Human Resource Management

What is Human resource Management? What are the objectives, function and importance of
human resource management?

Human resource management

Human resource management is a process of acquisition, utilization, development, motivation, as

well as maintenance of human resources in order to achieve organizational goals through
optimum utilization of resources effectively and efficiently. Human resource management is a
contemporary, umbrella term used to describe the management and development of employees in
an organization. It is concerned with the obtaining of the proper kind and number of personnel
necessary to accomplish organization goals.

Objectives of Human Resource Management

Societal objectives: Measures put into place that responds to the ethical and social needs or
challenges of the company and its employees. This includes legal issues such as equal
opportunity and equal pay for equal work.

Organizational objectives: Actions taken that help to ensure the efficiency of the organization.
This includes providing training, hiring the right amount of employees for a given task or
maintaining high employee retention rates.
Functional objectives: Guidelines used to keep the HR functioning properly within the
organization as a whole. This includes making sure that all of HR’s resources are being allocated
to its full potential.

Personal objectives: Resources used to support the personal goals of each employee. This
includes offering the opportunity for education or career development as well as maintaining
employee satisfaction.

Functions of Human Resource Management

1. Managerial Functions Following are the managerial functions of Human Resources

Management.

Planning: The planning function of human resource department pertains to the steps
taken in determining in advance personnel requirements, personnel programs, policies
etc. After determining how many and what type of people are required, a personnel
manager has to devise ways and means to motivate them.

Organization: Under organization, the human resource manager has to organize the
operative functions by designing structure of relationship among jobs, personnel and
physical factors in such a way so as to have maximum contribution towards
organizational objectives. In this way a personnel manager performs following functions:

(a) preparation of task force;

(b) Allocation of work to individuals;
(c) Integration of the efforts of the task force;
(d) Coordination of work of individual with that of the department.

Directing: Directing is concerned with initiation of organized action and stimulating the
people to work. The personnel manager directs the activities of people of the organization
to get its function performed properly. A personnel manager guides and motivates the
staff of the organization to follow the path laid down in advance.
 Controlling: It provides basic data for establishing standards, makes job analysis and
performance appraisal, etc. All these techniques assist in effective control of the qualities,
time and efforts of workers.

2. Operative Functions: The following are the Operative Functions of Human Resource
Management

Procurement of Personnel: It is concerned with the obtaining of the proper kind and number
of personnel necessary to accomplish organization goals. It deals specifically with such
subjects as the determination of manpower requirements, their recruitment, selecting,
placement and orientation, etc.

Development of Personnel: Development has to do with the increase through training, skill
that is necessary for proper job performance. In this process various techniques of training
are used to develop the employees. Framing a sound promotion policy, determination of the
basis of promotion and making performance appraisal are the elements of personnel
development function.

Compensation to Personnel: Compensation means determination of adequate and equitable

remuneration of personnel for their contribution to organization objectives. To determine the
monetary compensation for various jobs is one of the most difficult and important function of
the personnel management. A number of decisions are taken into the function, viz., job-
evaluation, remuneration, policy, inventive and premium plans, bonus policy and co-
partnership, etc. It also assists the organization for adopting the suitable wages and salaries,
policy and payment of wages and salaries in right time.

Maintaining Good Industrial Relation: It is intended to reduce industrial conflict and,

promote industrial peace, provide fair deal to workers and establish industrial democracy. If
labor management relations are not good the moral and physical condition of the employee
will suffer, and it will be a loss to an organization. Hence, the personnel manager must create
harmonious relations with the help of sufficient communication system and co-partnership.
Record Keeping: In record-keeping the personnel manager collects and maintains
information concerned with the staff of the organization. It is essential for every organization
because it assists the management in decision making such as in promotions.

Personnel Planning and Evaluation : Under this system different type of activities are
evaluated such as evaluation of performance, personnel policy of an organization and its
practices, personnel audit, morale, survey and performance appraisal, etc.

Importance of Human Resource Management

 It helps management in the preparation adoption and continuing evolution of

personnel programs and policies.
 It supplies skilled workers through scientific selection process.
 It ensures maximum benefit out of the expenditure on training and development and
appreciates the human assets.
 It prepares workers according to the changing needs of industry and environment.
 It motivates workers and upgrades them so as to enable them to accomplish the
organization goals.
 Through innovation and experimentation in the fields of personnel, it helps in
reducing casts and helps in increasing productivity.
 It contributes a lot in restoring the industrial harmony and healthy employer-
employee relations.
 It establishes mechanism for the administration of personnel services that are
delegated to the personnel department.

Human resource management is a psychological process as it study the human behavior

related to their work efficiency to improve work performance. It is considered as a complex
process because human behavior never stable. Therefore, HR manager must be updated with
his/her employees’ behaviors through sound communication for the effective human resource
management.
 What is job analysis? What information does it provides, what are its purposes and why it is
important?

Job Analysis

Job analysis is a part of human resource management process where it study and collect
information relating to the operations and responsibilities of a specific job. Job analysis is the
comprehensive information regarding a job in which specific task, necessary abilities,
knowledge, and skills are required to perform it. The immediate products of the analysis are job
descriptions and job specifications. In short, Job analysis is basically the process of identifying
the nature of jobs.

Information provided by Job Analysis

 Job title.
 Department.
 Supervision required.
 Job description—major and implied duties and responsibilities.
 Unique characteristics of the job including location and physical setting.
 Types of material used.
 Types of equipment used.
 Qualifications.
 Experience requirements.
 Education requirements.
 Mental and physical requirements.
 Manual dexterity required.
 Working conditions
 Purpose of Job Analysis

 Recruitment and Selection: Job Analysis helps in determining what kind of person is
required to perform a particular job. It points out the educational qualifications, level of
experience and technical, physical, emotional and personal skills required to carry out a
job in desired fashion. The objective is to fit a right person at a right place.

 Performance Analysis: Job analysis is done to check if goals and objectives of a

particular job are met or not. It helps in deciding the performance standards, evaluation
criteria and individual’s output. On this basis, the overall performance of an employee is
measured and he or she is appraised accordingly.

 Training and Development: Job Analysis can be used to assess the training and
development needs of employees. The difference between the expected and actual output
determines the level of training that need to be imparted to employees. It also helps in
deciding the training content, tools and equipments to be used to conduct training and
methods of training.

 Compensation Management: Of course, job analysis plays a vital role in deciding the
pay packages and extra perks and benefits and fixed and variable incentives of
employees. After all, the pay package depends on the position, job title and duties and
responsibilities involved in a job. The process guides HR managers in deciding the worth
of an employee for a particular job opening.

 Job designing and Redesigning: The main purpose of job analysis is to streamline the
human efforts and get the best possible output. It helps in designing, redesigning,
enriching, evaluating and also cutting back and adding the extra responsibilities in a
particular job. This is done to enhance the employee satisfaction while increasing the
human output.

Importance of Job Analysis

  Obtaining solid first-hand job-related data on the particular duties associated with the job
 Identification of risks associated with the job responsibilities
 Identification of the skills and abilities required for an employee to perform the job well
 Identification of critical competencies required for success
 Improved decision-making during the recruitment and hiring process
 Better replacement decisions when employees exit the organization
 More specific and accurate job descriptions
 More accurate job postings
 Assessment of the relative importance of the job to other jobs
 Promotion of improved performance appraisals
 Contributes to developing a more equitable compensation plan
 Drives training requirements through greater knowledge about each job duty
 Assistance with objectivity by enabling the separation of personal feelings about a person
from job requirements
 Ability to offer evidence based and precise pre-hire employee assessments

Job analysis helps an organization to hire suitable candidates with required qualification and
experience for vacant posts at right time and in right place to conduct organizational activities
that determines the organizational future. Therefore, job analysis is essential to conduct for
recruit and select employees for the organization.

What is job description? Explain its importance ?

Job Description

Job description is a broad, general, and written statement of a specific job, based on the findings
of a job analysis. It generally includes duties, purpose, responsibilities, scope, and working
conditions of a job along with the job's title, and the name or designation of the person to whom
the employee reports. Job description usually forms the basis of job specification. In short, a job
description is a document intended to provide job applicants with an outline of the main duties
and responsibilities of the role for which they are applying.

Importance of Job Description

  To provide the employee with the expectations that are required of them in the role
 To provide enough detail to help the candidate assess if they are suitable for the position
 To support the recruitment team during the selection process
 To help formulate questions for the interview process
 To allow the prospective employee to determine their role or standing within the structure
of the organization
 To assist in forming a legally binding contract of employment
 To help set goals and target for the employee upon joining
 To aid in the evaluation of the employee’s job performance
 To help formulate training and development plans

What is Job specification? Explain its importance?

Job Specification

A job specification is a written statement of educational qualifications, specific qualities, level of

experience, physical, emotional, technical and communication skills required to perform a job,
responsibilities involved in a job and other unusual sensory demands. It also includes general
health, mental health, intelligence, aptitude, memory, judgment, leadership skills, emotional
ability, adaptability, flexibility, values and ethics, manners and creativity, etc.

Importance of Job Specification

 Job specification provides information regarding the attributes like qualifications, skills,
experience, and knowledge and other personal attributes required of a worker to perform
the job duties.
 Job specification identifies the need for training and development program.
 Job specification helps the recruiter to get an idea of the personal, physical, mental, social
and psychological characteristics required of a job incumbent to perform the job
effectively.

 It is helpful in preliminary screening in the selection procedure.

 It helps in giving due justification to each job.

 It also helps in designing training and development programs.

 It helps the supervisors for counseling and monitoring performance of employees.

 It helps in job evaluation.

 It helps the management to take decisions regarding promotion, transfers and giving extra
benefits to the employees.

 A job specification is useful for recruiting as it helps to specify job postings and website
recruiting material.

 The job specification is also useful for distribution in social media, for screening
resumes, and for interviewers.

 Job specification helps candidates analyze whether are eligible to apply for a particular
job vacancy or not.

 It helps in recruiting a team of an organization that understands what level of

qualifications, qualities and set of characteristics should be present in a candidate to make
him or her eligible for the job opening.

Discuss the differences between Job Description and Job Specification?

Basis of

Comparison Job Description Job Specification

Meaning Job Description is a descriptive Job Specification states the minimum

statement that describes the role, qualifications required for performing a
responsibility, duties, and scope of particular job.
a particular job.

Result Job Description is the outcome of Job specification is the result of Job
Job Analysis Description.

Purpose Job Description describes job’s Job Specification describes job holders’
nature nature

Function Job description provides detail Job specification provides detail

information about responsibility information about the qualification that
and duty to perform job. should be posses by job holders.

Contain Job Description contains Job Specification contains educational

designation, place of work, scope, qualifications, experience, skills,
working hours, responsibilities, knowledge, age, abilities, work orientation
reporting authority, salary range, factors, etc.
etc.

Both Job Description and Job Specification are the most important statements in Human resource
Management. Detailed knowledge of these two statements helps HR managers to select and
appoint the right employee to the right job which results in an increase of individual and
organizational efficiency.

What is training? Clarify about the training cycle with examples.

 Training

 Training is an educational process which involves in sharping skills, concept, attitude,

and gaining more knowledge about the particular subjects.
 Since training helps to enhance work performance of the employees, needs of training
can be identified through performance appraisal.
 Effective training program helps to increase employees’ competencies.

Trainer needs to follow the procedures of the training to make it effective and efficient. For this
course of action, trainer needs to follow some procedures;

Cycle of training

 At first, a trainer must identify the needs for training program to the employees. For
example, trainer can identify the needs of training on-the-job coaching.

 In the next step, a trainer developed or set the objectives of the training which provides
the way to the program. For example "How an employee can increase their
competencies?"

 A trainer develops and designs the program to make it effective and efficient for the
employees. For example, a trainer decides when, where and how the training should be
conducted.

 In this step, a trainer conducts the program for which s/he completes huge amount of
preparation. A training program can be run through online or offline system.

 In this final step, a trainer evaluates employees’ performance to find out whether or not
an objective of the training is successfully achieved. To find out the outcome, trainer
compares employees’ performance before and after the training.

Above mentioned procedures makes the training effective and efficient. This type of training
mutually benefits to the employees and the organizations as it help to develop career of the
employees and to achieve organizational goals.

Define training? Explain the types and methods of training.

Training
  Training is an educational process which involves in sharping skills attitude, concept,
perception and gaining knowledge of the employees.
 It is provided to those employees who are new at organization or have incomplete
knowledge about the particular topics or subject.
 Effective training assists employees to increase their core competencies.

Types of Training

 Technical training: This type of training is provided to the employees of technical sectors.
 Quality training: This type of training is provided to the employees of the production
sector in order to increase quality of the production.
 Skill training: It is focused to increase skills that are related to work rather than theoretical
knowledge.
 Soft skill training: This training also focuses on the development of skill but not work
related skills. It focuses on skills that help to fulfill corporate social responsibility.
 Legal training: This type of training focus on to update employees about their professional
field and legal changes.
 Team training: This training focuses for empowered team to improve decision making,
problem solving, and team development skills.
 Managerial training: This type of training focus to develop managerial skills such as team
development skills, decision making skills, motivating and guiding skills.
 Safety training: This type of training is provided to keep safe to employees from the work
related accidents.

Methods or Techniques of Training

1. On-the-Job Training Methods

(a) Job Rotation

There are various jobs in all organizations. Each job or work requires a different set of skills in the
workforce. In order to develop the workforce in all the sectors and zones of the organization, this
method is used.

In this method, a worker gets an opportunity to work on different posts with a different set of
responsibilities without any increase in the pay scale. Hence, it is also known as ‘lateral
movements’.
b) Job Instructions
There are various steps to accomplish a particular task. In this method of training, a worker is
guided by a supervisor or a trainer who tells him/her about the exact steps for the accomplishment
of the work. Moreover, new works are being taught to the workers by the supervisor.

(c) Coaching
There is a need for both theoretical as well as practical development of the worker in any
organization. In order to do so, most of the organizations opt for this method of training.

In this method, the company provides the worker with a coach who trains him. Also, the trainer
provides him regular feedbacks.

(d) Committee assignments

Under this method of training, the organization organizes a meeting or seminar of workers where
they get a real life problem of the organization.

The organization asks them to take it as an assignment and try to solve it with their wits. Hence, it
leads to the generation of teamwork, leadership qualities, etc. among all the workers in the
organization.

2. Off-the-Job Training Methods

(a) Vestibule Training Method

Vestibule Training Method is a very famous means of training the employees especially the manual
workers. If the company starts to train the workers in the factory or the workplace itself then there
are chances of mishappening with the machinery of the factory.

In this method, similar tools and machinery are arranged outside the organization. Hence, this
allows the workers to enhance their skills by working with the same tools and machinery.

(b) Case Study Method

Generally, case study deals with an issue which a business confronts and provides an opportunity
for workers to come out with a solution.

This provides them the opportunity to analyze the case and come out with effective solutions. This
method can enhance the critical and creative thinking of an employee.
(c) Incident Method
Under this method, firstly the organization prepares a list of series of real incidents. Then they ask
the employees to state their reaction to the incident or the situation.

Later, everyone sits and decide a common solution to the incident on the basis of the individual as
well as group decisions.

(d) Conferences
Whenever several people meet to discuss any particular topic or subject that is known as a
‘Conference’. Each worker analyzes and discusses various problems related to the topic. Moreover,
this method enables each worker to express their respective viewpoints.

Organization provides various types of training programs to different employees from different
department by using different types of methods or techniques to leave effective impact of training
on employees. This kind of training programs helps to increase core competencies of the
employees as well as it increases organizational core competencies.

Explain the concept of total quality? Explain its importance and principles?

Total quality management

Total quality management is a management approach that defines continuous effort by the
management and employees of a particular organization to ensure long-term customer loyalty and
customer satisfaction. Total quality management ensures that every single employee is working
towards the improvement of work culture, processes, services, systems and so on to ensure long
term success. TQM can be summarized as a management system for the customer-focused
organization that involves continuous improvement of the process. It uses strategy, data,
and effective communication to integrate a quality discipline into the employee and organization.

Importance of TQM

 It ensures superior quality of goods and services which will be delivered at right time.
 It builds strong and long-term relation with customer that may maintain customer loyalty.
 It is essential to fulfill the ultimate satisfaction of existing customers.
 It retained existing customers and attracts new potential customers towards the
organization.
  Quality management tools help an organization to design and create a product which the
customer actually wants and desires.
 Quality Management ensures increased revenues and higher productivity for the
organization.
 Quality management helps organizations to increase revenue by eliminating errors and
reducing waste and inventory.
 The success of quality management initiatives depends on teamwork. Therefore it breeds
team spirit within an organization.

Principles of TQM

Customer Focus

Quality management process aims to meet customer requirements and deliver beyond expected
levels of product or service.

Commitment from the leadership

The leaders at all the levels of hierarchy help to establish a unity of purpose and direction. The
leadership is responsible to create a conducive environment so as to achieve the quality
objectives of the organization.

People engagement

This principle states that all the people in the organization must be competent, empowered and
engaged in delivering value. This also enhances the capability to create value.

Process Approach

All the activities should be managed as interrelated processes to create consistent and predictable
results. These interrelated activities function as a coherent system.

Continuous improvements

An ongoing focus on improvement is a fundamental principle for the success of an organization.

Evidence-based decision making

The decisions are based on the insights gained from analyzing and evaluating data. This will help
to produce desired results.

Relationship Management

Organizations should manage their relationships with interested parties such as suppliers very
well. This will help to sustain the levels of success achieved.
The successful implementation of Total quality Management model needs extensive planning and
most importantly participation of every single member who is benefitted out of the organization.
Without the participation of each and every employee, total quality management model would be a
complete failure.

What is Quality Circle? Discuss its importance and limitation?

Quality circle

Quality circle is a small group of employees in the same work area or doing similar type of work
who voluntarily meets regularly to identify, analyze and resolve work related problems. The
objective of quality circle is to improve quality, productivity and the total performance of the
organization and also to enrich the quality of work life of employees. It is a team of few employees
of the same organization or same profession which conduct meeting to improve quality
management of the organization to build strong relationship with the customers and to gain
competitive advantage.

Importance of Quality Circle

 To develop, enhance and utilize human resources effectively;

 To improve quality of products/services, productivity and reduce cost of production per

unit of output;

 To satisfy the workers’ psychological needs for self-urge, participation, recognition etc.,
with a view to motivating them. Accomplishment of this objective will ensure
enhancement of employee morale and commitment;

 To improve various supervisory skills like leadership, problem solving, inter-personal

and conflict resolution;

 To utilize individual imaginative creative and innovative skills through participation,

creating and developing work interest, including problem solving techniques etc

 To make use of the knowledge and skills of the workers.

 To develop good relations between workers and managers and create cordial industrial
relations.
  To act as an evaluator and reviewer of the quality circle operations and programs.

Limitation of Quality Circle

 Resistance of employees to implement quality circle.

 Lack extra time for quality circle work
 Lack of ability to carry out functions of quality circle
 Lack of management commitment and support
 Non implementation of suggestion of quality circle group
 Existence of negative attitude among the employees

Despite these problems and hurdles, the quality circle program is excellent. It is plays crucial role
in satisfying, retaining, and attracting customers as it perform several functions to protect
customer’s interest and hence build strong relationship with customers.

What career planning? Why career planning of an employee is essential for the organization?
Explain.

Career planning

Career planning is the proactive process of setting individual career goals and finding path to
achieve such goals by self analyzing, self upgrading and self improvement. The major focus of
career planning is on assisting the employees achieve a better match between personal goals and
the opportunities that are realistically available in the organization. It enables the employees to
develop themselves and keep them ready to meet the various future challenges. From the
organization’s viewpoint, it means helping the employees to plan their career in terms of their
capacities within the context of organization’s needs.

Essential of Career planning

 To identify positive characteristics of the employees.

  To develop awareness about each employee’s uniqueness.

 To respect feelings of other employees.

 To attract talented employees to the organization.

 To train employees towards team-building skills.

 To create healthy ways of dealing with conflicts, emotions, and stress.

 To helps in improving the loyalty of employees.

 To encourages an employee’s growth and development.

 To discourages the negative attitude of superiors who are interested in suppressing the
growth of the subordinates.

 To ensures that senior management knows about the caliber and capacity of the
employees who can move upwards.

 To ensures a constant supply of promotable employees.

 To create a team of employees prepared enough to meet any contingency.

 To reduces labor turnover.

 To prepare succession planning towards which career planning is the first step.

A career can be developed by an individual within one organization or several others.

Considering career planning as a process within the organization, career planning is that part of
personnel administration which aims at developing paths through which employees may progress
in the organization over time.

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