Operational Resources Flashcards
What are the key functions of human resources?
- Recruitment of personnel
- Placement of personnel into proper positions within the structure
- Training and development of personnel to suit the needs of the organisation
- Service activities directly related to the welfare of staff
Management can be broken down into four basic functions, what are those functions?
- Planning
- Organising
- Leading
- Controlling
Managers are responsible for designing the structure of an organisation- This includes determining what tasks are to be done, who is to do them, who reports to whom , etc. Name the tasks in a loss adjusting organisation?
- Loss adjusting operations
- Marketing activities
- Financial activities
- Administration activities
- Personnel- recruiting, training, dismissal, etc
Prompt- LMFA…..P?
What are the main types of organisational structure used by loss adjusting organisations?
- Mechanistic organisations
- Organic organisations
Discuss mechanistic organisations?
Mechanistic organisations are also described as bureaucracy. They have a formal hierarchy of authority and clear rules and regulations to determine tasks and authority.
Discuss organic organisations?
Organic organisations are sometimes called ‘adhocrocies’ because of the ‘ad hoc’ way they undertake tasks. They are low in complexity, low in formalisation and decentralised.
Define a job?
A job is a collection of tasks. Those tasks may be repetitive, routine and low-skilled or highly-skilled, non-routine and requiring substantial independent judgement.
Describe the job characteristics model?
The job characteristics model identifies five primary job characteristics, their inter-relationships and their impact on employee productivity, motivation and satisfaction.
What are the five core job dimensions, identified in the job characteristics model?
- Skill variety
- Task identity
- Task significance
- Autonomy
- Feedback
With regard to the job characteristics model, describe ‘skill variety’ and ways it can be improved?
This is the degree to which a job requires a variety of activities- Managers should put existing fractionalised tasks back together to form a new, larger module of work.
With regard to the job characteristics model, describe ‘task identity’ and ways it can be improved?
This is the degree to which a job requires completion of a whole piece of work- Managers should design tasks that form an identifiable and meaningful whole, which increases employee ownership of the work.
With regard to the job characteristics model, describe ‘task significance’ and ways it can be improved?
This is the degree to which a job has substantial impact on the lives or work of other people- Where possible, managers should establish direct relationships between workers and their clients.
With regard to the job characteristics model, describe ‘autonomy’ and ways it can be improved?
This is the degree to which a job provides substantial freedom, independence and discretion to the individual in determining the procedures to be used in carrying out the work- Vertical expansion gives employees responsibilities and controls that were formally reserved for management, and increases employee autonomy.
With regard to the job characteristics model, describe ‘feedback’ and ways it can be improved?
The degree to which carrying out the work activities results in the individual obtaining direct information about the effectiveness of their performance- By increasing feedback, employees not only learn how well they are doing their jobs, but also whether their performance is improving, deteriorating or remaining at a constant level.
What type of information would a job description typically include?
- Job title, supervisor in jobs supervised
- Job classification and salary range
- Major functions
- Duties and responsibilities
- Job characteristics
- Knowledge and qualifications
- Physical/health requirements
- Skills and abilities
- Previous work experience
- Any other expectations
