ESSENTIALS OF HRM

June 2022 Examination

Q1. With the world returning to normalcy post the pandemic, as an HR hiring manager
you have the task of forecasting the demand for the next year to make sure you hire the
right number and right kind of people. Explain the techniques of HR demand forecasting
that you will employ in depth. (10 Marks) –

Ans 1.

Introduction

Every organization is primarily made up of both material and human resources (HR). Money and
machines that have been pre-arranged by organizations for manufacturing or commerce are
referred to as material. Human resource, on the other hand, refers to an organization's
knowledge, education, as well as the skills, knowledge, and aptitude of its employees. Human
resources are an organization's most essential and unique asset. Managing an organization's
human resources is an interesting, stimulating, and difficult profession, especially at a time when
the globe has evolved into a global village and economies are undergoing transformations. The
human resource department has become even more complex as a result of a scarcity of
competent resources and the growing demands of the modern worker.

Concept and application

HUMAN RESOURCE PLANNING

Planning for human resources is a proactive process. It tries to anticipate human resource
requirements ahead of time, keeping market fluctuations, demand forecasts, and the availability
of qualified individuals, among other factors, in mind. According to Terry, Human Resource
Planning (HRP) entails estimating the number of qualified employees required to perform the
tasks being assigned in the future, determining how many workers are available, and determining
what, if anything, needs to be done to ensure that future personnel supply meets future demand.

DEMAND FORECASTING

The practice of projecting the future quantity and quality of people required is known
as human resource demand forecasting. Long-term business strategies are converted into activity
levels and levels for each department and function in order to generate the forecast. Many factors
influence demand forecasting, including competition (both domestic and international), legal and
economic conditions, financial constraints, production levels, new product and service
introductions, organizational structure, and more.

We can have a variety of forecasting tools at our disposal, which are:

MANAGERIAL JUDGMENT: Forecasts are discussed with department heads and agreed upon,
which is Based on their previous experience as well as the supervision they provide to current
employees. Following the meeting, they decide on the number of personnel required and inform
HR of the anticipated labour demands. It can be done from the bottom up or from the top down.
Supervisors give their estimations to line managers first in the bottom-up process. They evaluate
it before submitting it to higher-level managers, who double-check the estimations and make
decisions about the company's expectations.

When employing the "top-down" strategy, there are a few things to keep in mind. Top executives
determine how many personnel will be needed for the company while also considering the
organization's capacity to accept them.

TREND ANALYSIS: A trend analysis can be used to determine future human resource needs
based on existing business patterns. If sales have been increasing for the past five years, the
corporation may estimate a similar pattern for the current year and then hire more people.
Furthermore, if data shows that demand for the company's products and services is dropping, the
corporation may hire only a few employees or not make any vacancies at all.

NOMINAL GROUP METHOD: A panel of experts, similar to the Delphi methodology, is used
in the nominal method. The main distinction between the two is that experts in the Delphi
approach are not allowed to speak among themselves in order to judge difficulties, whereas
experts in the nominal group technique are allowed to speak among themselves. Nominal
methods involve the process as stated below:

• The coordinator acts as a facilitator, allowing people to share their thoughts. They also keep
track of these discussions.

• Following the round table discussions on ideas, experts are asked to rank their suggestions in
order of priority.

• Based on individual scores, the group consensus is derived mathematically.

RATIO ANALYSIS: This method involves calculating an accurate ratio between a given
business component and the number of employees required in the future. In comparison to the
trend research, this delivers a more precise assessment. For example, the demand for teachers at
a university could be predicted based on the student-faculty ratio.

TEMPORAL SERIES: To anticipate future human resource needs, current staffing numbers
(rather than work load indicators) are used. Staffing levels from the past are examined for
cyclical fluctuations, long-term trends, and random movements. Moving average, exponential
smoothing, and regression techniques are used to project or extrapolate the long-term trend. The
bulk of organizations in the real world uses this strategy.

PERSONNEL RATIO: Historical relationships between employees in different jobs or job

categories are established using a person's previous information. The regression analysis or
productivity ratios are then utilized to calculate total or key-group HR requirements, as well as
personnel ratios for assigning total requirements for different work categories or estimating for
other groups.

DELPHI STRATEGY: It is one of the most effective methods for predicting human resource
demand. An expert panel of experts is in charge of forecasting demand in this technique. These
professionals provide their perspectives on human resource needs. These experts' responses are
compiled, and a report is created. This procedure continues until all experts agree on the
estimation of human resource requirements. The Delphi Method is a way for reducing
subjectivity in forecasting. It's best suited for businesses where frequent technological
developments have a significant impact on staffing requirements.

Conclusion

The most successful approaches for anticipating demand in HR have been explored above. These
must be used by the company to meet the HR department's needs. The situation has changed
dramatically since the pandemic, and the work-from-home culture is also evolving. In this case, a
thorough examination of how to forecast HR demands is required.

2. As seen in recent trends, organizations have moved away from traditional induction
methods to many more interesting ways to welcome their new recruits. Take industry
examples and share how you will design induction for new employees in an innovative way.
(10 Marks)

Ans 2.

Introduction

For new employees joining an organization, an induction programme is a vital consideration. It is

an overview of how the workplace is run as well as the employee's role within the organization.
Employer and employee rights, as well as the employment contract, are all covered at induction.
Any regulatory or legal obligations for the business should be included in the induction
programme. It also clearly instructs the staff on how to follow health and safety regulations in
various situations. Induction programme is intended to assist new employees in becoming more
productive, integrating with their coworkers more quickly, and feeling more at ease about joining
the organization. The objective is not to "push an employee into the deep end." Instead, it is to
establish an environment in which the new employee may grow into a productive part of the
team, allowing them to immediately begin performing and taking on larger tasks.
Concept and application

The principle is that an employee cannot be expected to perform until they understand their
function and how it relates to the rest of the firm. A good induction programme can boost
productivity while also lowering short-term staff churn.

The following are some of the advantages of an induction programme for

employees:

LEARN ABOUT THE NEW EMPLOYEE AND MAKE IT THROUGH THE FIRST DAY:
The rest is something that can be learned. For the first week, the HR manager's immediate
supervisor can plan a regular time each day to continue the orientation. A new employee can
only absorb so much information in a given length of time. The timetable will enable the HR
manager to analyze how an employee is adjusting to his or her new position and the workplace
environment.

HELP NEW EMPLOYEES ADJUST INTO THEIR JOBS: The new employee's boss will be
the best person to show how work should be done, how different departments are linked to the
organization, what performance standards are expected of employees in the organization, and
what policies and procedures must be followed within the organization for tasks to be completed.

GIVE TIME TO THE NEW EMPLOYEES: We frequently observe new employees eating on
their own in an organization. No one else is interested in the matter. The message that all
employees must send is that "we care" in our business or organization.

ALLOW NEW EMPLOYEES TO SETTLE INTO: When many other workers speak to new
hires who only want to do their task, it can be frustrating.

BE PREPARED TO LISTEN: Be available to answer questions and listen if new staff need to
share their experiences.

PRESENT NEW EMPLOYEES IN THE OFFICE AND INTRODUCE TO FRIENDS: As all

employees seek to do good for new employees, they will find it simple to integrate into their
work and will soon be doing the same for others who are new to the workplace. Finally, the
change is no longer a chore and tiresome, but rather enjoyable.

A PROCESS FOR INDUCTION THAT IS BEING IMPLEMENTED AT WIPRO

WIPRO is a well-known company in India. It is well-known for its innovative and cost-effective
human resource policies. Wipro's induction process is consistent and efficient across all of its
locations. It takes about 2.5 months to complete. Because it is required to arrive at the office at
8:30 a.m. and leave at 6 p.m. during the induction, times are not flexible during the induction.
The timings can be adjusted once the course is completed.

The induction programme will always take place in a designated area.

Induction program is named as “PRP - Project Readiness Program”.

It will involve a certification verification procedure before starting the PRP

First 3 days: Pinnacle - About Wipro polices, Spirit of Wipro Ethics, Work life at Wipro, etc.

Next 7 days - English fluency: The majority of people who sign up come from the United States
and Europe. These seven days can assist you in developing a more natural pronunciation. It's a
fantastic programme in which you must be able to repeat your voice in response to a computer
sound. Now the programming training has begun. The training is divided into three stages.

TRP 1 - 20 days: This stage is known as the technical readiness program 1. (TRP 1.). Depending
on your domain, it takes roughly 20 days. This is a quick overview of your domain. A written
test with an MCQ is given at the end of this phase, although no negative marks are given.

TRP 2 - 20 days: It entails mastering complex concepts in your field of study. The course will
conclude with a test, which will either be live programming or documentation.

RLL 15 days, “Real Life Lab”: You will be divided into teams of two to three persons and
given a modest task. You'll need to produce documentation and a PowerPoint for that project, as
well as code. It's not as complicated as it appears. As a result of your performance, you will
receive a grade.
All of your marks from each stage are added together, and you must get a minimum score of
75%.

Conclusion

Employee induction is an important step, and businesses should execute it in a unique way
because standard induction methods are no longer successful. There are many various ways to
engage employees in the workplace today, and each organization has its own approach based on
its culture and workplace atmosphere. Also, they might pay attention to minor details, such as
incorporating them in corporate traditions or providing them with a welcome package or present,
attempting to establish a strong relationship with them from the start so that they feel valued, and
so on.

3. The past few years have challenged the traditional organizations to think differently. In
Intellicore Solutions, where previously no efforts were made by managers for career
growth of their workforce, things are about to take a turn for the positive. The leaders now
realize the importance of retaining their best talent and have therefore hired HR managers
to help create career and succession plans.

a. You have to guide the new HR manager to be successful in his career planning initiative.
How will you explain the process to him? (5 Marks)

Ans 3a.

Introduction

"Lifelong monitored, self-monitored course of career planning, which entails making decisions
and setting goals for one's own personal while devising methods and techniques for attaining
them," is referred to as career management. It's a combination of planned planning and active
management alternatives for a person's professional career. Any successful career management
exercise should leave participants feeling satisfied with their lives, as well as a sense of work-life
balance, objective achievement, and financial stability.
Concept and its application

Various organizations' career management processes are centered on one or more of the
following:

• Setting of general goals and objectives of individual career

• Developing a strategy to fulfil the organization's goals and objectives

• Developing specific means (policies, rules, regulations, and procedures) to implement the plan

• Evaluating success using a systematic evaluation and, if required, the strategy can be altered

Within an organization, a career management policy could be developed to help individuals

achieve their professional goals while also providing the company with high levels of employee
engagement who are more capable. Employees can continue to demonstrate the organization's
culture and principles.

HR managers who are new to the job should be aware of the following factors in the career
planning process:

ASSESSMENT OF AN INDIVIDUAL AND THE NEED FOR ANALYSIS

Many people begin their professional life without doing a formal assessment of their abilities,
interests, and employment needs and objectives. A career drift is a phenomenon in which people
enter jobs, occupations, and careers without much consideration for their future plans and
subsequently feel lost.

Organizational assessment and opportunity analysis

One of the most essential prerequisites for an employee's objectives and goals to be
realized is that they should be realistic and achievable. They must be reasonable, depending on
both the employee's personal strengths and the organization's potential.
Need - opportunity alignment

The organization always plays a crucial role in assisting the employee in aligning their
goals. In order to be in line with ambitions and organizational prospects, the corporation must
also develop its own alignments.

Career counseling

The final phase is the career planning process. The supervisor, in collaboration with the HR
department, must speak with the employee about possible opportunities available, their
aspirations, and, of course, their abilities.

Conclusion

Human resources, also known as people, are the most effective resources for running any
business or corporation. Recruitment, selection, induction and orientation, training development,
and other aspects of management are all part of this process. Because of this, human resource
management has become a type of system that allows an organization's or employer's human
resources to be handled successfully.

b. The first step to an effective succession planning is ensuring that the objectives are
correctly established. Describe the goals of succession planning that the HR manager
should bear in mind. (5 Marks)

Ans 3b.

Introduction

Internal personnel having the potential to take on major responsibilities within the organization
can be recognized and nurtured through the succession planning. Planning for success ensures
that experienced, talented, and qualified personnel are ready to take on these jobs as soon as they
become available.
 Concept and application

Employee growth, from individual contributors to leaders and managers, is aided by succession
planning. Thus:

• It assists the present staff in completing key responsibilities.

• It fosters talent and, as a result, assists employees in their long-term development.

• It meets the development expectations of current employees.

• It improves employee performance while simultaneously increasing labour capacity.

• It boosts employee retention by increasing employee loyalty.

• It offers support to employees throughout the length of their contract.

There is a framework for creating and implementing effective succession planning programmes
that can help an organization achieve its objectives. In addition, a clear plan should be made as to
who will be involved, what tools will be used to aid decision-making, and what are the essential
elements that will assist other businesses in consistently producing top-quality leaders.

Its succession planning practices are aligned with the company's mission statement: 'To become
a worldwide corporation that provides high-quality business solutions that utilize technology and
are delivered by top-tier individuals.' As a result, when the business's key mentor, chairman N R
Narayana Murthy, departed in 2006, the company was well prepared for a seamless leadership
and authority transition.

OBJECTIVES FOR SUCCESSION MAKING

Finding and filling the key jobs: One of the most important aims of succession planning is to
examine the key responsibilities in your organization, as well as the skills and talents required
from applicants for those roles. You can start planning succession if you have a firm
understanding of the key roles.
Changes in the organization changes: Transformations inside organizations are prevalent in
today's competitive business environment, which is why, when it comes to succession planning,
it's important to be aware of these changes and respond quickly.

Programs for training: Succession plans ensure that we develop present personnel so that they
can be of long-term value to the organization, possibly for higher positions. Various training and
performance management programmes are implemented in this regard by organizations.

Personal career growth: Encourage individual professional development inside the company is
another vital goal. Employees will value their employment and remain loyal to their employers
as a result of this.

Conclusion

The succession plan is more of an entire performance review technique that encourages
everyone's holistic development. Methods for performance appraisal are strategies for evaluating
a worker's overall performance for a job and, in some situations, his contribution to the
organization's overall operation. The way the organization and the employee receive feedback on
their overall performance is through performance appraisal which plays a very vital role in this
whole process.