Module 1

Question 1

What is HR Management in simple terms?

Answer 1

The management of people.

Question 2

Define HRM:

Answer 2

Human Resource Management is the management of people within organizations through systems, processes, procedures, policies and tools enabling employees to optimize performance and enhance organizational objectives.

Question 3

What shapes HRM?

Answer 3

Internal Forces: organizational mission, organizational goals and objectives, organizational culture, choice of HRM strategies.

External Forces: economic environment, technology, demographics and culture, legal or regulatory constraints.

Question 4

What are typical generic strategies for alignment with organizational mission, goals and objectives?

Answer 4

• Innovator/differentiator
• Cost leadership
• Focus

Question 5

What are qualities of Hierarchical Organizational Culture?

Answer 5

• Top-down communication
• Many pay levels
• Rewards individual performance
• Autocratic decision making

Question 6

What are qualities of Egalitarian Organizational Culture?

Answer 6

• Organic communication
• Fewer pay levels
• Rewards team effort
• Collaborative decision making

Question 7

Are the Heirarchical and Egalitarian Organizational Cultures mutually exclusive?

Answer 7

No, they function on a spectrum/continuum. A business may have qualities of both organizational cultures at once.

Question 8

How do businesses select their HRM strategies?

Answer 8

The complexity & sophistication of HRM strategies (and the HR department itself) will depend on organizational size, complexity, market, and their stage in the organization life cycle.

*HRM strategies are not static, they need to evolve with the organization and external environment.

Question 9

What are some common HR Disciplines?

Answer 9

• Recruitment
• Compensation
• Employee benefits
• Workforce planning
• Training/Developement
• Inclusion and diversity
• Occupational health and safety
• etc.

Question 10

What are the external factors that shape HRM?

Answer 10

• Economic environment
• Technological advances
• Demographics & culture
• Legal & regulatory constraints

Question 11

How does the economic environment affect HRM?

Answer 11

The business cycle plays a huge role in HRM practices.

• In a bust: more layoffs, potentially more litigation, challenges motivating remaining employees, conflicts with unions.
• In a boom: challenges finding and retainning key talent, pressure on compensation and benefits, increased training and developement needs, higher attrition.

Question 11

How does productivity & innovation relate to business competition?

How does Canada compare to the rest of the world in terms of innovation & productivity.

Answer 11

Productivity gain is essential to remain internationally competitive. (Productivity = output/input)

Globally Canada lacks behind on innovation and productivity gains.

Question 12

What are promising trends in technological advances that affect HRM?

Answer 12

• Flexible work patterns
• “New World of Work” post-pandemic
• Everything data analytics
• Less exposure to hazardous work environments

Question 13

What are worrisome trends in technological advances that affect HRM?

Answer 13

• Cybersecurity (lacking)
• Automation and related job losses
• Opposition from unions
• Augmented or autonomous AI and resulting impact on decision making
• Data privacy

Question 14

How do demographics and culture affect HRM?

Answer 14

Demographic challenges include age, culture, skill and gender.

• Adjusting HR programs to an aging workforce
• Move to a knowledge based economy
• Increased cultural diversity
• Women in the workforce

Question 15

What are federal legal/regulatory constraints that affect HRM?

Answer 15

• The Charter of Rights and Freedoms
• Canadian Human Rights Act
• Canada Labour Code
• Employment Equity Act
• Pay Equity Act

Question 16

What are examples of federally regulated industries?

Answer 16

Air transportation, banks, most crown corporations, radio and television broadcasting, cross-provincial or international railway, port services & marine shipping, uranium mining, etc.

Question 17

What are provincial (SK) legal/regulatory constraints that affect HRM?

Answer 17

• The Saskatchewan Human Rights Code
• The Saskatchewan Employment Act
• Occupational Health & Safety Regulations
• The Saskatchewan Employment Regulations

*The majority of employers are provincially regulated.

Question 18

Outline the set up of the HR function:

Answer 18

The HR function depends on the size and complexity of the organization, it has to evolve with the organization.

The traditional rule of thumb is one HR resource per each 100 employees.

The rule of HR ranges from providing advice and administrative support to full decision-making authority on key HRM policies.

Question 19

Define HR staff authority:

Answer 19

HR functioning to provide administrative support and advice.

Question 20

Define HR functional authority:

Answer 20

HR functioning in full decision-making authority on all key HRM policies.

Question 20

Define and explain the different stages of the business cycle?

Answer 20

• Expansion: positive increases in economic indicators.
• Peak: maximum limit of growth is attained and prices are at their peak.
• Recession: Demand begins declining rapidly, excess supply causes prices to fall, positive economic indicators start to fall. (Defined as 2 consecutive quarters of decline).
• Depression: commensurate rise in unemployment, economy growth continues to decline. (Depressions do not happen in every economic cycle, only during severe recessions).
• Trough: Growth rate declines to reach its lowest point.
• Recovery: Turnaround from the trough, the economy begins to recover, production, employment and demand begin to rise.