HRM Flashcards
Memorization for key concepts of HRM.
Define Job Analysis:
Systematic way to gather and analyze information | about the job contents | and the human requirements of jobs | and the context in which jobs are performed.
Describe Job Description and Specification:
Job Description:
Job description is defined as a document | that states | the tasks, duties and responsibilities of the job.
Job Specification:
Job specification is defined as a document | indicating | the minimum acceptable qualifications | including skills, knowledge and abilities required | to perform the job.
Develop a brief job description with examples of FIVE items:
(JRDJD) Job Title: (marketing executive) Reports To: (marketing manager) Department: (marketing) Job Summary: (summarize the job position) Duties: (list duties)
Develop a job specification with examples of THREE items:
(PEE)
Education: (diploma in business)
Experience: (minimum 2 years of relevant experience)
Personal abilities: (possess good interpersonal skills)
Define Recruitment: (remember the magnet visualization)
Process of attracting individuals | on a timely basis | in sufficient numbers | and with appropriate qualifications |, and encouraging them to apply for jobs with an organisation.
Identify and describe internal recruitment methods:
(JJPT)
Job Posting
Job Rotation
Promotion
Transfer
Identify and describe external recruitment methods:
(POTEE + IA)
Professional search firms Open house Temporary Help Agencies Employment Agencies Employment Referrals Internet Advertisement
Describe Internal and External Sources and give one example.
Internal:
Current employees within the organisation
- Part-timers
- Other branch employes
External:
Tertiary education institutions:
- students /graduates (professional, technical & managerial)
School institutions:
- students / graduates (clerical, technical & entry-level)
Competitors employees
- Ex-convicts
- Retirees
- Housewives
- Unemployed
- Foreign workers
Define Selection:
Process of choosing individuals best suited for the job from the pool of applicants.
Describe the selection process.
Selection Process:
Acronym: (ICESBCMH - ICE Snowboard to crown my highness)
- Initial Screening
(Screening interview wherein candidates are eliminated from further selection process, here, individuals are checked for academic qualifactions, skillset, etc)
Completion & Review Application Form
- Employment test
(To check mental ability and skill set of individual, intelligence, aptitude, psychological, personality test can be conducted) - Selection Interview
(Conducted onsite at the hiring company. To determine whether candidate is qualified for the job) - Background Investigation
(Cross referencing information to check authenticity of information, eg. Criminal or education history) - Conditional Job Offer
(Employment offer that is conditioned upon the successful completion of additional requirements that employee must meet prior to obtaining the job) - Medical Examination
(Physical and mental fitness of the candidates are checked to ensure he is capable of performing the job) - Hiring Decision
(Review final details before hiring candidate)
Define Orientation
Process whereby a new or transferred employee is introduced to organization & job requirements
What are three reasons for orientation?
To reduce anxiety
To enable productivity
To prevent misunderstanding.
Describe General Orientation and give some examples.
General orientation:
By HR Dept
Company-wide
Attended by new staff of the company
Examples:
Overview of company policies and procedures
Tour of company facility
Safety, insurance policies
Describe Specific Orientation and give some examples.
Specific orientation:
By Supervisor
Department specific
Attended by new staff of the department
Examples:
Tour of department
Intro to dept staff
Buddy system
Define Training & Development:
Planned efforts to improve/increase skills, knowledge and abilities.
Identify and describe two categories of training methods
On-the-job Training: is the systematic coaching of employees by direct supervisors or manager at the work place through actual work.
Off-the-job Training: is usually conducted outside the workplace by trainers in a classroom. Useful for transferring general basic knowledge and skills to a large group of people.
What are some examples of On-the-job training?
- Coaching
- trainee is placed under a coach to improve current performance - Apprenticeship
- a real job with training that allows trainees to earn while they learn - Internship
- Job Rotation
- movement of trainee from one job to another to gain knowledge and experience from different job assignments.
What are some examples of Off-the-job training?
- Lecture
- Classroom training
- Roleplay
- assume the role of a particular person in the situation. whole play will be recorded and trainee gets an opportunity to examine their own performance
State 3 Advantages of on-the-job training:
- Gain work experience while learning
- Errors are corrected before it becomes poor work habit
- Transfer of job knowledge & skills
State 2 Advantages of off-the-job training:
- Less risk of offending customer or disrupting work flow
2 .Will not take up time of fellow colleagues resulting in productivity lost for that colleague
4-Step Coaching Process for conducting structure OJT
(PDSF)
- Preparation
- Demonstration
- Skills Practice
- Follow-up
Define Performance Appraisal
- Determining work standards
- Assessing actual performance against set standards
- Provide feedback to employee
What are the Performance Appraisal Process?
(IEMM + CDI)
Internet Explorer Makes Milk Corrupted Day In
- Identify Specific PA Goals -
- Establish performance standards with employees
- Mutually set measurable goals
- Measure actual performance
- Compare actual performance with standards
- Discuss the appraisal with employee
- If necessary, initiate corrective actions
Identify (3) and describe the Performance Appraisal Methods:
(1) 360-degree feedback evaluation method
- It is a system or process in which employees receive confidential, anonymous feedback to better understand their strengths and weaknesses.
(2) Rating Scales Methods
- Employee trait is rated on a scale that ranges from poor to excellent
(3) Ranking Method
- Employees are ranked from best to worst.
What are the types of appraisal errors?
- Halo Effect
- Perception based on one trait: good/bad single trait - Central Tendency
- Rating employee as average
- Avoid having to justify extremes - Leniency / Strictness Effect
- Resulting in undeserved rating - Recent Behaviour
- Effects of most recent actions - Sequencing Effect
- Influenced by relative performance of preceding individual - Personal Bias
- Prejudices against employee’s personal characteristics.
Identify and explain TWO ways to overcome performance appraisal errors.
- Train all Appraisors
- Provide structured & systematic training to all supervisors and managers. - Standardisation
- A standard evaluation instrument for all employees in the same job category.
What are the 3 ways to prepare for the interview as an Appraisor?
- Gather Data
- Prepare Subordinate
- Choose Time & Place
What are the 3 ways to conduct the interview as an Appraisor?
- Be direct & Specific
- Do not get personal
- Encourage employee to talk
What are the two types of compensation (financial) and it’s characteristics?
Rewards (Direct) and Benefits (Indirect)
Rewards: [Incentives which are performance-based] -Monetary value -Performance-based -Attract and retain talented employees
Benefits:
- Non-monetary value
- Membership based
- Motivate and improve employee welfare
Identify THREE categories of incentive plans. For EACH category, identify and describe TWO incentive plan
1) Individual-based incentive plan
a) Commission
- payment of extra on top of a salary
b) Merit pay
Performance-related pay which provide base pay increases for employees who show merit.
2) Company-wide incentive programme
a) Profit sharing
- Employees receive bonuses directly tied to the company’s overall profitability.
b) Gain sharing
- Employees also receive bonuses but is more closely tied to the performance of specific employees. (It is more about challenging workers to take charge and improve their own performance)
3) Team-based Incentive plan
a) Two or more employees can be paid for their combined performance. This plan makes most sense where employees task are interdependent and require co-operation and teamwork.
What’s the basic purpose of incentive plans?
To improve employee productivity.
> High performers will tend to receive more salary/rewards than below-average performers.
> Below-average performers will be discouraged, will ‘buck-up’ or tend to leave the organisation.
Is Benefits [Indirect] membership-based or performance-based?
Membership based
>offered to attracted and keep employees.
> Typically not related to employee productivity and therefore do not serve as a direct motivation for improve performance.
List 3 purposes of indirect (benefits)
1) Improve employee morale
2) Motivate employees
3) Improve overall productivity
4) Enhance quality of work life.
2 Types of Indirect Financial Compensation (BENEFITS) in Singapore:
- Legally Required
- Mandated by the rule of law of a particular country
Legislations:
The Employment Act
CPF (Central Provision Fund Act)
- Voluntary
- Payment for time not worked
- Healthcare
^ Such benefits are NOT legally required.
-Employment services (company-subsidied food services)
What are 2 types and examples of Non-financial compensation?
- The Job Content
- interesting, meaningful job - The Job Environment
- basic sound policies, good working colleagues
- Work Flexibility - give employees greater control over their jobs and environment, examples: flexitime
Define Counselling
A set of techniques, skills and attitudes to help employees manage their problems using their own resources
List 2 categories and types of problems that require counselling
Internal
- Personality (eg: low EQ, low stress tolerance)
- Organisational (workplace disharmony, workload)
External
- Bereavement
- Alcohol & Drug Abuse
- Depression
- Illness
- Marriage
Identify and describe three counseling skills:
1) Listening
- Listening to help the employee to talk and articulate his problems.
2) Observation Skills
Gathering tremendous amount of information by observing non-verbal communication.
3) Paraphrasing
Simple restatement of a word or phrase.
Define Discipline and Procedure
Discipline - A condition in the organisation where employees conduct themsleves in accordance with the oraganisations rules and standards of acceptable behaviour.
Procedure - to provide a systematic process for handling problem employee
What are the 2 common types of employee offenses? And provide some examples.
Attendance-related problems
- Abseenteeism
- Lateness
Job-related behaviours
- Careleness
- Fighting
List an advantage of discipline
> Discipline can be an effective tool to improve your team’s efficiency, productivity and morale.
What are the 4 basic principles in employee discipline? And describe them.
Just Cause, Due Process, Hot Stove Rule and Progressive Discipline
◼Just Cause
-Disciplinary action taken for good and sufficient reason.
Questions to ask:
Was the investigation fair and objective?
Rules, orders and penalties applied without discrimination?
◼Due Process
Disciplinary action must follow an accepted procedure that protects an individual from abitrary and unfair treatment.
1) Involves providing individuals with written statement of charges and the reason of the penalty.
2) Charged employee must have full opportunity to defend themselves
3) Must have proof of wrongdoing with sufficient documentation.
◼Progressive Discipline
>Disciplinary action is corrective NOT punitive
>Follow a sequence of increasingly severe penalties
>Verbal warning ➔written warning ➔suspension (3 days) ➔suspensions (1week) ➔ termination
◼Hot-Stove Rule
Punishment is : ◼Immediate ◼Done with warning eg: company policy ◼Be consistently applied ◼Impersonal (no favouritism)
Example: Any employee who violates a company rule will be punished immediately and consistently in the same way.
Explain the concept of ‘just cause’ . What are the FOUR questions used?
◼Just Cause
-Disciplinary action taken for good and sufficient reason.
Questions to ask:
Was the investigation fair and objective?
Was the employee given adequate warned of consequence of his conduct?
Did the management investigate before administering discipline?
Did the investigation provide substantial evidence?
Explain Progressive Discipline . What are the 4 warning sequence given?
◼Progressive Discipline
>Disciplinary action is corrective NOT punitive
>Follow a sequence of increasingly severe penalties
- Verbal warning ->
- Written warning ->
- Suspension (3-7days) ->
- Termination
Explain Hot Stove rule. And the 4 punishments?
◼Hot-Stove Rule
Punishment is : ◼Immediate ◼Done with warning eg: company policy ◼Be consistently applied ◼Impersonal (no favouritism)
What are the 2 causes of grievances?
- Violation of law
2. Violation of normal work procedures
What are the 2 do and dont’s for handling grievances?
DO:
Investigation
Talk with the employee
DONT:
Agree to informal amendments of contract
Hold back remedy if company is wrong
What are the types of workplace diversity?
- Gender diversity
- Differently-abled diversity
- Age diversity
- Religious diversity
- Cultural diversity
- Educational diversity
What are 2 strategies used to overcome diversity challenges?
> Value work experience
Performance based rewards
Educate awareness
Provide cultural sensitivities training
What are the 2 benefits of workplace diversity
More creative ideas and innovations
Expand the talent pool.
What are two current HR challenges faced?
- Training & Development
2. Workplace diversity
Factors to consider when Disciplining
◼Seriousness of problem
◼Duration of the problem (eg: for how long)
◼Frequency and nature of problem (eg: how often)
◼Extenuating factors (eg: special circumstances such as medical to lighten penalty)
◼Degree of socialisation (eg: linked to length of service and familiarity of company policies)
Explain Due Process, and the 3 stages involved?
Due Process
Disciplinary action must follow an accepted procedure that protects an individual from abitrary and unfair treatment.
1) Involves providing individuals with written statement of charges and the reason of the penalty.
2) Charged employee must have full opportunity to defend themselves
3) Must have proof of wrongdoing with sufficient documentation.
2 Factors to consider when Discipline:
1) Seriousness of problem
2) Duration of the problem
