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Wk 8: The Effects of HR Decisions

When Does Pushing Employees Go Too Far?

Setting goals and motivating employees to achieve them is a critical part of every manager’s job. Ensuring that the goals are SMART (i.e., specific, measurable, achievable, realistic and timely) increases the likelihood that they will be accomplished. In the recent case of Wells Fargo, former employees are alleging that they were expected to meet unrealistic sales goals and compelled to use unethical tactics in order to hit their numbers. According to the terminated team members, the pressure to hit unreachable sales targets led them to game the system and engage in fraudulent practices. 

Wells Fargo’s former employees said “that a high-pressure sales culture at the bank drove some workers to deceive customers and open unauthorized accounts.”  Disgruntled former employees claim that they were coached by supervisors to find creative ways to cross-sell in order to hit their ambitious targets and avoid discipline or termination. 

Coaching is certainly the recommended approach for managers to utilize in providing feedback and encouraging employees to improve their performance. However, when coaching causes people undue stress due to threats and intimidation, it has crossed the line. In a recent article in Harvard Business Review, “Pushing Employees to Go the Extra Mile Can Be Counterproductive,” two recent studies found that convincing employees to do more than what is in their normal job description can have negative consequences. It appears “that employees who feel compelled by extrinsic forces (supervisory demands, formal and informal norms, threat of punishment) to exhibit the admirable qualities of a team player tend to develop a sense of psychological entitlement.” Unfortunately, this entitlement can ultimately lead to deviance such as inappropriate or even unethical workplace behaviors because employees feel like they have “earned” the right to step outside the lines with their positive contributions. 

https://www.hrsource.org/maimis/Members/Articles/2016/10/October_11/When_Does_Pushing_Employees_Go_Too_Far_.aspx

I found a link for  Wells Fargo’s Code of Ethics and Business handbook. It said there: 

Wells Fargo uses human resources as a strategic tool

Wells Fargo (WFC) believes that people are a competitive advantage source and that the company really cares about its employees.

Wells Fargo is a place where teamwork is valued and rewarded. It knows the value that a diverse work force can bring.

Integrating human resource practices lies at the core of Wells Fargo’s strategy.

https://www08.wellsfargomedia.com/assets/pdf/about/corporate/code-of-ethics.pdf

Which are hard to believe, knowing how many lawsuits the company got from their employees and also from the action the bank did by firing thousands of their employee just like that.

Wells Fargo Scandal Shows Serious Lack of Effective Leadership 

Responsibility comes with leadership. If you’re in a position of authority, you’re accountable for what occurs under your watch. Whether or not you took the action that is being questioned, you have responsibility for what those in your charge have done. After the scandal broke, Wells Fargo said that it had fired 5,300 employees over the last few years because of questionable behavior. Not one of those held responsible for the scandal was a member of the senior management team, even though the CEO eventually did resign. That’s right—Wells Fargo fired a bunch of lower-level employees and mid level managers, but somehow no one in the executive suite was held responsible.

It gets worse—the media reported that former Wells Fargo employees who had tried to put a stop to these illegal activities were fired. The bank would find ways to fire employees “in retaliation” for bringing the illegal practices to light. That’s incredible. Wells Fargo has thousands of employees opening millions of accounts on behalf of unknowing customers in order to charge them millions of dollars in fees. As part of its defense, the bank claimed that it has processes and procedures in place to ferret out this type of wrongdoing. But then we find out that the process put in place that allowed employees to bring misconduct to the attention of senior management actually led to the whistleblowers being fired. 

The problem isn’t with incentivizing employees to achieve results. The problem is with creating a culture where this type of behavior wasn’t just condoned but actually encouraged. You can’t create an incentive compensation plan without having the checks and balances in place to make sure it produces the desired results without allowing for unethical or illegal behavior. Wells Fargo’s problem wasn’t with its comp plan—it was its total failure in the oversight of employees’ activities. Or, worse yet, its potential encouragement of these illegal activities to drive bank profits. 

It’s a shame type of behavior. Attribute it to greed or whatever you’d like, but in the end, the leadership of the bank had to be held accountable. 

http://hrdailyadvisor.blr.com/2016/11/11/wells-fargo-scandal-shows-serious-lack-effective-leadership/

Wells Fargo Scandal: What Was HR’s Role?

The HR profession struggles to emerge from the “people person” image. Many of us went into the field because we liked working with people. The reality is that human resources plays two advocate roles, which often conflict:

HR is an advocate of the organization. Are the people decisions the best decisions to be made for the organization?

HR is also an advocate of the employees. Are we treating our employees consistently and fairly? If we are not, it will have a detrimental impact on the organization.

It is easy to get complacent in one role or another. As an employee advocate, HR can slip into dysfunctional enabling and destroy accountability. As an advocate for the employer, one can become deaf to the plight of the workforce.

Advocacy isn’t that simple, and it rarely is one or the other. Let’s take this explanation of the aim of advocacy:

Advocacy in all its forms seeks to ensure that people, particularly those who are most vulnerable in society, are able to:

Have their voice heard on issues that are important to them.

Defend and safeguard their rights.

Have their views and wishes genuinely considered when decisions are being made about their lives.

In the case of Wells Fargo, it appears that HR did not do this well and leaned way too far into advocacy for the employer. HR must do what’s right, what transcends any unilateral focus. HR must be an advocate for the employee and the organization by understanding clearly that allowing something that is not right to transpire is bad for both. HR advocacy role is simply to ensure that the actions of the organization are in alignment with the stated values and ethics.

https://www.eremedia.com/tlnt/wells-fargo-scandal-what-was-hrs-role/

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Wk 7: Exit Management + HR Strategy and Planning

Exit Management

Employee exit management is the process used within many businesses to terminate employees contracts in a professional manner. It applies to employees who have resigned and those that have been terminated by the company. Wikipedia.

Employee separation is when employee leaves the company. this is a sensitive issue for any company. Thus, the permanent separation of employees from an organization requires discretion, empathy and a great deal of planning.

Types of Termination and Other Work Separations:

Dismissal From Employment: constructive discharge, fired.

Lay-off

Resignation: resignation, forced resignation

Termination: involuntary termination, voluntary termination, termination for cause, termination with prejudice, termination by mutual agreement and wrongful termination.

Retirement: mandatory retirement, phased retirement, temporary Job or Employment Contract Ends.

https://www.thebalance.com/types-of-separation-from-employment-2061665

Basic reasons of employee separations:

Efficiency Matter: When there is a continuous pressure to be competitive and efficient, some employees separate from the organization. Sometimes employees fails to be competitive as they can not update themselves in their profession while the competitors are updating themselves and sometimes technological changes make the existing employees uncompetitive and inefficient.

Organizational Conditions: When organization refuse in employee’s commitment. Companies fails to keep the commitments with the employees due to many reasons, sometimes it is management's regular practice so, or sometimes due to some critical situation in business, or sometimes to take care of more efficient employees.

https://www.scribd.com/doc/26737813/Employee-Separation

What are the Exit Strategies in HR?

Whenever an employee leaves an organization it constitutes the exit of that employee from the organization. The present day organization are aware of the importance of retaining their human resources and with this aim in mind they try to know the reason behind the exit of an employee so that it does not create any adverse effect on the working of the organization and the employee also leaves it with a good taste. The most important and widely used strategy is conducting the exit interview with the outgoing employee.

An exit interview should focus on identifying the reasons behind the exit of an employee and also inquire if the level of performance of the organization or if the unfulfilled expectations of the employee are involved. The low level of employee retention indicates a low level of job satisfaction among the employees and can cost dearly to the organization. When the employees don’t feel valued, the poor management practices, lack of opportunities of growth and some time personal harassment of the employee could be the reasons behind the low level of job satisfaction of an employee and it results in avoidable losses for the organization.

What are the objectives of Exit Interview? 

Exit interview provides an opportunity to make peace with an employee who might otherwise leave the organization with vengeful intentions. It is also seen as a positive sign by the existing employees who consider it as a caring and compassionate step on the part of the organization.

Exit interview is also held in the implementation of correct HR practices in the organization and also provide information about the ways to improve the recruitment process in future.In some cases exit interview give a chance to retain an employee who would have otherwise left the organization due to a minor misunderstanding which can be clear during the exit interview.

What is Employee Retention?

 Employee retention is the process through which employees are encouraged to continue with the same organization for the maximum period of time possible. The present day employees are aware of the opportunities available to them and as soon as they feel dissatisfied with their present job or employer, they change their job immediately. 

On the other hand employers do not want to lose their good employees thus it becomes important for them to know how to attract and retain their employees. There are four basic factors that play an important role in retaining the employees. These are salary and remuneration, recognition, benefits and opportunities for personal growth.

Adopting the following practices could also lead to employee retention:

Open communication inculcates a feeling of loyalty among the employees. The employees are also aware of the fact that their opinion matters and the organization is interesting in knowing their views.

Career development program: It is human nature to worry about the progress of the career of an individual. The organizations that provide opportunities for enhancing the knowledge and skills are preferred by employees.

Recreation facilities: These facilities help in keeping away the stress from the employees. Different recreational programs include trips by employees, sports activities and celebrating anniversaries at the organization.

Other practices that could be adopted for employee retention are Employee Reward Programme, performance base bonus and gifts to the employees.

http://www.mbaofficial.com/mba-courses/human-resource-management/human-resource-planning-and-development/what-are-the-exit-strategies-in-hr/

HR Strategy and Planning

Human resources planning is a process that identifies current and future human resources needs for an organization to achieve its goals. Human resources planning should serve as a link between human resources management and the overall strategic plan of an organization. Aging worker populations in most western countries and growing demands for qualified workers in developing economies have underscored the importance of effective human resources planning.

https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Strategic_human_resource_planning

What is the difference between a Strategic Plan and a Tactical Plan?

A strategic plan is a course of action to achieve long-range goals, generally up to five years. Strategic plans reflect the company’s direction and its purpose as stated in its mission statement. In order to develop strategic plans, top management must develop and use summary reports on finances, operations and the external environment. Strategic plans influence the development of tactical plans.

A tactical plan is a course of action to achieve short-term goals, generally within a year or less. Tactical plans represent the short-term efforts to achieve the strategic, longer-term goals. They are concerned with what the units beneath top management must do, how they must do it and who has the responsibility. They have shorter time frames and narrower scopes than the strategic plans.

As an example, an HR strategic plan may include the following five-year strategic goals: to recruit, develop and retain a high-quality and diverse staff; and to offer flexible work arrangements. The tactical plan for these strategic goals would be detailed action plans with due dates by year-end for completion. For the strategic goal to recruit, develop and retain a high-quality and diverse staff, the tactical plan might consist of the short-term goals to obtain salary survey data to benchmark all positions; conduct job fairs at local schools with diverse student bodies; develop a more effective exit interview program; conduct an employee attitude survey for job satisfaction and staff retention; and provide effective in-house training and more funds for external training. The tactical plans for the strategic goal to offer flexible work arrangements might consist of the short-term goals of polling employees to determine what, if any, alternative work schedules or arrangement, such as telecommuting, may be of interest and then to draft policies and procedures for any flexible work arrangements that are proposed.

Although you set out strategic and tactical plans separately, they actually are inseparable. The overall strategy of a company is success, which relies on tactical plans building on each other to achieve the strategic plan.

https://www.shrm.org/resourcesandtools/tools-and-samples/hr-qa/pages/couldyouexplainthedifferencebetweenstrategicandtacticalplansandgiveexamplesofeach.aspx

The role of HR in strategic planning

Selection and Staffing: When goals are set, it's people who work to fulfill those goals. Having the right people in the right places is vital, and if new hiring is to occur, finding the right people is equally vital. HR folks are usually on top of the employee market, and decisions will be more effective if HR knows firsthand the clear direction of the company. They can immediately speak to any potential conflicts between what a company wants and what is truly realistic in HR terms, thus helping ensure the plans are workable right from the start.

Organizational Development: Strategic planning often encompasses change in workplace systems or processes. Although individual departments are likely aware of the status of their own departments, HR folks are often aware of group initiatives and changes that has occurred company-wide. Accordingly, they will be able to speak to OD issues with unique insights on how changes may impact systems and processes already in place.

Training & Development: Research shows that only 20% of the workforce has the skills that will be required ten years from now. That means training and development are guaranteed to be needed at some point of the strategic growth process. Again, HRD folks will be able to speak instantly to any issues, and possibly provide input that could help a company achieve its goals faster.

http://www.management-issues.com/opinion/1137/the-role-of-hr-in-strategic-planning/

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Crs Wk 6: Employee Wellbeing and Health and Safety at Work + Employee Engagement

Employee Wellbeing and Health and Safety at Work

The aim is to prevent people becoming injured or ill; keep them healthy in work and provide accessible support to enable them to remain in or return to work more quickly.

The programme aims:

to ensure that the general health of the working age population improves;

to prevent work-related illness and injury, but also to go further and use the workplace as an opportunity for general health improvement;

to respond early when health problems arise – and, combined with this, ensure that the necessary interventions are easily and speedily available;

to help people to better manage their conditions so that they can lead as full a life as possible;

to ensure that appropriate rehabilitation support and workplace adaptations are available for those who have been out of work because of ill health, enabling them to make that leap back into work as soon as possible.

http://www.hse.gov.uk/hwwb/

Effective health promotion assists employers to adopt appropriate administrative procedures and workers to use safe working practices. Occupational health personnel benefit from training and education in health promotion to enable them to implement it as a part of their occupational health practice.Experience in workplace health promotion has shown that competitions and awards are valuable in engaging enterprises in occupational health and safety activities. Firms and enterprises achieve valuable publicity and a boost in staff morale through competing to become the most healthy and caring company.

Benefits of Workforce Health Promotion:

healthy workers are productive and raise healthy families; thus healthy workers are a key strategy, i.e. goal, for overcoming poverty.

workplace health risks are higher in the informal sector and small industry which are key arenas of action on poverty alleviation, where people can work their way out of poverty;

safe workplaces contribute to sustainable development, which is the key to poverty reduction;

the processes of protecting workers, surrounding communities and the environment for future generations have important common elements, such as pollution control and exposure reduction;

much pollution and many environmental exposures that are hazardous to health arise from industrial processes, that may be influenced by occupational health and safety programmes;

occupational safety and health can contribute to improving the employability of workers, through workplace (re)design, maintenance of a healthy and safe work environment, training and retraining, assessment of work demands, medical diagnosis, health screening and assessment of functional capacities;

occupational health is fundamental to public health, for it is increasingly clear that major diseases (e.g. AIDS, heart disease) need workplace programmes as part of the disease control strategy.

http://www.who.int/occupational_health/topics/workplace/en/index1.html

Contemporary Challenges and Opportunities

The 2017 conference will give special attention to contemporary workplace challenges that present new research and intervention opportunities. Work continues to change at a rapid pace. Workplaces and their employees face a host of new challenges. 

Some examples of contemporary challenges and opportunities of special interest include but are certainly not limited to:

Dynamic employment patterns: Labor supply through crowdsourcing and a global “human cloud” of candidates; part-time, contingent, freelance (traditional and online), on-call, and contract work; multiple jobs; uncertainty in career pathways.

Technology: Remote working capabilities; workplace monitoring; scheduling software; mobile computing; the expanding range and capacity of computing and robots (e.g., driverless technology).

International emergencies/disasters: Worldwide mobilization in the wake of disasters; protecting international aid workers.

Extreme violence and work: Preparing for, coping with, and rebuilding after terror threats and workplace violence events.

Leave policies: Paid leave; flexibility; family-supportive work settings.

Supportive work: Work settings that promote work–life balance, provide opportunities for career development, and foster a positive culture of health where safety and employee well-being — both on and off the job — are prioritized, valued and promoted.

Changing workforce: Challenges and opportunities afforded by a diverse workforce in terms of gender, age and ethnicity; healthy aging.

Comprehensive or integrated interventions: Approaches that reach across boundaries, within and/or outside organizations, to address worker safety and health issues in a multipronged, interdisciplinary way.

http://www.apa.org/wsh/

EMPLOYEE ENGAGEMENT, definition by businessdictionary :

Emotional connection an employee feels toward his or her employment organization, which tends to influence his or her behaviors and level of effort in work related activities. The more engagement an employee has with his or her company, the more effort they put forth. Employee engagement also involves the nature of the job itself - if the employee feels mentally stimulated; the trust and communication between employees and management; ability of an employee to see how their own work contributes to the overall company performance; the opportunity of growth within the organization; and the level of pride an employee has about working or being associated with the company.

Another definition of employee engagement is a workplace approach resulting in the right conditions for all members of an organisation to give of their best each day, committed to their organisation’s goals and values, motivated to contribute to organisational success, with an enhanced sense of their own well-being.

David Macleod: “This is about how we create the conditions in which employees offer more of their capability and potential”. Employee engagement is based on trust, integrity, two way commitment and communication between an organisation and its members. It is an approach that increases the chances of business success, contributing to organisational and individual performance, productivity and well-being. It can be measured. It varies from poor to great. It can be nurtured and dramatically increased; it can lost and thrown away.

Employee Engagement Trends for 2017;

1.Bring your employee value proposition to life. Focus on what current, future and even former employees love about your brand to create a unique employee value proposition that will attract, engage and retain the best people. But don’t stop there. Your EVP is just words until it’s brought to life through every aspect of your business, from onboarding and training to recognition and rewards through employee surveys and program measurement. A successful EVP campaign will rally employees around what your brand stands for and help them love where they work.

2.Empower new employees. Be strategic about your onboarding approach, from the time a person is hired through their first year of employment and beyond. New employees are more likely to stay if they:catch on to the culture quickly, acquire a network of people who can help them be successful feel supported in their career, in both current and future roles, and understand how their work fits into the company's overall strategy and objectives.

3.Turn recognition into results. By designing results-based recognition programs using behavioral economics, each employee feels like the goal they’re working toward is achievable and has a clear view of how their work fits into the bigger picture. Combining recognition, rewards and maximum engagement creates a strong, dynamic program that delivers incremental business results.

4.Recognize good managers. Happy managers foster happy employees, leading to great performance and great results. Maximize your managers’ engagement by measuring, recognizing and rewarding them for desired behaviors and performance.

5.Invest in leadership development. Developing the right leaders, who do the right things, has a positive impact on employees’ engagement, job satisfaction, discretionary effort, well-being, innovation, creativity and intent to leave the company. These compassionate leaders, known for exhibiting behaviors like dignity, authenticity, accountability, empathy and integrity, create environments in which employees feel comfortable and motivated, leading to higher performance and greater business results. The most effective leadership development programs create, develop and promote compassionate leaders through training and recognition.

https://www.biworldwide.com/en/research-materials/blog/2017-employee-engagement-trends/

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Wk 4: Performance Management & Total Rewards

Performance Management 

Definition Performance management is an ongoing process of communication between a supervisor and an employee that occurs throughout the year, in support of accomplishing the strategic objectives of the organization. The communication process includes clarifying expectations, setting objectives, identifying goals, providing feedback, and reviewing results.

Managing Employee Performance – The Cycle Overseeing performance and providing feedback is not an isolated event, focused in an annual performance review. It is an ongoing process that takes place throughout the year. The Performance Management process is a cycle, with discussions varying year-to-year based on changing objectives.

The cycle includes Planning, Checking-In, and Review.

To begin the planning process, you and your employee review overall expectations, which includes collaborating on the development of performance objectives. Individual development goals are also updated. You then develop a performance plan that directs the employee's efforts toward achieving specific results to support organizational excellence and employee success. Goals and objectives are discussed throughout the year, during check-in meetings. This provides a framework to ensure employees achieve results through coaching and mutual feedback. At the end of the performance period, you review the employee's performance against expected objectives, as well as the means used and behaviors demonstrated in achieving those objectives. Together, you establish new objectives for the next performance period.

http://hr.berkeley.edu/hr-network/central-guide-managing-hr/managing-hr/managing-successfully/performance-management/concepts

The Top 5 Performance Management Tools:

1.Key Performance Indicators (KPIs) is to be the most widely used tool for managing performance, with a usage rate of about 75%. Although KPIs can be a powerful performance management tool, organizations should heed a cautionary note. An old US Army saying goes, “if it moves measure it, if it doesn’t paint it.” Amusing perhaps, but in many organizations I look at this adage can be readily applied and the KPIs end up adding little value whilst consuming vast amounts of time and effort. The primary value of KPIs is not in measurement per se, but in enabling rich data-driven performance conversations and better decision-making. Measuring everything that moves provides little more than an illusion that performance is being managed. Ask these simple questions: “what goal will the KPI help my organization achieve or what problem will it resolve;” and “what decisions will the KPI help drive.”

2.Performance appraisals were the second most commonly used performance management tool. A potentially very valuable tool for aligning the goals of the individual with the strategic aims of the enterprise, again cautionary words are aplenty. The Father of Total Quality Management, and master statistician, Dr W. Edwards Deming refused to even countenance individual evaluation. The reason, he claimed, was that there was no way to make such “appraisals,” statistical valid. Unless employees believe that the appraisal process is fair, equitable and with much of the subjectivity removed, it is typically a poor tool for motivating performance – but can be an extremely powerful de-motivator. The behaviours the organization wishes to drive through appraisals and the behaviours they might drive must be fully considered in the appraisal design process. Something that also holds true when designing KPIs.

3.Mission and vision statements.

4.Management dashboards

5.Lean management approaches

https://www.linkedin.com/pulse/20140522054403-64875646-the-5-most-popular-tools-to-manage-performance-good-news-and-cautionary-tales

360 degrees Performance Appraisal

The 360 degrees Performance Appraisal method was first used in the 1940s. Analogous to the multiple points on a compass, the 360 method provides each employee the opportunity to receive performance feedback from his or her supervisor, peers, staff members, co-workers and customers.

360-degree feedback or multi-source feedback is an appraisal or performance assessment tool that incorporates feedback from all who observe and are affected by the performance of a candidate.

FOR WHICH CATEGORY OF EMPLOYEES IS THIS TOOL USED? Usually, this tool is used for employees at middle and senior level. The complexity of their roles enables the organisation to generate sufficient data from all stakeholders for a meaningful assessment.

360 degree appraisal has four integral component: 

Self-appraisal gives a chance to the employee to look at his/her strengths and weaknesses, his achievements, and judge his own performance. Superior’s appraisal forms the traditional part of the 360 degree appraisal where the employees’ responsibilities and actual performance is rated by the superior. 

Subordinates appraisal gives a chance to judge the employee on the parameters like communication and motivating abilities, superior’s ability to delegate the work, leadership qualities etc. Also known as internal customers, the correct feedback given by peers can help to find employees’ abilities to work in a team, co-operation and sensitivity towards others. 

Self-assessment is an indispensable part of 360 degree appraisals and therefore 360 degree Performance appraisal have high employee involvement and also have the strongest impact on behavior and performance. It provides a "360-degree review" of the employees’ performance and is considered to be one of the most credible performance appraisal methods.

Peer appraisal.

360 degree appraisal is also a powerful developmental tool because when conducted at regular intervals (say yearly) it helps to keep a track of the changes others’ perceptions about the employees. A 360 degree appraisal is generally found more suitable for the managers as it helps to assess their leadership and managing styles. This technique is being effectively used across the globe for performance appraisals. Some of the organizations following it are Wipro, Infosys, and Reliance Industries etc.

Advantages of 360 degree appraisal:

Offer a more comprehensive view towards the performance of employees.

Improve credibility of performance appraisal.

Such colleague’s feedback will help strengthen self-development.

Increases responsibilities of employees to their customers.

The mix of ideas can give a more accurate assessment.

Opinions gathered from lots of staff are sure to be more persuasive.

Not only manager should make assessments on its staff performance but other colleagues should do, too.

People who undervalue themselves are often motivated by feedback from others.

If more staff takes part in the process of performance appraisal, the organizational culture of the company will become more honest.

Disadvantages of 360 degree appraisal:

Taking a lot of time, and being complex in administration.

Extension of exchange feedback can cause troubles and tensions to several staff.

There is requirement for training and important effort in order to achieve efficient working.

It will be very hard to figure out the results.

Feedback can be useless if it is not carefully and smoothly dealt.

Can impose an environment of suspicion if the information is not openly and honestly managed.

http://www.whatishumanresource.com/360-degrees-performance-appraisal

Rewards

Compensation management is the act of providing monetary value to an employee for the work they do by means of a company process or policy. Some types of compensation include salary, bonuses, and benefit packages. Companies use compensation management in order to find, keep, and motivate employees to do quality work.

Key Considerations:

Find and keep quality employees

Improve employee happiness and work environment

Reduce turnover rates

Motivate and reward for a well job done

There is an experiment, three types of rewards were offered to the employees who win a daily performance competition:

a monetary reward ($25 in cash)

a family pizza meal voucher (with a $25 value); and

positive feedback (verbal reward/ recognition)

In all three cases there was a slight performance boost before the reward was given (i.e. when the competition was still ongoing). But when the reward was cash, or the pizza voucher, performance actually dropped immediately after the reward was announced. When the reward was verbal (public recognition), employees performed better.

This result continued thereafter. When the reward program was discontinued altogether, performance dropped in the case of the monetary/pizza rewards. In the case of the verbal recognition as a reward, the performance boost consisted.

While these findings may cause one to think there is no value in monetary rewards, that isn’t necessarily the case. The researchers surmise employees also care about the nature of the monetary/gift reward. They want to feel appreciated and not offended by the fact the rewards were perhaps too small. Employers should be aware of the message small rewards sends to the employee. Small monetary rewards may send a message of a controlling or alienating nature, which can explain the drop in productivity when the reward is removed.

http://www.gameffective.com/may-the-best-get-a-5-coupon-can-rewards-boost-employee-performance/

Business leaders shared their tips for how to effectively communicate with your team, which, in turn, will encourage them to be more productive and efficient:

Empower your employees. "Empowerment is the key to making people efficient. It makes teams happy, and if they're happy, they produce higher-quality work and are more productive. [Let employees] have their own strategy and goals — leave it up to them. They don't need to come to you and ask a million questions. [This approach] empowers teams to think long-term, and not tactically about the day-to-day." – Todd Ross Nienkerk, co-founder and partner, Four Kitchens.

Ask the right questions — and listen. "Ask plain, open-ended questions that start from square one and get to the root of the problem: 'Tell me in your own words your understanding of the objectives you have to meet. What do you feel is holding you back from meeting your objectives? Why do you think that? How would you overcome this roadblock?' More important than asking the right questions is keeping quiet and being a good listener. One of the biggest sources of frustration in the office is feeling like you aren't being heard." – Cord Himelstein, vice president of marketing and communications, Michael C. Fina.

Implement the right technologies. "In today's world, where workforces are often decentralized ... creating powerful communications channels is incredibly vital to individual employee success. With a collaborative platform, managers can communicate with their teams with action items they can use to validate comprehension, allowing for a fully closed-loop communications solution to drive engagement and performance." – Mal Poulin, senior director of product strategy, Ancile Solutions.

Communicate (nonverbally) through your investment in employees' well-being. "We've been successful in improving our employees' performance by providing amazing employee perks. From unlimited PTO and profit-sharing plans to monthly team outings like 5K runs and charity events, our employees appreciate the ownership that we have given them. We knew that if we started to give them more freedom, not only would their creativity start to take off, but they would be given the liberty to start to act like business owners themselves," Corey Baggett, co-founder, AdBoom Group.

"When you invest in someone, it ... creates an environment where people want to work hard. Care about what's going on in their lives. Show them it's not just about ... the bottom line or getting the job done — it's [about] what you're doing together. If you genuinely care for someone and their well-being, they'll allow themselves to be pushed harder because it's not coming from a place of greed." – Jay Bacrania, CEO, Signet Education.

http://www.businessnewsdaily.com/7815-improve-employee-performance.html

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Wk 3: Legal Compliance and Discipline and Grievance

CASE 3 a: New York Police Inspector Is Charged With Sexually Abusing Female Officer

From a legal standpoint, there are two different categories of sexual harassment:

Quid pro quo—In this type of sexual harassment, some type of work benefit is made subject to some type of sexual favor, or it is implied that the employee will be negatively affected if he or she does not comply. By definition, this type of sexual harassment typically occurs between a supervisor and subordinate simply because the supervisor is in a position to be able to offer better terms (such as a promotion) or is able to fire or demote. This person has the power to hold such things over the employee. Hostile work environment—This type of sexual harassment can occur between any employees. It refers to the situation where an employee is offended or made to feel harassed by other employees. It could come in the form of touching, offensive jokes, inappropriate décor, or other intimidating or unwelcome behavior. (These are just a few examples.)

Tips to Prevent Sexual Harassment in the Workplace

Employers have an obligation to prevent sexual harassment from occurring in the workplace. If it can be shown that the employer knew or should have known that the harassment was occurring and they did not take all reasonable actions to stop it, then the employer can be held liable for an individual’s actions. 

Here are some tips for employers to prevent sexual harassment in the workplace:

Create and communicate a clear anti harassment policy, including anti-retaliation components. Get legal advice on this policy to ensure it is complete and that it complies with all federal, state, and local laws. Once complete, ensure that your policy is in the employee handbook and that every employee has a copy.

Conduct sexual harassment training and retraining for everyone, especially all supervisors and managers, on at least an annual basis. Everyone in the organization should understand what sexual harassment is and what to do if it occurs. (Note: in some states this training is mandatory.

Ensure managers and supervisors understand their obligation to maintain zero tolerance for harassment in the workplace.

Monitor emails and other electronic communications to scan for harassing content and monitor behavior too. It is important as an employer to be on the lookout for inappropriate behavior and stop it right away.

Ensure employees know their options if they find themselves in such a situation. Employees should know that they have the right to request the behavior to stop (and they should do so if possible). But employees should also know what to do next if they don’t feel safe asking the person or people involved to stop, or if doing so does not stop the unwanted behavior.

Clearly define the process to submit a complaint.

Define clear consequences for such behavior and consistently apply these when harassing behavior is discovered.

Cultivate a culture where sexual harassment is not welcome or tolerated. This might include many things. For example:

Ensure that supervisors and managers know where to draw the line with employees in terms of tolerating off-color jokes and other offensive material. 

The workplace is not a place for crude jokes.

If a complaint comes in, treat it with complete care and always investigate. Treat every complaint seriously. 

If harassment is discovered, take immediate and appropriate action to ensure it doesn’t happen again, including disciplining or even terminating the employee(s) responsible. 

Do not tolerate retaliatory behavior against someone who has filed a complaint. 

Have a clear process for investigating any complaint of harassment. If a complaint comes in, look into it immediately and, if necessary, take steps to ensure the behavior stops while the investigation is ongoing. Take every complaint seriously.

http://hrdailyadvisor.blr.com/2015/08/28/tips-to-prevent-sexual-harassment-in-the-workplace/#sthash.MtxnNShF.dpuf

CASE 3 b: Receipt rage: Why food is being served with a side of hate

Discrimination in the workplace can come in many forms, including sexual harassment, race, religion and ethnic discrimination. When an employer does not take the proper steps to prevent discrimination in the workplace, the atmosphere at the company can be uncomfortable and the employer could be liable for a discrimination lawsuit. 

To keep racism under control before it becomes a major problem:

1. Adopt a zero-tolerance approach Send out a strong message to employees that you won't tolerate racism and false accusations of racism. Actively encourage victims of racism to speak openly about it to management so you can investigate racism claims. 2. Investigate any incident immediately If an incident of racism occurs in your workplace, you must investigate it immediately! Once you have, you must deal with it in line with your disciplinary or grievance procedure. 3. Have sound policies and procedures Ensure you have active policies and procedures in place aimed at combating racism in the workplace. These policies and procedures should incorporate action plans detailing the measures you'll undertake to provide a non-discriminatory workplace. Ensure employees sign your company's anti-racism policies so they know the risks of racist behaviour in your company. 4. Foster an organisational culture that doesn't tolerate racism Promote an organisational culture that accommodates differences and cultural diversity. This will mark your commitment to a zero-tolerance policy on racism in the workplace. 'It doesn't pay to ignore racism in the workplace', warns Stelzner. 'The Labour Court has taken these matters very seriously and ruled that workplace racism is a dismissible offence.' http://fspbusiness.co.za/articles/labour-amp-hr/four-ways-to-manage-racism-in-the-workplace-1660.html

CASE 3 c: Flint family says Navy is retaliating for speaking out about water crisis 

It’s important for every business, whatever its size, to have a Formal Grievance Procedure in place, which takes into account the ACAS Code of Practice,and to have this available to all employees, and included in the Staff handbook.

www.acas.org.uk/media/pdf/s/o/Acas-Guide-on-discipline-and-grievances_at_work_(April_11)-accessible-version-may-2012.pdf

These are the 5 steps:

INFORMAL ACTION – Initially and as soon as they can the line manager should have a quiet word with the employee making the complaint. Problems can often be settled quickly and informally in the course of everyday work. However, if the grievance is not settled at this stage or circumstances make this route inappropriate then, if they have not already done so, the employee should be requested to submit a formal Grievance letter.

INVITE EMPLOYEE TO A FORMAL MEETING –  This should be held in a private and confidential room between the Manager designated to hear the Grievance and the employee who may be accompanied by a work colleague or Trade Union official.  This is the opportunity for the grievance to be thoroughly discussed and any witnesses called.

INVESTIGATION – Depending on the complexity of the grievance it may be necessary to adjourn the meeting so that further investigation may take place before any decision is taken.

COMMUNICATE DECISION & KEEP RECORDS – After the grievance meeting and any investigations have taken place, the employer needs to decide whether to uphold or dismiss the grievance and communicate this decision to the employee in writing without unreasonable delay, usually within 10 working days.The HR Director or Manager handling the employee grievance must ensure that the minutes of all formal grievance meetings are taken and copies given to the employee for information.  The minute taker should not be part of the discussions about the outcome of the grievance or appeal other than to record the key points of the discussion.

APPEAL – if the Grievance is rejected or partially rejected then the employee has the right to appeal against that decision.  The appeal should be heard promptly and wherever possible by a Manager not previously involved in the case.   The employee may be accompanied as before and notified in writing of the decision, again within 10 working days is standard practice.

THE 2 GOLDEN RULES OF HANDLING EMPLOYEE GRIEVANCES:

 A very helpful question to ask an employee raising  a grievance is “what outcome do you want from this grievance?” This tends to focus the employee’s mind on the solution he or she is looking for rather than just the problem.

BE PREPARED FOR A GRIEVANCE.   Check that there is an up to date procedure in place, published in the handbook, that supports the resolution of grievance issues in your workplace.

http://www.thelegalpartners.com/handling-employee-grievance/

[invokavita-pbl-blog]

Wk 2: Recruitment & Selection + Learning & Development

Human resource management (HRM); 

is a process of hiring and developing employees so that they become more valuable to the organization. It includes conducting job analyses, planning personnel needs, recruiting the right people for the job, orienting and training, managing wages and salaries, providing benefits and incentives, evaluating performance, resolving disputes, and communicating with all employees at all levels. Examples of core qualities of HR management are extensive knowledge of the industry, leadership, and effective negotiation skills. Formerly called personnel management. http://www.businessdictionary.com/definition/human-resource-management-HRM.html

Guidelines for Recruitment and Selection;

Submit Recruiting Documents; 

Selection Process; 

Search Committee/Interview Panel

Interviewing;

During the Interview

Reference Checks

Making Hiring Decision; 

Documentation

https://hr.uoregon.edu/recruit/recruitment-and-selection/guidelines-recruitment-and-selection 

http://www.humanresourcesiq.com/employment-law/articles/avoid-these-6-recruiting-related-legal-issues

Negligent hiring lawsuits have increased in the last two decades and employers have been forced to respond to them. Not being in the know about the latest hiring rules and regulations has never been so costly.

It is quite a complex process, and every step of the way you need to be aware of certain legal implications. The questions that have been asked during an interview need to be carefully considered. Every step needs to adhere to legal requirements. 

Learning and Development;

Understanding the difference between training and development:

Traditionally training has comprised the of learning a set of skills. Or predictable actions or behaviour. This change in skills and behaviour is usually aimed at improving the current job performance of an individual. Training may also prepare an individual for a potential job or role.

Is usually a short term process that requires guidance (or instruction) in a series of steps to gain a skill, or set of predictable knowledge. Often for non-leadership related activities. Aimed at a specific task or job role.

The Purpose of Training

To provide the ability to undertake a task or job

To improve productivity and workforce flexibility

To improve safety and quality

To develop the capability of the workforce

Development not only seeks to improve performance in a role, but seeks to bring out some form of maturity growth. Development is used to increase the potential of an employee as well as equip them to be ‘better’ individuals.

Development is more long term in nature. Often includes education in philosophical and theoretical concepts. Aimed at developing relationships, often for the purposes of improving leadership skills. More general and non-tangible than specific

The Purpose of Development

More productive management and leadership come from better educated and informed managers. Research has shown that the performance of managers can be improved through:

Better knowledge

Changing attitudes

Increased capability and skills

The purpose of ‘development’ is to improve leadership effectiveness through planned and structured learning. A planned approach to developing managers and leaders will enable the growth of managers. It will also provide for the future needs of the business or organisation.

In recent years the label “training” is being wiped from the language of many organizations and replaced with the word “learning”. 

List of Training Methods:

Technology-Based Learning, example: In the trucking industry one can imagine interactive multimedia training on tractor-trailers followed by a proficiency test to see how well the employee knows the truck.

Simulators, example: Truck drivers could use simulators to practice responding to dangerous driving situations.

On-The-Job Training, example: New trucking employees could ride with experienced drivers. They could ask questions about truck weigh stations, proper highway speeds, picking up hitchhikers, or any other issues that may arise.

Coaching/Mentoring, example: Again, truck drivers could gain valuable knowledge from more experienced drivers using this method.

Lectures, example: Truck drivers could receive lectures on issues such as company policies and safety. 

Group Discussions & Tutorials, example: Truck drivers could have group discussions and tutorials on safety issues they face on the road. This is a good way to gain feedback and suggestions from other drivers.

Role Playing, example: Truck drivers could role play an issue such as a large line-up of trucks is found at the weighing station and one driver tells another that he might as well go ahead and skip the whole thing. Or role play a driver who gets pulled over by a police officer and doesn´t agree with the speeding charge.

Management Games, example: In a trucking business, managers could create games that teach truckers the impact of late deliveries, poor customer service or unsafe driving.

Outdoor Training, example: As truck drivers are often on the road alone, they could participate in a nature-training course along with depot personnel to build esprit de corps.

Films & Videos, example: Videos for truckers could show the proper way to interact with customers or illustrate preventive maintenance techniques.

Case Studies, example: Truck drivers could use case studies to learn what issues have been faced in the trucking industry in the past and what they could do if a similar situation were to occur.

Planned Reading, example: Here we may be stretching if we think that truckers are going to read through a lot of material the training department sends them.

Conclusion: Many avenues exist to train employees. The key is to match the training method to the situation. Assess each training method implemented in the organization and get feedback from trainees to see if they learned anything. Then take the results from the most popular and most effective methods to design a specific training program.

http://www.hr.com/en/communities/training_and_development/list-of-training-methods_eacwezdm.html