Unit 5 (HR) Flashcards
HR planning
identifying how many and what kind of employees are needed. Looks at how employees will be:
- Recruited / Used
- Developed / Trained
- Motivated, managed, led
Staff costs
Large proportion of business costs. Careful planning and objective monitoring of employee performance are key elements of effective financial and operational control.
Labour productivity
Measure of output per employee over period of time. Aim is to increase level of productivity to improve competitvness
Absenteesim
Measure of porportion of staff absent from work during period of time. High levels can cause sick pay and high costs of temporary staff, output decreases, staff may demotivated if cover for absent workers
What are internal factors that affect HR planning
Business objective / strategy, financial situation, organisational structure, labour relations, organisational culture
What are external factors that affect HR planning
Economic conditions, labour market, technological advancements, legal and regulary envionrment, social and cultural factors, political factors, industry specific factors, competitive landscape
Flexitime
allows employees to work a specific amount of hours of work at times of their own choosing
Gig economy
Freelance or contract work, digital platforms made it easier to identify opportunites, workers have flexibilty and autonomy in choosing projects / working hours.
Job sharing
2 or more employees working at different times to complete tasks for one job. Provides employees with flexibiity whilst employer benefits from completed tasks
Downshifting
Senior employee relinquishing their position to move to lower paid position with fewer responsibilites. Can occur in changes of career or worker approaches retirement
Teleworking
Working at home or other location from traditional workplace. Workers may attend workplace from time to time or other essential purposes
Reasons for resistance to change
Fear of the unknown, loss of control, disruption of routine, lack of trust, lack of communication / inclusion, percieved losses
Change management strategies
Approaches to successfuly navigate and implement chagne to a business
1) Identify change and communicate clearly
2) Plan / resource the change
3) Provide strong leadership
4) Engage stakeholders
5) Train / develop
6) Appoint change agents
7) Provide feedback
8) Celebrate success
Hierarchy
Levels of authority within organisation
- Rankings of positions top to bottom
- Higher postion -> Higher authority
- Top level, middle management, lower level employees
Bureaucracy
Organisation with many levels of authority, can make decision making confusing
Chain of command
Formal line of authority that flows from top to bottom, defines who reports to whom, establishes clear communicational channel to maintain accountability within organisation
Span of control
Number of employees that manager / supervisor can manage
- Narrow: more layers of managemetn
- Wider: fewere layers of managemnet
Centralised vs decentralised structure
Centralised: Decision making is concentrated at top of the organisation with senior management making most of the decisiosn
Decentralised: Distributed throughout the organisation with lower levels of employee having more delegated decision making power
Matrix structure
Grouped based on functional expertise, and specific projects or products worked on. Typically have functional manager, and project / product manager.
Tall vs flat organizational structure
Tall: Multiple layers of management, centralised decision making, long chain of command, narrow span of control
Flat: Fewer levels of management, decentralised decisoin making, short chain of command, wide span of control
Adv / dis of tall organisational structure
Adv:
- Clear hiearchy of authority
- Promotes specialisation and expertise wtihin each function
- Opportunites for career advancement
-
Dis:
- Communication barriers between upper / lower levels of management
- Decision making is slow as info passes through multiple layers
- Burearacy and excessive layers of management
adv / dis of flat organisational structure
Adv:
- culture of collaboration and open communication
- decision making faster
- creativity and innovation
Dis:
- Role ambguity and lack of hierarchy
- Doesn’t provide opportunies for career advancement
- requires employees to take on multiple roles leading to burnout
Hierarchal structure by product
Built around specific projects or products
Adv of structure by product
- Cross functional collaboration
- Specialisation and expertise within functional area
- Effecient allocaiton of resources and coordination of multiple projects
Dis of structure by product
- Conflict over priorites and resources
- confusion over roles and responsibilities
- high degree of communication and coordination which can be challenging
Hierarchal structure by function
Arranged into differnet function that complete specific function.
- Arranged according to expertise, appropriate skills, experience and qualification to area of business
- However may only focus on own area of responsibility and lose touch with business objectives as a whole
Impact of changing external factors on structure
When change in external factors, may need reassess current structure. Adaptive organisation will change structure in response to external factors or build on organisation with able to handle external changes
- Market uncertainty
- Rapid technological advancements
- Global expansion
- Competitive pressures
Leadership styles
different approaches to leading / managing a team, reflects behaviours / attitudes of a leader towards team members and influences organisational culture, productivity and performacne.
Autocratic leadership
Leader with absolute control and power over businses
- Makes decisions without seeking input from others
- Expects strict obedience and compliance from subordinates
- Sets direction / goals of business
- Doesn’t consider opinions, ideas, expertise of team members
- Decisions not open to discussion or debate
Difference between leaders vs managers
- Vision vs execution
- Influence vs control
- People vs processes
- Long term vs short term
- Creativity vs effeciency
Adv / dis of autocratic leadership
Adv:
- Decision making less time consuming
- Suitable for unskilled worker / crisis situation
Dis:
- No feedback from employees
- Turnover, lowers the job
- Employees less motivated can lead to more absenteeism
Paternalistic management
Leader with fatherly role to subordiantes acting as protective / authoritarian manner
- makes decision for employees whilst showing concern for well being and development of subordinates
- Responsibilty for welfare of employees by providing guidance, support, and resources to ensure success
Adv / dis of paternalitic management
Adv:
- Sense of security, support among employees, and increase employee to reduce staff turnover
Dis:
- Percieved as controlling, limiting creativity and innovation
- Creates dependency on leader restricting personal growth and development along employees
Democratic leadership
- Actively involves employees to encourage discussion: consultation, collaboration, delegation and teamwork common features of democratic leadership.
- Most effective in organisation with skilled, experienced, and creative employees
Adv of democratic leadership
- Encourages participation / involvement of employees in decision making process. Can lead to higher employee engagement and job satisfcation
- Encourages innovation and creativity within business
- More comprehensive problem solving and decision making
Dis of democratic leadership
- Can be time consuming
- Conflicts / disagreements may arise with differnet viewpoints
- May result in compromise on quality of decisoins as popular opnions may overshadow expert knowledge
lassez faire leadership
- Minimal role in managing team, provides little guidance direction or supervsiion allowing autonomy and freedom in making decisoisn and completing tasks.
- Appropriate for skilled and self motivated team
Adv of lassiez faire leadership
- Encourage creativity and innovation by giving employees freedom to explore new ideas
- Empowered through own autonomy and onwership over work which can enhance job satisfaction, motivation, and sense of responsibity
- Greater flexibilty in adapting to changing circumstances
dis of lasseiz faire leadership
- Can lead to employees struggling with decision making which can lead to ineffeciency and lack of coordination
- Risk of inconsistency in quality of work leading to lack of cohesion and potential conflicts
- Difficult to monitor progress, identify issues, and ensure goals are met which can decrease productivity
Situational leadership
Adapting leadership style to specific situation and needs of employees. Leaders must asssess readiness of employees to perform particular tasks and achieve specific goal
Taylor’s scientific management
Breaking down of complex tasks into simpler ones which standarises work processes and provides worker with clear instructions and training to achieve maximum effeciency
adv of taylors scientific management
- Increase effeciency which lowers costs
- Standarises work procedure
- Specialisation of labour
- Clear hiearchy and line of authority
- Improved training and development, better performance / job satisfaction
dis of taylors scientific management
- Overemphasis on effeciency, can reduce worker satisfaction due to lack of creativity
- Workers may disengage
- Limited applicability as wont work with roles with high levels of creativity, problem skills
- Potential for exploitation
Maslow’s hierarchy of needs
Outline 5 tiers of human needs that must be met by individuals to reach their full potential: Physiological, safety, social, esteem, self actualization
adv of maslow
- Higher employee satisfaction to increase productivity and lower turnover rates
- increased motivation through alignment of wants in incentives
- Improved employee performance
dis of maslow
- One level of needs wont fit all workers, need to tailor approach to meet needs
- Expensive
- Time consuming
Herzberg theory of motivation
2 types of factors that affect employee motivation and job satisfaction
- hygiene factors: elements that dont lead to job satisfaction but absencse causes dissatisfaction which decreases motivation
- motivators: elements that lead to job satisfaction and motivation
ways to use hygiene factors
- Pay fair wages / salary
- offer good working conditions
- employment contract with job security
ways to use motivator factors
- build recognition and rewards culture
- offer opportunity for growth / development
- provide challenging work which requires problem solving
Mccelland acquired needs theory
Focuses on needs of individuals that develop over time, explains how needs influence motivation and behaviour
- achievement: Achieve challenging tasks / personal goals
- affiliation: form positive relationships, happy within workplace
- power: desire to influence / control, bring the best out in others/team
adv of mccleland?
- Easy to understand / apply
- recognises varying needs / motivations
- based on extensive researchd