SAC B MAINTENANCE PHASE

Question 1

Maintenance phase

Answer 1

Involves managing the relationship between the employee and the organisation while the employee is working at the organisation. It is focused on assisting the employee to achieve their best and involves induction, training and development, recognition and rewards & performance management.

Question 2

Induction

Answer 2

The process of familiarising new employees with the organisation. It introduces the employee to their job, coworkers and the organisation.

Question 3

New employees need to learn about 5 things

Answer 3

The organisation itself
Culture
How to perform at their job
Their workmates
Who to report to.

Question 4

Why is induction important to a HR manager.

Answer 4

Effective induction can lead to higher productivity, positive attitudes and job satisfaction. Poor inductions can result in low motivation and high staff turnover.

Question 5

Buddy or mentor system

Answer 5

Often a buddy or mentor will be assigned to the new employee. The mentor is usually an experienced staff member who can show the new person the ropes, someone they should feel comfortable in approaching if they have any questions. This is an informal induction process and is good as the employee often forms a good relationships with their buddy and is able to learn about the business naturally however if the employee doesn’t get along with their buddy their morale and motivation can decrease significantly.

Question 6

Formal induction process

Answer 6

Some organisations require new staff to undergo a formal induction program, which may include working their way through computer programs, reading manuals or watching films about the organisation and then answering questions to show that they have understood the material. This is good as it ensures the employee becomes familiar with the organisations policies and procedures but can often become boring for the employee and decrease motivation and morale.

Question 7

Training

Answer 7

Training refers to improving an employees skills to help them perform their job more effectively and efficiently. It can be On the job such as learning while performing the job or off the job such as classroom activities and simulations away from the job.

Question 8

Benefits of training to employee and employee

Answer 8

Employee: Job security as they know the employee is allocating resources to their improvement. They are also happier at work due to their improved performance.

Employer: Increased productivity due to employees improved performance. Employees will make fewer errors.

Question 9

Development

Answer 9

The activities that prepare employees to take on greater responsibility within the organisation. It can help retain employees and improve motivator as they take on greater responsibility.

Question 10

Possible drawbacks of training and development

Answer 10

Cost
Loss of productivity while being trained
Employee who has a bad training/development experience may leave.
Conflict if training/development is not accessible to all employees.
Takes time.

Question 11

Distinguish between training and development.

Answer 11

Training refers to improving an employees skills to help them perform their current job more effectively and efficiently whereas development is the activities undertaken that will prepare employees to take on greater responsibility within the organisation. Training is usually skill based and helps employees perform their job more productively whereas development is focused on increasing the knowledge bases of employees so they can take up greater responsibility.

Question 12

Recognition and rewards program

Answer 12

A recognition and rewards program aims at giving employees positive reinforcement by providing them with an incentive or benefit for a job well done. Recognition can be informal or formal (pat on the back vs employee of the month) and rewards can be financial or non financial.

Question 13

5 financial rewards

Answer 13

Extra salary 
Commissions
SharI plans
Bonuses
Trips

Question 14

4 non financial rewards

Answer 14

Interesting/challenging work
Flexible hours
Training opportunities
Career advancement.

Question 15

4 possible drawbacks of recognition and reward

Answer 15

Costly
Those not recognised can lose motivation and morale
Can cause completion and resentfulness.
Based ok extrinsic motivation rather than intrinsic

Question 16

2 Advantages of recognition and reward

Answer 16

Attract, retain and motivate staff

A recognition and rewards system can also reinforce strategies that will facilitate change or support desirable corporate values, such as a focus on the customer.

Question 17

Performance management

Answer 17

Involves the various methods of achieving the maximum performance levels that are possible from employees. There can be a close link between performance management and motivation.

Question 18

Performance appraisal

Answer 18

Evaluations of an employees work over a period of time. They provide feedback from management to employee regarding performance. They can also be used to act as a measurement against where promotion and pay rises can be determined.

Question 19

4 different types of performance appraisals

Answer 19

360 degree feedback
Essay method
Rating scale
Management by objectives

Question 20

360 degree feedback, defined, 2 pros, 1 con

Answer 20

Seeking feedback from the people who work with the employee. Typically includes the employees managers, peers and even customers. It gives a rounded view on the employee performance and there is less bias, however it can be time consuming to get the feedback of many people.

Question 21

Essay method, define, 2 pros, 2 cons

Answer 21

Manager describes the employee performance in their own words. It is far less structured than other forms of appraisal thus making it open ended and very flexible. However, it takes more theme than rating scale type appraisals and the process is very subjective and can lead to bias.

Question 22

Rating scale define, 2 pros, 2 cons

Answer 22

Employees awe as stoned a score on different criteria important to job success. It is fast and easy to use, it also offers a simple way to look at strengths and weaknesses. However, it doesn’t give an in depth view of performance and it has lack of flexibility in looking at an employees specific performances.

Question 23

Management by objectives, 2 pros, 2 cons

Answer 23

The manager and employee identify measurable goals to work towards and they are periodically measured. This is good as employee performance objectives can be closely aligned with organisational objectives, it is also easy to measure objective. However my it takes time to set these objectives with employees and some employees don’t want goals forced upon them.

Question 24

A solar panel company that delivers and installs panels no longer require their employees to produce entire panels but as a result they were required to develop new skills in order to complete the production process. Outline one form of training management could consider to ensure that employees have the required skills.

Answer 24

Training refers to improving an employees skills to help them perform their job more effectively and efficiently. Employees could undergo on the job training where employees are partnered with more experienced employees who train them to deliver the solar panels safely and on time, the less experienced employees will gain skills from the more experienced employees. This would increase the businesses productivity as more outputs are being delivered in a shorter time.

Question 25

Welharn Consulting is a large accounting firm with an excellent reputation. Welham Consulting takes pride in hiring the best university graduates. It is also well known for paying its staff high salaries that are above the industry average. Despite this, staff turnover is unacceptably high and the Senior Manager believes that not all staff are working to their full potential. Identify and explain a practice or process from the maintenance phase of the employment cycle that may assist in improving employee performance at Welham Consulting.

Answer 25

Employees may be leaving the organisation due to a bad induction experience. Induction is the process of familiarising new employees with the organisation. Welham consulting could implement an informal mentor system induction process where a mentor will be assigned to new employees, the mentor should be an experienced staff member who can show the new person the ropes, someone they should feel comfortable in approaching if they have any questions. This is an informal induction process and is good as the employee often forms a good relationships with their buddy and is able to learn about the business naturally. Forming good relationships can also improve morale and encourage the employee to work more productively thus increasing their performance.

Question 26

Outline one form of training that management could consider to ensure that employees have the
required skills.

Answer 26

Off-the-job training involves attending seminars, workshops or demonstrations to improve the skills of an employee so that they can perform their job as effectively and efficiently as possible. An external source of information and variety in the way the employee is trained encourages the information to stick with them so that they feel more adaptable and capable when performing tasks.
Question 4

Question 27

The Human Resource Manager of Southern Industries has identi ed a problem with staff in the maintenance phase of the employment cycle. He believes that staff performance can be improved by implementing more effective
• induction
• training and development.
Explain both induction and training and development. Discuss how these practices will assist in the effective management of staff.

Answer 27

Induction refers to all the processes undertaken by Southern Industries to introduce employees to an organisation. Induction programs can give new staff a sense of belonging and give the organisation an opportunity to convey its organisational values and morals to new staff. By explaining what is expected of employees during the process of an induction, it assists in the management of staff by outlining employees’ responsibilities. In this way, employees have a clear sense of what is expected of them and consequently, will reach expected performance levels more quickly. An induction program may also include being introduced to existing employees and watching a video about the organisation. This can be done to reflect a positive image of the organisation to new employees meaning they harbour higher levels of morale from an early stage.
Training refers to the process of providing employees with the required skills and knowledge to perform a task. Development can also be implemented, which is the process of providing employees with the knowledge required to advance in the organisation and increase their responsibilities. By giving staff the opportunity for growth and increased knowledge, employees are likely to feel valued within the organisation. It can lead to increased motivation and consequently increased productivity levels. Hence, through these training and development programs, which may include on the job mentoring, watching an educational workplace video, or attending an external conference, management encourages its employees to reach their capabilities and strive towards the attainment of organisational objectives, hence, improving Southern Industries’ management of its staff.

Question 28

Identify a practice or process from the maintenance phase of the employment cycle and evaluate its impact on improving employee performance.

Answer 28

One process from the maintenance phase is training. Training refers to improving an employees skills to help them perform their job more effectively and efficiently. It can be On the job such as learning while performing the job or off the job such as classroom activities and simulations away from the job. This Increases productivity as employees are able to perform better from learning new things that allow them to perform their job more efficiently. Employees will also make fewer errors as the training would have ensured that employees know the best and most reliable way of working. Training however can often be a time consuming process and it costs money to organise seminars and workshops. While there may be a loss of productivity while employees are being trained, training is recommended as it can ensure that employees are working to the best of their abilities and it can improve morale as it shows the employees that the organisation cares about them and wants to do well, this contributes to their motivation and encourages them to work productively.

Question 29

Distinguish between training and development. Explain two reasons why an organisation
would focus on training and developing employees.

Answer 29

Training refers to improving an employees skills to help them perform their current job more effectively and efficiently whereas development is the activities undertaken that will prepare employees to take on greater responsibility within the organisation. Training is usually skill based and helps employees perform their job more productively whereas development is focused on increasing the knowledge bases of employees so they can take up greater responsibility.

One reason why an organisation many want to focus on training and development is that it can result in improved productivity. Employees will learn knew things that allow them to work more efficiently and quickly thus improving productivity and getting more output from the input of employees.

Another reason is it can decrease staff turnover. Employees have increased job security as they know the organisation is allocating resources to them. This makes them feel secure and valued which increases morale and stops many staff from leaving the organisation due to not feeling valued or feeling that their position is not secure and that they may lose their job.

Question 30

HR Consulting Services is a large-scale organisation that specialises in recruitment and training for organisations across Australia and the Pacific region. The organisation has been concerned with The level of staff turnover and low rates of productivity growth and thus an advisor was called in and a report presented to senior management and directors found that there was confusion among employees about their duties, lack of an effective induction program and many employees commented about the long hours they were expected to work with little recognition of appreciation.

Explain induction and why it might be considered important in an organisation such as HR consulting services.

Answer 30

Induction is the process of familiarising employees with the organisation once they have been employed, A formal induction process can be used where the employee might attend seminars or complete tests so that they understand the policies and procedures of the organisation. Alternatively an informal induction process could be used such as the buddy system where new employees are partnered with experienced employees who teach them how the organisation operates. IT is important to organisations such as HR as it can increase staff satisfaction and ensue that employees know what their duties, tasks and responsibilities are. This cane achieved using the buddy system where employees are able to build strong relationships with a buddy which can improve morale and also help them learn from their buddy what their duties are and how they are supposed to perform those duties which reduces confusion.

Question 31

HR Consulting Services is a large-scale organisation that specialises in recruitment and training for organisations across Australia and the Pacific region. The organisation has been concerned with The level of staff turnover and low rates of productivity growth and thus an advisor was called in and a report presented to senior management and directors found that there was confusion among employees about their duties, lack of an effective induction program and many employees commented about the long hours they were expected to work with little recognition of appreciation.

In order to reduce staff turnover and increase motivation. HR has decided to implement a series of measures based on Lockes Goal Setting Theory. Outline locked theory and explain how this could be used to ensure some of the issues are addressed.

Answer 31

Lockes theory is a motivation theory with three different parts. The first part is to set clear, specific and challenging goals with employees, goals should be set collaboratively by managers with employees. Each employee will have different goals based on their needs. The second part is to provide constructive feedback while the employee is working towards the goal to encourage them to keep working. The last part is to offer reward and recognition to employees for completing the goal before new goals are set. While it takes time to set goals with employees, it is still a good option for HR as it will ensure that the issue of staff turnover is addressed as the morale of staff should increase as they are receiving recognition and reward which provides positive reinforcement. It would also increase motivation as employees will be motivated to work towards the completion of the goals so that they receive recognition and reward.

Question 32

HR Consulting Services is a large-scale organisation that specialises in recruitment and training for organisations across Australia and the Pacific region. The organisation has been concerned with The level of staff turnover and low rates of productivity growth and thus an advisor was called in and a report presented to senior management and directors found that there was confusion among employees about their duties, lack of an effective induction program and many employees commented about the long hours they were expected to work with little recognition of appreciation.

Describe the concepts of reward and recognition and e plain one possible form of recognition and reward which an organisation such as HR consulting services.

Answer 32

One way to motivate employees is to establish and implement a rewards program. Rewards can take many forms and will differ depending on the needs of the organisation. Rewards can be financial and could include commission which is paid on top of a standard wage or salary; or non financial such as development opportunities.

Another way to motivate employees is to establish a recognition program. All individuals like to be recognised and gain feedback on what they have done or achieved. Employees will then know that they are appreciated and seen to be valuable members of a team, department or organisation. Recognition can be formal such as employee of the month or informal such as a pat on the back.

HR consulting services could award bonus salary to employees who are working productively and helping the organisation achieve their objectives. This is a financial reward and it would satisfy the hard working employees who receive the reward and increase their morale while encouraging other employees to work productively so that they can receive awards.

Question 33

Describe two performance indicators that could have been used in determining Ross River Company as an industry leader in human resource management.

Answer 33

One performance indicator that could be used to evaluate human resource management is staff turnover. This is the rate at which staff are leaving the organisation. Staff often leave due to low morale, a business with low staff turnover means that morale is high and employees are happy working at the organisation. This is good for the employer as they are saving money on recruitment costs as they don’t need to be constantly recruiting new employees.

Another indicator that could be used is the rate of productivity growth. Productivity is a measure of efficiency, it compares the number of outputs produced by a business to the number of inputs going in, the rate of productivity growth measures the change in this over a period of time. It is helpful for human resource management as if human resources are managed effectively, employees will be motivated to work towards objectives and thus they will be working more productively which should improve the rate of productivity growth.

To determine if they are an industry leader, they could use benchmarking and compare the performance from the indicators described above with other organisations in the industry, this will determine if they are an industry leader.

Question 34

Identify and explain a performance management practice or process that the human resource manager of Ross River Corporation could implement to further improve the performance of its employees.

Answer 34

Performance Management Involves the various methods of achieving the maximum performance levels that are possible from employees.

One way of doing this is through performance appraisals. These are evaluations of an employees work over a period of time. They provide feedback from management to employee regarding performance.

Ross River corporation could use the appraisal of management by objectives. This is where the manager and employee identify measurable goals to work towards and they are periodically measured. This is good as employee performance objectives can be closely aligned with organisational objectives which means that the employees will be motivated to work productively towards the achievement of objectives. It is also easy to measure the completion of objectives so it is easy to see if the employee is making progress.

Question 35

Describe Locke’s theory and justify its use in improving employee performance.

Answer 35

Lockes theory is a motivation theory with three different parts. The first part is to set clear, specific and challenging goals with employees, goals should be set collaboratively by managers with employees. Each employee will have different goals based on their needs. The second part is to provide constructive feedback while the employee is working towards the goal to encourage them to keep working. The last part is to offer reward and recognition to employees for completing the goal before new goals are set. While it takes time to set goals with employees, it is still a good option for HR as it will decrease staff turnover as the morale of staff should increase as they are receiving recognition and reward which provides positive reinforcement. It would also increase motivation as employees will be motivated to work towards the completion of the goals so that they receive recognition and reward.