wasted looking through applications.
2) Specialised jobs - If a job requires special skills an employer may not be able to reach qualified candidates through the internet. This may require the use of head hunters.
3) Additional expense - May be incurred if the number of applicants is too much for one person to deal with.
4) Less face to face contact - Because of distance involved interviews maybe carried out on the phone instead of in person. The employer may not be able to a good idea of the candidates attituded or personality without face to face interaction.
5) Candidate dissatisfaction - Some candidates like the traditional way of job hunting so if a company only relies of online recruitment they could miss out on the top person for the job.
Recruitment Campaign which interested me
A recruitment campaign that has really interested me is The British Army. This is because the campaign is very professional and it feels like the army is a large corparate company wanting to recruit new people. The people taking part in the advertisement all look very smart and it seems that everyone is made to feel as part of a team. There seems to be a sense of strong discipline and duty to the country and seeing this would encourage people to sign up.
Understanding of the Psychological Contract
The psychological contract is different from the legal contract of employment. The legal contract may only be clear if it has to be tested in court, whereas the psychological contract is based on the mutual trust of both employer/employee. This probably has more influence than the legal contract in affecting how employees behave on a day to day basis. The psychological contract basically tells employees what they have to do to meet their side of the bargin and what they can expect from their job. The psychological contract can not be enforced in court, although courts may be influenced with the underlying relationship between the employer and employee. (David Guest 2004) suggested:
1) The degree to which employers adopt management practice will have an influence on the state of the psychological contract.
2) The contract is based on the employee's sense of fairness/trust and their belief that the employer is honouring the deal between them.
3) If the psychological contract is positive, the employee will have increased commitment which will have a positive impact on their performance.
Reference list:
Monster [online]. Available from: http://career-advice.monster.co.uk/ [Accessed on 21 April 2010].
CIPD The Psychological Contract [online]. Available from: http://www.cipd.co.uk/subjects/empreltns/psycntrct/psycontr.htm [Accessed on 21 April 2010].
Army Jobs [online]. Available from: http://www.armyjobs.mod.uk/Pages/HomePage.aspx [Accessed on 22 April 2010].
Prospects [online]. Available from: http://www.prospects.ac.uk/cms/ShowPage/Home_page/p!eLaXi [Accessed on 22 April 2010].
I reviewed the www.monster.co.uk recruitment site and found this to be easy to access. The layout and colours used were kind to the eyes and you did not feel put off from searching for information from this site. The site allowed you to build your C.V online which could then be uploaded with a covering letter. I was also able to search for jobs and able to refine the search to narrow this down to areas and postcodes. The career tools function allows you to see a snapshot of the career you are interested in, this career can then be benchmarked against other companies and advice can also be found to develop your career further. The advice function on this site lets you take part in a virtual job interview which is very useful. This function gives you five top tips on building your C.V, five top tips on interview techniques and five top salary tips which would help to negotiate a pay package. In comparison to another site (www.prospects.ac.uk) this was far better to look at and easy for practically anyone to use.
Advantages of Online Recruitment
1) Cost Effective - It is cheaper to put a job advert on own website which costs nothing compared to advertising in a newspaper or paying a recruitment agency fees.
2) Online recruitment is quick - For example a job advert can be placed on the website in the morning and applications can follow in the afternoon and candidate can be interviewed by the end of the day.
3) Online recruitment gives you a wider audience - Online recruitment is not only for young people and is now the norm for most people who are job hunting no matter what their age.
4) Online recruitment is easy - Putting a job on own site is not difficult and you do not need to have much knowledge of IT.
5) Online recruitment gives a better chance of success - A job advert on a website is there 24 hours a day or for as long as you like, unlike placing an advert in the papers which will only be seen on the date of publication.
Disadvantages of Online Recruitment
1) Too many candidates - As the internet is available around the world it would be hard to limit the number of applicants therefore time could be wasted looking through applications.
2) Specialised jobs - If a job requires special skills an employer may not be able to reach qualified candidates through the internet. This may require the use of head hunters.
3) Additional expense - May be incurred if the number of applicants is too much for one person to deal with.
4) Less face to face contact - Because of distance involved interviews maybe carried out on the phone instead of in person. The employer may not be able to a good idea of the candidates attituded or personality without face to face interaction.
5) Candidate dissatisfaction - Some candidates like the traditional way of job hunting so if a company only relies of online recruitment they could miss out on the top person for the job.
Recruitment Campaign which interested me
A recruitment campaign that has really interested me is The British Army. This is because the campaign is very professional and it feels like the army is a large corparate company wanting to recruit new people. The people taking part in the advertisement all look very smart and it seems that everyone is made to feel as part of a team. There seems to be a sense of strong discipline and duty to the country and seeing this would encourage people to sign up.
Understanding of the Psychological Contract
The psychological contract is different from the legal contract of employment. The legal contract may only be clear if it has to be tested in court, whereas the psychological contract is based on the mutual trust of both employer/employee. This probably has more influence than the legal contract in affecting how employees behave on a day to day basis. The psychological contract basically tells employees what they have to do to meet their side of the bargin and what they can expect from their job. The psychological contract can not be enforced in court, although courts may be influenced with the underlying relationship between the employer and employee. (David Guest 2004) suggested:
1) The degree to which employers adopt management practice will have an influence on the state of the psychological contract.
2) The contract is based on the employee's sense of fairness/trust and their belief that the employer is honouring the deal between them.
3) If the psychological contract is positive, the employee will have increased commitment which will have a positive impact on their performance.
Reference list:
Monster [online]. Available from: http://career-advice.monster.co.uk/ [Accessed on 21 April 2010].
CIPD The Psychological Contract [online]. Available from: http://www.cipd.co.uk/subjects/empreltns/psycntrct/psycontr.htm [Accessed on 21 April 2010].
Army Jobs [online]. Available from: http://www.armyjobs.mod.uk/Pages/HomePage.aspx [Accessed on 22 April 2010].
Prospects [online]. Available from: http://www.prospects.ac.uk/cms/ShowPage/Home_page/p!eLaXi [Accessed on 22 April 2010].
HR/Manpower Planning - Week 15
Importance of HR Planning For Organisations:
It is vital for an organisation to have HR plans because Human Resource Planning assists the organisation to recruit, retain and optimise the number of staff needed to meet the objectives of the business and to keep up with the changes in the external environment. This involves carrying out a skills analysis, of the existing workforce, carrying out manpower forcasting and taking the necessary action to make sure that there will always be enough staff to carry out the jobs necessary to help the business meet its aims. This can also include training and retraining plans for staff. Lack of HR planning or poor HR planning can result in financial loss for the organisation because employees maybe asked to work unnecessary overtime to fulfil orders because there is not enough staff recruited to cope with the demands of the business. Poor HR planning can result in vacancies not being filled quickly enough or people not having the right skills to carry out their roles. Inadequate HR plans can result in large numbers of people leaving through retirement and if the neccesary plans are not in place to recruit and retain existing staff this can have a negative impact on the business also.
Using Alec Rodger's seven point person specification below is a person specification for a University Lecturer:
Physical Make-up - Professional confident person with excellent communication skills both verbal and written.
Attainments - Education degree, teaching and motivation skills and experience in the teaching industry.
Intelligence - Ability to adapt to changing processes and procedures. Analytical with ability to be creative and to be able to improvise.
Special Aptitudes - Good IT and presentation skills required.
Interest - Ability to intellectually and practically interact with students and members of staff.
Disposition - Self reliant, mature and a sense of humour together with compassion necessary.
Circumstances - Ability to work extra from time to time to assist with staff shortages.
Waitrose opening new store in High Wycombe:
If Waitrose were to consider opening a new store in High Wycombe they would need to consider the following key labour questions:
1) How many staff would they need to employ in the store? This can be then broken down into individual function within the store i.e. people to work on the tills, supervisors and managers etc.
2) The unemployment situation in the area? This can be used to decide what rates of pay could be paid to staff because an unemployed person would be happy to work for the minimum wage in comparison to someone who is just looking for another job, who would not be happy to work for the bare minimum.
3) The training requirements of employees? This can be used to determine whether someone needs to be trained on the tills or in customer service as a supervisor.
4) What qualifications or experience is neccessary for each job? This is important because it will allow Waitrose to recruit the right people for the job, as Waitrose have a good reputation for customer service.
5) The demographics of the area? This will indicate the age group and the level of income in High Wycombe, helping Waitrose to see what age group their new staff would be from.
Conclusion
It is important for businesses to have Human Resource Planning in place because this allows them to forecast, plan, use resources carefully and retain staff by looking at internal and external labour markets. HR Planning enables the business to control, and deal with problems which leads to better results because people are a vital resource for businesses and are the key factors for the successful performance.
Reference List:
Alec Rodger: Seven Point Plan [online]. Available from: http://www.bola.biz/recruitment/rodger.html [Accessed 20 April 2010].
Human Resource Planning [online]. Available from: http://www.hrmguide.co.uk/hrm/chap7/ch7-links3.htm [Accessed 20 April 2010].
The Times 100 Human Resource Planning [online]. Available from: http://www.thetimes100.co.uk/theory/theory--human-resources-planning--417.php [Accessed 20 April 2010].
Mullins, L.J (2007). Management and Organisational Behaviour. 8th ed. Harlow: FT Prentice hall.
It is vital for an organisation to have HR plans because Human Resource Planning assists the organisation to recruit, retain and optimise the number of staff needed to meet the objectives of the business and to keep up with the changes in the external environment. This involves carrying out a skills analysis, of the existing workforce, carrying out manpower forcasting and taking the necessary action to make sure that there will always be enough staff to carry out the jobs necessary to help the business meet its aims. This can also include training and retraining plans for staff. Lack of HR planning or poor HR planning can result in financial loss for the organisation because employees maybe asked to work unnecessary overtime to fulfil orders because there is not enough staff recruited to cope with the demands of the business. Poor HR planning can result in vacancies not being filled quickly enough or people not having the right skills to carry out their roles. Inadequate HR plans can result in large numbers of people leaving through retirement and if the neccesary plans are not in place to recruit and retain existing staff this can have a negative impact on the business also.
Using Alec Rodger's seven point person specification below is a person specification for a University Lecturer:
Physical Make-up - Professional confident person with excellent communication skills both verbal and written.
Attainments - Education degree, teaching and motivation skills and experience in the teaching industry.
Intelligence - Ability to adapt to changing processes and procedures. Analytical with ability to be creative and to be able to improvise.
Special Aptitudes - Good IT and presentation skills required.
Interest - Ability to intellectually and practically interact with students and members of staff.
Disposition - Self reliant, mature and a sense of humour together with compassion necessary.
Circumstances - Ability to work extra from time to time to assist with staff shortages.
Waitrose opening new store in High Wycombe:
If Waitrose were to consider opening a new store in High Wycombe they would need to consider the following key labour questions:
1) How many staff would they need to employ in the store? This can be then broken down into individual function within the store i.e. people to work on the tills, supervisors and managers etc.
2) The unemployment situation in the area? This can be used to decide what rates of pay could be paid to staff because an unemployed person would be happy to work for the minimum wage in comparison to someone who is just looking for another job, who would not be happy to work for the bare minimum.
3) The training requirements of employees? This can be used to determine whether someone needs to be trained on the tills or in customer service as a supervisor.
4) What qualifications or experience is neccessary for each job? This is important because it will allow Waitrose to recruit the right people for the job, as Waitrose have a good reputation for customer service.
5) The demographics of the area? This will indicate the age group and the level of income in High Wycombe, helping Waitrose to see what age group their new staff would be from.
Conclusion
It is important for businesses to have Human Resource Planning in place because this allows them to forecast, plan, use resources carefully and retain staff by looking at internal and external labour markets. HR Planning enables the business to control, and deal with problems which leads to better results because people are a vital resource for businesses and are the key factors for the successful performance.
Reference List:
Alec Rodger: Seven Point Plan [online]. Available from: http://www.bola.biz/recruitment/rodger.html [Accessed 20 April 2010].
Human Resource Planning [online]. Available from: http://www.hrmguide.co.uk/hrm/chap7/ch7-links3.htm [Accessed 20 April 2010].
The Times 100 Human Resource Planning [online]. Available from: http://www.thetimes100.co.uk/theory/theory--human-resources-planning--417.php [Accessed 20 April 2010].
Mullins, L.J (2007). Management and Organisational Behaviour. 8th ed. Harlow: FT Prentice hall.
Monday, April 19, 2010
Role Of Line Manager & HR Manager - Week 14
The benefits & drawbacks of Line Managers being more involved in Human Relations activities are:
Benefits:
• The Line Manager provides staff with the link to higher management with a view to sorting out issues.
• As the Line Manager deals with the employee on a day to day basis he/she is more closer to own staff so may be aware of issues that the member of staff has e.g. problems at home.
• The Line Manager is better able to deal with day to day problems involving the member of staff e.g. lateness.
• The Line Manager provides a link to HR practices which the employee may not be aware of. For example an employee may be off sick for several weeks and then finds it difficult to come back to work full time following an operation. HR then become involved and allow the employee to gradually come back to work increasing their hours as they feel stronger and able to deal with their work. In cases like this the line manager can help to influence decisions taken by HR as he/she is aware that this employee works hard and does not take time off work due to sickness very often.
• The Line Manager has the technical knowledge of activities and working conditions of staff at local level which HR may not be aware of. For example this can help in a situation whereby the employee wishes to work part and the line manager is aware that this can be accommodated at a local level.
Drawbacks:
• The Line Manager is not a specialist in Human Relations.
• The Line Manager may not be aware of the culture of an organisation.
• The Line Manager may not know of the policies and procedures that the company has in place.
• The management style of the Line Manager may be such that he/she does not refer the member of staff to HR and believes issue can be dealt with at local level. This is so especially if the style of management is too controlling or autocratic.
• The relationship between HR & the Line Manager may not be good which could have negative impact on an individual as their issue may not be referred to HR by the line manager. (L.J Mullins, Management and Organisational Behaviour, 8th Edition 2007). "If HRM function is to be effective there has to be good team work and co-operation and consolidation between the Line Manager and HR Manager.
Skills Line Managers need to develop to effectively manage people:
Front Line Managers exercise strong influence over the level of discretion that an individual has over how they do their job. Line managers need self confidence and a strong sense of their own security within the organisation as this will influence whether or not the line managers can go on to lead high performing teams. The relationship that front line managers experience with their managers and with senior management generally influences their willingness to show discretionary behaviour in their own management activities. Front line managers are likely to display positive behaviour associated with high levels of performance from staff they manage if they feel they have:
1. Good working relationship with their own managers.
2. They are provided with good career opportunities and supported to progress their careers.
3. They experience a positive work-life balance.
4. They are allow to participate and feel involved in decision making.
5. There is an open organisational culture which allows them to air grievances or discuss personal issues.]
6. They are given a sense of job security.
7. They encourage people to be responsible for their own jobs whereas other managers can sometimes be too controlling or autocratic in their behaviour which can stifle the initiative of an individual.
Front Line Managers need to encourage discretionary behaviour from employees that is linked with high performance. This can be done through:
1) Building a good working relationship - If the manager has a good relationship with their staff this will encourage the staff to work harder for the employer and go out of their way to help in times of staff shortages and when projects need to be completed both quickly and efficiently. The manager needs to listen to the needs of their staff as the staff may be asked to complete an order that cannot possibly be finished without taking on additional help. If the manager arranges for additional help then staff are more likely to respond with loyalty and gratitude as they will think that their manager looks after them. The manager must be fair and respond to suggestions. If a manager is not fair to all his staff and does not respond to suggestions that the staff may have to improve productivity, this will cause problems in the workplace in the long term as staff will feel disadvantaged and not listened to. They will be more unlikely to want to work hard to achieve results.
2. Help & Support employees - To take more responsibility for how they do their jobs by coaching and guidance. It is important for the manager to give support to their staff through training & guidance. This helps the organisation in the long term because if staff are equipped to do their jobs well, they are will produce better results. This also make the staff feel that they have some level of responsibility over the work they do and this leads to good staff morale.
3. Build Effective Teams – Managers need to build effective teams and they can only do this through building a good relationship with all members of their team, listen to the needs and concerns of the individuals in that team. Managers need to encourage and support those individuals to reach their own potential as well as helping to achieve the overall targets of the business. A happy team is a productive team.
My line managers at work are developed through training programmes which leads to promotions. Reward systems are in place to motivate the managers to work harder to achieve results for which they receive money. Annual appraisals are carried out to see how further career developments can be achieved i.e. is further training necessary.
After researching the Prospects website for HR jobs, I feel my skills are more suited to role of Line Manager instead of HR manager because I enjoy working with people on a one to one basis. I like helping people which would be good as this helps to build effective teams which is necessary for success. I am good at communicating with people and this is neccessary for a line managers role.
Reference list:
The Role of Front Line Managers in HR [online]. Available from: http://www.cipd.co.uk/subjects/maneco/general/rolefrntlinemngers.htm [Accessed on 17 April 2010].
Prospects [online]. Available from: http://www.prospects.ac.uk/cms/ShowPage/Home_page/p!eLaXi [Accessed on 17 April 2010].
(L.J Mullins, Management and Organisational Behaviour, 8th Edition 2007, FT Prentice Hall).
Benefits:
• The Line Manager provides staff with the link to higher management with a view to sorting out issues.
• As the Line Manager deals with the employee on a day to day basis he/she is more closer to own staff so may be aware of issues that the member of staff has e.g. problems at home.
• The Line Manager is better able to deal with day to day problems involving the member of staff e.g. lateness.
• The Line Manager provides a link to HR practices which the employee may not be aware of. For example an employee may be off sick for several weeks and then finds it difficult to come back to work full time following an operation. HR then become involved and allow the employee to gradually come back to work increasing their hours as they feel stronger and able to deal with their work. In cases like this the line manager can help to influence decisions taken by HR as he/she is aware that this employee works hard and does not take time off work due to sickness very often.
• The Line Manager has the technical knowledge of activities and working conditions of staff at local level which HR may not be aware of. For example this can help in a situation whereby the employee wishes to work part and the line manager is aware that this can be accommodated at a local level.
Drawbacks:
• The Line Manager is not a specialist in Human Relations.
• The Line Manager may not be aware of the culture of an organisation.
• The Line Manager may not know of the policies and procedures that the company has in place.
• The management style of the Line Manager may be such that he/she does not refer the member of staff to HR and believes issue can be dealt with at local level. This is so especially if the style of management is too controlling or autocratic.
• The relationship between HR & the Line Manager may not be good which could have negative impact on an individual as their issue may not be referred to HR by the line manager. (L.J Mullins, Management and Organisational Behaviour, 8th Edition 2007). "If HRM function is to be effective there has to be good team work and co-operation and consolidation between the Line Manager and HR Manager.
Skills Line Managers need to develop to effectively manage people:
Front Line Managers exercise strong influence over the level of discretion that an individual has over how they do their job. Line managers need self confidence and a strong sense of their own security within the organisation as this will influence whether or not the line managers can go on to lead high performing teams. The relationship that front line managers experience with their managers and with senior management generally influences their willingness to show discretionary behaviour in their own management activities. Front line managers are likely to display positive behaviour associated with high levels of performance from staff they manage if they feel they have:
1. Good working relationship with their own managers.
2. They are provided with good career opportunities and supported to progress their careers.
3. They experience a positive work-life balance.
4. They are allow to participate and feel involved in decision making.
5. There is an open organisational culture which allows them to air grievances or discuss personal issues.]
6. They are given a sense of job security.
7. They encourage people to be responsible for their own jobs whereas other managers can sometimes be too controlling or autocratic in their behaviour which can stifle the initiative of an individual.
Front Line Managers need to encourage discretionary behaviour from employees that is linked with high performance. This can be done through:
1) Building a good working relationship - If the manager has a good relationship with their staff this will encourage the staff to work harder for the employer and go out of their way to help in times of staff shortages and when projects need to be completed both quickly and efficiently. The manager needs to listen to the needs of their staff as the staff may be asked to complete an order that cannot possibly be finished without taking on additional help. If the manager arranges for additional help then staff are more likely to respond with loyalty and gratitude as they will think that their manager looks after them. The manager must be fair and respond to suggestions. If a manager is not fair to all his staff and does not respond to suggestions that the staff may have to improve productivity, this will cause problems in the workplace in the long term as staff will feel disadvantaged and not listened to. They will be more unlikely to want to work hard to achieve results.
2. Help & Support employees - To take more responsibility for how they do their jobs by coaching and guidance. It is important for the manager to give support to their staff through training & guidance. This helps the organisation in the long term because if staff are equipped to do their jobs well, they are will produce better results. This also make the staff feel that they have some level of responsibility over the work they do and this leads to good staff morale.
3. Build Effective Teams – Managers need to build effective teams and they can only do this through building a good relationship with all members of their team, listen to the needs and concerns of the individuals in that team. Managers need to encourage and support those individuals to reach their own potential as well as helping to achieve the overall targets of the business. A happy team is a productive team.
My line managers at work are developed through training programmes which leads to promotions. Reward systems are in place to motivate the managers to work harder to achieve results for which they receive money. Annual appraisals are carried out to see how further career developments can be achieved i.e. is further training necessary.
After researching the Prospects website for HR jobs, I feel my skills are more suited to role of Line Manager instead of HR manager because I enjoy working with people on a one to one basis. I like helping people which would be good as this helps to build effective teams which is necessary for success. I am good at communicating with people and this is neccessary for a line managers role.
Reference list:
The Role of Front Line Managers in HR [online]. Available from: http://www.cipd.co.uk/subjects/maneco/general/rolefrntlinemngers.htm [Accessed on 17 April 2010].
Prospects [online]. Available from: http://www.prospects.ac.uk/cms/ShowPage/Home_page/p!eLaXi [Accessed on 17 April 2010].
(L.J Mullins, Management and Organisational Behaviour, 8th Edition 2007, FT Prentice Hall).
Thursday, April 15, 2010
Teamworking - Week 13
Example of a time when I worked as a team
An example of a time when I have worked in a team and we were successful was the recent organisation and task we carried out at university to help raise money for a chosen charity - Save The Children (Haiti). I feel this team worked successfully to raise money for charity by organising a student night in the S.U and a sponsored walk. This team was successful because the five people involved all knew one another, therefore we did not need to go through all the (Tuckman's 1973) stages of team development. Tuckman 1973 suggested all teams develop through the following stages of Forming, Storming, Norming and Performing. During the forming stage, people are watchful and guarded so this is a testing time. As we were already comfortable with each other we did not need to go through this stage. If we go by Tuckman's theory we also missed out on the third stage of storming because we felt comfortable telling each other what we all had to do to achieve the task, therefore there was no conflict. We went through the stages of norming and performing only. This theory was more relevant to us as a team compared to Belbin's team roles (1993) of Co-ordinator , Shaper, Plant , Teamworker , Implementer , Resource investigator, Monitor , Complete finisher and Specialist. The reasons for this team success was that we all knew one another. We had clear aims and objectives, there were no personality clashes and we communicated well with everyone being co-operative and their was no imbalance of roles. All these things helped to make the team successful.
Review Of Group 1st Assignment For People & Organisations
Going by Tuckman's theory although our group progressed through all of the key stages, we did not spend much time getting to know each other in the forming stage. This did not help the team to be totally successful. When we got together as a group we did not know each other very well. According to Tuckman this stage is know as the time when people gel together. However we did not spend much time on this stage and by the time we got to this storming stage we still did not feel totally comfortable with each other so people did not want to create conflict. In the norming stage we just accepted what each person was going to do to complete the task. This then led to the performing stage.
We were not totally successful as a group because it takes time for teams to develop and we did not spend enough time in the forming and storming stages. Had we done this we would have all communicated better with each other and would not have felt uncomfortable saying what we wanted to say in case we upset someone. Communication is important for any team task and this was another reason why our team was not successful.
Review Of Two Companies From "The Times Top 100 Companies to Work For"
Microsoft IT/internet services - staff at this company say that working in teams gives them a buzz. Team mates go out of their way to help each other, and this company is one of two firms to feature in all 10 of The Sunday Times best companies annual lists. Managers are given a "morale budget" to spend on events and employees say that managers regularly express their appreciation when staff do a good job. This company spends about £1,500 a year on each employee to help in their professional development. Employees think highly of their managers who talk openly and honestly caring about job satisfaction. A mentoring programme encourages staff to learn from each other and flexible working options are available for all staff. All this contributes to the success of the company because 78% of people working for Microsoft enjoy their work and are excited about the future of the company.
Admiral Group - This company believes that people who enjoy what they do, do it better. Admiral employs 2,850 people at offices in Swansea, Cardiff and Newport where they have a dedicated ministry of fun to make work a happy place for its young staff. Each month a department and senior manager are given a budget and asked to come up with ideas such as office golf, pumpkin carving or cake baking competitions. This company achieved a score of 87% for staff having a good time with each other and it ranks 6th in the my team category with employees saying colleagues go out of their way to help them and they feel a sense of family within their team. Managers keep morale high by appreciating their staff and rewarding them with team nights out to celebrate birthdays, good work or just because people fancy going out together. Managers sit alongside their employees. Managers are also open and honest with their staff to help them meet their potential and motivate them to give their best everyday.
Both these companies show that team work is a major contributory factor to their success.
References:
TIMES ONLINE [online]. Available from: http://business.timesonline.co.uk/tol/business/career_and_jobs/best_100_companies/ [Accessed 15 April 2010].
Dr Meredith Belbin Team Roles [online]. Available from: http://www.belbin.com/rte.asp?id=5 [Accessed 15 April 2010].
Performing team-development model [online]. Available from: http://www.businessballs.com/tuckmanformingstormingnormingforming.htm [Accessed 15 April 2010].
Tuckman's theory [online]. Available from: www.infed.org/thinkers/tuckman.htm [Accessed 15 April 2010].
An example of a time when I have worked in a team and we were successful was the recent organisation and task we carried out at university to help raise money for a chosen charity - Save The Children (Haiti). I feel this team worked successfully to raise money for charity by organising a student night in the S.U and a sponsored walk. This team was successful because the five people involved all knew one another, therefore we did not need to go through all the (Tuckman's 1973) stages of team development. Tuckman 1973 suggested all teams develop through the following stages of Forming, Storming, Norming and Performing. During the forming stage, people are watchful and guarded so this is a testing time. As we were already comfortable with each other we did not need to go through this stage. If we go by Tuckman's theory we also missed out on the third stage of storming because we felt comfortable telling each other what we all had to do to achieve the task, therefore there was no conflict. We went through the stages of norming and performing only. This theory was more relevant to us as a team compared to Belbin's team roles (1993) of Co-ordinator , Shaper, Plant , Teamworker , Implementer , Resource investigator, Monitor , Complete finisher and Specialist. The reasons for this team success was that we all knew one another. We had clear aims and objectives, there were no personality clashes and we communicated well with everyone being co-operative and their was no imbalance of roles. All these things helped to make the team successful.
Review Of Group 1st Assignment For People & Organisations
Going by Tuckman's theory although our group progressed through all of the key stages, we did not spend much time getting to know each other in the forming stage. This did not help the team to be totally successful. When we got together as a group we did not know each other very well. According to Tuckman this stage is know as the time when people gel together. However we did not spend much time on this stage and by the time we got to this storming stage we still did not feel totally comfortable with each other so people did not want to create conflict. In the norming stage we just accepted what each person was going to do to complete the task. This then led to the performing stage.
We were not totally successful as a group because it takes time for teams to develop and we did not spend enough time in the forming and storming stages. Had we done this we would have all communicated better with each other and would not have felt uncomfortable saying what we wanted to say in case we upset someone. Communication is important for any team task and this was another reason why our team was not successful.
Review Of Two Companies From "The Times Top 100 Companies to Work For"
Microsoft IT/internet services - staff at this company say that working in teams gives them a buzz. Team mates go out of their way to help each other, and this company is one of two firms to feature in all 10 of The Sunday Times best companies annual lists. Managers are given a "morale budget" to spend on events and employees say that managers regularly express their appreciation when staff do a good job. This company spends about £1,500 a year on each employee to help in their professional development. Employees think highly of their managers who talk openly and honestly caring about job satisfaction. A mentoring programme encourages staff to learn from each other and flexible working options are available for all staff. All this contributes to the success of the company because 78% of people working for Microsoft enjoy their work and are excited about the future of the company.
Admiral Group - This company believes that people who enjoy what they do, do it better. Admiral employs 2,850 people at offices in Swansea, Cardiff and Newport where they have a dedicated ministry of fun to make work a happy place for its young staff. Each month a department and senior manager are given a budget and asked to come up with ideas such as office golf, pumpkin carving or cake baking competitions. This company achieved a score of 87% for staff having a good time with each other and it ranks 6th in the my team category with employees saying colleagues go out of their way to help them and they feel a sense of family within their team. Managers keep morale high by appreciating their staff and rewarding them with team nights out to celebrate birthdays, good work or just because people fancy going out together. Managers sit alongside their employees. Managers are also open and honest with their staff to help them meet their potential and motivate them to give their best everyday.
Both these companies show that team work is a major contributory factor to their success.
References:
TIMES ONLINE [online]. Available from: http://business.timesonline.co.uk/tol/business/career_and_jobs/best_100_companies/ [Accessed 15 April 2010].
Dr Meredith Belbin Team Roles [online]. Available from: http://www.belbin.com/rte.asp?id=5 [Accessed 15 April 2010].
Performing team-development model [online]. Available from: http://www.businessballs.com/tuckmanformingstormingnormingforming.htm [Accessed 15 April 2010].
Tuckman's theory [online]. Available from: www.infed.org/thinkers/tuckman.htm [Accessed 15 April 2010].
Thursday, April 8, 2010
Organisation & Management Theory - Week 11
Many organisation and management theories have been suggested by various theorists. Contingency theory is a behavioural theory that suggests there is no best way to organise a business, to lead a company or to make decisions. Instead the course of action is dependent (contingent) on the internel and external situation. Several contingency approaches were developed in the late 1950s (Joan Woodward 1958) suggested that technology directly influences differences in organisational attributes e.g. span of control, centralisation of authority and the forming of rules and procedures. These theories suggested that (Weber's bureaucracy 1930s) and (Taylor's scientific management 1911) theories had failed because they neglected the fact that management style and organisational structure were influenced by various aspects of the environment i.e. contingency factors. Therefore there is no "one best way" for leadership.
Systems Theory (Fredrick Winslow Taylor 1911) involved the study of human behaviour at work using a systematic approach. Taylor studied human characteristics, social environment, task, physical environment, capacity speed, durability, cost and there interaction with each other. Taylor's overal objective was to remove human variablity and he worked to achieve his goal of making work behaviour predictable so that maximum output could be achieved. Taylor strongly believed that humans are mainly motivated by money so he relied on monetary incentive systems.
Case Study To Demonstrate The Contingency Theory
P&O ferries was one of the top 50 call centres for customer service during 2009. This company thought that they provided good customer service but when they actually listened to calls made to the call centre they realised that they could make more improvements because timing was one of the key service areas measured which needed improvement. As a result the company reviewed and overhauled its IVR system to ensure customers are not kept waiting. The other area they needed improvement on was personalisation of calls. Although the company prided themselves on treating customers as people and not just calls, the results of the benchmarking showed P&O ferries that the interactions were process driven and sounded as if the call centre staff were working from a script. The leadership team have now re-invented their call structure and trained their staff to engage in free flowing conversations with their customers.
This case study relates to the contingency theory put forward by (Joan Woodward 1958) because new rules and procedures were put in place by the leadership team to improve customer satisfaction.
Case study To Demonstrate The Systematic Theory
Specsavers was one of the top 50 call centres for customer service during 2009. This company completely changed its service quality strategy and now measure time to answer calls at different times of the day rather than take a monthly average so that they can provide consistency to their customers. They have also recruited an external agency to give assessments on what sort of service they provide on a regular basis. This systematic theory of Taylor is because they have introduced a new reward scheme awarding a king and queen of service each month based on the way the staff engage and talk to customers.
This case study relates to Taylor's theory because it systematically uses goal setting and rewards to motivate employees.
There are good practices now carried out by both P&O and Specsavers and these companies have improved their customer satisfication in different ways. P&O ferries have invested in training their staff to engage in free flowing conversation with their customers to improve sales and make their customers happy. Specsavers on the other hand have used the reward system of choosing a king and queen of the month based on how their staff also talk and engage their customers. The overall aim is the same for both companies and that is to improve customer satisfaction as well as sales. Happy customers always leads to increase in sales.
The Advantages of Scientific Management
1) Increase in production.
2) Increase in efficiency (in quality & quantity).
3) Improves relationship between employees/employers by creating a friendly environment.
4) Decrease in working hours which leads to decrease in stress improving efficiency.
5) Provides a formal environment & chance to improve social networking.
The Disadvantages of Scientific Management
1) Gives production managers a high level of uncontrolled power.
2) Does not take into account the social context of work and the higher needs of workers.
3) Does not acknowledge the variance between individuals.
4) Tends to regard workers as uninformed.
5) Workers ideas and suggestions are ignored.
Conclusion
Many theories and suggestions have been put forward organisation and management. The general idea is to get the best out of employees and employers use various practices to achieve this. Some employers offer rewards to motivate their staff and others invest in training for their staff to ensure their staff work efficiently and professionally to achieve success for the business.
References:
Contingency Theory [online]. Available from: http://dictionary.bnet.com/definition/contingency+theory.html [Accessed on 11 April 2010].
Scientific Management [online]. Available from: http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Scientific_management [Accessed on 11 April 2010].
Frederick Taylor & Scientific Management [online]. Available from: http://www.netmba.com/mgmt/scientific/ [Accessed on 11 April 2010].
Systems Theory (Fredrick Winslow Taylor 1911) involved the study of human behaviour at work using a systematic approach. Taylor studied human characteristics, social environment, task, physical environment, capacity speed, durability, cost and there interaction with each other. Taylor's overal objective was to remove human variablity and he worked to achieve his goal of making work behaviour predictable so that maximum output could be achieved. Taylor strongly believed that humans are mainly motivated by money so he relied on monetary incentive systems.
Case Study To Demonstrate The Contingency Theory
P&O ferries was one of the top 50 call centres for customer service during 2009. This company thought that they provided good customer service but when they actually listened to calls made to the call centre they realised that they could make more improvements because timing was one of the key service areas measured which needed improvement. As a result the company reviewed and overhauled its IVR system to ensure customers are not kept waiting. The other area they needed improvement on was personalisation of calls. Although the company prided themselves on treating customers as people and not just calls, the results of the benchmarking showed P&O ferries that the interactions were process driven and sounded as if the call centre staff were working from a script. The leadership team have now re-invented their call structure and trained their staff to engage in free flowing conversations with their customers.
This case study relates to the contingency theory put forward by (Joan Woodward 1958) because new rules and procedures were put in place by the leadership team to improve customer satisfaction.
Case study To Demonstrate The Systematic Theory
Specsavers was one of the top 50 call centres for customer service during 2009. This company completely changed its service quality strategy and now measure time to answer calls at different times of the day rather than take a monthly average so that they can provide consistency to their customers. They have also recruited an external agency to give assessments on what sort of service they provide on a regular basis. This systematic theory of Taylor is because they have introduced a new reward scheme awarding a king and queen of service each month based on the way the staff engage and talk to customers.
This case study relates to Taylor's theory because it systematically uses goal setting and rewards to motivate employees.
There are good practices now carried out by both P&O and Specsavers and these companies have improved their customer satisfication in different ways. P&O ferries have invested in training their staff to engage in free flowing conversation with their customers to improve sales and make their customers happy. Specsavers on the other hand have used the reward system of choosing a king and queen of the month based on how their staff also talk and engage their customers. The overall aim is the same for both companies and that is to improve customer satisfaction as well as sales. Happy customers always leads to increase in sales.
The Advantages of Scientific Management
1) Increase in production.
2) Increase in efficiency (in quality & quantity).
3) Improves relationship between employees/employers by creating a friendly environment.
4) Decrease in working hours which leads to decrease in stress improving efficiency.
5) Provides a formal environment & chance to improve social networking.
The Disadvantages of Scientific Management
1) Gives production managers a high level of uncontrolled power.
2) Does not take into account the social context of work and the higher needs of workers.
3) Does not acknowledge the variance between individuals.
4) Tends to regard workers as uninformed.
5) Workers ideas and suggestions are ignored.
Conclusion
Many theories and suggestions have been put forward organisation and management. The general idea is to get the best out of employees and employers use various practices to achieve this. Some employers offer rewards to motivate their staff and others invest in training for their staff to ensure their staff work efficiently and professionally to achieve success for the business.
References:
Contingency Theory [online]. Available from: http://dictionary.bnet.com/definition/contingency+theory.html [Accessed on 11 April 2010].
Scientific Management [online]. Available from: http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Scientific_management [Accessed on 11 April 2010].
Frederick Taylor & Scientific Management [online]. Available from: http://www.netmba.com/mgmt/scientific/ [Accessed on 11 April 2010].
Wednesday, April 7, 2010
Enterprise Week 8
Overview of one of the events attended during Enterprise Week
This event was called “Telling it like it is”, and was held on 16.11.09. This activity lasted one hour during which Bucks gradutes talked about their experiences of working in the marketing communications industry. The graduates explained how this experience related to what they had learned from their degrees. the activity was then followed by question and answer session with existing undergraduates and other members of the audience.
During this event I listened to a panel of graduates share their experiences of University life and how they secured jobs afer graduation. This activity was extremely benefical because it gave me useful tips on how important it was to gain a lot of experience whilst studying as well as the need to get a good degree. This experience is necessary because it helps to strengthen my C.V and help me to find employment in the future because most employers look for experience as well as academic success. The graduates also advised it is good to keep in touch with employers I do work experience with as this can be a useful way to obtain employment. The graduates talked about the need for having a positive attitude and being confident as these skills help through life. The panel of graduates advised the audience to write about the modules we enjoyed most at University and to include these in our C.Vs.
The question and answer session at the end was also useful because it allowed people to ask questions which the graduates were happy to answer.
How this activity influenced my career aspirations
This activity was benefical because it showed me how these graduates had become successful and gained employment after graduation. This has inspired me to keep focused during my studies, get as much work experience as I can as this will help me to get a job and enhance my C.V. It was nice to see that after all the hardwork they had put in to their studies they had done well for themselves. From this experience I have learnt that you have to work hard to succeed and the information the panel gave us was very useful and benefical to me.
This event was called “Telling it like it is”, and was held on 16.11.09. This activity lasted one hour during which Bucks gradutes talked about their experiences of working in the marketing communications industry. The graduates explained how this experience related to what they had learned from their degrees. the activity was then followed by question and answer session with existing undergraduates and other members of the audience.
During this event I listened to a panel of graduates share their experiences of University life and how they secured jobs afer graduation. This activity was extremely benefical because it gave me useful tips on how important it was to gain a lot of experience whilst studying as well as the need to get a good degree. This experience is necessary because it helps to strengthen my C.V and help me to find employment in the future because most employers look for experience as well as academic success. The graduates also advised it is good to keep in touch with employers I do work experience with as this can be a useful way to obtain employment. The graduates talked about the need for having a positive attitude and being confident as these skills help through life. The panel of graduates advised the audience to write about the modules we enjoyed most at University and to include these in our C.Vs.
The question and answer session at the end was also useful because it allowed people to ask questions which the graduates were happy to answer.
How this activity influenced my career aspirations
This activity was benefical because it showed me how these graduates had become successful and gained employment after graduation. This has inspired me to keep focused during my studies, get as much work experience as I can as this will help me to get a job and enhance my C.V. It was nice to see that after all the hardwork they had put in to their studies they had done well for themselves. From this experience I have learnt that you have to work hard to succeed and the information the panel gave us was very useful and benefical to me.
Tuesday, April 6, 2010
Personality - Week 7
Personality is made up of the characteristic patterns of thoughts, feelings and behaviours that make a person unique. In addition to this personality arises from within an individual and remains fairly consistant throughout life.
There has been much debate on whether personality is inherited (nature debate) or developed because of environmental conditions (nurture debate). Some scientists believe that people behave according to their genetic make-up or even animal instincts. This is known as the "nature" theory of human behaviour. Other scientists believe that people think and behave in certain ways because they are taught to do so. This is known as the "nuture" theory of human behaviour.
The differences between nature vs nuture are that nature gives us in born abilities and nuture takes these genetic tendencies and molds them as we learn and grow. Nature theorists believe that an individuals DNA includes traits such as eye colour and hair colour as well as abstract traits like intelligence, aggression etc. However nurture theorists, while not discounting genetic tendencies like eye colour etc, believe they do not ultimately matter because our behavioural aspects are learned from environmental factors of our up bringing.
The "nomothetic" and "idiographic" approaches to the study of personality are as follows:
Nomothetic approach - involves psychologists being mainly concerned with studying what we share with others. Two examples of this approach are(Raymond Cattell's 16PF trait theory 1940s) & (Hans Eyesenck's type theory 1950s). This psychometric approach compares an individual's personality in terms of traits or dimensions common to everyone.
Idiographic approach - involves psychologists being interested in the aspect of experience to discover what makes each one of us unique. Psychologists such as (George Kelly 1995) who developed the repertory grid technique and (Carl Rodgers 1951) who made great use of a procedure called the Q-sort believed that there are as many different personalities as there are people.
The differences between "nomothetic" and "idiographic" approaches is not just about what the psychologist wants to discover but also about the methods used. Experiments, psychometric testing and other quantitative methods are favoured from a nomothethic point of view whereas case studies, informal interviews and unstructured observations are methods favoured by the idiographic view. Behavioural, cognitive and biological theorists focus on discovering laws or establishing generalisation (nomothethic approach), and humanistic theorists focus on an individual and what makes each one of us unique (idiographic approach).
Summary of my views on whether Nature or Nuture is the dominant influence
In my view it is difficult to see whether nature or nurture is the dominant influence in how someone behaves. It is probably a combination of both these influences as these theories suggest. This is because whilst someone may inherit certain features which can be linked to their DNA e.g. colour of hair and eyes, other factors such as their up bringing and experience must also have some impact on their personality. Although we are born with characteristics inherited from our parents our personality is also made up from our experiences as we grow.
Summary of findings about my own personality
Mindframes personality test - this showed the mindframes in my comfort zone to be: order, sociability, proactivity and insight. As I tend to use a mind frames in my comfort zone more this strongly influences my behaviour. When I use the mindframes in my comfort zone anything I do will be done well. To build on this I need to be aware when I am operating in my comfort zone. I also need to push myself to a higher level of performance when I work in one of my comfortable mindframes. This test also showed that I am less likely to logic, control, charisma and sensitivity. To help myself I need to "stretch" myself on tasks that take me out of my comfort zone. To do this I can make an effort to get along with people who favour mindframes that I dont.
The Big Personality Test - In this test personality is measured by key traits:
Openess - This trait is known as "openess to experience". I scored 3.4 out of 5 which is low. This indicates I have a less broad range of interests and generating ideas is not my biggest strength.
Conscientiousness - This trait is describes how organised and hardworking a person is likely to be. I scored 3.7 out of 5 which is medium. This indicated that I enjoy planning aspects of my life but I am unlikely to behave spontaneously.
Extroversion - This trait relates to risk taking activities. I scored 3.6 out of 5 which is high. This high score indicates I am quick to form new friendships and have the capacity for leadership.
Agreeableness - This trait measures how considerate a person is likely to be. I scored 3.4 out of 5 which is medium. This indicates I am inclined to help others but will also speak my mind.
Neuroticism - This trait relates to a person's response to stresful situations. I scored 3.1 out of 5 which is high. This indicates that I may feel anxious and experience changing moods.
Comparsion of both personality tests
Both tests I took part in showed some aspects of my personality. The Mindframes test did not go into too much depth to explain my personality, although it indicated that I am at my best when I am in my comfort zone. This is some what true because I prefer order, am proactive and am a sociable person. The Big Personality test was better because the results were explained fully and the scores I obtained were good indicators of my personality, although some of the questions were a bit personal. I would agree with the findings of both these tests because they are fairly accurate and describe my personality well.
I would not be happy with such tests being used as a selection tool. This is because someone can respond to the questions being asked, not honestly, but how they think the business would want them answered in a positive way. If this happens the results may not be a good indication of that person's personality although the business may think that person is good for the job.
Conclusion
In conclusion there are many aspects to personality and it is a complex matter. An individual can inherit some characteristics from their DNA and parents, but how they are brought up and their experiences also have some effect on their personality. A lot of companies now use personality tests when they recruit new staff and while these are good indicators of a person's personality they do not give a full picture of that person.
Reference list:
Psychological Debate [online]. Available from: http://www.simplypsychology.pwp.blueyonder.co.uk/nomothetic-idiographic.html [Accessed on 06 April 2010].
Nature Vs Nuture [online]. Available from: http://genealogy.about.com/cs/geneticgenealogy/a/nature_nurture_2.htm [Accessed on 06April 2010].
What is personality? [online]. Available from: http://psychology.about.com/od/overviewofpersonality/a/persondef.htm [Accessed on 06 April 2010].
Raymond Cattell's 16 personality factors [online]. Available from: http://en.allexperts.com/e/0/16_personality_factors.htm [Accessed on 06 April 2010].
Mindframes personality test [online]. Available from: http://www.initforlife.com/home/tm.asp [Accessed on 07 April 2010].
The Big Personality Test [online]. Available from: https://www.bbc.co.uk/labuk/experiments/personality [Accessed 07 April 2010].
There has been much debate on whether personality is inherited (nature debate) or developed because of environmental conditions (nurture debate). Some scientists believe that people behave according to their genetic make-up or even animal instincts. This is known as the "nature" theory of human behaviour. Other scientists believe that people think and behave in certain ways because they are taught to do so. This is known as the "nuture" theory of human behaviour.
The differences between nature vs nuture are that nature gives us in born abilities and nuture takes these genetic tendencies and molds them as we learn and grow. Nature theorists believe that an individuals DNA includes traits such as eye colour and hair colour as well as abstract traits like intelligence, aggression etc. However nurture theorists, while not discounting genetic tendencies like eye colour etc, believe they do not ultimately matter because our behavioural aspects are learned from environmental factors of our up bringing.
The "nomothetic" and "idiographic" approaches to the study of personality are as follows:
Nomothetic approach - involves psychologists being mainly concerned with studying what we share with others. Two examples of this approach are(Raymond Cattell's 16PF trait theory 1940s) & (Hans Eyesenck's type theory 1950s). This psychometric approach compares an individual's personality in terms of traits or dimensions common to everyone.
Idiographic approach - involves psychologists being interested in the aspect of experience to discover what makes each one of us unique. Psychologists such as (George Kelly 1995) who developed the repertory grid technique and (Carl Rodgers 1951) who made great use of a procedure called the Q-sort believed that there are as many different personalities as there are people.
The differences between "nomothetic" and "idiographic" approaches is not just about what the psychologist wants to discover but also about the methods used. Experiments, psychometric testing and other quantitative methods are favoured from a nomothethic point of view whereas case studies, informal interviews and unstructured observations are methods favoured by the idiographic view. Behavioural, cognitive and biological theorists focus on discovering laws or establishing generalisation (nomothethic approach), and humanistic theorists focus on an individual and what makes each one of us unique (idiographic approach).
Summary of my views on whether Nature or Nuture is the dominant influence
In my view it is difficult to see whether nature or nurture is the dominant influence in how someone behaves. It is probably a combination of both these influences as these theories suggest. This is because whilst someone may inherit certain features which can be linked to their DNA e.g. colour of hair and eyes, other factors such as their up bringing and experience must also have some impact on their personality. Although we are born with characteristics inherited from our parents our personality is also made up from our experiences as we grow.
Summary of findings about my own personality
Mindframes personality test - this showed the mindframes in my comfort zone to be: order, sociability, proactivity and insight. As I tend to use a mind frames in my comfort zone more this strongly influences my behaviour. When I use the mindframes in my comfort zone anything I do will be done well. To build on this I need to be aware when I am operating in my comfort zone. I also need to push myself to a higher level of performance when I work in one of my comfortable mindframes. This test also showed that I am less likely to logic, control, charisma and sensitivity. To help myself I need to "stretch" myself on tasks that take me out of my comfort zone. To do this I can make an effort to get along with people who favour mindframes that I dont.
The Big Personality Test - In this test personality is measured by key traits:
Openess - This trait is known as "openess to experience". I scored 3.4 out of 5 which is low. This indicates I have a less broad range of interests and generating ideas is not my biggest strength.
Conscientiousness - This trait is describes how organised and hardworking a person is likely to be. I scored 3.7 out of 5 which is medium. This indicated that I enjoy planning aspects of my life but I am unlikely to behave spontaneously.
Extroversion - This trait relates to risk taking activities. I scored 3.6 out of 5 which is high. This high score indicates I am quick to form new friendships and have the capacity for leadership.
Agreeableness - This trait measures how considerate a person is likely to be. I scored 3.4 out of 5 which is medium. This indicates I am inclined to help others but will also speak my mind.
Neuroticism - This trait relates to a person's response to stresful situations. I scored 3.1 out of 5 which is high. This indicates that I may feel anxious and experience changing moods.
Comparsion of both personality tests
Both tests I took part in showed some aspects of my personality. The Mindframes test did not go into too much depth to explain my personality, although it indicated that I am at my best when I am in my comfort zone. This is some what true because I prefer order, am proactive and am a sociable person. The Big Personality test was better because the results were explained fully and the scores I obtained were good indicators of my personality, although some of the questions were a bit personal. I would agree with the findings of both these tests because they are fairly accurate and describe my personality well.
I would not be happy with such tests being used as a selection tool. This is because someone can respond to the questions being asked, not honestly, but how they think the business would want them answered in a positive way. If this happens the results may not be a good indication of that person's personality although the business may think that person is good for the job.
Conclusion
In conclusion there are many aspects to personality and it is a complex matter. An individual can inherit some characteristics from their DNA and parents, but how they are brought up and their experiences also have some effect on their personality. A lot of companies now use personality tests when they recruit new staff and while these are good indicators of a person's personality they do not give a full picture of that person.
Reference list:
Psychological Debate [online]. Available from: http://www.simplypsychology.pwp.blueyonder.co.uk/nomothetic-idiographic.html [Accessed on 06 April 2010].
Nature Vs Nuture [online]. Available from: http://genealogy.about.com/cs/geneticgenealogy/a/nature_nurture_2.htm [Accessed on 06April 2010].
What is personality? [online]. Available from: http://psychology.about.com/od/overviewofpersonality/a/persondef.htm [Accessed on 06 April 2010].
Raymond Cattell's 16 personality factors [online]. Available from: http://en.allexperts.com/e/0/16_personality_factors.htm [Accessed on 06 April 2010].
Mindframes personality test [online]. Available from: http://www.initforlife.com/home/tm.asp [Accessed on 07 April 2010].
The Big Personality Test [online]. Available from: https://www.bbc.co.uk/labuk/experiments/personality [Accessed 07 April 2010].
Tuesday, March 23, 2010
Power & Conflict In Organisations - Week 6
Definition of conflict
Conflict is more than a simple disagreement. Conflict is a situation in which people perceive a threat (physical, emotional, power, status etc) to their wellbeing. Conflict is normal in organisations because it provides opportunity for growth through improved understanding but conflict is often seen to be a negative experience. Within the definition of conflict the following needs to be taken into account:
Disagreement – Happens when there are some differences in the positions of the parties involved in the conflict. However, the actual disagreement compared to the perceived disagreement may be very different from each other. Conflict is often accompanied by misunderstandings that make the perceived disagreement worse.
Parties Involved – The people involved in the conflict tend to respond on the basis of their perceptions of the situation rather than an objective view of it. Therefore people portray their perceptions and reactions through their values, cultural beliefs, information, experience, etc. Conflict responses are filled with ideas and feelings that can be very strong and are guides to how we see possible solutions.
Perceived Threat – People tend to respond to the perceived threat instead of the true threat that is facing them. While the perception may not become reality, people’s behaviours, feelings and responses are modified by the sense of threat they confront.
Needs, Interest or Concerns – These can be narrowly defined but workplace conflicts are more complex as they involve relationships with emotional components. Conflicts contain substantive, procedural and psychological factors which have to be negotiated so that conflict can be resolved.
There are many views and theories on workplace conflict:
• Unitarist view – assumes that everyone in the organisation has the same interest, therefore people are prepared to accept the goals of management without question. This view assumes that the causes of conflict is because of communication failure (Johnson 2005).
• Pluralist view – assumes organisations are made up of many groups with separate interests so conflict is inevitable. Conflict will usually occur between unions and management but can also happen between different departments. This view suggests that within organisations compromise and negotiations are necessary. The role of management is to keep a balance between different departments.
• Radical view – assumes the workplace to be an area of conflict between management and workers. Management are seen as controllers and workers are seen as being exploited. The radical view is that conflict cannot be solved through techniques such as good communication.
Group conflict I have been part of
I have been part of a football team where there has been conflict within the group which has not allowed the team to achieve its purpose of winning a football tournament. One of the players in our squad would not play as part of the team and tried to keep possession of the ball. The other team members felt he was letting everybody down by doing this and not playing properly allowing everyone the opportunity to play well. We tried to communicate with him but this had little impact on him and we did not win the tournament because he was not prepared to listen.
Different sources of power:
Power is the capacity that one person has to influence the behaviour of another into doing something they would not otherwise do. However the misuse of power can also create conflict. The different sources of power are:
•Coercive Power - This involves forcing someone to do something that they do not want to do. The main goal of coercion is compliance. (French & Raven-1959). This type of power can lead to problems because it involves abuse. This type of leader will rely on the use of threats and tell someone they will be fired or demoted if they do not do what they have been told to do. An example of this type of leadership power is Adolf Hitler who forced people to carry out his demands.
•Reward Power – This is based on the idea that as a society we are more prone to do things and to do them well when we are getting something out of it.(Molm 1988) focus on the idea of reward power. This involves offering raises promotions and simply compliments. The problem with this type of power is that if rewards are given too frequently, they need to be bigger each time otherwise the impact on staff to get things done can be reduced. Most big companies offer some sort of rewards to employees as a way to get the best out of that employee. These rewards can be in the form of shares, discounts and bonuses.
•Expert Power – This type of power involves the ability to pass on knowledge and expertise to someone else (French & Raven 1959). Leaders who possess this type of power are able to carry out various tasks and other employees will trust and respect this type of leader. An example of this type of leader is Baraka Obama United States of America President who is respected by many people.
•Legitimate Power – This type of power involves the ability to make another person feel obligated (Hinkin & Schriesheim 1989). Legitimate power is based on one’s role therefore people are obeying the person holding this power based on their title rather than the person as a leader. An example of this is Queen Elizabeth II.
•Referent Power – This type of power involves the ability to obtain another person’s acceptance or personal approval (Hinkin & Schriesheim 1989). A person with this type of power generally makes people around them feel good and therefore has a lot of influence. Celebrities have this type of power in society and an example of this is Cheryl Cole who is liked by the public and is seen as a good role model (Raven 1988).
Strategies used by organisations to overcome conflict at work involve
Human resource management policies and procedures such as equal pay and opportunitites etc.
Ensure good communications, consultations and involvement in decision making.
Clarify goals and objectives and ensure everyone is clear as to what is expected of them in their job.
Ensure that employees have the chance to air their grievances by having grievance policy and procedures in place.
Ensure that there is a disciplinary procedure which everyone is aware of.
Conflict situation witnessed recently
There has been a recent conflict situation involving British Airways cabin crew who have carried out strike action because of changes management have suggested. The management view is that changes are necessary because of the recession but some members of staff have decided to protest about these changes. The strategy used to try and resolve the conflict was that the cabin crew went on strike. This was affective to some degree as the airline was not able to maintain a full service during the strike losing the company about £100 million. The other strategies that could have been used would be communication and consultation so that staff are aware of the long term problems that face the company.
Conclusion
In conclusion there will always be conflict within the workplace. If the companies are able to avoid conflict by treating their employees fairly there will be less conflict and this will make the business successful.
Reference list:
Managing Conflict [online]. Available from: http://www.ctic.purdue.edu/kyw/brochures/manageconflict.html [Accessed 10 March 2010].
Conflict [online]. Available from:
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Conflict [Accessed 15 March 2010].
French and Raven's Five Bases of Power [online]. Available from: http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/French_&_Raven's_Five_bases_of_Power [Accessed 23 March 2010].
Conflict Management [online]. Available from: http://www.etu.org.za/toolbox/docs/building/conflict.html [Accessed 25 March 2010].
Conflict is more than a simple disagreement. Conflict is a situation in which people perceive a threat (physical, emotional, power, status etc) to their wellbeing. Conflict is normal in organisations because it provides opportunity for growth through improved understanding but conflict is often seen to be a negative experience. Within the definition of conflict the following needs to be taken into account:
Disagreement – Happens when there are some differences in the positions of the parties involved in the conflict. However, the actual disagreement compared to the perceived disagreement may be very different from each other. Conflict is often accompanied by misunderstandings that make the perceived disagreement worse.
Parties Involved – The people involved in the conflict tend to respond on the basis of their perceptions of the situation rather than an objective view of it. Therefore people portray their perceptions and reactions through their values, cultural beliefs, information, experience, etc. Conflict responses are filled with ideas and feelings that can be very strong and are guides to how we see possible solutions.
Perceived Threat – People tend to respond to the perceived threat instead of the true threat that is facing them. While the perception may not become reality, people’s behaviours, feelings and responses are modified by the sense of threat they confront.
Needs, Interest or Concerns – These can be narrowly defined but workplace conflicts are more complex as they involve relationships with emotional components. Conflicts contain substantive, procedural and psychological factors which have to be negotiated so that conflict can be resolved.
There are many views and theories on workplace conflict:
• Unitarist view – assumes that everyone in the organisation has the same interest, therefore people are prepared to accept the goals of management without question. This view assumes that the causes of conflict is because of communication failure (Johnson 2005).
• Pluralist view – assumes organisations are made up of many groups with separate interests so conflict is inevitable. Conflict will usually occur between unions and management but can also happen between different departments. This view suggests that within organisations compromise and negotiations are necessary. The role of management is to keep a balance between different departments.
• Radical view – assumes the workplace to be an area of conflict between management and workers. Management are seen as controllers and workers are seen as being exploited. The radical view is that conflict cannot be solved through techniques such as good communication.
Group conflict I have been part of
I have been part of a football team where there has been conflict within the group which has not allowed the team to achieve its purpose of winning a football tournament. One of the players in our squad would not play as part of the team and tried to keep possession of the ball. The other team members felt he was letting everybody down by doing this and not playing properly allowing everyone the opportunity to play well. We tried to communicate with him but this had little impact on him and we did not win the tournament because he was not prepared to listen.
Different sources of power:
Power is the capacity that one person has to influence the behaviour of another into doing something they would not otherwise do. However the misuse of power can also create conflict. The different sources of power are:
•Coercive Power - This involves forcing someone to do something that they do not want to do. The main goal of coercion is compliance. (French & Raven-1959). This type of power can lead to problems because it involves abuse. This type of leader will rely on the use of threats and tell someone they will be fired or demoted if they do not do what they have been told to do. An example of this type of leadership power is Adolf Hitler who forced people to carry out his demands.
•Reward Power – This is based on the idea that as a society we are more prone to do things and to do them well when we are getting something out of it.(Molm 1988) focus on the idea of reward power. This involves offering raises promotions and simply compliments. The problem with this type of power is that if rewards are given too frequently, they need to be bigger each time otherwise the impact on staff to get things done can be reduced. Most big companies offer some sort of rewards to employees as a way to get the best out of that employee. These rewards can be in the form of shares, discounts and bonuses.
•Expert Power – This type of power involves the ability to pass on knowledge and expertise to someone else (French & Raven 1959). Leaders who possess this type of power are able to carry out various tasks and other employees will trust and respect this type of leader. An example of this type of leader is Baraka Obama United States of America President who is respected by many people.
•Legitimate Power – This type of power involves the ability to make another person feel obligated (Hinkin & Schriesheim 1989). Legitimate power is based on one’s role therefore people are obeying the person holding this power based on their title rather than the person as a leader. An example of this is Queen Elizabeth II.
•Referent Power – This type of power involves the ability to obtain another person’s acceptance or personal approval (Hinkin & Schriesheim 1989). A person with this type of power generally makes people around them feel good and therefore has a lot of influence. Celebrities have this type of power in society and an example of this is Cheryl Cole who is liked by the public and is seen as a good role model (Raven 1988).
Strategies used by organisations to overcome conflict at work involve
Human resource management policies and procedures such as equal pay and opportunitites etc.
Ensure good communications, consultations and involvement in decision making.
Clarify goals and objectives and ensure everyone is clear as to what is expected of them in their job.
Ensure that employees have the chance to air their grievances by having grievance policy and procedures in place.
Ensure that there is a disciplinary procedure which everyone is aware of.
Conflict situation witnessed recently
There has been a recent conflict situation involving British Airways cabin crew who have carried out strike action because of changes management have suggested. The management view is that changes are necessary because of the recession but some members of staff have decided to protest about these changes. The strategy used to try and resolve the conflict was that the cabin crew went on strike. This was affective to some degree as the airline was not able to maintain a full service during the strike losing the company about £100 million. The other strategies that could have been used would be communication and consultation so that staff are aware of the long term problems that face the company.
Conclusion
In conclusion there will always be conflict within the workplace. If the companies are able to avoid conflict by treating their employees fairly there will be less conflict and this will make the business successful.
Reference list:
Managing Conflict [online]. Available from: http://www.ctic.purdue.edu/kyw/brochures/manageconflict.html [Accessed 10 March 2010].
Conflict [online]. Available from:
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Conflict [Accessed 15 March 2010].
French and Raven's Five Bases of Power [online]. Available from: http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/French_&_Raven's_Five_bases_of_Power [Accessed 23 March 2010].
Conflict Management [online]. Available from: http://www.etu.org.za/toolbox/docs/building/conflict.html [Accessed 25 March 2010].
Monday, February 22, 2010
Leadership - Week 5
Differences between management and leadership
Managers in an organisation plan, control and solve problems, co-ordinate and implement policy which has been set by the leadership in the business to achieve results. Leaders within an organisation are the people who generate ideas, enthuse and inspire their staff to realise their personal and collective potential. Leaders have long term vision for the business and set direction for managers to follow. Managers tend to adopt impersonal attitudes towards goals while leaders adopt more personal and active attitude towards goals. Managers have a low level of emotional involvement in their relationship with other people but leaders have empathy with people so give attention to what events and actions mean.
“Managerial Grid” developed by Blake and Mouton
This managerial grid is based on two behavioural dimensions:
• Concern for people
This is where the manager considers the people working for them, their interests and any personal development when deciding how to achieve a task.
• Concern for production
This is where the manager decides how to complete a task efficiently because managers are always concerned with high levels of production.
The five leadership styles suggested by Blake and Mouton in the managerial grid are:
1. The impoverished manager does not expect too much from his/her employees. This type of manager does not have much concern for his/her employees or of meeting the business goals. This type of manager will just do enough work to keep their job as they have no commitment to the business.
2. The country club manager pays attention to their employees developing good relationships with them. This style of leader usually avoids conflict and is eager to help their staff achieve reasonable results.
3. The middle of the road manager also cares about their staff and they are committed to achieving the aims and objectives of the business.
4. The authority compliance manager will make sure jobs are done whatever the cost with total focus on achieving goals. These type of managers do not have a relationship with their employees because they judge employees on the quality of their work.
5. Team management manager according to Blake and Mouton is the ideal type of manager. This type of manager produces good results because they lead their employees to be committed to the goals of the business. These type of managers are flexible and open minded as they inspire their team to make sure everyone feels involved.
I currently have a retail job at Burtons. My manager’s leadership style would be Middle of the road on Blake and Mouton’s grid. This is because my manager cares about her staff as she is flexible and listens to her staff’s point of view. She also makes sure that we work hard to achieve good sales and customer service. All the staff feel happy at work and this is good for the business because everyone works as a team.
A Great Leader
There have been many great leaders throughout history in the world who have helped to change society. These leaders are still held in high regard for their work and they inspire many people. Their leadership has helped to change the world and deeply affected society. One of these great leaders was Martin Luther King, Jr.
Martin Luther King Jr. Was born on January 15, 1929, in Atlanta, Georgia, US. He was the leader of the American Civil Rights Movement. During the initial years of his career, he became active in the Civil Rights Movement. He famously led the Montgomery Bus Boycott and was instrumental in founding of the Southern Christian Leadership Conference. He was the youngest person to receive the Nobel Prize for his work in fighting racial discrimination with non-violent measures, at the age of 35. He gave a religious angle to his struggle against poverty and opposition to the Vietnam War.
Martin Luther King's most famous inspirational speech shows he was and still is considered to be an influential speeker and one of world's greatest leaders.
"I have a dream that one day on the red hills of Georgia the sons of former slaves and the sons of former slave-owners will be able to sit down together at a table of brotherhood. I have a dream that one day even the state of Mississippi, a desert state, sweltering with the heat of injustice and oppression, will be transformed into an oasis of freedom and justice. I have a dream that my four children will one day live in a nation where they will not be judged by the color of their skin but by the content of their character. I have a dream today.”
Martin Luther King was assassinated in April 1968. His assassination resulted in a wave of riots across many cities. Martin Luther King played a big part in the civil rights movement for trying to help oppressed black people in their fight for equal rights. I believe Martin Luther King was a great leader because he was inspirational, peaceful and was able to lead people by example.
Conclusion
Leaders always set good examples and are able to influence their employees and others. Leaders inspire their employees and others by setting clear aims and objectives. Managers in turn are responsible for getting their employees to carry out the work which will help an organisation or business achieve its aims. Leaders are usually strong and assertive. Leaders like Martin Luther King, Mohandas Ghandi, and Mother Theresa have shown that goals can be achieved through peaceful demonstrations which have had great impact on society. Good leaders are excellent role models for others to follow. A example of a good business leader is Bill Gates owner of Microsoft who is extremely successful, but still helps charities and people less fortunate.
Reference list:
Blake and Mouton grid [online]. Available from: www.coachingcosmos.com/.../Leadership+grid+2.jpg [Accessed 01 March 2010].
Presentation magazine [online]. Available from http://www.presentationmagazine.com/martin_luther_king_speech.htm [Accessed 03 March 2010].
Youtube Martin Luther King "I have a dream" [online]. Available from: Accessed 06 March 2010].
Managers in an organisation plan, control and solve problems, co-ordinate and implement policy which has been set by the leadership in the business to achieve results. Leaders within an organisation are the people who generate ideas, enthuse and inspire their staff to realise their personal and collective potential. Leaders have long term vision for the business and set direction for managers to follow. Managers tend to adopt impersonal attitudes towards goals while leaders adopt more personal and active attitude towards goals. Managers have a low level of emotional involvement in their relationship with other people but leaders have empathy with people so give attention to what events and actions mean.
“Managerial Grid” developed by Blake and Mouton
This managerial grid is based on two behavioural dimensions:
• Concern for people
This is where the manager considers the people working for them, their interests and any personal development when deciding how to achieve a task.
• Concern for production
This is where the manager decides how to complete a task efficiently because managers are always concerned with high levels of production.
The five leadership styles suggested by Blake and Mouton in the managerial grid are:
1. The impoverished manager does not expect too much from his/her employees. This type of manager does not have much concern for his/her employees or of meeting the business goals. This type of manager will just do enough work to keep their job as they have no commitment to the business.
2. The country club manager pays attention to their employees developing good relationships with them. This style of leader usually avoids conflict and is eager to help their staff achieve reasonable results.
3. The middle of the road manager also cares about their staff and they are committed to achieving the aims and objectives of the business.
4. The authority compliance manager will make sure jobs are done whatever the cost with total focus on achieving goals. These type of managers do not have a relationship with their employees because they judge employees on the quality of their work.
5. Team management manager according to Blake and Mouton is the ideal type of manager. This type of manager produces good results because they lead their employees to be committed to the goals of the business. These type of managers are flexible and open minded as they inspire their team to make sure everyone feels involved.
I currently have a retail job at Burtons. My manager’s leadership style would be Middle of the road on Blake and Mouton’s grid. This is because my manager cares about her staff as she is flexible and listens to her staff’s point of view. She also makes sure that we work hard to achieve good sales and customer service. All the staff feel happy at work and this is good for the business because everyone works as a team.
A Great Leader
There have been many great leaders throughout history in the world who have helped to change society. These leaders are still held in high regard for their work and they inspire many people. Their leadership has helped to change the world and deeply affected society. One of these great leaders was Martin Luther King, Jr.
Martin Luther King Jr. Was born on January 15, 1929, in Atlanta, Georgia, US. He was the leader of the American Civil Rights Movement. During the initial years of his career, he became active in the Civil Rights Movement. He famously led the Montgomery Bus Boycott and was instrumental in founding of the Southern Christian Leadership Conference. He was the youngest person to receive the Nobel Prize for his work in fighting racial discrimination with non-violent measures, at the age of 35. He gave a religious angle to his struggle against poverty and opposition to the Vietnam War.
Martin Luther King's most famous inspirational speech shows he was and still is considered to be an influential speeker and one of world's greatest leaders.
"I have a dream that one day on the red hills of Georgia the sons of former slaves and the sons of former slave-owners will be able to sit down together at a table of brotherhood. I have a dream that one day even the state of Mississippi, a desert state, sweltering with the heat of injustice and oppression, will be transformed into an oasis of freedom and justice. I have a dream that my four children will one day live in a nation where they will not be judged by the color of their skin but by the content of their character. I have a dream today.”
Martin Luther King was assassinated in April 1968. His assassination resulted in a wave of riots across many cities. Martin Luther King played a big part in the civil rights movement for trying to help oppressed black people in their fight for equal rights. I believe Martin Luther King was a great leader because he was inspirational, peaceful and was able to lead people by example.
Conclusion
Leaders always set good examples and are able to influence their employees and others. Leaders inspire their employees and others by setting clear aims and objectives. Managers in turn are responsible for getting their employees to carry out the work which will help an organisation or business achieve its aims. Leaders are usually strong and assertive. Leaders like Martin Luther King, Mohandas Ghandi, and Mother Theresa have shown that goals can be achieved through peaceful demonstrations which have had great impact on society. Good leaders are excellent role models for others to follow. A example of a good business leader is Bill Gates owner of Microsoft who is extremely successful, but still helps charities and people less fortunate.
Reference list:
Blake and Mouton grid [online]. Available from: www.coachingcosmos.com/.../Leadership+grid+2.jpg [Accessed 01 March 2010].
Presentation magazine [online]. Available from http://www.presentationmagazine.com/martin_luther_king_speech.htm [Accessed 03 March 2010].
Youtube Martin Luther King "I have a dream" [online]. Available from: Accessed 06 March 2010].
Organisation Culture - Week 4
Organisation culture is what gives a business its own identity. There are visible aspects of organisation culture and hidden aspects of organisation culture within a business. The visible aspects are the things that customers and other people see for example the uniform worn by staff at HSBC Bank plc. This presents a smart image of the organisation and staff can be easily identified as customers walk into HSBC branches. The other visible aspects are things like the language used by employees when they deal with clients and the professional way staff behave. The hidden aspects of organisation culture are the things that customers and other people do not see and only the employees know about such as being disciplined for not speaking with respect to customers and the standards the company expects from its staff to behave in a professional way so that the reputation of the company is not affected. From work experience at HSBC Bank, these were some of the things that I experienced. The high standards set by HSBC are the shared values expected from employees.
Charles Handy’s model suggested 4 main types of corporate culture:
The Power Culture
This is power that is influenced by a central figure within an organisation. This type of culture is usually found in small organisations such as family run businesses. In this type of culture power and decision making is controlled by few people which others have to implement. It is hard for people outside the “family network” to influence events. Power Culture relies on trust and personal communication.
The Role Culture
This type of culture is usually found in organisations like government departments, local authorities and public utilities etc. It is like a Greek Temple with the apex of the pyramid being where decisions are made. The pillars of the temple are the functional units of the business which have to implement the decisions that are made in the apex. This type of culture is run by a paper system of job descriptions, procedures and rules with the job description being more important than the skills and abilities of people. This culture is also known as being bureaucratic.
The Task Culture
This type of culture is usually found in team based projects and organisations involved in research and development. Because these type of organisations are changing quickly they have to create temporary task teams to meet future needs. This team culture is based on expertise and up to date information. In these organisations the task is the important thing and not the individual.
A Person Culture
This type of culture is found in law firms and chartered surveyors/architect firms. In these organisations there is no hierarchy and individuals together determine the path the organisation should take.
Problems of trying to classify culture into one of the four types described by Charles Handy
It is difficult to classify culture into just one type for an organisation. For example HSBC Bank use role culture with major decisions being made at the top of the organisation and employees have job descriptions and are told what to do. The organisation may also have task culture where people are involved in team based projects. There are usually different cultures within an organisation and not just one type.
Company that demonstrates a strong culture
I believe that HSBC Bank Plc demonstrates a strong role culture. This company works hard to be successful not just in the UK but globally. The current recession has meant some banks have been helped by the government, whereas HSBC has not asked for help. This is because HSBC has been built into a global brand through high standards and shared values expected from employees.
http://www.hsbc.com/1/2/
Conclusion
From this research, I found that businesses develop by using different cultures. Culture gives an organisation its own identity e.g. “who we are”, “what we stand for”, “and how should we behave”. Culture is the “glue” that holds an organisation together.
Reference list:
Charles Handy [online]. Available from: http://www.businessballs.com/charleshandy.htm [Accessed 17 February 2010].
Organisational culture [online]. Available from: http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Organizational_culture [Accessed 17 February 2010].
Culture - Handy [online]. Available from: http://www.lindsay-sherwin.co.uk/guide_managing_change/html_overview/05_culture_handy.htm [Accessed 19 February 2010].
BPR and Organisational Culture [online]. Available from: http://www.managingchange.com/bpr/bprcult/3culture.htm [Accessed 20 February 2010].
Charles Handy’s model suggested 4 main types of corporate culture:
The Power Culture
This is power that is influenced by a central figure within an organisation. This type of culture is usually found in small organisations such as family run businesses. In this type of culture power and decision making is controlled by few people which others have to implement. It is hard for people outside the “family network” to influence events. Power Culture relies on trust and personal communication.
The Role Culture
This type of culture is usually found in organisations like government departments, local authorities and public utilities etc. It is like a Greek Temple with the apex of the pyramid being where decisions are made. The pillars of the temple are the functional units of the business which have to implement the decisions that are made in the apex. This type of culture is run by a paper system of job descriptions, procedures and rules with the job description being more important than the skills and abilities of people. This culture is also known as being bureaucratic.
The Task Culture
This type of culture is usually found in team based projects and organisations involved in research and development. Because these type of organisations are changing quickly they have to create temporary task teams to meet future needs. This team culture is based on expertise and up to date information. In these organisations the task is the important thing and not the individual.
A Person Culture
This type of culture is found in law firms and chartered surveyors/architect firms. In these organisations there is no hierarchy and individuals together determine the path the organisation should take.
Problems of trying to classify culture into one of the four types described by Charles Handy
It is difficult to classify culture into just one type for an organisation. For example HSBC Bank use role culture with major decisions being made at the top of the organisation and employees have job descriptions and are told what to do. The organisation may also have task culture where people are involved in team based projects. There are usually different cultures within an organisation and not just one type.
Company that demonstrates a strong culture
I believe that HSBC Bank Plc demonstrates a strong role culture. This company works hard to be successful not just in the UK but globally. The current recession has meant some banks have been helped by the government, whereas HSBC has not asked for help. This is because HSBC has been built into a global brand through high standards and shared values expected from employees.
http://www.hsbc.com/1/2/
Conclusion
From this research, I found that businesses develop by using different cultures. Culture gives an organisation its own identity e.g. “who we are”, “what we stand for”, “and how should we behave”. Culture is the “glue” that holds an organisation together.
Reference list:
Charles Handy [online]. Available from: http://www.businessballs.com/charleshandy.htm [Accessed 17 February 2010].
Organisational culture [online]. Available from: http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Organizational_culture [Accessed 17 February 2010].
Culture - Handy [online]. Available from: http://www.lindsay-sherwin.co.uk/guide_managing_change/html_overview/05_culture_handy.htm [Accessed 19 February 2010].
BPR and Organisational Culture [online]. Available from: http://www.managingchange.com/bpr/bprcult/3culture.htm [Accessed 20 February 2010].
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