Equal opportunites and Diversity

The difference between equality and diversity

Equality and Diversity is often used now instead of equal opportunities. However both terms have a slight difference in their meaning. Equality is seen as the structure and culture which arises from the tasks that are carried out within the workplace. It is made up of laws, policies and procedures to ensure a consistent, non discriminatory, safe environment. (The adult college, 2010). It is about creating a fairer society where everyone can contribute and has the opportunity to fulfil their potential.

According to the charted management institute, the definition of diversity is described as any sort of difference between two or more people. Differences might exist in terms of race, gender, disability, education etc. The aim is to treat each person as an individual and involves strategies for the varied individuals to work together to become a dynamic workforce. (Mullins, 2007, page 146)

Equality of opportunities involves legislation to eliminate unjustified discrimination if they feel they have been treated unfairly and enable employers to seek help and develop equal opportunities by taking positive action. Many legisation such as:

• Sex discrimination act 1975-The Sex Discrimination Act applies to both men and women of any age and race, including children. However, it is not unlawful to discriminate against someone because they are not married.
• Disibilty discrimination act 2004- This act covers discrimination against disabled people no matter how many members of staff the employer has.
• Race relation Act 1976- The Race Relations Act covers people from all racial backgrounds and makes no division on the grounds of race, colour, nationality, ethnic or national origin.

3 arguments for and against Margaret Mountford views

http://business.timesonline.co.uk/tol/business/career_and_jobs/article6830916.ece

3 arguments for Margaret Mountford's views:

Mountford stated that women should only be appointed to senior positions on merit. This is a fair point, all men and woman should be treated equally on the basis of merit for any job position they apply for and only the skills, experience and qualifications should be considered.
This would enable women to be more focused on their work and dedicated to towards their work as they know they have to work hard to get to the position they want to achieve.
This would make women demand less to working flexible hours as they might take the advantage during child bearing years. They cannot complain that they are not on the board if they decide they want to leave or take a couple of months off or work less hours.

3 arguments against Margaret Mounford’s views:

Mountford’s views do not take into consideration that women have certain responsibilities which men in most cases do not need to worry about e.g. their children.
This stops women from achieving higher and be appointed to senior positions as they have other priorities which come first to them.
If companies make the working hours more flexible for women, this would discriminate against men. (Business.timesonline, 2009)

The impact age legislation has on employers:

The age discrimination legislation which was the final strand to equality legislation protects employers from being discriminated against their age while working for an organisation. As this legislation came into force in 2006, it covers employment and vocational training. The impact age legislation has on employers is:

• It is vital that recruiters and employers are educated and trained effectively so that they are aware of the requirements of the age legislation. It is important to bring the right policies and procedures in the workplace to avoid discrimination.
• Effective training that is provided with the development and performance of successful practice should not only minimise the legal risks but bring real benefits to employers. These benefits could include a reduction in recruitment and training costs, and increased productivity.(Business link, 2010)
• Research shows according to the training journal online “employers are starting to move beyond good intentions towards delivering strategies that contribute to achieving an age diverse workforce.” (Training journal, 2004)
• Creating age diverse workforces employers can attract employees within the range of age recruiting and developing both younger and older workers.
• Companies can gain from businesses employing an age-diverse workforce, For example there would be increased motivation, higher retention rate, greater flexibility lower absenteeism, and a wide range of skills.

The stereotypes we tend to hold about younger people are:

• They have a lot of energy and pick up things easily.
• They are inexperienced
  

The stereotypes we tend to hold about older people:

• Slow at working and take their time to get things done as they do not very active.
• More experienced, reliable and work well under pressure.
• Harder to train.
  

The two ways organisations can change these attitudes and stop these stereotypes is by looking at the positive side to stereotypes. Organisation should closely observe at older workers and their work performance. As a result they may find that performance does not decline with age. As they have a lot of experience, older workers tend to find more efficient ways of performing their jobs compared to younger workers. Another way is employers should treat both young employees and older employees equally and with the same amount of respect so they can set a example infront of other workers which they can follow and so they would feel that everyone should be treated in the same way.

B&Q and British airways practise in relation to equal opportunities:

B&Q's is an organisation that highly values its employees. The diversity policy they hold relates to gender, race, age and ability and does not discriminate against these issues. B&Q have been recognised for their achievements to employ people from every kind of background and race which gives them a much wider mix of experience. They believe having a diverse workforce is important for B&Q as they can understand their customers which will bring a positive image to the company. On their official website they have mentioned they have received many awards, one which was from the in the top 50 retailers where women would want to work. This indicates that the policies they believe in treats both men and women equally within the workplace and does not discriminate. (McCarthy Recruitment, 2010) Usually women may need to take maternity leave at a point which would result in less staff or they might want to leave the job but however B&Q does not show prejudice and women recognise this so that’s why women prefer to work there. The benefits of employing older people means there would be more experience and understanding and they would be a great asset to the company. B&Q have been acknowledged and also earned a reputation for employing older workers as they believe this would lead to their customers having an insight to their generation of experience and knowledge. This is the reason B&Q have removed their retirement age more than 15 years ago and are encouraging equal opportunities for older employees. (B&Q, 2010)From training to rewards to store layouts, B&Q continue to support equality of opportunity in everything they do, so there are no barriers for anybody who wants to apply an be apart of the B&Q team.

BA is one of the most successful companies that value a diverse workforce and think equality and diversity are key factors to their success and this is a reason why they play a huge part in ensuring they achieve equality of opportunity. BA has taken the time and effort to develop an equal opportunities policy to eliminate any discrimination in their company. The number of policies includes:

• Disability discrimination- They aim to provide an environment for many disabled people in the areas of employment, education and access to goods, facilities, services and premises. BA’s recruitment process follows the Disability Discrimination Act 1995 allowing people with disabilities to have fair and equal access to employment opportunities. They also make adjustments to roles and environments to accommodate disabled applicants and for staff who have become disabled while being employed by BA.
• BA have quite strict values on diversity and have stated on their website that they “are committed to equal opportunities and oppose any form of direct or indirect discrimination, harassment or bullying of employees or job applicants on the grounds of: sex; ethnic or national origin, race, nationality, class, colour, sexual orientation, transsexuals, disability, marital or family status, religious beliefs, employment status; membership or non-membership of a trade union; HIV status or any other unjustifiable condition” (BAA, 2010) As they believe employees and their customers are most important, all of these aspects are important to them to help maximise employers potential and contribution to the organisation, bring about change and increase their performance and the reputation of BA as a whole.

Conclusion:

Over all it is important that organisations understand there are differences among employees and that these differences, if properly managed, are an asset to work being done more efficiently and effectively. Following all the regulations is vital to enable employers to develop equal opportunities and eliminate unjustified discrimination.

References:

The adult college (2010) Explanation of Equality [online]. Available from: http://www.theadultcollege.org/equality/eq003a.asp [Accessed 15 April 2010]

Mullins, L. (2007) Management and organisational behaviour, Eighth edition page 146

Business times online (2009) Margaret Mountford of The Apprentice tells women [online]. Available from: http://business.timesonline.co.uk/tol/business/career_and_jobs/article6830916.ece [Accessed on 15 April 2010]

Business link (2010) Age legislation impact on employers [online] Available from:
http://www.businesslink.gov.uk/bdotg/action/layer?r.l1=1073858787&topicId=1082249786&r.lc=en&r.l2=1079568262&r.s=tl [Accessed on 15 April 2010]

Training journal (2004) Impact of age legislation on recruitment [online] Available from: http://www.trainingjournal.com/news/880.html [Accessed on 15 April 2010]

(McCarthy Recruitment, 2010) B&Q [online] Available from: http://www.mccarthyrecruitment.com/retail-employers/featured/b-q [Accessed on 15 April 2010]
(B&Q, 2010) Our ethics [online] Available from: http://www.diy.com/diy/jsp/corporate/content/environment_ethics/ethics/index.jsp [Accessed on 15 April 2010]

(BAA, 2010) Equal opportunities policy [online] Available from: http://www.baa.com/portal/page/Corporate/BAA+Airports%5ECorporate+responsibility%5EOur+policies%5EEqual+opportunities/8ad9ec27b5eee110VgnVCM10000036821c0a____/448c6a4c7f1b0010VgnVCM200000357e120a____/%20responsibility [Accessed on 15 April 2010]

Selection

Selection methods used by GAP:

GAP is a well-known organisation that sells clothing and I myself shop at therefore I am familiar with the company. I am going to discuss the 3 different selection methods they use, when they are used and why, alongside the pros and cons for each. The selection methods they use to choose the best person for the job are:

· Shop floor assessments
· Communication test
· Interviews

When they are used and why:

• Shop floor assessments assist the whole selection process by giving candidates experience of the job at GAP while testing them on work-related activities as individuals and in groups. This happens usually after the first round of interviews and before the final selection. This type of assessment is designed to reveal the candidates potential and measure the skills and behaviours required to be successful against a set of competencies. (Prospects, 2010)

• Communication tests are designed to evaluate candidate’s general level of communication skills. This is used as communicating with others is essential in a workplace so employers can know the ability they hold. Tests are used because it shows the employers how effectively they can deal with issues through communication and as working in GAP requires staff to be dealing with customer queries. This test is taken usually before candidates are short listed so employers are clear with who has the communication skills as this is an important aspect when considering who is right for the job.

• Interviews are used when once the entire applicant’s application forms are taken in, observed and shortlisted by GAP. After this the candidates are then called in for an interview whoever has a chance to be offered the job. Interviews are used so the manager of GAP has a clear observation of the candidate’s personality and to evaluate the candidate and make judgments. During this process, the employer hopes to determine whether or not the applicant is suitable for the job.

Pros and cons of using these selection methods:

• Shop floor assessments has many advantages such as the techniques used provide accurate results about the candidate's probable ability in the organisation as the activities they carry out are related to the job itself. Employers can recognise the specific skills that some candidates have that are better than others especially when working in groups. On the employee side, shop floor assessments has been shown to provide greater opportunity for candidates who might not have done that well in interview and can use this selection method to impress the employer judging. Candidates can also get a good preview of the work so if they don't like what they see, they have got a chance to quit. (jlaure, 2009). However shop floor tests are on-the-job tests which could work out to be expensive. If the candidate is nervous they might not perform that well which could effect the decision of the judges.

• Communication tests benefits employers as they are able to see how strong candidate’s communication skills are and if it is good enough to fit the job role. It would help the employer make decisions between candidates if they had to select for example 3 candidates out of 5 who have similar experience. It is also a chance for candidates to show off their verbal capability. The drawbacks are candidates might not be honest with there answers and might select the answers that may seem right to impress the employer.

• Interviews has many benefits such as the interviewer can adapt to question and ask different question if necessary or rephrase the question so make it more clearer to the candidate if they did not understand. The employer can visually see the first impression of the employee, for example nervous taping and other body language can be judged. The employer can identify how capable candidates are at communicating verbally and the way they approach to answering the questions when under pressure. (blurtit, 2010). On the other hand interviewers could be biased and discriminate against certain groups. The cost of training interviewers to reduce interviewer’s biases is also high. There are also geographical limitations to face-to-face interviews as resources are needed if such interviews need to be done nationally or internationally.

My experience of an interview I had in school

When I was in year 11 and I applied for the canteen supervisor duty during my last year of high school I was successful with my application and was called for an interview. I was very nervous because it was the first interview I had ever taken and also it was with the head teacher which was quite nerve-racking. I thought the interview was effective because as my head teacher was asking me questions for example what personal qualities I have that make me suit this role? And why you want the job? I was quite hesitant at first to make sure I answer the question wisely and correctly but as I went on to answering the question, she was impressed with the personality and behaviour I had shown and I had convinced her that I was suitable for the job. In a way as it was a one-to one interview, my head teacher could judge on the way I spoke and just my gesture which she picked up on straight away and was definitely a plus point for me. As this was my first experience I had learnt a lot about how I should present myself when I go for an interview and what to expect.

Are personality tests advantageous?

Personality tests are also a different selection method used in many organisations and it is used to find out whether the candidates have the right personality and traits to work for the company. I interviewed my cousin and asked him whether during the selection process, personality tests should be utilised to help select the right person for the job and whether these tests are advantageous. He said that there are two ways to look at it. It can assist in selecting the right candidates with the desired characteristics. For example it can help when a manager has to decide between 5 people which 3 should be selected for the job so personality tests can be used to indicate who has the more likeable and suitable qualities and therefore make choosing the right 3 candidates more easier. Also if the job they are applying for requires a certain personality or trait, personality tests aid in identifying which person has the particular interests required and as a result maybe valuable in the job. This is therefore a benefit within the selection procedure.

However he pointed out relying on personality tests would be unfair because most of the results might not be accurate and may give a totally wrong perspective of a person. Candidates might not answer the questions of the test honestly and just tick the answers as to what seems right to impress the manager so the personality results would be mistaken. This would mean that if a candidate is chosen mainly because they are believed to have the certain characteristics, it may be false.

Recommendations for GAP

To improve selection processes I recommend GAP using other types of selection methods such as referencing to help them decide on which candidates are best for the job. Employers can get more detail about the candidates through other employers who the candidate has worked with. They will able get honest personal views from other employers which may aid in selecting the suitable candidates. Other tests can be used such as personality tests to see the qualities and interests they hold. For example if the candidate is needed to work as a sales assistant, this means being around customers, they need to have a lively, cooperative type of character that avoids conflict and works well with other staff. Therefore by candidates taking the personality test will help employers to make decisions whether the candidate is suitable enough for the role.

Conclusion:

In conclusion, it is very important as to the types of candidates that are being selected as this will result in the performance of the organisation; therefore the selection process is vital. There are many selection processes and the advantages it has but organisations have to look at the down side that may result. As a whole I have enjoyed this topic as it comes in use when I have to apply for jobs and go through the selection process myself.

References:

Prospects, (2010) Assessment centres [online] Avaiable from: http://www.prospects.ac.uk/cms/ShowPage/Home_page/Applications__CVs_and_interviews/Tests_and_exercises/Assessment_centres/p!eeXpllc [Accessed 7 April 2010]

jlarue (2009) Advantages and disadvantages of assessment centres [online]. Avaiable from: http://www.jlarue.com/assessment_center.html [Accessed 7 April 2010

Blurtit, (2010) Advantages and Disadvantages of interviews [online]. Avaiable from: http://www.blurtit.com/q734868.html [Accessed 7 April]

Recruitment

The on-line recruitment website I have chosen to review is http://www.prospects.ac.uk/

Prospects online is the UK’S official graduate careers website and is very easy and simple to use. It is quite straight forward because as soon as you click on the site there is a search engine on the homepage with all the different categories of jobs and courses in the area of interest. As soon as I chose a category e.g. Business and management it narrowed the job search to suit the graduate jobs I was looking for. Not only is there job searches but links to career advice, postgraduate study and my prospects where I can join and get updates on job vacancy alerts by email.

The layout of prospects online is fairly simple and clear but in general exceptionally good. There is no need to scroll down much which is important because as a user myself I would not want to be scrolling down and searching the relevant links. On the left of the homepage is a search engine called ‘my prospects’ where the user can login and in the centre is the main search where users can search for jobs and work. Therefore the layout of this website is straight forward and even a person using this website for the first time would not have any problems.

The accessibility of the website is straightforward and easy to navigate as all the pages are linked with each other. Users can navigate through the website without difficulty. On any page of the Prospects.ac.uk website there are links to help pages, site maps and contact us pages. The loading time of each page is quick so therefore it’s quite efficient.

The content is well structured including the relevant drop down menus and search engines. Video and audio content is accessible to everyone by providing transcripts or captions wherever possible. There are no pop-ups that appear automatically so there is no disturbance when viewing the content.

The design of the website is very professional yet simple so it is fit for its purpose. The background colour is a white colour and the text is black which makes it easy and clear to read text. The prospects logo at the top is multi-coloured and the logo is in the same place of every page which gives it a sleek look. (Prospects, 2010)

Advantages and disadvantages of online recruitment

Advantages of online recruitment:

• It is efficient as it doesn’t take long to post new vacancies on the internet by recruiting firms. This then makes recruiting quick as applicants can straightaway apply for the job online, be interviewed if the applicant is suitable for the job.

• Cost effective as vacancies are posted on firms own website so it does not cost a thing. Advertising on a national newspaper can cost thousands, so you can instantly see the cost savings with online recruitment.

• There is a better chance of being successful if job vacancies are advertised on websites as there is access 24 hours a day, 7 days a week. This provides flexibility as applicants can apply whenever they get time to.

• Online recruitment gives you’re a wider range of audience from young people to candidates 35 years of age. Online recruitment is now a part of most people's job hunting no matter what level or age.

• It’s straightforward and simple to post job vacancies on your own site and does not require a great deal of work. (What job site, 2009)

Disadvantages of online recruitment:

• As applying online can be simple it may lead to the overload of candidates applying for the job especially candidates who have not got the best qualifications for the job. This can be quite time consuming for HR department to look through all the applicants and choose the best ones.

• Online recruitment does not always work as not every job vacancy can be filled online. Some job vacancies can only be filled by recruitment consultants or head-hunters as it’s too difficult to fill otherwise.

• Not everyone may have access to the internet so this may prove to be a disadvantage to those people. It could miss out on some of the top candidates who may not have accessibility to the internet.

• It might be expensive to recruit online as it may be necessary to hire additional staff; therefore creating additional expense, especially with the sheer volume of responses from candidates can require more staff.

• If a candidate who lives in another country and has applied online, there might be a possibility to perform interviews by telephone instead; consequently the employer may not get a clear outlook of the candidate’s personality.

A recruitment campaign that has interested me

A recruitment campaign that interested me was when I was going through the recruitment section of the 2012 Olympics official site, one of the latest accountancy jobs that I could look into when I graduate hopefully by 2012. This has interested me as the Olympics are going to be held in London and I would have just graduated this would be quite an experience working for the firm even as a trainee. If I do get a good honours degree and enough experience I would stand a chance to be considered for the role. Additionally sports is a hobby that I enjoy a lot so being apart of London’s most exciting and memorable events would be great achievement for myself therefore I would have interest in applying for the job.

What ‘physiological contract’ means to me

http://www.cipd.co.uk/subjects/empreltns/psycntrct/psycontr.htm

The term ‘physiological contract’ had become well-known after the economic downturn in the early 1990s. It is defined as the insight between employers and their employees and the joint requirements they hold. These requirements are believed by the employee to be part of the relationship with the employer. In the contract it states what is expected by employees from their job and is based on the employee’s sense of fairness and trust they hold onto their employer. The model of the psychological contract by Professor David Guest outlines that if the contract is positive, there will be an increase in commitment and agreement leading to a positive impact on business performance. It is vital employers and managers take responsibility for maintaining their employees and making best efforts to fulfil the promises they guaranteed and spend time negotiating on deals otherwise the contract could be broken. This could have negative effect on the job satisfaction and commitment which could result in de-motivation. (Cipid, 2009)

Conclusion:

In conclusion, I found this topic on recruitment quite interesting because this is something I will be going through later in my life and it widened my knowledge on this subject matter. I was not familiar with the term Psychological contract but now I understand more about it.

References:

What job site, (2009) The advantages of online recruitment [online] Available from: http://www.whatjobsite.com/Online%20Recruitment:%20Advantages%20and%20disadvantages.htm [Accessed on 4 April]

Prospects (2010) [online] Available from: http://www.prospects.ac,uk/ [Accessed on 4 April]

Cipid, (2009) The psychological contract [online] Available from: http://www.cipd.co.uk/subjects/empreltns/psycntrct/psycontr.htm [Accessed on 5 April]

EHow (2010) Disadvantages of online recruitment [online] Available from: http://www.ehow.com/about_5384653_disadvantages-online-recruitment.html [Accessed on 6 April]

HR Planning

Why it is important for organisations to have HR plans?
The definition of HR planning is the process by which management ensures that it has the right personnel, who are capable of completing those tasks that help the organization reach its objectives. (Work 911, 2009). HR plans links and driven by management to the organisation’s mission statement, vision, business goals and objectives, as well as its strategic plans. For example systematic selection techniques are considered in HR to guarantee new recruits fit the job description and person specification. The issue has not become how many people should be employed, but ensuring that all members of staff are making an effective contribution to the organisation. The questions are what are the skills that will be required, and how will they be acquired to meet that strategy. The key goal for HR planning in recruitment and selection is to get the right number of people with the right skills, experience and competencies in the right jobs at the right time at the right cost. If organisations do not plan wisely, misjudgement is made as they can exceed the size of their workforce and carry extra staff that would not be utilised. This will make it difficult to meet production or deadlines at the quality level expected. (Employment-studies, 1996)

Training and development is also designed during HR planning to secure full benefits of successful training. Staff training has become vital strategic importance. (Mullins, 2007) It does not only provide confidence and motivation to staff but help improve the availability, quality and skills of staff. There should be a clear set of objectives, targets and a defined policy for training. Questions such as who will be trained and why? What should be taught and by whom? are all issues that should be planned carefully before hand. The methods of training should be chosen appropriately according to the particular needs of the organisation and the employees. If organisations do not plan a systematic approach to the management of training with the increased pace of technological, structural and social change, they may not see an improved organisational performance as skills are not kept up-to -date. They may not be able to reconcile the gap between what should happen and what is happening.

Career progression is another aspect which HR needs to plan towards. The reason for this is because they can see what is best for their employees and support their potential and their ability to carry on and progress further in their career. Performance and appraisal provide feedback for both management and employees. Appraisal and reviews provides the gap for improvement and a basis for rewards that the staff deserve.

Rodger’s seven point person specification for a university lecturer

1. Physical make-up: Should have a good state of health that is flexible and in good physical shape. You should dress appropriately and smart as this gives out a good impression. No trainers or hoodies. Should be able to speak well in front of an audience.
2. Attainments: Expected to have the relevant qualification and skills that enables them to be a lecturer. Should have graduated from higher education with at least a Bachelor of Education degree. Recent teaching experience in a school or evidence of recent completion of initial teacher training is essential.
3. Intelligence: University lecturers should have a good understanding of planning and assessment techniques and develop a range of successful teaching strategies to suit their students. Should be able Communicate effectively (both orally and in writing) to a variety of students.
4. Special aptitudes: Expected to be aware with using Microsoft word, excel, PowerPoint, outlook and internet. Should be familiar with using other IT software and equipment to a reasonable standard. Good Mathematical skills are required for various courses.
5. Interests: University lectures are committed to teaching and a willingness to continue to learn through professional development. Should have an energetic and friendly personality and enjoy working with staff and students and meeting new people. Should be able to socialise to a level by maintaining appropriate relationships with their students.
6. Disposition: University lecturer is expected to be mature and sensible as well as have good behaviour management skills. Humour is also acceptable as this could help in wisdom and motivation and make it a satisfying learning environment.
7. Circumstances: University lecturers are expected to be situated reasonably close to the University so there is not any difficulty travelling to and from the University especially when there are emergencies where a lecturer needs to come in and cover a lecture.

Key labour questions if Waitrose was opening in High Wycombe

If Waitrose was being opened in High Wycombe, the key labour questions they need to consider are:

1. What is the employment level in High Wycombe? Research needs to be carried out into the type of people likely to work in the store and the percentage of unemployed in the area. If there is a high level of unemployment this will be in good for Waitrose, as they can easily find people who are jobless to recruit and work for them.

2. Are there any competitors in the area that are likely to influence the business? Sainsbury is a huge superstore that is located in High Wycombe as well as Tesco that is in the shopping centre. Therefore Waitrose need to take that into account as they sell almost the same products so they need to see whether opening a Waitrose would be a success.

3. Is there potentially any skilled labour in the area? Waitrose are probably looking for people with skills and the right ability to work for their store and make it successful. If there are skilled workers training would not be needed and this could save cost.

4. What methods of training will be required to train new employees? Of-the-job training or on-the-job training.

5. What are the possible ways we can advertise for recruitment? The ways Waitrose can advertise is through their official website and state they are opening a new Waitrose in the area. This will make customers aware and they can apply online straight away. Other ways are in local newspapers, radio and even boards or posters at the High Wycombe high street or Eden shopping centre to attract people who are regular shoppers in the area. The local Job centre is also another way to advertise. As Bucks University is located in High Wycombe they can advertise in the university so students who are looking for part time jobs are aware.

Conclusion:

In conclusion it is vital organisations use business and functional strategies in HR planning. Business need to take into consideration many issues when building strategies such as competition, globalisation and legislation. HR planning can aid in decision making and influence the performance of an organisation.

References:

Work 911 (2009) What is human resources planning [online] Available from: http://work911.com/planningmaster/faq/hrdefinition.htm [Assessed 3 April 2010]

Employment-studies (1996) Human resource planning [online] Available from: http://www.employment-studies.co.uk/pubs/summary.php?id=312 [Assessed 3 April 2010]

Mullins (2007)) Management and organisational behaviour. The nature of management, Eighth edition, Chapter 13, pg 490.

Role of HRM

Human Resource management (HRM) is a series of activities which: first enables working people and the organisation which uses their skills to agree about the objectives and the nature of their working relationships, and secondly, ensures that the agreement is fulfilled. (Torrington, 2005). The roles of HRM are to recruit and select the best employees, training staff etc. In order to help deliver organisational excellence, HRM should become partners with senior and line managers in strategy execution.

At the departmental level Line managers require a major role for day-to-day personnel matters with HR managers being their advisors. Line managers play a different role to HR managers as they would be more concerned with the functioning and operational features of HR activities. For example duties, salary, minor disciplinary matters, safety and grievances from staff. It is their job to examine the performance of staff and make sure that all the employees conducting their jobs properly. (Mullins, 2007)

Five benefits and drawbacks of line managers being involved in HR activities

Benefits of line managers involved in HR activities:

1. If the line managers get more involved with the human resource activities and the HR manager, this will make the HRM function more effective.
2. As line managers get closer to their own staff by being involved in their working life, this will have a greater impact on their teams performance and capability, which will eventually impact the performance of their organisation.
3. More capable to deal with day-to-day issues such as lateness, personal problems as this is a general skill they have gained from their job role.
4. Employees feel positive about their relationship with their front line managers as they are more likely to have higher levels of job satisfaction and commitment to their job.
5. The line managers will get a chance to be involved with training and development in the HRM function to improve knowledge and skills

However there are also drawbacks of the line managers getting involved with the HR activities such as:

1. The line managers are not specialists in HR activities and as the human management function is a shared responsibility among top management, line managers and supervisors they may not perform as well.
2. If there is no teamwork and co-operation between all members of the staff, there could be a chance of conflict within the workplace, which could show a negative concern on the organisation.
3. There may be a lack of policies and procedures if line managers get involved with the HR department as it could get quite complex.
4. They may be a lack of communication between the different managers; as a result it will set a bad example on the employees.
5. Management styles of both managers are generally different. (gender diversity, 2006)

The Skills line managers need to develop to effectively manage people

http://www.cipd.co.uk/subjects/maneco/general/rolefrntlinemngers.htm

As front line manager's main role is to be responsible for their employees to a higher level of HR management, the main aspects they cover include coaching and guidance, being responsible for performance appraisals and dealing with discipline and grievances. The front line manager role is vital in a number of respects, however there are certain qualities and skills that are still needed from front line managers to develop in order to effectively manage people.

Communication skill is a key feature that line managers need to develop with the top managers of the HR function as well as their staff. The reason for this is that they need to be able to communicate, offer teamwork and demonstrate issues with their employees to build a better working relationship. In order to deal with any problems effectively line managers need to listen and respond carefully.
Coaching and guidance is another skill that line managers need to expand on to effectively manage people. They need to support their employees on how they do their job and encourage them to take more responsibilities and be involved in more opportunities.
Line managers need to have the right skills to be able to solve problems quickly to avoid conflict and to show they can be trusted on.
Line managers need to develop good teamwork skills which they can teach to their staff in order to manage their staff efficiently. Effective teams can be built to bring out better functioning and operational systems. This will result staff to be more motivated and willing to learn.
Additionally there should be a good working relationship between employees and the line manager. The reason for this is there would be a better understanding and line managers can effectively assist in issues such as disciplinary matters, standards of work performance and grievances from staff. (Cipd, 2010)

The line managers at my work are developed and skilful enough to supervise and enforce a high-quality working environment for us staff through the communication skills they possess. This is very helpful when I have an issue I want to raise or a problem that needs solving as I can have a personal meeting with my line manager to discuss certain policies and procedures. They are aware of what is happening in the workplace. The line managers at work have good problem-solving skills because when a staff member reports any inappropriate behaviour they use their judgment to help find positive solutions and in a discrete way. As the staff members are addressed indirectly it shows their understanding to keep the situation private and under-control. They set a good example and treat all us staff fairly and with respect.

Job roles of a HR manager

After researching the prospects website for the job roles of a HR manager I believe the main jobs within the HR are Personnel officer/manager, training and development officer, employee relation officer and recruitment officer. The personnel manager’s role is to develop advice on and implement policies relating to the effective use of HR within an organisation. The training and development manager is responsible for developing a training package in order to maintain a motivated and skilled workforce and to fulfill the needs of the organisation. An employee relation officer deals with working conditions, performance management, equal opportunities and negotiating with trade unions. Recruitment managers work with line managers and involve preparing job descriptions and person specifications and assist with the implementation of redundancy programmes. Many human resource managers act as the bridge between management and workers in non-union companies. Conflict resolution and improving the overall workplace is a key part of the role of a human resource manager. (Prospects, 2010)

I feel my skills are more suited to being a line manager than a HR manager because I believe I would be more effective in managing people by specifying task and job requirements and allocating individual job roles within the team through coming face to face with employees and communicating in that way. I like to listen to people’s problems and try my best to resolve the situation. I prefer working with employees within a team and understanding the personality of team members and interactions. I prefer creating a positive relationship amongst ourselves through motivating staff and support them to progress in their career. A HR manager’s job role involves more administration functions like paperwork and documentations and even though team work is needed, I feel I am better suited as my strengths lie in my self-awareness and showing a positive attitude to issues.

Conclusion:

In conclusion I have learnt the importance of the HRM function and that it’s a shared responsibility between line managers, HR managers and the top management. The skills and qualities that these different managers hold are diverse and play a key role in an organisation. Teamwork and consultation is needed to effectively manage people and be successful.

References:

Torrington, D. Hall, L. and Taylor, S. (2005) Human Resource management, sixth edition, Financial times Prentice Hall, p.14

Mullins (2007) Management and organisational behaviour. The nature of management, Eighth edition, Chapter 13, pg 486.

Gender diversity (2006) Line managers [online] Available from: http://www.genderdiversity.cgiar.org/inclusiveworkplace/dignity/harassment/linemanagers.htm [Accessed 1st February 2010]

Cipd (2010) the role of front line managers in HR [online] Available from: http://www.cipd.co.uk/subjects/maneco/general/rolefrntlinemngers.htm [Accessed 3rd February 2010]

Prospects (2010) HR job roles [online] Available from: http://www.prospects.ac.uk/cms/ShowPage/Home_page/Explore_job_sectors/Human_resources_and_recruitment/job_roles/p!ecdgabm [Accessed 7th February 2010]

Notes from the lecture in class.

Team Working

The time when I worked in a successful team:

An example of a time when I worked in a team and was successful was in year 11 where I was apart of the lunchtime supervisor scheme. During lunchtime our school canteen was always jam-packed with the school pupils from all years waiting to get into the canteen and purchase their lunch. It wasn’t very much organised. So senior members of staff decided to have lunchtime supervisors during lunchtime period to help manage and deal with the situation. I had to apply for the job like all other students and even have an interview with the head teacher and luckily enough I was one of the pupils selected out of 10 to get this position. We had been told from the start we had to work as a team; even though we all in the same year and were familiar with each other we all did not know each other well enough. One the first week we were all very much alert of the duties we had. However on the first week we all started to get to know each other and according to Tuckman’s Theory on stages of team development we were at the ‘forming’ stage. We were all trying to make a good impression to the staff and showing we knew what we were doing. At the start I was quite lenient with other pupils especially the younger kids who I saw jump the queue to the canteen and did not take action.

After a little while the situation was not improving as much and kids were staring to sneak into lines through the back doors and were leaving litter behind after eating making the canteen look like a mess by the time lunch was over and the school canteen dinner ladies who had to clean at the end were complaining. At this point then, we were at the ‘storming’ stage of team development as conflicts had risen and it was quite de-motivating as we had to clean up after the pupils left. Two of the members of our group actually opted out and did not want to take the responsibility anymore and they thought it was hard work and were not prepared to loose their lunch hour to supervise. This put pressure on us as we were now short of helpers.

We thought of having a group meeting with the senior member of staff who was in charge of us and discuss the issues. We all thought of splitting the group and getting organised. For example having 1 person at the corridors, having another near the queue to make sure there were no pushing and shoving. Another at the entrance of the canteen, who let pupils in a group at a time. One near the food where the tills were so no one would steal and the rest scattered around the canteen to make sure pupils picked up their rubbish on the way out. I think that our team worked successfully during this period because we acted as one team splitting the group up and giving different roles which made it efficient for us. At this point we were at the ‘Norming’ stage of team development.

Once we started to get more organised this made it a lot easier for us and as soon as lunchtime would start we all would go straight to the lunch hall and do our duty. As we got stricter with our duty, no one misbehaved infact younger pupils had fear for us. The dinner ladies were very pleased with our effort and passed on the good word to our senior member of staff. We all were comfortable with each other and resolved any problems without conflict. At this point, we had reached the ‘Performing’ stage of team development as we were at our most productive.

When it came to the end of the year, we felt we achieved a lot and became much apart of the school as we devoted out lunch break to help and we enjoyed it. The last stage of Tuckman’s theory is the ‘mourning’ stage and we did not want to leave because we had gone so far and were successful in working as a team.

Review of my first assignment for people and organisation

The people in my group were me, Grace, Aminah and Ruth for the People and Organisations group assignment. We decided to research on the organisational culture of Body shop and Marks and Spencer. Overall I felt we did not achieve the best mark for the assignment infact I was quite disappointed with the end result. The reason for this is because we did not work entirely as a team. Instead we split up the work into 4 sections between us four and did the research separately and then put all the work together at the end without relating and analysing the theories and explaining them. The overall piece of assignment was supposed to flow and the theories should have all linked in but it looked like 4 separate pieces of work.

According to the model by Tuckman it identifies the five main stages of group development (Mullins, 2007). Our group did not develop through all the stages of the theory therefore that’s the reason why we were not quite successful in working as a team. The first 2 stages ‘forming’ and ‘storming’ were the stages we got up to but stopped there and did not progress. We advanced through the ‘Forming’ stage by being friendly to each other and making a joint decision on the topic we were going to do our assignment on. We split the research we had to do into 4 sections and we all agreed to research the part we had without any disagreements.

During the ‘storming’ stage of development there were many difficulties as we did not manage to meet up after lectures to discuss the work we had done so far. We just did the work ourselves at home and did not do the work as a team. There were times when I needed help because I got stuck with a certain part. We managed confronting each other to talk about the assignment but one member was not there so we were not completely clear with the task. Also with the time of the assignment deadline was getting close, this made it difficult and de-motivating at times. But we managed to complete the assignment on time, so we were successful going through the storming stage.

We did not reach the ‘Norming’ stage of development as we did not establish set systems and procedures on how we were going to tackle the assignment. Even though I felt that we confronted issues regarding the assignment, I don't think we developed our skills as a team as we should have planned it out more carefully. I think this stopped us from achieving a higher grade for our assignment, as the analysis of the theories and the conclusion was the major part that carried forward the most marks which we lacked on as we didn't study the content to a high level.

As we did not pass the Norming stage we could not move onto the ‘Performing’ stage of development. I think we didn't progress through the Performing stage because I felt we never got organised in the first place and left it quite late to improve on the content which effected our overall success of this assignment. I think that we would have passed all five stages if we all met up regularly and discuss how to put the whole piece together for improvement.

Times Top 100 Companies

http://business.timesonline.co.uk/tol/business/career_and_jobs/best_100_companies/

Using the link above to the Times top 100 companies to work for Beaverbrooks the jewellery retailer is ranked as number one on Times Online Best 100 Companies. (Times online, 2009) Team work has been a major factor that has contributed to the success to this company. One of the aspects that contribute to effective teamwork is the low labour turnover rate of only 17%. This shows the commitment existing employees have and that they would not leave the workplace. Employees that work for Beaverbrook are trained that focuses on developing every aspect of the employee. This adds a huge achievement on their self-development and creates an interest with the company making them more motivated towards their job and increases productivity. 82% of employees feel a strong sense of family in their teams which brings them closer as a team as they are caring and feel and sense of belonging with one another.


Another company where teamwork has been identified as a major factor to their success is Microsoft. From the survey it is believed that People love working for the company (81% positive). This shows how happy employees are within their workplace and team and if they have an interest in the job they are going to have a positive effect toward the business. Employees say colleagues go out of their way to help each other (80%). This mainly due to teamwork where staff support and care for each other. Employees at Microsoft are the first to use the technology before it is launched. They find the work “stimulating” and believe they are apart of the valuable success of the company. This makes the working environment fun so the employees enjoy working there They have regular team meetings and team celebrations which keep the staff feel they are belonged within the business. This overall motivates staff to work harder and therefore team working at Microsoft clearly contributes to the success of the business. (Times online, 2009)

Conclusion:

In conclusion, I have found this topic really interesting as I have realised how important team work is within a business and what effective teams consist of. By just interacting and discussing issues can help resolve conflicts within individuals and make the workplace a pleasant environment. There can be many downsides of working as a team rather than working individually as you have to listen to other members of your group which can lead to disagreements but according to Belbin’s theory of teamwork , the individual roles within the team help put the group together and make working in teams a success.

Reference:

Mullins, L. (2007) Groups, Teams and leadership, Eighth edition, Chapter 8, pg 310

Times online (2009) Beaverbrooks the jewellers [online]. Available from: http://business.timesonline.co.uk/tol/business/career_and_jobs/best_100_companies/article5701536.ece [Accessed 25 January 2010]

Times online Microsoft [online]. Available from: http://business.timesonline.co.uk/tol/business/career_and_jobs/best_100_companies/article5703546.ece [Accessed 25 January 2010]

Organisation and management theory

Case study which displays classical school theory:

The case study, Call centres: a case study in people problems in a ‘modern workplace’ is an example of the classical approach. BT’s job design is often seen as an issue in weak maintenance. For example it states “Reference Is made to the ‘intensity’ of the call centres” and “jobs are ‘improvised’ being ‘routine’, ‘boring’ and lacking in variety”. This shows BT relates to the theory that uses scientific management as they take little account of how employees feel about work. (Barnes, 2004, pg.20) Another example that demonstrates the use of classical theory is "Call centres are plagued with high levels of labour turnover with rates averaging 19.3% at agent level and peaking at 37.8% in the food and drink sector" (Barnes, 2004, pg.19). BT call centres are definitely more tasks centered and do not pay attention to needs of workers which explains that the scientific management theory is followed. One of the main characteristics of bureaucracies is the specialisation and employment by the organisation. The most suited to being a call centre agent are “role conscious, dutiful, conscientious, perfectionist and introverted”. This shows when recruiting they are looking for employees with the right qualities. (Barnes, 2004, pg.20)

Case study which demonstrates human relations theory:

The case study, Dell computers: the world at your fingertips is a clear example of the human relations approach. In 1984 Michael Dell set up his own business where he began to build and sell computers directly to customers. It states, “Dell’s idea was to sell direct and at the same time allow customers to have a PC partly tailored to their personal requirements”. (Mullins, 2007) This gave a better level of consumer confidence and sense of involvement that they can choose the components and specification of their product. Dell is highly concerned about the service it provides by offering both reliability and value for money for its customers. The general philosophy of the company is described as “The soul of dell” and the code of conduct which is stated on the Dell website says “We want all members of our team, along with our shareholders, customers, suppliers, and other stakeholders, to understand that they can believe what we sat and trust what we do” (Dell, 2009) The Dell workforce demonstrates the human relation theory as its more people centered and pays attention and interest of the workers. Feedback from the workforce and customers is the key to Dell’s success.


Comparisons between BT and DELL

Both companies have a different approach and different principles to how a business should be organised and managed. BT demonstrates the Classical School theory and Dell demonstrates the Human Relations theory. BT pays less attention on the needs of the workers and has more consideration on the organisation. The focus of scientific management has been described as ‘organisations without people’. On the positive side the BT is concerned with the tasks and tries to meet their aims and objectives under any circumstances. The scientific management approach is used where the best and most efficient method of working for each task by which people should undertake their jobs. On the other hand Dell focuses on human relations approaches and has been described as ‘people without organisations’. The key success is through the workforce and believes the level of production is influenced by the social factors at work. By encouraging the workforce to get involved in the process of the Dell system motivates staff and feels they are belonged.

Scientific management: Advantages and Disadvantages Advantages:

Increased productivity and efficiency from individual workers.
Increased wages while the product cost is dropping.
selection of work force with appropriate abilities for specific tasks.
They keep training employees and increase their professional level.
The most efficient workers are kept which may help boost the sales revenue and therefore profits of a business.

Disadvantages:

Ignores the human element and the view on an employee.
limits interests and needs of employees resulting in de-motivation.
Workers are motivated by only money reasons.
There is a seeming lack of opportunity and contribution towards systematically training and making a man competent.
working conditions were not taken into consideration as the managers didn't care how they worked.

Conclusion:

To conclude, the four main organisation and management theories are the classical school, human relations, systems approaches and contingency approach theory. Scientific management and bureaucracy are part of classical theory and this approach is more task centered and takes in little account of the workers. Human relations theory is the quite the opposite of classical theory, because it is believed employees are the more important factor and productivity will increased with the job satisfaction. A lot of the organisations nowadays follow this theory.

Reference:

Barnes, P. (2004) Call centres: a case study in people problems in a ‘modern workplace’

Mullins, L. (2007) Approaches to organisation management, Eighth edition, Chapter 2, pg 69

Dell (2009)