Human resources

Human resources is a term used to describe the individuals who make up the workforce of an organization, although it is also applied in labor economics to, for example, business sectors or even whole nations. Human resources is also the name of the function within an organization charged with the overall responsibility for implementing strategies and policies relating to the management of individuals (i.e. the human resources). This function title is often abbreviated to the initials "HR". Human resources is a relatively modern management term, coined as early as the 1960s - when humanity took a shift as human rights came to a brighter light during the Vietnam Era. [1] The origins of the function arose in organizations that introduced 'welfare management' practices and also in those that adopted the principles of 'scientific management'. From these terms emerged a largely administrative management activity, coordinating a range of worker related processes and becoming known, in time, as the 'personnel function'. Human resources progressively became the more usual name for this function, in the first instance in the United States as well as multinational or international corporations, reflecting the adoption of a more quantitative as well as strategic approach to workforce management, demanded by corporate management to gain a competitive advantage, utilizing limited skilled and highly skilled workers.

Human resources purpose and role

In simple terms, an organization's human resource management strategy should maximize return on investment in the organization's human capital and minimize financial risk. Human resource managers seek to achieve this by aligning the supply of skilled and qualified individuals and the capabilities of the current workforce, with the organization's ongoing and future business plans and requirements to maximize return on investment and secure future survival and success. In ensuring such objectives are achieved, the human resource function is to implement an organization's human resource requirements effectively, taking into account federal, state and local labor laws and regulations; ethical business practices; and net cost, in a manner that maximizes, as far as possible, employee motivation, commitment and productivity.[citation needed] Key functions Human Resources may set strategies and develop policies, standards, systems, and processes that implement these strategies in a whole range of areas. The following are typical of a wide range of organizations:
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Maintaining awareness of and compliance with local, state and federal labor laws (Department of Labor federal labor law information) Recruitment, selection, and on boarding (resourcing) Employee recordkeeping and confidentiality Organizational design and development Business transformation and change management Performance, conduct and behavior management Industrial and employee relations

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Human resources (workforce) analysis and workforce personnel data management Compensation and employee benefit management Training and development (learning management) Employee motivation and morale-building (employee retention and loyalty)

Implementation of such policies, processes or standards may be directly managed by the HR function itself, or the function may indirectly supervise the implementation of such activities by managers, other business functions or via third-party external partner organizations. Applicable legal issues, such as the potential for disparate treatment and disparate impact, are also extremely important to HR managers.

Training and development

In the field of human resource management, training and development is the field concerned with organizational activity aimed at bettering the performance of individuals and groups in organizational settings. It has been known by several names, including employee development, human resource development, and learning and development.[1] Harrison observes that the name was endlessly debated by the Chartered Institute of Personnel and Development during its review of professional standards in 1999/2000. "Employee Development" was seen as too evocative of the master-slave relationship between employer and employee for those who refer to their employees as "partners" or "associates" to be comfortable with. "Human Resource Development" was rejected by academics, who objected to the idea that people were "resources" an idea that they felt to be demeaning to the individual. Eventually, the CIPD settled upon "Learning and Development", although that was itself not free from problems, "learning" being an overgeneral and ambiguous name. Moreover, the field is still widely known by the other names.
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Training and development encompasses three main activities: training, education, and development. Garavan, Costine, and Heraty, of the Irish Institute of Training and Development, note that these ideas are often considered to be synonymous. However, to practitioners, they encompass three separate, although interrelated, activities:[1][2][3]
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Training: This activity is both focused upon, and evaluated against, the job that an individual currently holds.[3] Education: This activity focuses upon the jobs that an individual may potentially hold in the future, and is evaluated against those jobs.[3] Development: This activity focuses upon the activities that the organization employing the individual, or that the individual is part of, may partake in the future, and is almost impossible to evaluate.[3]

The "stakeholders" in training and development are categorized into several classes. The sponsors of training and development are senior managers. The clients of training and development are business planners. Line managers are responsible for coaching, resources, and performance. The participants are those who actually undergo the processes. The facilitators are Human Resource Management staff. And the providers are specialists in the field. Each of these groups has its own agenda and motivations, which sometimes conflict with the agendas and motivations of the others.[4] The conflicts are the best part of career consequences are those that take place between employees and their bosses. The number one reason people leave their jobs is conflict with their bosses. And yet, as author, workplace relationship authority, and executive coach, Dr. John Hoover[5] points out, "Tempting as it is, nobody ever enhanced his or her career by making the boss look stupid." [1] Training an employee to get along well with authority and with people who entertain diverse points of view is one of the best guarantees of long-term success. Talent,

knowledge, and skill alone won't compensate for a sour relationship with a superior, peer, or customer.

Importance Of Training and Development

y Optimum Utilization of Human Resources Training and Development helps in optimizing the utilization of human resource that further helps the employee to achieve the organizational goals as well as their individual goals. y Development of Human Resources Training and Development helps to provide an opportunity and broad structure for the development of human resources technical and behavioral skills in an organization. It also helps the employees in attaining personal growth. y Development of skills of employees Training and Development helps in increasing the job knowledge and skills of employees at each level. It helps to expand the horizons of human intellect and an overall personality of the employees. y Productivity Training and Development helps in increasing the productivity of the employees that helps the organization further to achieve its long-term goal. y Team spirit Training and Development helps in inculcating the sense of team work, team spirit, and inter-team collaborations. It helps in inculcating the zeal to learn within the employees. y Organization Culture Training and Development helps to develop and improve the organizational health culture and effectiveness. It helps in creating the learning culture within the organization. y Organization Climate Training and Development helps building the
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y y

y y y y y

positive perception and feeling about the organization. The employees get these feelings from leaders, subordinates, and peers. Quality Training and Development helps in improving upon the quality of work and work-life. Healthy work environment Training and Development helps in creating the healthy working environment. It helps to build good employee, relationship so that individual goals aligns with organizational goal. Health and Safety Training and Development helps in improving the health and safety of the organization thus preventing obsolescence. Morale Training and Development helps in improving the morale of the work force. Image Training and Development helps in creating a better corporate image. Profitability Training and Development leads to improved profitability and more positive attitudes towards profit orientation. Training and Development aids in organizational development i.e. Organization gets more effective decision making and problem solving. It helps in understanding and carrying out organisational policies Training and Development helps in developing leadership skills, motivation, loyalty, better attitudes, and other aspects that successful

Training changes performance, development changes lives Do you want to win at work by maximizing your professional growth? Start with this understanding of the difference between training and development John Maxwell, one of the worlds great leadership writers, makes this distinction

TRAINING METHODS :All training methods can be grouped into two categories :a] Training methods for operatives and b] Training methods for managers

a] Training Methods for Operatives :Under these methods the new employee is assigned to a specific job at a machine or workshop or laboratory. He is instructed by an experienced employee or by a special supervisor who explains to him the method of handling tools, operating the machines etc. Vestibule Training :- This method involves the creation of a separate training centre within the plant itself for the purpose of providing training to the new employees. An experienced instructor is put incharge of this training. Machines and tools are also managed in the training centre, so as to create working conditions similar to those in the workshop. Advantage :- No interference with regular production. Disadvantage - Costly, adds nothing to productions during training period. Apprenticeship Training :-This method of training is meant to give the trainee sufficient knowledge and skill in those trades and crafts in which a long period of training is required for gaining complete proficiency. Generally, the trainees work as apprentices under the direct supervision of experts for long periods of say, two to seven years. This programme
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consists of providing actual work experience in the actual job as well as imparting theoretical knowledge through class room lectures which may be arranged either in the plant or in the institution attached to the concern. This method of training enables the trainees to become allround craftsmen. But this method is very expensive and also there is no guarantee that a trained worker will continue to work in the same concern after the training is completed. Internship Training :- This method of training is generally provided to the skilled and technical personnel. The object of this type of training is to bring about a balance between theoretical and practical knowledge, under this method, students from a technical institution possessing only theoretical knowledge are sent to some business enterprise to gain practical work experience. Simultaneously, the employees of business enterprises are sent to technical institutions to gain the latest theoretical knowledge on a subject. Ex. B.E. (Prod.) - 6 months in plant training B.E. (Mech.)- 2 days in a week during final year b] Training Methods for Managers :Executive talent is the most important asset which a company can posses. Although, it does not appear on the company's balance sheet, but it produces more important effects on the company's progress, its profit and the price of its stock than any other asset in its possession. The following are the various training methods for managers. 1] Observation Assignment :Under this method, the newly recruited executive called "understudy" is made an assistant to the current job holder. He learns by experience, observation and imitation. If decisions are discussed with him, he is informed on the policies and theories involved. 2] Position Rotation :Under this method, the trainee executive is rotated among different
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managerial jobs. This not only broaden and enriches his experience as a manager but also enables him to understand inter departmental relations and the need for co-ordination and co-operation among various departments. 3] Serving on Committees :Another important method of training on an executive is to make him serve on a committee. While serving on a committee, the executive comes to learn not only the various organizational problems, views of senior and experienced members, but also learns how a manger should adjust himself to the overall needs of the enterprise. 4] Assignment of special Projects :Sometimes, as a method of training some special project is assigned to a trainee executive. for example, he may be ask to develop a system of cost allocation in the production of certain goods for which an order has been received by the company. While working on such project, the trainee not only acquires knowledge about them, but also learns how to work with and relate to other people holding different views. 5] Conference and Seminars :Often an executive is deputed to attend a conference, seminar or workshop to receive a quick orientation in various areas of Management with which he might be unfamiliar. One advantage of this type of training is that all the participants coming from different organizations get an opportunity to pool their ideas and experience in attempting to solve mutual problems. The attitude is one of joint exploration. This encourages cross fertilization of ideas. 6] Case Study :A case is a written account seeking to describe an actual situation. A good case is the vehicle by which a chunk of realty is brought into the class room to be discussed over by the class and the instructor. Discussion on a case requires a capable instructor, who can evoke and
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guide intelligent discussion analysis, so that meaningful learning experiences occur. There is no "right" answer or simple explanation in the comprehensive case. The advantages of this method are more depth of thinking, more perception in a situation, greater respect for and consideration for the opinion of others. 7] Incident Method :This method was developed at M.I.T. by Paul and Pigors, as an outgrowth of dissatisfaction felt with the case method. In the usual case method the entire problem is presented to the students, whereas in the incident method only a brief incident is presented to provoke discussion in the class. The group then puts questions to the instructor to draw out of him the salient facts and additional information, needed to arrive at a reasonable solution or resolution of the case. This method draws the participants into discussion with greater emotional involvement. A unique advantage of this method over the case method is the procedure of obtaining information by questions, one that often must take place in actual business situations. 8] Role Playing :In this method, the instructor assigns parts taken from case materials to group members. The situation is usually one involving conflict between people. The role players attempt to act the parts as they would behave in a real life situation, working without a script or memorized lines and improvising as they play the parts. The development of empathy and sensitivity is one of the primary objectives of role playing. 9] Laboratory Training (or Sensitivity Training) (T group Training): This type of training is designed to increase the managers understanding of himself and of his own impact on others. The training takes the form of a group discussion, and through a leader trained in the technique is present, the group may decide on the subject of discussion or suggest
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changes in procedure. In the course of discussion, conflict, hostility, stress and frustration may be purposely generated for they later on become motivations for growth as well as food for learning. The laboratory training aims at achieving behavioural, effectiveness in transactions with ones environment.

Performance appraisal
A performance appraisal, employee appraisal, performance review, or (career) development discussion[1] is a method by which the job performance of an employee is evaluated (generally in terms of quality, quantity, cost, and time) typically by the corresponding manager or supervisor.[2] A performance appraisal is a part of guiding and managing career development. It is the process of obtaining, analyzing, and recording information about the relative worth of an employee to the organization. Performance appraisal is an analysis of an employee's recent successes and failures, personal strengths and weaknesses, and suitability for promotion or further training. It is also the judgement of an employee's performance in a job based on considerations other than productivity alone. Aims Generally, the aims of a performance appraisal are to:
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Give employees feedback on performance Identify employee training needs Document criteria used to allocate organizational rewards Form a basis for personnel decisions: salary increases, promotions, disciplinary actions, bonuses, etc. Provide the opportunity for organizational diagnosis and development Facilitate communication between employee and administration
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Validate selection techniques and human resource policies to meet federal Equal Employment Opportunity requirements. To improve performance through counseling, coaching and development.

Methods
A common approach to assessing performance is to use a numerical or scalar rating system whereby managers are asked to score an individual against a number of objectives/attributes. In some companies, employees receive assessments from their manager, peers, subordinates, and customers, while also performing a self assessment This is known as a 360-degree appraisal and forms good communication patterns. The most popular methods used in the performance appraisal process include the following:
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Management by objectives 360-degree appraisal Behavioral observation scale Behaviorally anchored rating scales

Trait-based systems, which rely on factors such as integrity and conscientiousness, are also commonly used by businesses. The scientific literature on the subject provides evidence that assessing employees on factors such as these should be avoided. The reasons for this are twofold: 1) Because trait-based systems are by definition based on personality traits, they make it difficult for a manager to provide feedback that can cause positive change in employee performance. This is caused by the fact that personality dimensions are for the most part static, and while an employee can change a specific behavior they cannot change their
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personality. For example, a person who lacks integrity may stop lying to a manager because they have been caught, but they still have low integrity and are likely to lie again when the threat of being caught is gone. 2) Trait-based systems, because they are vague, are more easily influenced by office politics, causing them to be less reliable as a source of information on an employee's true performance. The vagueness of these instruments allows managers to fill them out based on who they want to/feel should get a raise, rather than basing scores on specific behaviors employees should/should not be engaging in. These systems are also more likely to leave a company open to discrimination claims because a manager can make biased decisions without having to back them up with specific behavioral information.

Performance management, Performance review or performance appraisal as used by different establishments are all talking about the same thing, it has to do with aligning the human resources with the corporate goals of the firm, evaluate their performances and recommend commensurate rewards. It involves skill planning, skill development, and maintaining a good pay for performance culture in an organization.

Over the years, effective performance management has been proven to improve employee loyalty, morale and general productivity. Due mainly to the highly competitive business environment today, there is the need for firms to boost the morale and loyalty of their employees in order to stand the heat of competition. Because of the high cost of selection, recruitment, training and developing new employees, it is imperative for firms to motivate and retain their high performing employees. What am I saying in essence as a Human resources expert, you are to have in place a good performance management system in your firm to help motivate and retain top performers, align individual performances with corporate
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goals thereby creating a more involved workforce, which will lead to greater productivity. A very good Performance management system must include employee and management participation for it to be non biased and fair. There are different steps involved in performance management or appraisal depending on the type of firm or size. These steps may not be followed rigidly, but they will assist in having a good review result. The following steps will act as a guide to a good performance management;

Define different jobs. Each job or duty should have a name. The department each duty reports to should be established and known. Define Job Duties. There should be clearly defined duties and responsibilities for each defined job. It should be done in a clear manner to avoid clash and interference between different jobs. Define Performance Goals: Performance goals should be defined with measurable outcomes. Define Priority for each job goal and responsibility. The main priority for each job goal should be clearly stated for easy assessment and measurement of result/outcome. Define performance standard: For each key component of the job, a performance standard should be defined to know when a staff has performed below or above the given standard. Keep Record of all staff performances before during and after every appraisal exercise. It is always good to have records kept for each staff in his file. Discussions with staff supervisors and with staff should be noted even when appraisal exercise is not on. It sure will be of help during any appraisal exercise. The Appraisal form should be elaborate: The form should have columns for the appraiser and a part for appraisees agreement or disagreement with the appraisers comments about him as well as the appriasees comments (Self Assessment).
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You May Provide a feedback column: This column will be used to get feedback from employees peers, customers or subordinates if need be. Very Important to have a training need column in the form: A very important aspect of an appraisal is to find out how an employee is performing in his present responsibility and if not why he is not performing as well as training needs that may be used to improve performance.

Reasons For Performance Appraisal in a Firm:

Apart from the general reason of increasing the morale, motivation, involvement and productivity of staff, there are other streamlined reasons why firms carry out performance appraisal exercises. These reasons include;

To provide feedback on individual performance in a given period: Firms employ because of the need they want met. During appraisals, firms find out if employees are adding value to the firm or not.
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To plan for future Promotion: As a reward for performance, employees are promoted and given greater responsibilities and authorities. Performance appraisal or review is needed to know staff who are due for promotion. As a succession Planning tool: Dynamic and future oriented firms plan for tomorrow leaders today by planning how to hand over power, authority, and running of the firm in advance. Perfomance appraisal exercise showcases employees who are future leaders. To assess Training and Development needs of employees: A good performance appraisal exercise reveals training needs of employees. Provides Information for salary planning: After appraisal, some staff are promoted to the next level, which attracts salary and allowances increment. Also some staff who are not promoted are rewarded with gifts or salary increment too. This assists in planning for staff salaries. Career Planning: Career planning is a corporate organizational issue. After appraisals, it is always found out that most employees are working in departments they have little or no flair for. This generally affects their individual as well as general corporate performance. Performance appraisal results help in planning and repositioning employees career.

It should be noted that performance appraisal is a very important aspect of organization future growth and positioning as such it should be carried out with all seriousness and sincerity. The Human resources person should be able to advice all supervisors and managers before every appraisal exercise to avoid getting a biased result, which will ultimately affect the general productivity of the firm. Supervisor /Managers should avoid elements of favoritism or emotions during appraisals. Most Managers use appraisal exercise as a time to get back at subordinates. This is a wrong approach to appraisal. Appraisal exercises should be fair and without bias. Before a manager can appraise his subordinate, he should be able to know the employee very well, the company goals, the products /services they are handling, their
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customers, other colleagues, the target given to the staff etc before a fair and non biased judgment can be given.

Finally for any Performance appraisal exercise to be successful and without prejudice, the Goals set must be "SMART". This means that the goals must be Specific, Measurable, Attainable, Realistic and with a Time Frame. Individual goals must be aligned with corporate organizational goals. Employee self-evaluation/assessment must be included in the assessment form. The Supervisor and subordinate must be allowed to participate in the review. The ratings must be clearly stated with reasons for each rating. There must be a final column for the Human Resources personnel to evaluate the review and make a final recommendation for Managements approval.

Performance appraisal methods

Performance appraisal management material. I. Performance appraisal methods (Tools of ) Performance appraisal methods include 11 appraisal methods / types as follows: 1. Critical incident method The critical incidents for performance appraisal is a method in which the manager writes down positive and negative performance behavior of employees throughout the performance period

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2. Weighted checklist method This method describe a performance appraisal method where rater familiar with the jobs being evaluated prepared a large list of descriptive statements about effective and ineffective behavior on jobs 3. Paired comparison analysis Paired comparison analysis is a good way of weighing up the relative importance of options. A range of plausible options is listed. Each option is compared against each of the other options. The results are tallied and the option with the highest score is the preferred option. 4. Graphic rating scales The Rating Scale is a form on which the manager simply checks off the employees level of performance. This is the oldest and most widely method used for performance appraisal. 5. Essay Evaluation method This method asked managers / supervisors to describe strengths and weaknesses of an employees behavior. Essay evaluation is a nonquantitative technique This method usually use with the graphic rating scale method. 6. Behaviorally anchored rating scales This method used to describe a performance rating that focused on specific behaviors or sets as indicators of effective or ineffective performance. It is a combination of the rating scale and critical incident techniques of employee performance evaluation.

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7. Performance ranking method Ranking is a performance appraisal method that is used to evaluate employee performance from best to worst. Manager will compare an employee to another employee, rather than comparing each one to a standard measurement. 8. Management By Objectives (MBO) method MBO is a process in which managers / employees set objectives for the employee, periodically evaluate the performance, and reward according to the result. MBO focuses attention on what must be accomplished (goals) rather than how it is to be accomplished (methods) 9. 360 degree performance appraisal 360 Degree Feedback is a system or process in which employees receive confidential, anonymous feedback from the people who work around them. This post also include information related to appraisal methods such as 720, 540, 180 10.Forced ranking (forced distribution) Forced ranking is a method of performance appraisal to rank employee but in order of forced distribution. For example, the distribution requested with 10 or 20 percent in the top category, 70 or 80 percent in the middle, and 10 percent in the bottom. 11. Behavioral Observation Scales Behavioral Observation Scales is frequency rating of critical incidents that worker has performed.

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Best performance appraisal resources 1. Phrases For Performance Appraisals. Benefits of this ebook include: A collection of hundreds of ready-to-use impactful appraisal comments and phrases; Phrases to highlight your key strengths and achievements; Phrases to downplay your weaknesses to soften the impact on your overall performance; A comprehensive list of phrases covering most of the categories of KPIs used by many companies; Guidebook provided in Microsoft Word softcopy for your easy copy, paste and modify in your appraisal form; Guidebook provided in Microsoft Excel spreadsheet so that you can use it also for your employees appraisals and easy moderation! etc 2. Employee Performance Appraisals Forms. Benefits of this ebook include: Make your fair help good & make your good help great; Improve efficiency; Save hours upon hours of time; Get what you want out of every hourly dollar you pay your employees! Even your best employees need to know they are appreciated; Impress your boss or, if you are the boss, motivate your staff by giving them the feedback they NEED to be a better employee etc 3. Employee Performance Review: Tips, Templates & Tactics. Contents of this ebook include: Probation policies and templates, performance review tips, performance appraisal tips; Performance review tips, performance appraisal tips performance review policies and templates; Performance review tips, performance appraisal tips learning & development policies and templates; Performance review tips, performance appraisal tipspoor work performance policies and templates etc 4. Managers Guide to Performance. Contents of this ebook: How to deal with an employee who displays negative behavior.help them deal with their own issues and change their behavior; How to coach an employee to higher performance.employees want your leadership and will follow a strong manager; How to be clear about what you expect from them.an employee always wants to know how to best perform;
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