human resource management Flashcards
what is an organisational chart
This is a diagram that shows the hierarchy in a business
what is included in an organisational chart
hierarchy, span of control, communication, line of management, chain of command and accountability.
what is an organisational structure
the way in which a business is organised.
what is span of control
number of employees under a manager.
what is a wide span of control compares to a narrow
wide- manager responsible for many employees
narrow manager responsible for relatively few employees
how many people involved in the span of control depends on what?
personality of manger
the skills and experience of employees
size of business
if the business is centralised
degree of competition in market
extent to which business has agreed and well defined objectives- if all clear of direction less supervision necessary so wider span of control can be used.
what is chain of command
the way in which responsibility for employees is organised within a business.
what is meant by levels of hierarchy
refers to numbers of levels or layers in a business organisation.
levels depend on structure, horizontal/ flat had less level than vertical/ tall
what is delayering
reducing the number of levels in the hierarchy of an organisation.
If the business is in a competitive market, it needs to ensure that its costs are kept under control, and one way to reduce costs is to remove a layer or tier of management.
what is the advantages of delayering
provides an opportunity for employees to have more responsibility, which may be beneficial in terms of motivation.
the decision-making process is quicker, as there are fewer layers for decisions
what are the disadvantages of delayering
the span of control in the business will increase cost implications in the short term, as redundancies may be necessary.
demotivate employees as they fear job loss- less sense of security.
what is delegation & it’s impacts
giving someone authority to act for another, reduces costs, give more responsibility, span of control increases
what does how much delegation takes place depend on
- Leadership style: a democratic style will mean more delegation.
- How busy the manager or leader is: if the leader is very busy, delegation is more likely to occur.
- Ability and willingness of employees to take on additional responsibility.
- Type of task that is to be delegated.
what is empowerment & one impact
giving employees responsibility for tasks they perform.
enriching employees’ jobs, it is hoped that they will be more motivated.
what are the main types of organisational structure
system, product, matrix
what is organising the business by system
split into specialist areas which operate together to make the business function efficiently.
problems with organising the business by system
tendency of each department to operate as separate entity or treat itself as most important part of business- managers in department fail to operate with strategic objective.
without integration and co-ordination business will become fragmented with each department working towards its own agenda. damage overall productivity
difficult to evaluate performance & identify if a particular product is stressful since several departments impacted performance.
what is organising the business by product
each product has its own team, can create conflict but helps to motivate employees.
benefits of organising the business by system
Each part of the system (i.e department) contains specialist who can concentrate on what they do best.
what are the benefits of organising business by product
easier to see which products are performing well. Each profit centre can be easily evaluated.
Managers of each product can concentrate their energies on one product rather than several.
Each centre has considerable autonomy, which can increase motivation.
what are the problems of organising the business by product
Different products compete for resources (such as finance); this can create winners and losers and so can lead to conflict.
less likely to achieve managerial economies of scale
what is the organistic (horizontal or flat) structure
The organistic structure is flat and has a large span of control. Each manager is responsible for a large number of employees (subordinates).
Delegation encouraged, allowing for a more motivated workforce.
what is the mechanistic ( vertical or tall) structure
is more vertical than the organistic and consequently has a smaller span of control.
As there are a large number of layers in the structure, it is also more bureaucratic.
is vertical or horizontal structure associated with democratic style leaderhsip?
horizontal
what is a centralised (entrepreneurial) structure
the decision making process takes place at the top of the hierarchy.
all decisions are made by senior managers at the top of the business structure. all communication goes through them.
are centralised or decentralised structures associated with autocratic leaders
centralised
what is a decentralised structure
allows the decision-making process to take place away from further down the hierarchy.
span of control wide.
are centralised or decentralised structures associated with democratic leaders
decentralised
what are the advantages of a centralised structure
quicker decisions as no need to consult all other branches.
if crisis will be strong leadership
standardised approach in way business operated.
less duplication of resources, can reduce costs
what are the disadvantages of a centralised structure
decisions made without benefit of local knowledge
lack of involvement in decision making process- demotivating
experts in a region may be ignored= mistakes
loss of goodwill in regions as consumer needs not met by centralised decisions
what are the advantages of a decentralised structure
local regions better informed for some decisions
make decisions= motivator
opportunities for local initiatives to be used
less time spent on communication
more flexible approach as decisions can be made for individual areas or products rather than standardised approach.
what is Martix organisational structure
is where employees with similar skills are put together to complete tasks or projects, but with more than one manager supervising.
will have several lines of communication and reporting
what is an organisational culture
the system of shared beliefs and values that develops within an organisation and guides behaviour of it’s members.
what are the main components of good organisation or corporate culture
- Vision- starting with a mission statement.
- Values- the values of a business are the core of its culture.
- Practices- actually acting and operating in such a way as to match its values.
- People- employees who share the values of the business.
- Narrative- viewing the history of the business and it’s heritage.
- Place- locating a business. also refers to layourt. e.g open plan offices
The corporate or organisational culture of a business can be seen within a business bu the manner in which it?
- Conducts it’s business.
- Treat its customers.
- Reacts or shows concern for its local community.
- Allows its employees to be involved in the decision-making process.
- Communicates within the organisation.
- Views the commitment of all within the business, the values, objectives and mission statement.
what is the value of having an organisational structure
then plain to see who is responsible for whom, and who reports to whom; the lines of responsibility and communication are clear for all to see and may be of benefit within an induction programme.
allow the business to plan for the future; can it expand
what are the main impacts of organisational culture
impacts operation, customer treatment, communication, employee involvement, building layout and dress code.
why is communication important for a business
will ensure that the number of mistakes made within the business is reduced. mistakes reduced= costs and time reduced.
if clear and effective, then the employees within the business will feel a sense of belonging (Maslow’s theory) and involvement (Mayo’s theory).
can take place quickly and effectively, enhance the decision-making process. The business will be able to progress and be more competitive
effective- marketing tool, if communication reaches target market successfully via higher sales= more income.
what is one way communication
message that does not require a response from receiver.
what are the advantages of one way communication process
easy to use
cheaper than two way
no pressure on the sender to justify what is being communicated.
what are the disadvantages of one way communication
less reliable as no way to check message (no feedback)
may cause frustration for receiver.
what is two way communication
information flows in two directions- the reciever provides feedback, and the sender is receptive of feedback
what are the advantages of two way communication
More effective/ reliable, because the receiver is able to gain clarification (feedback). Receiver feels more involved because he or she is able to seek clarification.
what are the disadvantages of two way communication
Takes more time and is therefore more expensive.
Puts the sender of the information under pressure to justify/ explain the information being sent.
what is formal communication
the system of official channels that carry organisationally approved message and information has set rules and procedures.
The formality may refer to the type of language that is used, to whom one speaks or the media that is used to communicate.
Contracts between businesses will also use formal language.
what is an example of formal communication
Information stored by a business such as sales figures or employee’ details
what is informal communication
Little or no established rules for how communication takes place.
this is when information is sent and received casually using everyday language.
setting usually takes place outside work.
in most cases if informal communication written or verbal?
passed on verbally
exceptions- email or text
what is open communication
communication that’s free of technical jargon, use for shareholders outside of the business
understood by vast majority of population.
why is open communication true with marketing
Often a clear, simple message will yield better results than a detailed, complicated and technical message.
Using language that is not easily understood will reduce the number of people who can understand
what is closed communication
a business may have its own language for activities and procedures. slang or abbreviation which is hard to understand from outside the business.
what is vertical communication
communication from manager to worker, provides an opportunity for the employee to feel involved.
can take place in an upward direction as well.
Employees at the lower end of the business hierarchy may pass on vital information to the management about difficulties with production. This type of communication may just involve the day-to-day discussion
what is the benefit of vertical communication
it provides an opportunity to feel involved (Mayo’s theory) and helps alleviate any frustrations within the working environment (Herzberg, hygiene factors).
what is horizontal communication
communication between people on the same level of the organisational structure.
could be employees on same level discussing marketing plan for advert.
what is communication media
refers to methods of delivering and receiving data using telecommunications
why do channels of network vary
- the type of leader.
- Size of the business.
- Experience of the employees.
- Type of organisational structures.
what is the chain channel communication network?
associated with a formal and vertical hierarchy, information can be communicated up and down the hierarchy, although more likely much of the communication will be sent down the hierarchical structure
what type of organisation is chain associated with
large organisation, such as the civil service.
likely lack of opportunity for employees at lower end of hierarchy to be able to communicate with higher level of hierarchy directly.
problem with chain communication
likely lack of opportunity for employees at lower end of hierarchy to be able to communicate with higher level of hierarchy directly.
information becoming distorted as it travels through several layers of the hierarchy.
problem in terms of the length of time it takes, any message has to travel through every level of the hierarchy will take time, costly for the business.
what is wheel communication network
has the leader, chief executive, or board of directors at the centre.
All communication goes through the leader (centralised structure), and this type of network enables the leader to keep in touch with everything that is taking place
problems with wheel communication
discourage employee initiative and responsibility as leader is involved with all communication. This is not associated with delegation.
what is circle communication network
restricted network for communication, which can take place between employees, usually within a department or on the same level of a hierarchy.
problems with circle communication
time-consuming and therefore expensive.
what are the barriers to effective communication
technical- ability to receive information.
systematic- receivers ability to understand.
effectiveness- has the information been acted upon appropriately.
skill of sender- is sender inexperienced & used wrong media.
ability of receiver
body language- can’t be contradictory. also tone of voice
inappropriate medium used
cultural differences- words/ tone misunderstood by received
size of business- larger more difficult communication.
amount of information- a lot and verbal greater error risk. once particular media popular- tendency to communication overload. emailers guilty.
what are group norms
set of rules which may be written, unwritten, spoken or even just implied. The rules will vary according to the type of group, the setting/ environment, and the type of people involved.
The rules or guidelines or standards that are expected in terms of behaviour within the group can vary enormously.
what are implicit norms
where there is an assumption that there is a set way to behave, operate or interact with members within the group.
what are explicit norms
where there is a written set of rules of such matters as to how to answer the phone, respond to customer, or the manner and language that ought to be used when addressing a superior.
whether there is consensus in group norms or individual conforms to group norms depend on what
- Whether there is a shared view within the group.
- The extent to which the individual needs the group.
- The purpose of the group.
- The formality of the group- a formal work group will have a heavier influence on an individual than an informal group.
what are the importance of HR objectives
Clear human resource objectives are necessary because ‘the people element’ underpins what every functional area in the business is trying to achieve.
what’s involved in human resource objectives
recruitment, induction, ongoing training, pay rates, appraisal, change in employment law and customer service.
what are the problems of not setting HR objectives
managers find themselves ‘firefighting’ problems- lack of employees with right skills=
increased overtime working or the use of agency staff, problems in reputation and cash flow.
also problems with not following legislations set= breach of law and bad publicity
there must be a balance in the workforce in terms of what
balance of age. if all over 50- some may be planning to retire & will be no one to replace them.
if entire workforce under 25- lack of experience.
innovation- while good to have experienced long term members of staff, may be problems of no new employees to bring enthusiasm, fresh ideas.
skills- range.
providing right training and having high retention rates- help reduce turnover.
what are the factors that affect Human resource needs
changing needs of the business. e.g sales trends may mean increase production of one product. need for workers of particular skill.
when staff leave, need to be replaced.
increase sales= more staff needed.
improved technology= less need for human labour/ existing workforce trained work with new technology
changing method of production
level of budget- alter employees can be employed- problems with cash flow may result in less employees.
unforeseen circumstances. e.g natural disaster.
state of economy effect labour demand
changes to legislation- affect business ability to take on employees.
factors affecting the ability of a business to meet its human resource needs
Availability of potential workers, sufficient numbers?
skills of workers
demand for workers from other businesses. affect availability and level of wage.
location of business. attractive?
cost of living in locality of the business
government legislation could make harder/ more expensive to take on workers.
what is outsourcing
refers to the contracting jobs to external labour.
what are the advantages of outsourcing
saves a business the difficulty of hiring staff.
saves money by not having permanent staff
Staff can therefore be used as and when required- important where trade irregular.
what is flexible working hours
have a set number of hours with some flexibility as to when they can take them.
can be operated as ‘core time’ where employees have to be present, and then there is flexibility allowing employee to work to fit lifestyle.
what is a disadvantage of flexible working hours
may be more expensive to operate and administer, as place of work may need to be open for more hours.
what is an advantage of flexible working hours
may save money by gaining or keeping good staff and won’t need to spend money on recruitment and training.
what is term time working
where the working hours mirror term-time days. The employee will work as normal during term time, but will not work during the school holidays
what is structured time off in lieu
part of flexible working practices.
Employees may be asked to work longer hours during busy periods with the number of additional hours being recorded to enable the employee to take time off in compensation (in lieu) during less busy periods.
what is job sharing
both employees work times that suit them and split pay.
sharing jobs on a morning-afternoon basis, while others share on a day-to-day basis.
what are the advantages of job sharing
Employees are able to work the hours or days that suit them and so a business can gain the staff it needs.
If one of the job sharers is absent, the business still has some of the tasks covered by the other job sharer
what are the disadvantages of job sharing
are additional administrative costs of employing two people instead of one.
Careful planning may be required to ensure the job sharers take a similar approach to tasks= consistency.
what is remote working
employees get to work at home as its easier due to technology.
what are the disadvantages of remote working
It is harder to check that employees are actually working.
There is the initial set up cost of providing the necessary technology
what are the advantages of remote working
that the productivity of employees has increased, as there are fewer distractions and interruptions than at the place of work.
employees to work at home saves valuable commuter time and allows the employee to choose when to work.
A lower level of absenteeism has been recorded
what are zero hour contracts
Allows employees to hire staff with no guarantee of work. Staff only work when they are needed, which can be at short notice.
what are the advantages of zero hour contracts
reduces the administrative costs of employing labour on a full-time basis.
more cost efficient for employers as labour is only hired and paid when needed. Employees have units of labour readily available when required.
It is easier for employees to have breaks between jobs. Not having to accept offers of work allows employees greater flexibility.
what are the disadvantages of zero hour contracts
It is harder to check that employees are actually working.
There is the initial set up cost of providing the necessary technology
what are compressed hours
work the same number of hours in a week but less days in office.
what are the advantages of compressed hours
Working one day less potentially reduces commuting costs for the employees.
It may ease congestion on roads.
It allows employees greater flexibility.
There are reduced costs of childcare.
It may enable employers to reduce costs.
Staff morale may improve due to ‘extra’ day off.
Productivity increases
what are the disadvantages of compressed hours
Means a longer working day for employees.
Productivity may fall as the working day is longer.
A greater loss of production/ service provision if staff have a day off.
what are annualised hours
set number of hours for the year and set an amount of ‘on call’ hours for a week, flexible but restrictive when on call.
what are the advantages of annualised hours
Allows employees to use the workforce when needed.
There is no need for employers to pay expensive overtime rates, therefore reducing costs and thus helping the business to remain competitive.
Allow employees flexibility.
what are the disadvantages of annualised hours
Being ‘on call’ may be restrictive for employee.
There is some uncertainty when the employees may be called.
The opportunity for employees to do overtime is usually lost.
There is an additional administrative cost for employers to calculate and operate such a system.
what Is a job description
a written description of be basic tasks, duties, and responsibilities required of an employee.
what is a person specification
once there is a job description, the business can start to look at the ideal characteristics of the person to undertake the job.
what may be included in a person specification
Qualifications.
Previous experience.
Ability to work with a team.
Willingness to travel.
Able to work under supervision or independently.
Ability to use initiatives.
Flexibility.
what are the benefits of internal recruitment
take less time because the prospective candidate is already known to the business.
no need to spend money on costly advertisements.
will be less need for induction training.
ways in which the business works will already be known to the candidate.
less risk of being impressed by someone at interview who then turns out to be a poor appointment.
opportunity of promotion within a company may encourage good workers to stay rather than look for promotion elsewhere.
what are the benefits of appointing an external candidate
likely bring new ideas and enthusiasm to the job
The field of applicants will be bigger.
It might cause less resentment than choosing an internal candidate.
what is needed for job advertisement
need enough information to attract people
needs to be in the right place to attract the right people. Certain vital information must be included, such as the title of the job and any required qualifications.
what are the main types of selection methods
applications
tests
interviews
curriculum vitae
letter of application
what is the purpose of applications
narrow down applicants before interview stage or next step.
may ask basic information on experience and qualifications
there may be more complex form- asks about past experience
what information does a CV have
overview in brief of an individual’s experience, qualifications, Job history and other interests.
what factors are important to the business in the interview process
Having the right number of people on the interview panel.
Deciding beforehand what information is to be gathered.
Making sure that the interviewee is put at ease and is not interrogated.
Allowing adequate time for the interview to take place.
Giving the interviewee the opportunity to ask questions.
what other tasks can be conducted in recruitment process
Team tasks and activities.
Presentations on a requested topic to the selection team.
Personality tests.
References from previous employers and academic bodies.
A work task or work trial, e.g. teaching a class lessons from a prospective teacher.
what are the main methods of training
induction
on the job
off the job
learning and watching
apprenticeships
e- learning courses
academic
vocational
government
what is the definition of training
the process of increasing the knowledge and skills of the workforce to enable them to perform their jobs effectively.
what does effective training consist of
- Higher quality.
- Better productivity.
- Improved motivation- through greater empowerment.
- More flexibility through better skills.
- Less supervision required (cost saving in supervision)
- Better recruitment and employee retention.
- Easier to implement change in the business.
what are the common reasons of underinvestment in training
- A desire to minimise short term costs.
- They cannot make a justifiable investment case.
- Training takes time to have the desired effect.
what is induction training
Induction training is offered to new employees when they join an organisation and usually includes: a tour of the premises. health and safety information.
what factors should be included in induction training
disciplinary procedures
salary/ wage information
health and safety requirement
finding way around
expectation for the job
basic rules and regulations
meeting line managers
meeting colleagues
what could some problems be with induction training
discourage new workers rather than making them enthusiastic about the job. New workers are often more concerned about finding their way around the building, following correct procedure and avoiding making silly mistakes.
