People in organisations Flashcards
Manager
Responsible for setting objectives, organizing resources and motivating staff so that the organization’s aims are met.
Leadership
The art of motivating a group of people towards achieving a common objective.
Autocratic leadership
A style of leadership that keeps all decision-making at the center of the organization.
Democratic leadership
A leadership style that promotes the active participation of workers in taking decisions.
Paternalistic leadership
A leadership style based on the approach that the manger is in a better position than the workers to know what is best for an organization.
Laissez-faire leadership
A leadership style that leaves much of the business decision-making to the workforce – ‘hands-off’ approach and the reverse of the autocratic style.
Informal leader
A person who has no formal authority but has the respect of colleagues and some power over them.
Emotional intelligence (EI)
The ability of managers to understand their own emotions, and those of the people they work with, to achieve better business performance.
Motivation
The internal and external factors that stimulate people to take actions that lead to achieving a goal.
Self-actualization
A sense of self-fulfillment reached by feeling enriched and developed by what one has learned and achieved.
Motivating factors (motivators)
Aspects of a worker’s job that can lead to positive job satisfaction, such as achievement, recognition, meaningful and interesting work and advancement at work.
Hygiene factors
Aspects of a worker’s job that have the potential to cause dissatisfaction, such as pay, working conditions, status and over-supervision by managers.
Job enrichment
Aims to use the full capabilities of workers by giving them the opportunity to do more challenging and fulfilling work.
Time based wage rate
Payment to a worker made for each period of time worked, e.g. one hour.
Piece rate
A payment to a worker for each unit produced.
Salary
Annual income that is usually paid on a monthly basis.
Commission
A payment to a sales person for each sale made.
Bonus
A payment made in addition to the contracted wage or salary.
Performance-related pay
A bonus scheme to reward staff for above-average work performance.
Profit sharing
A bonus for staff based on the profits of the business – usually paid as a proportion of basic salary.
Fringe benefits
Benefits given, separate from pay, by an employer to some or all employees.
Job rotation
Increasing the flexibility of employees and the variety of work they do by switching from one job to another.
Job enlargement
Attempting to increase the scope of a job by broadening or deepening the tasks undertaken.
Job redesign
Involves the restructuring of a job – usually with employees’ involvement and agreement – to make the work more interesting, satisfying and challenging.
Quality circles
Voluntary groups of workers who meet regularly to discuss work-related problems and issues.
Worker participation
Workers are actively encouraged to become involved in decision-making within the organization.
Team-working
Production is organized so that groups of workers undertake complete units of work.
Human resource management (HRM)
The strategic approach to the effective management of an organization’s workers so that they help the business gain a competitive advantage.
Recruitment
The process of identifying the need for a new employee, defining the job to be filled and the type of person needed to fill it and attracting suitable candidates for the job.
Selection
Involves the series of steps by which the candidates are interviewed, tested and screened for choosing the most suitable person for the vacant post.
Job description
A detailed list of the key points about the job to be filled – stating all its key tasks and responsibilities.
Person specification
A detailed list of the qualities, skills and qualifications that a successful applicant will need to have.
