11.2 Main role of HR 2

Question 1

Staff training is the:

Answer 1

• Planned and systematic modification of behaviour through learning events, programmes and instruction which enable individuals to achieve the level of knowledge, skills and competence to carry out their work effectively

Question 2

Staff development is the

Answer 2

• Growth or realisation of a persons ability and potential through conscious or unconscious and educational experiences
• Development is more general, more future orientated and more individually orientated than training

Question 3

The benefits of training and development for the individual:

Answer 3

• Improved skills and qualifications
• Increased confidence and job satisfaction

Question 4

The benefits of training and development for the org:

Answer 4

• Increased motivation of employees, leading to higher productivity
• Increased competence and confidence, meaning higher quality and fewer mistakes
• Low staff turnover, saving the org time and money
• Skilled workforce, leading to more innovation and a better customer experience

Question 5

The training and development process:

Answer 5

1: Identify training and development needs
2. Set training objectives
3. Plan the training
4. Deliver the training
5. Evaluate the training

Question 6

Evaluating the training:

Answer 6

• To ensure training and development was effective, the learning processes need to be evaluated
• Evaluation should be done by line managers and delegates themselves
• Once completed the collated results need to be interpreted by HR professionals and/or line managers to inform future decisions

Question 7

Donald Kirkpatrick suggested a four level model of evaluation:

Answer 7

Level - Evaluation - Description - Examples

1 - Reaction - How the delegates felt about the learning experience - Feedback forms / interviews

2 - Learning - The measurement of the increase in knowledge (before and after) - Assessment tests, interviews, observations

3 - Behaviour - The extent of applied learning on the job (implementation) - Observation and interview over time

4 - Results - The effect on the bus or environment by the trainee - Impact on existing KPIs

Question 8

Performance management is used to

Answer 8

• assess and ensure the employee is carrying out their duties which they are employed to do in an effective and satisfactory manner, which is contributing to the overall objectives of the org

Question 9

Org follows four main steps when managing performance of employees:

Answer 9

• Set targets - at the start of the period, the manager and the employee should agree on which SMART goals and targets the employee is going to work towards
• Monitor - during the period the manager should monitor employee performance and provide regular feedback. Managers can offer rewards for good performance and support and help where the employee is failing to meet targets
• Review - at the end of the period the manager and employee will usually have a formal appraisal where they discuss the employees performance and investigate how successful the employee has been at meeting the pre-agreed targets
• Action plan - the manager and employee then agree on new targets that will be set for the coming period

Question 10

Appraisal is the

Answer 10

• systematic review and assessment of an employees performance, potential and training needs
  -if not handled carefully, appraisals can cause demotivation for employees

Question 10

Lockett suggested that there are six main barriers to effective appraisals:

Answer 10

• Confrontation - Feedback is badly delivered
• Judgement - seen as one sided
• Chat - lack of will from either party
• Bureaucracy - no purpose or worth
• Annual event - carried out once or twice a year
• Unfinished bus - no follow up

Question 11

In an org, motivation refers to

Answer 11

• The willingness of individuals to perform certain tasks or actions
• It is the incentive or reason for them behaving in a particular way
• In practice, motivation is taken as meaning how hard an employee is willing to work in their job
• It goes beyond them following rules and orders and looks at how dedicated they are

Question 12

Benefits of having motivated staff from the org perspective:

Answer 12

• Harder working employees
• Fewer mistakes and errors
• Less waste of time and resources

Question 13

Benefits of having motivated staff from the individuals perspective:

Answer 13

• Greater job satisfaction
• Improved health, due to low stress
• Improved career prospects

Question 14

Benefits of having motivated staff from the teams perspective :

Answer 14

• Increased cooperation
• More commitment to teams needs
• Better ideas generation and evaluation

Question 15

Incentives and practices that can be used to assist in motivation of employees:

Answer 15

• Psychological contract
• Employee involvement
• Workforce flexibility
• Reward system

Question 16

Psychological contract

Answer 16

• Outlines the perceptions of the employee and the employer regarding what there mutual obligations are towards each other
• Unlike the employment contract, it is highly subjective, not in writing and not legally binding
• Managers must understand the importance of this contract and fulfill their side of the bargain in order to motivate and retain employees

Question 17

Key elements of the psychological contract:

Answer 17

Element - Employee - Employer

What do they want? - Wants needs to be satisfied - Wants employee to work hard

What are they willing to give? - Will offer their energies and talents - Payments, benefits, promotions

Question 18

Employee involvement

Answer 18

• Employees should be empowered to contribute to the org
• Relying on all employees for their ideas, intelligence and commitment to make the org successful should increase employee motivation and have positive financial benefits for the org.

Question 19

Workforce flexibility

Answer 19

• Flexible working arrangements can be used to increase employee motivation
• Eg: Remote working, flexitime, shift system, compressed week, job sharing, part-time

Question 20

Other types of workforce flexibility are:

Answer 20

• Task or functional flexibility - employees have the ability to move between tasks as and when is required. This will allow org to react to changes in production requirements and levels of demand and should results in better skilled and motivated employees
• Financial flexibility - this is achieved through variable systems of rewards, eg: bonus schemes / profit sharing. Performance should be improved by linking rewards to performance.

Question 21

A reward system refers to

Answer 21

• all the monetary, non-monetary and psychological payments that an org provides for it’s employees in exchange for the work they perform

Question 22

The aims of a reward system:

Answer 22

• It should support the overall strategy
• It is a vital part of the psychological contract being adhered to
• It influences the success of recruitment and retention policies
• It must conform to relevant laws and regulations
• It must be affordable
• It affects motivation and performance management and should be managed accordingly
• It must be administered efficiently and correctly

Question 23

Methods of reward:

Answer 23

• Basic pay - this is the minimum amount that the employee receives for working in the org. (hourly rate / annual salary)
• Performance related pay - pay is based on level of performance. Rewards may be based on individual, group or organisational performance, all of which aim to motivate employees to work harder. SMART objectives should be set so that the level of performance they are trying to achieve is clear.