Glossary Unit 6 Flashcards
Alignment of Values
Linking of organizational goals with the employees’ personal goals so the employees conduct themselves in a way that fits the corporate culture.
Authority
the power or right to give orders, make decisions, control events or people and enforce obedience.
Autonomy
freedom e.g. ability to decide how to carry out a task and its scheduling.
Centralisation
When organisations senior managers at the firm’s headquarters take most of the decisions
Commission
Monetary reward for selling an item on behalf of a company usually a percentage of the sale price. It is used as an incentive for sale personnel.
DECENTRALISATION
Decisions are made by lower grade staff and away from the organisation’s head quarters. Staff are empowered to make decisions.
Diversity
In an employment context diversity means recognising the benefits of employing different types of employees and different groups of employees.
Employee engagement
is the connection between a business’s employees and the business’s missions, goals and objectives.
Employee Representation
workers views are presented by a third party e.g. a union, employee group, or works council for the purpose of negotiating with management on such issues as wages, hours, benefits and working conditions.
Employee retention rates (Labour retention)
The proportion of a workforce staying in their jobs at a business over a year.
Labour Retention Equation
Labour Retention Rate (%) = Number of employees at end of period - number of leavers x 100
Employer-Employee Relations
the way management and workers interact. Poor employee-employer relations may result in strikes and low productivity.
Empowerment
workers are given a degree of self regulation and power to decide what to do and how to do it.
Esteem
being accepted and valued by others, including managers. The second highest level of Maslow’s hierarchy of needs.
Hard HR Management
treating employees inhumanely as a resource, just like machines or raw materials to be used as efficiently as possible. Workers are controlled and disposed of if not needed. This fits in with Taylor’s views i.e. scientific management.
Hierarchy
treating employees inhumanely as a resource, just like machines or raw materials to be used as efficiently as possible. Workers are controlled and disposed of if not needed. This fits in with Taylor’s views i.e. scientific management.
Human Resource Flow
the movement of employees through an organisation, starting with recruitment, then covering training, promotion or demotion and release.
Human Resource Plan
a process that identifies current and future human resource needs for an organization to achieve its goals and sets out actions to meet these needs.
Hygiene Factors
things that cause dis-satisfaction in the workplace such as company rules, low pay, working conditions etc. Sorting these factors does not lead to motivation but should prevent de-motivation.
Induction
Initial training when a new worker starts a job. This includes health and safety briefings and introduction to the company culture.
Job Design
deciding how tasks within a production process should be allocated.
Labour Cost per Unit
the amount spent on workers per item produced. Labour costs include wages, perks and labour taxes such as employers National Insurance Contributions.
Labour cost per unit equation
Labour cost per unit = Total Labour Cost /
Units of output
Labour Productivity
The average output produced by each worker.
Output per employee equation
Output per employee = Output per time period /
Total number of employees
Labour Turnover
the proportion of a workforce leaving their employment at a business over a year.
Labour turnover equation
Labour Turnover (%) =
Number of staff leaving during the year x100 /
Average number of staff
Motivation
the will to work or take action. Motivation is the factors within individuals that cause them to try and achieve a goal. Intrinsic motivators come from within the individual and extrinsic motivation comes from external factors such as rewards or punishments that create a desire to do something.
Motivators
factors that spur workers to achieve higher productivity. Often distinguished from hygiene factors which may prevent de-motivation according to Herzberg.
Non-Financial Motivation Methods
Things that encourage high productivity that are not income related such as job enlargement, job enrichment, team working, esteem, flexitime, job security.
Organisational Design
the process of aligning the structure of an organisation
with its objectives, with the ultimate aim of improving efficiency and effectiveness.
Organisational Structure
the way the business is arranged to carry out its
activities. It consists of explicit and implicit institutional rules and policies designed to
outline how various work roles and responsibilities are delegated, controlled and coordinated.
This may be functional, matrix, divisional or project structures
Physiological Needs
Basic survival requirements such as the need for sleep, food
and air. Working for money in order to attain these. Lowest level of Maslow’s hierarchy.
Piece rate
Performance related pay in which the worker is paid for each unit of production at a fixed rate.
Performance Related pay
Wages or salaries are varied according to how well set objectives are achieved.
Recruitment
hiring of workers
Redundancy
losing one’s job because the employer is no longer in business or no longer has a need for the skills formerly offered.
Redeployment
moving a worker into a different job within the organisation.
Self-Actualisation
fulfilment of the highest needs; those for meaning in work. Enjoyment of the job for its own sake. The highest level of Maslow’s hierarchy.
Soft Hr Management
treating employees as valuable assets who need to be led rather than managed. Soft HR management approach focuses on communication, dialogue and motivation. It fits with the human relations school of motivation.
Span of control
is the number of subordinates that report to a superior
Talent Development
to attract, develop, motivate, and retain productive, engaged
employees. Often involves on-the job and off-the job training.
Trade Union
an organisation representing the interest of a group of workers often with a common skill. E.g. National Union of Teachers. (NUT)
Works Council
a regular forum for discussion between workers and management. It covers strategic plans, but excludes pay and productivity issues.
