Recruitment Program

Sample generic health care provider recruitment plan It is imperative to have an all-encompassing recruitment policy for your organization. Sample recruitment policy: To develop a long-range recruitment plan; organize a recruiting schedule based upon the historical supply and demand for each major healthcare discipline; and implement the plan within the organization. A goal should be developed for each discipline (dentist, ancillary, hygienist, assistant). Sample goal: To recruit (number) dentists this year based on resignations, terminations, attrition or growth.

Strategies, structure, and ongoing activities are important to the process. Sample strategies: To concentrate our efforts on health care professionals who are completing training programs, government obligations or military service. To anticipate the competition by contacting prospects early. To have a continuous, year-round schedule. Sample structure: The official recruiting cycle for program) will commence (Name of teaching institution/ (Month and date) of each calendar year. All recruiting efforts within the institution will be coordinated through the human resources/personnel department/coordinator or his or her designed.

The organization’s recruitment committee will review the recruiting objectives no later than February 1 of each year. Sample of ongoing activities: Complete follow-up action with healthcare professionals who have interviewed. Schedule site visits for healthcare professionals from previous recruiting efforts. Obtain legal contracts for healthcare professionals who will commence practice. Recruitment committee will meet at least quarterly to review plan of action and develop strategies for implementation. Attend as many in-state health professional recruitment fairs as possible.

Sample annual recruitment plan Quarterly Activities JANUARY – MARCH Survey active medical staff to determine: Provider needs/practices needing assistance Need for new practices in the community. Mail second recruitment letters to practicing dentists (first letter sent in October). Compile statistics from January medical staff survey. Prepare for initial provider/practice assessments. Complete follow-up action on providers who have completed site visits in December and January. Establish funding limits for calendar year from finance department. Prepare opportunity descriptions.

Update printed recruitment materials. Identify residency programs and contact program directors/advisors. Identify recruitment conferences and exhibit possibilities. Meet with the provider recruitment committee to explain this year’s campaign and their involvement (for example, interviews). Fine-tune the campaign with their input. Conduct initial provider/practice assessments to clarify provider recruitment needs in response to January medical staff survey. Mail second recruitment letter to next year’s graduating students/professionals (first letter mailed in October). APRIL – JUNE

Begin preparation for dental school marketing seminar (seminar about how to market practices and what to expect in recruiting). Meet with administrator to establish recruitment priorities. Send third recruitment letter to next year’s graduating dental students. Semi-annual dental/provider manpower recruitment committee meeting. Assist newly recruited providers by facilitating their arrival and transition. JULY – SEPTEMBER Register a search with the DANNA and other placement services. Contact dentists in government service (National Health/Lillian Health Service Corps).

Write other healthcare administrators in the region regarding a search for a healthcare provider for the community. Contact state licenser board for names of provider licensees and send letters to. Inform pharmaceutical and medical supply vendors of provider searches. Contact military installations in region for names of providers leaving service and ask about opportunities to communicate with them. Contact medical specialty associations to obtain information on meetings, publications and placement services. Identify provider recruitment opportunity fairs for the coming year.

Dental school opportunity fair. Request dental school alumni affairs office to publicize opportunities. Post employment opportunities/vacancies with state health department, dental training programs and state primary-care associations. Obtain available provider computer lists for mailing to next year’s graduating students. Visit dental training programs. Contact military dentists younger than 45 years. Send fourth recruiting letter to graduating students (in final year). Conduct consumer research to further identify need for dental providers.

Write and place national urinal ads for November and December to target practicing dentists. OCTOBER – DECEMBER Continue dental provider training program visits. Meet with administrator to establish recruiting priorities for the coming calendar year and prepare for next month’s provider recruitment committee meeting. Send letter of introduction to next year’s graduating dental students (second letter to be sent in March). Contact academic dentists younger than 45 years. Mail letter to practicing dentists (second letter to be sent in January). Semi-annual provider recruitment committee meeting.

Prepare medical staff survey to identify provider manpower needs and issues. Attachment 1 Graphic Summary of the Recruitment Process 1 . Preparation for recruitment 2. Prospects 3. Suspects 4. Applicants 5. Candidates 6. Finalists 7. Hired Develop health professional plan Identify new candidate Provide description of opportunity (sees) Provider sends C.V. In-depth phone interview Complete interviewing process Regular communication before start date Prepare practice assessment Targeted direct mail Determine interest/needs of providers C.V. screened according to criteria Prepare for site visit

Finalize contract negotiations Professional orientation Determine role of current professional staff Display at professional assemblies Follow-up with requested information Candidate tracking & referral system Provide examination copy of contract Hospital privileges Determine salary and benefits Advertise Personal follow-up with candidate Develop in-house recruitment system Marketing introduction to professional sites Candidate tracking and referral system Develop promotional materials Direct contacts (cold calls) Reference & credential check Draft specimen contract Determine selection criteria

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Documentation for human resource professionals

Table of contents

Executive summary

Human resource management is very vital for any organizations in ensuring that an organization meets its goals and objectives. For human resource managers to be successful in carrying out this task, it is essential to have human management plans and other job aids for the different job posts. Having such plans would aid during job analysis, recruitment process and orientation and training process. By having a human management plan, managers are able to make sure that human resource management is contributing to the overall mission and also defines accountability of the managers and the employees. Substance abuse counselor’s position is a sensitive post which requires specialized persons. To ensure that the right individual is hired for the job, it is vital for the human resource manager to conduct a thorough recruitment.

Job analysis for a substance abuse counselor position

The duties of substance abuse counselor are to handle all case relating to substance abuse in the organization. The counselor is also responsible for making recommendations to the management on the best alternative method to use to cub substance abuse. Other duties of the counselor are helping individuals involved in substance abuse recover from the effects. The requirements for this position include prior experience on substance abuse, post graduate degree in a related field and proven interpersonal skills. The counselor would report directly to the branch human resource manager of the organization (Clifford, 1994).

Selection tips for the position

The first phase of selection process involves filling of structured questionnaires by the interviews. These questionnaires are used to solicit information on the candidate’s personal attributes and also to estimate whether the candidates meets the above job specifications. The best candidates are selected. Interviewing the selected candidates should then be carried out to help the selection team assess the candidate’s suitability for the position. Patterned interviews should be carried out to allow the interviewers come up with the best candidate. Use of behavior based interviews which should focus on related experiences. Ask achievement based questions rather than theoretical questions. Treat all candidates equally during the entire interview process (HRPA, 2008).

Orienting new employees

The organization should use the first 15 to 30 days to orient new employees. Decision on who is to orient the new employee should be made prior to the employee’s first day at work. The person in charge of orientation should help the new substance abuse counselor get a good start by first introducing him or her to the whole organization. This should be followed by an organizational tour which should have short stoppages at various departments to allow for interaction. The new employee should be shown all the job requirements tools and also the social situation or group where he will be working in. the managers should also encourage other employees to accept the new counselor and also introduce him or her to the informal interaction structures within the organization. The new counselor should also be allowed to ask for clarity as this quickens acceptance (Erven, n. d).

Training proposal

Since substance abuse counselor’s position is a sensitive docket, such an employee requires regular training on human relations as well as psychological issues facing people. Substances being abused are also changing with time thus calling for an up to date record and know how to deal with such cases. Training should be carried out after every six months. The substance abuse counselor should also be allowed to hold seminars to educate persons on substance abuse issues. This is vital in ensuring his acceptance and also in educating other employees.

References

  1. Clifford J. P. (1994): Job Analysis: Why Do It, and How Should It Be Done?
  2. Journal article of Public Personnel Management, Vol. 23
  3. Erven, B. (n. d): The First 30 Days – Orienting New Employees. Retrieved on 28th January 2009 from,
  4. http://aede.ag.ohio-state.edu/people/erven.1/HRM/orientation.pdf.
  5. Human Resources Professionals Association (HRPA) (2008): Interviewing and Selecting Winning Talent. Retrieved on 28th January 2009 from,
  6. http://www.gdhrpa.ca/HRPA/Events/eventscluster/158+nterviewing+and+Selecting+Winning+Talent.htm.

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Cipd Int Diploma Reward Management

The main External Factors are: a. Political: the Job market in the UK is split between Public sector el Government and Private sector. Government policies have control of reward strategy within the Public sector. Which Influences pay Increases and pension. Traditionally public sector employees were paid slightly less, but benefited from final salary pensions and higher job security. The government over the last few years has discouraged pay increases in the public sector, particularly as the pay rates are almost in line with the private sector now.

It has also been urging the private sector to follow the same guidelines as regards pay Increases.. B. Economic: If there Is a surplus of skills In the market where there Is demand for those skills , the ‘price’ for those skills becomes more competitive, so salaries decrease. However conversely , If there Is a shortage of skills in the market and the demand for them is still high, the ‘price’ goes up, so salaries increase. There are several theories which demonstrate the effects on pay: I) Classical Economic Theory : Where a surplus of product means the price will drop and a lack of skills means the price will rise.

This can be demonstrated as follows: leading up to the year 2000, there were fears that computer systems would not cope tit the change of century. IT consultants were In high demand and so their salaries increased enormously. II) Wages Theory : this Is where an organization makes a strategic decision to pay higher rates of pay than competitors for the same skills. The reasoning behind this is to better place themselves in the market, have continuity of staff, as staff will be more reluctant to leave them. They will have it pick of the best skills in the market which will lead to better productivity.

Microsoft is a good example of this. Ill) Human Capital Theory: this is where the employer simply rents as set of kills. A good example would be outsourcing. This could be short-term or long-term. Where a company needs expertise in a certain area of its business and they buy a set of skills from either an individual or agency for a period of time. It is simple a business relationship which can be terminated at any time. C. Social Due to the current recession demand for jobs is high, as unemployment is rising. This results in salaries not needing to be as high.

In 2010 there were 42,000 fewer active businesses in the UK than In 2009, with 297,000 businesses closing in that period (Mail Online Deck 2011). This can also be geographic due to closures of large employer. When Rover group closed in Birmingham in 2005, ( 2400 job losses), both local authority and national government were involved in re-training initiatives . Demographics also influences reward. Typically higher salaries are paid in the South East of England and London, due to a higher cost of living and more company head quarters( higher salaries paid) d.

Technological: There are several Influences due to increased due to email, laptops and mobile smart phones, secretaries to answer correspondence are not required. However for these technology companies (egg Microsoft & Google) to stay ahead of the their competitors they have to constantly attract the best and most innovative staff which may impact on the pay structure within an organization.. E. Law/Legislation This links back to Political, where laws are passed to control Reward.

Some of the most recent include National Minimum Wage, Equal Pay and Age Discrimination, as well as other discrimination laws. I) National Minimum Wage, introduced by the Labor Party as part of the Mastic Treaty 1992. The treaty had requirements for there to be a minimum standard of living for all citizens. The National Minimum Wage met this requirement. Is was highly criticized before being introduced , but did not have the negative impact on business as was suspected. This was partly due to the level being set fairly low upon introduction. There are set rates within 3 bindings according to age. ‘) Equal Pay The Equality Act 2010, which encompasses the Equal Act 1970, made it unlawful to pay men and women differently if they were employed in : ; Like Work: the legislation defines that the work does not need to be identical but ‘ work of the same or broadly similar nature’. As demonstrated in the case of Capper Pass v Layton (1977) where a sole male cook (Layton), working 40 hours per week cooked for ten to twenty people per day, was deemed to be doing like work as two assistant male chefs, working 40 hours per week, but with 5 h hours over time paid and who were preparing three hundred and fifty meals per day.

They were both paid more than Layton. It was noted that the skills and experience were similar in both Jobs – hence it was ‘like work ; Work rated as Equivalent – where two different Jobs have the same grading within a grading structure or when evaluated and when each component is broken down the jobs are rated as the same score. An example of this is Birmingham City Council v Abdullah (2012). A group of woman workers, many of whom had left the council a number of years previously and who had been employed in roles such as care workers, cleaners and dinner ladies took their claim for Equal Pay directly to the Supreme Court.

It emerged that the woman, whose Jobs were the same pay grade as their male counterparts, who worked as refuse collectors, road workers, grave diggers or street cleaners, but who were not entitled to the same bonuses and paid much less as a result (up to 19,capable). The Supreme Court ruled in the women’s favor under the equivalent work ruling. Work of Equal Value: This is the most difficult to determine and is normally assigned to an independent expert by the Employment Tribunal.

An example would be Pipestone & Others v Freeman’s Pl (1988). Female warehouse operatives claimed against their employer for equal pay with their male checker warehouse operatives as they were doing work of equal value. The case was dismissed initially by the tribunal as the woman was also employed in ‘like work and’ work rated as equivalent’ with that of a man other than her comparator . However this was over ruled on appeal and she can make a claim for Equal value work. I) Age Discrimination: The Employment Equality (Age) Regulations were introduced on 1 October 2006 (now included within the Equality Act 2010) to make unlawful to treat any employee differently to any other employee in respect of their age. This includes paying people based on their age (other than under the National Minimum Wage). Proved to be a business reason, which in real terms is incredibly rare. ‘v) Other Discrimination Laws provide that no employee is treated detrimentally according to any of the following: Sex, Race, Religion, Disability, Sexual orientation, Gender

Reassignment, Age, Part-time status, trade union members, contractors. F. Environmental/ Ethical: A lot of International companies have received a lot of bad publicity internationally due to employing lower cost labor in third world countries and being seen as not rewarding them fairly. Then there are the International Tax avoiders who due to complex company structures avoid paying I-J Corporation Tax. All these can have a negative impact on the brand image. G. Global/elimination: Benefits of globalization are not always evenly spread within the global market.

However it does give better freedom of movement of labor where companies quire it the most. Historically we have seen many of the Auk’s manufacturing companies relocate to cheaper areas such as China, India and Eastern Europe to keep costs down. The impact on the company may be lower health and safety practice in other countries, cultural differences and different working practices and attitudes. 2. The main Internal Factors impacting reward are: a. Company Policies and Procedures.

These are in place to ensure fairness and that there is a uniform approach to deal with how a company operates, as well as being driven by legislation where appropriate. Employees need to see that companies are acting fairly and within the law. Where policies are not adhered to, this indicates a lack of company control, which may result in legal proceedings and costs to the company, both financially and in reputation. B. Company Structure I) Centralized. – when the organization is structured so that only a few senior staff in key positions have the authority to make organizational decisions.

This can be problematic in organizations of more than one site, where these key staff are based in a Head Office. It also means than senior managers have to deal with trivial day to ay matters, Junior become De-motivated with their own lack of authority, decisions are not made by those doing the work. However it makes it easier to co-ordinate activities when only a small group are involved, senior managers know what is happening within the business and it avoids duplication of activities. I)De- centralized – when an organization only retains a skeleton staff in the Head Office to deal with financial control matters, legal issues and more strategic company issues. This means that decisions can go ahead more quickly and divisions or subsidiaries enjoy greater autonomy. Ii) Matrix – This was developed within the aerospace and defense industry where the work is very project driven. These project may be long or short-term and each project has its own specialists for every function. Companies such as Babe Systems & Rolls Royce operate like this. V) Flexible – This is where companies are quickly adapting to new demands and technologies to function effectively and by retaining their core staff this allows for the workforce to increase or decrease due to demand. BONN and Network Rail have many temp contract staff to (1967) based on his experience with General Motors and is a variation of De- entreaties. Here the organization was structured into separate divisions, each having their own manufacturing, sales, distribution and service functions, but having a central finance, planning, HRS, engineering and legal. ‘) Process Based – where a company still has designated functions but the focus is on getting the functions to co-ordinate their efforts to deal with new business demands such as marketing and sales. So teams work together on how to approach customers and the market, whilst maintaining a smooth flow of work. C. Company Culture – the way in which a company operates. Daft (1998) suggests there a 4 Different models of Corporate Culture. I) Clan (Collaborative) Everyone is encouraged to contribute.

The organization has a friendly, family feel to it with less structure. This lends itself to Creative organizations such as Design or fashion it) Entrepreneurial (Autocracy) – A dynamic culture where the need for flexibility and change are required to meet customer demands. Experimentation and different thinking are key to ensuring the company is cutting edge in its field. This would Microsoft and Google. Iii) Bureaucratic (Hierarchy) – Highly structured ND formal environment, with rules and procedures in place.

A stable and methodical approach. Tends to be companies such as Civil Service. ‘v) Mission (Compete) – a results driven organization driven by Job completion. Very target driven, goal oriented people. Focus is on profits and sales. Recruitment agencies would be a good example. There are a number of sources which can be used when designing a reward system. We will look at 5 of the key ones in more detail. Job Advertisements Using media, Job boards to obtain data from similar Job posting for salary and benefits Advantages:

Readily available, low cost, highly visible ( to employees and employers), up to date, specific data Disadvantages: Pay information may be misleading and exaggerated, difficult to match Jobs precisely so can be inaccurate. Sector Salary Surveys These can be purchased from Job boards, specialist consultancies (Hay Group)and contain data for a particular sector. Sometimes they are posted in specialist sector publication IEEE Flight Global Advantages: Focused by sector, good amount of information, sector specific to ensure better accuracy of data. Relates to company business Disadvantages: Imprecise Job itching, expensive for specialist surveys.

Don’t stay up to date Recruitment Agencies As this is their core business they are dealing with Job vacancies every day and building up data on pay and benefits specific to locations and industry sectors. Advantages: Sector and Job specific information, up to date information on current trends. Disadvantages: Check information is not too general, they may charge if you are not These are groups of employees who regularly exchange date relating to pay and Focused , precise Job matching, low cost, relevant to Jobs, regular information, up to date data.

Disadvantages: Small sample sizes, time consuming, lots of administration involved Other Market Intelligence This is date obtained from networking with similar employees from other companies either formally or informally to collate pay and benefits data Advantages: Free, provides good background information Disadvantages: Unreliable, not regularly available, sample size very small. There are a number of factors within an organization can be used to inform reward decision and ensure that money is well spent. These include: Exit Interviews Formal meeting of departing employee and line manager or HRS. Advantages:

Establish trends within an organization or individual departments. Sample size may be small. Disadvantages: Employee may not always give the full or accurate reasons why they are leaving. Absence Monitors sickness absence May highlight problem areas where employees feel they do want to come to work, rather than there is actual sickness Disadvantages: Not always an indicator of issues as may be seasonal (flu) Recruitment Difficulties Is the company finding hard to recruit what should be easily available skills in the market. Advantages: Highlights potential short fall in company reward in comparison with local monitors.

Disadvantages: Poor reward is not the only reason people do not want to work for a company. Attitude Surveys Normally annual confidential surveys for all employees useful feedback on recently introduced company-wide initiatives. Can monitor changes in attitude. Disadvantages: none Retention Figures Data on company leavers Changes in retention can indicate possible reward issues Disadvantages: Leavers are not always reward related. Grievances Consider any which are reward related (not only formal claims but also any discussions with line-managers) Advantages:

Increase in grievances suggest problems with reward Extreme – Industrial Action Suggests indicates significant grievance. Disadvantages: May be not taken seriously enough Internal Business Factors Looking at company profits, sales, projections and what the business can afford Job security – keeps the company profitable Disadvantages: Poor performing may not be able to afford the best candidates for the Jobs Both Internal and External factors need to be considered from the perspective of what the business can afford and also in terms of what type of people it needs to attract.

We need to ensure the business optimists profitability, whilst ensuring employees feel as though they are valued and receiving a fair reward for their skills and experience within the Job marketplace as a whole. Which means we constantly need to be aware and monitor both internal and external factors to retain the best quality workforce. The company I worked for was a military Maintenance Repair and Overhaul company based in the Middle East. The company has a very rigid pay structure which included grade B through to N, and which were then broken into 9 bindings within those reads.

The core business is maintaining our customers aircraft, hence 85% of the workforce are Aircraft Maintenance Technicians. For one contract we had to supply aircraft maintainers but also people to train the aircrew sensor operators. We recruited 2 Sensor Operators who fell under our training department. Trainers are employed as mid level Grade J. Both candidates were employed at this Grade. Problems arose because these employees had to fly in the low level surveillance aircraft to train the military how to operate the sensor equipment – so in reality they would be classed as Air Crew which would be paid a much higher rate.

Because we did not employ aircrew and we could not change their classification we had only one option we could offer them, which was a Per Diem allowance for days which they flew in the aircraft. This would take their salary up to the level they required, however this proved unacceptable to both employees. Both employees left the company. The only reason this happened was a lack of understanding by senior staff of the Job role and subsequent level of reward for Air Crew.

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Contingent Workers

INTRODUCTION

            The contingent workforce is a significant part of the labor industry that is often discreet yet powerful. Although contingent workers are mostly temporary employees, contract workers, part-timers, and college interns, no company survives without employing an individual under these categories. Employing contingent workers both have its advantages and disadvantages. An advantage is lesser pay and flexible management of employee arrangements. A common disadvantage is the lack of loyalty that can be expected from contingent workers. The fact that they have not secured a regular position keeps contingent workers on guard and constantly in search of better employment opportunities.

            Often, the advantage-disadvantage scale is weighed from the perspective of the employer. The side of the employee is often disregarded, as it is a relatively small consideration compared to, say, a company interest. However, the growing amount of contingent workers as demanded by our shifting economic conditions signifies that employers should begin taking into consideration a contingent workers interest.

            The process begins in choosing which approach to employ. This paper tackles the appropriate approach for contingent workers, unitarist or pluralist. Appropriateness of the choice is discussed. The approach is also discussed in terms of two human resource management functions: recruitment and selection and remuneration. Sample situations are given to prove each point.

THESIS STATEMENT

            Reviewing Chang & Liao’s (2009) text, the dissatisfaction of contingent workers employed by international tourist hotels can summarily be attributed to four factors: financial instability due to low pay, lack of job security for career growth, alienation from regular workers, and lack of firm footing in the company. Analyzing these factors, it would lead to the idea that some employees are dissatisfied not because they are contingent workers but because they are disregarded, alienated, and easily discarded. They do not belong to any stable work group, they have no position to share opinions or contribute to decision-making processes, and they are generally regarded as disposable assets despite the fact that they contribute to the company (Kalleberg, 2000).  Therefore, the thesis of the paper is that, the unitarist approach is the appropriate manner to deal with contingent workers.

UNITARIST APPROACH

            Unitarism is an industrial relations concept that perceives the organization as a smooth-flowing and integrated system whose workers are a happy and closely-knit family (Johnson, 2006). Unitarism assumes that all employees at various work levels and divisions work with the same objectives and interests in mind; therefore, regardless of classification, all employees can work in unity towards the company goal they share (Harper, 2001). The paternalistic approach significant in unitarism provokes the feeling of loyalty from employees (Smith & Locke, 1999). The unitarist work environment does not need the presence of unions and perceives the occurrence of conflict as disruption.

            In the employee perspective, a unitarist approach is desirable because it influences work practices to be flexible; it inspires workers to be oriented with the improvement of business process; it requires multi-skills, work efficiency, and competency;    it empowers the power of unions, when present, by enhancing channels of communication between the employees and management; and, it emphasizes the importance of good relationships and acceptable employment terms and conditions (Organ, 1988).

            Employee participation is also encouraged by unitarism in making workplace decisions. This advantage empowers individuals regardless of their roles and work levels. It inspires team work, creativity, innovation, self and team improvement, problem-solving abilities, etc. Summarily put, the employer motivates and inspires workers in unitarism. Communication with the staff is open. Reward systems are established to promote loyalty, security, contentment, and commitment. Lastly, staff-management conflicts are quickly addressed and resolved (Smith & Locke, 1999; Harper, 2001).

APPROPRIATENESS

            To recall, it was mentioned in the Thesis Statement section of this paper that the apparent dissatisfaction of contingent workers is caused by being disregarded, alienated, and treated as disposable company assets. With the ideals and assumptions of the unitarist approach, a company making use of unitarism would promote stability in work relationships, build a “happy-family” environment in the workplace, encourage all employees regardless of work level to contribute to decision-making processes and express their opinions, and provide a stable working environment where even contingent workers can expect a reasonable amount of remuneration for their services.

            The pluralist approach may be applicable in the sense that its ideals and assumptions create powerful sub-groups with varying objectives and loyalties (Gallagher & Sverke, 2005). It may seem applicable to use pluralism to contingent workers. After all, with the presence of powerful and influential unions, contingent workers can fight for better pay and amiable working conditions (Gallagher & Sverke, 2005). However, despite pluralism being capable of providing job security and financial contentment, its feature of classifying employees into subgroups will not address the need of every contingent worker to feel complete acceptance and ease in working at the company. The presence of unions, even if powerful, can never guarantee an employee in securing a regular position, not even being sacked from work.

            Usage of the unitarism approach also allows the company to build an environment that would promote loyalty to the company regardless of a contingent position. Although employing temporary workers, companies have lesser fear of being deserted by these temporary assets whose service is absolutely beneficial to the company (Tan & Tan, 2002). Unitarism also causes a company to worry less about employee-management conflicts and strikes.

RECRUITMENT AND SELECTION

            The process of recruitment and selection for regular workers is almost the same as the process underwent by contingent workers. Each candidate is expected to complete certain requirements, meet specific qualifications, and qualify various assessments such as exams, interviews, or demonstrations. However, there is a notable difference between using a unitarist recruitment and selection process from a pluralist recruitment and selection process.

            To begin with, unitarist recruitment and selection will not give the impression that there would be no room for career growth, given that the open position requires temporary employees. Unitarism would influence the process to be warm and accommodating to the applicants. Although it would be made quite clearly in the beginning that the open position is a temporary one, the approach of applicant assessment is in such a way that every applicant is considered not as a vacancy filler but a potential worker who will initially work temporarily but can possibly assume a regular position with the company in the future. Unitarism requires the approach to exude a “happy family” environment. Thus, the attitude would be evident to every applicant even before succeeding with winning the position. This would show the applicant what to expect from the company aside from the position he/she is applying for (Segal & Sullivan, 1997).

            The pluralist approach will employ a rigid means of recruitment and selection process. The temporary position will be presented as it is, and there is no opportunity to exhibit the possible career growth an applicant may expect. The likely tendency in using pluralism in recruitment and selection is to make applicants feel that the position is not rewarding enough to pursue (Segal & Sullivan, 1997).

REMUNERATION

            It must be understood from the beginning that the remuneration a regular employee receives may not be the same as what is offered to employees in contingent positions. However, this does not necessarily mean that compensation for contingent workers is no longer appealing. The concept of an appealing remuneration for contingent workers does not imply that the amount should be similar to regular employees receive. Instead, remuneration for contingent workers should be designed in such a way that reward and appreciation from the company is evident (Gale, 2001).

            The pluralist approach would not perceive such a comprehensive remuneration program for employees in contingent work levels. Pluralist companies would be content to provide hourly wages. However, adapting Unitarism in designing remuneration programs presents exciting opportunities both for the employer and the employee.

In the part of the employee, he/she can expect a reasonable amount of compensation for the services he/she has rendered. This follows the principle of Unitarism in providing acceptable employment terms and conditions and financial security. Also, other forms of remuneration that could build the loyalty of contingent workers are benefits, performance-linked incentives, stock options (in a stock company), deferred compensation, and commission (in sales) (Gale, 2001).

In the part of the employer, the company can expect a group of happy workers who are eager to go to work, get the job done, and determined to excel and prove themselves (Folger & Konovsky, 1989). A rewarding remuneration program would inspire employees to work hard everyday regardless of level and position. In turn, turnover rate would be low and the assets of the company would remain working with them because they are happy to do so. The ripple effect would be, talented people who have heard of the satisfaction of employees, even in the contingency level, would be eager to give it a try and experience the contentment the workers of the company feel (Folger & Konovsky, 1989).

RECAP

            As a recap, we have hypothesized that the unitarist approach is the most appropriate approach in management of contingent workers. Unitarism provokes a company to exude a closely-knit, happy working environment where pay is good, opinions are sought, decisions are made by the majority, and the work environment is secure and stable even for the contingent worker. In recruitment and selection and remuneration, the unitarist approach displays its advantages as it show’s the unitarist company’s ability to easily recruit talent and retain their loyalty for the long term benefit both of the company and the employee. Pluralist points have been compared and contrasted. The comparison shows that the unitarist approach is more applicable in a company whose desire is to maintain a happy hoard of contingent workers.

CONCLUSION

            Every employee in every organization in every field is in search of a position where he can feel secure and appreciated. A worker is an asset who contributes to the company, no matter what position he is in. Even contingent workers deserve a reasonable amount of respect and appreciation from their employers. This paper has shown how the unitarist approach can help companies achieve just that. Taking care of the employees of a company would bring more and long-term results that would surely reward their organization for the effort.

REFERENCES

Chang, C. & Liao, I. (2009, August). “Individual characteristics, organizational justice and job attitudes of employees under non-standard work arrangements: Study of employees of international tourist hotels.” International Journal of Management. Aug 2009. (26) 2; p. 224

Folger, R. & Konovsky, M. (1989). “Effects of procedural justice and distributive on reactions to pay raise decisions.” Academy of Management Journal, (32) 1, 115-130

Gale, S. (2001). “Formalized flexi time: The perk that brings productivity.” Workforce, (80) 2, 39-42

Gallagher, D. G. & Sverke, M. (2005). “Contingent employment contracts: are existing employment theories still relevant?” Economic and Industrial Democracy. (26) 2; p. 181-203

Johnson, D. (2006). The Unitary Perspective: Industrial Relations. Upper Saddle River, New Jersey, Prentice-Hall, Inc.

Harper, L (2001). Labor Relations Concepts in Employee Approaches. Upper Saddle River, NJ: Sage Publishing.

Kalleberg, A. (2000). “Nonstandard employment relations: Part-time, temporary, and contract work.” Annual Review of Sociology, (26), 341-345

Organ, D. W. (1988). Organizational citizenship behavior: The good soldier syndrome. Lexington, MA: Lexington Books

Segal, L. & Sullivan, D. (1997). “The growth of temporary services work.” The Journal of Economic Perspectives, (11) 2, 117-136

Smith, A. & Locke, C. (1999). Tactical Approaches for Contingent Worker Relations and Management. (2nd ed.). Upper Saddle River, NJ: Pearson Education

Tan, H. & Tan, C. (2002). “Temporary employees in Singapore: What drives them?” The Journal of Psychology, (136) 1, 83-102

 

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Communication and Hr

4DEP (HR) Developing Yourself as an Effective Human Resources Practitioner By Susanne Collier 7th November 2011 Activity 1 Today Human Resources (HR) is at the centre of business performance. HR professionals have an important role to play in driving decisions that enable their organisations to thrive in both the short and the longer term.

Where in the past the function delivered the fundamentals that underpinned the employee lifecycle (such as recruitment, induction and salary administration) supporting organisation performance is now the theme running through HR’s work. The CIPD have introduced the HR Profession Map which sets out what HR practitioners need to know, do and deliver at all stages in their career. The Map is structured around ten professional areas of HR activity and it focuses on the knowledge, activities and behaviours required in the profession today.

The first two professional areas, Strategy, insights and solutions (uses deep understanding of the business – activities, strategies and plans and underlying drivers of and barriers to sustainable performance, and needs of customers and employees – and unique insights to drive business performance through the creation and delivery of HR strategy and solutions) and Leading and managing the HR function (leads and manages a fit for purpose HR function, with a strong track record of operational excellence and a deep understanding of the organisation requirements.

Ensures that the function has the right capability, capacity, and organisation design, and that HR employees are fully engaged, work collaboratively and possess a deep understanding of organisation and the drivers that create value). These are central to understanding the organisation and delivering an HR function that delivers success. There are eight behaviours shown on the HR Map that identify in detail how professionals need to carry out their activities and make a contribution to organisational success. Please see Appendix 1 for description of the eight behaviours. The behaviours have been clustered into the following groups:

Each professional area and behaviour is described at four bands of professional competence, the bands range from those entering the profession at band one, to those that are leading it, at band four. I currently work as an Office Manager for Miller Heiman Inc at their EMEA headquarters in Milton Keynes. As part of my remit I have to ensure that the delivery of Human Resources (HR) service and information to leaders, managers and staff within the organisation is accurate, efficient, timely and cost-effective and that HR data is managed professionally as I am the first point of contact for all HR-related queries.

I have therefore chosen to look at the Service Delivery and Information professional area at Band One, as I believe this is most relevant to my current role. There are eight activities, eleven skills and three behaviours that apply to band one within this professional area, please see Appendix 2. Within my role the behaviours detailed with the respective activity and knowledge are Collaborative, Driven to Deliver, Personally Credible, Curious, Role Model and Courage to Challenge. Collaborative Build appropriate professional, friendly and accessible relationships with employees, line managers, directors and network of suppliers. Driven to Deliver * Assist in the recruitment process – i. e. liaise with recruitment agencies, set up interviews and issue relevant correspondence. * Administer HR-related documentation, such as offer letters, contracts of employment, leavers’ and pensions information. * Provide relevant documentation as requested for example employee handbooks, latest policy updates, sickness forms. * Provide data for and prepare management nformation reports, mainly around absence management. * Ensure the relevant HR databases are up to date, accurate and comply with relevant legislation. * Administer Childcare Voucher Scheme, liaising with employees and external providers. Personally Credible * Provide support and advice to employees and line managers, explaining policies and procedures in a timely and effective manner, including maternity, paternity, adoption, parental leave and health ; safety processes and queries regarding benefit and pay issues. * Assist in the development of HR procedures and policies. Take responsibility for own work. * Communicate well both in writing and verbally. * Use own initiative. * Have the ability to work accurately with attention to detail. Curious * Take part in teams meetings, events and training as required. * Have the flexibility and willingness to learn. * Constantly review suppliers for a cost/quality/service comparison. * Good understanding of HR policies and procedures, health ; safety and basic understanding of employment legislation. * Attend Employment Law updates on a regular basis to keep abreast of changes in legislation.

Role Model * Be resilient and able to work in an organisation that is undergoing change due to development and growth. * Use tact and diplomacy, being sensitive and respectful to others. * Contribute to the development and implementation of the overall ethos/work/aims of Miller Heiman. * Appreciate and understand the need of confidentiality in dealing with all HR and training issues. * Work in accordance with current policies and procedures. * Appreciate that projects need to be completed, methodical approach with an ability to work under pressure. Courage to Challenge Feedback and look at any changes that are needed in our current practices and implement. * Constantly review personal development plan in line with organisational objectives. Activity 2 HR Customers The HR department has many internal and external customers to serve, including employees, their managers, directors and legal and regulatory agencies. The needs of which may sometimes be in conflict. Below are the main customers I have to deal within my role on a daily basis and an example of a few of their needs: Directors| Line Managers| Staff/Peers|

Latest Legislations UpdatesManagement Reporting| Appraisal DocumentationPolicy DocumentationHealth ; Safety issues| Payroll QueriesBenefit Entitlement QueriesSickness Forms| A need conflict may arise if for example a director has requested an absence report analysis for a disciplinary meeting be produced for the following day but unexpectedly a line manager has advised you of a potentially serious health and safety issue. Both needs are important to the person requesting them, and I would therefore look at the needs individually to assess their priority and risk to the business if they were not dealt with as a matter of urgency.

The absence report could be to assist the director with looking into an individuals time keeping as part of a disciplinary, which is important as this could affect the way forward with the hearing, but the health and safety issue could be a greater risk to the business and/or individual at that precise moment in time so a risk assessment would need to be carried out immediately and then a decision could be made whether action was needed immediately and would therefore then take priority over the absence report. Communication Methods Communication Method| Advantages| Disadvantages|

Electronic (Email)| * Quick * Log receipt * Complete * Can send large documentation * Cost advantages| * Eliminate Equal Opportunities due to lack of access * No tone * No relationship * Could be misconstrued | Written (Printed Material)| * Meets legal requirements * Clear audit trail * Provides reference * More in depth detail| * Lack of face to face contact * Unsecure * Slow * Expensive| Verbal(Telephone/Face to Face)| * Checking of understanding * Personal * Immediate| * Trepidation * Language * Lengthy * Lack of control * Cost of calls|

Effective communication as explained by Albert Mehrabian in his communication model found that spoken words account for only 7% of what a listener perceives, the remaining 93% of what a listener comprehends originates from the speaker’s body language and tone employed in the delivery of the words. Building and Maintaining Effective Service Building Relationships – It is important to develop a positive attitude, be less judgmental and more accepting of others.

Gather Improve Your Communication Skills, listen carefully and focus on the speaker’s message. This will allow you to respond appropriately and avoid misunderstandings. Resolve conflicts early. Treat ALL colleagues with respect and always be courteous and professional. Be open and honest about your feelings and allow others to do the same. Understand and accept personal or cultural differences. Dealing with Difficult Customers and Resolving their Complaints – Listen to the customer and thank them for bringing the problem to your attention.

Sincerely convey to the customer your apology for the way the situation has made them feel, but avoiding blame and determine what the customer is seeking as a solution. Once this is established seek to agree on the solution and take quick action to resolve and follow up to ensure the customer is completely satisfied. Meeting time and Budget Constraints – Set goal and deadline expectations at the outset. Prioritise workload and delegate if there is an opportunity too if time is restricted. Research and compare costings to ensure the best value is gained without compromising quality.

Must ensure the regular updates are provided. Continuous Improvement – To ensure high levels of customer satisfaction, it is important for HR to continually measure and monitor the needs of its various customers, determine how well it is meeting those needs and identify any areas that represent gaps, this could be done in the form of an annual employee survey, issuing feedback forms for completion or requesting short feedback via email as well as looking at your PDP plan at your annual review and at regular intervals throughout the year.

BIBLIOGRAPHY CIPD HR Profession Map http://www. cipd. co. uk/cipd-hr-profession/hr-profession-map/explore-map. aspx (28 Oct 2011) Albert Mehrabian Communication Model http://www. vestedoutsourcing. com/the-psychology-of-outsourcing-part-4-albert-mehrabian-and-comminication/ (31 October 2011) APPENDIX Appendix 18 Behaviours Description Appendix 2Service & Delivery and Information Professional Area Description

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External Recruitment at SCEA Inc

For an organization to perform well there is a need to ensure that all the personnel that are working there are competent and talented in their activities. This is the only way that an organization can realize good growth and good innovations that would help it remain at top in this era of technological development and competition. It is due to this reason that Sony Computer Entertainment America Inc. has remained on top of all the other electronic manufacturing companies in the market. People who are talented are known to have extra energy, knowledge and the driving force that is needed to make a company achieve its set goals even when the goals look unattainable. (Heneman, H.& Judge, T., 2008)

In the recent past, Sony Computer Entertainment American appointed three new executives into its management team. The three who were hired into the company are Robert Dyer who was appointed to be the company’s Senior Vice President in the Department of Publisher Relations, Sally Buchanan who was appointed to be the company’s Vice President in the Human Resources Department and Ian Jackson who was appointed as the Company’s Vice President in the Sales Department.

All the three departments are very crucial departments which are known to determine the success of the company. It is therefore necessary to employ people that are really talented in these departments as they are the ones who will determine how the company will be like in the future. These three executives are known to come to the Sony Computer Entertainment America with a combined experience of over fifty years. All these appointments were made in the year 2008 and they were a strategic move to ensure that the company remains on top of the competition. (Heneman, H.& Judge, T., 2008)

In hiring these executives, Sony Computers Entertainment America Inc. understands pretty well that it needs to act on its corporative marketing, merchandizing, sales, publisher relations and recruiting. The only way to achieve the best in these key departments is through hiring of talented and experienced personnel who would lead the rest of the teams in these departments. In the recruitment process of these executives, the company assessed their proven records of innovations and strategic leadership together with the extensive industry experience and they were regarded as a great fit and what the company wanted at the time. (Heneman, H.& Judge, T., 2008)

This is the trend at the company as each and every person happens to have well defined duties and this is one way that it has ensured that there is a continued redefinition of the entertainment lifestyle. These duties are made clear to the person during the hiring process. Through hiring of the most talented and the most experienced personnel, the company has ensured that there is a continued innovation in the field of entertainment using most of its products specifically the play stations and game consoles. (Heneman, H.& Judge, T., 2008)

Through proper management, Sony Computer Entertainment American has been recognized as the undisputed leader in the industry. This has also been achieved through marketing of the play stations families. Through the talented staffs that the company has, it has been able to develop, publish, market and eventually distribute highly sophisticated software for the play station one game console, play station 2 and 3 and the PSP for the whole of North American Market. In addition to these, Sony Computer Entertainment America Inc. has a talent acquisition program which is aimed at getting talented people who will finalize the Request for Proposal design. This is a global mobility vendor design which is aimed at supporting the company’s international program relocation and the new foreign assignment. (Heneman, H.& Judge, T., 2008)

In conclusion, it is clear that there is a need to ensure that a company has a good talent acquisition program. This is the only way that it will be able to get the best persons who would ensure that the company can realize its goals. For this to happen, it should be noted that there is a need for good leaders. These are the people who will spearhead to company in all its activities. They should be talented, experienced and should have a good track record. This is the reason why SCEA selected the three executives to head the company in the three very crucial departments which determine the company’s future.

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Managing a Multigenerational Workforce

Managing a Multigenerational Workforce

Monash University

Jason Cheah

Introduction A multigenerational workforce can present many challenges for organizations of today and are fast becoming a prominent issue for Australian HR managers. An ageing workforce and continual technological innovation are the main reasons attributing to the issues associated with a multigenerational workforce. To remain competitive organizations will need to utilize such a workforce to their advantage and this can be achieved through effective human resource development.

The differences between generations are known to occur due to major influences in the environment in which early human socialization occurs (Macky, Gardner & Forsyth, 2008). These influences can impact on a range of factors of an individual including personality, values and beliefs, which will generally remain stable throughout adulthood (Westerman & Yamamura, 2007). The changing nature of the socio-cultural environment will also influence generational differences as individuals of different generations will have been exposed to different events and experiences during their developmental years (Beaver & Hutchings, 2005).

A multigenerational workforce is an issue that cannot be ignored and the challenge then for organizations is to be able to manage, develop and maintain an effective multigenerational workforce. HR departments will need to recognize the demographics of their workplace and to implement an organizational culture that values and rewards diversity (Holland & De Cieri, 2006). This article will aim to address the issue of a multigenerational workforce and its impacts on Australian organizations and HRD.

Using the case study of Mixed Ages Technology Corporation (MATC), the challenges and issues presented by managing and developing older and younger employees will be discussed. Then a brief summary of the case study will be followed by a discussion of strategies best suited for MATC to improve the morale of multigenerational workforces and HR’s role in improving efficiency between the Baby Boomers and the Generation Y workforce Issues and Challenges of Baby Boomers

The global trend of an ageing workforce and government policy directions towards reversing early retirement trends raises the issue of the costs to employers with an ageing workforce (Brooke, 2003). Recently Australian government policies are being directed towards retaining older workers and reducing costs of pensions, health costs of retirees and superannuation payments; which are estimated to cost the country $46 billion between 2000 and 2031 (Brooke, 2003).

This is having a direct impact on Australian organizations as an increase in age of their workforces creates an increase of the human resource costs associated with older workers, consequently making older workers more expensive to employ (Patrickson & Hartmann, 1995). However another worrying factor of a mature age workforce force is that with the impending retirement of the baby boomers; organizations will lose a wealth of experience, knowledge and skills that will be extremely hard to replace (Jorgensen, 2005).

Difficulty in replacing such skill and experience can be attributed to Australia’s low fertility rate, and therefore a reduced supply of younger workers joining the workforce and the increasing skill shortages (Anonymous, 2006). This will lead to an increase of competition for talent and Jorgensen (2005) believes that organizations must look at new ways of retaining older workers and to make better use of their skills and experiences.

Organizations will have an increased need to retain older workers by creating career paths to help older workers to break out of career plateaus, and to retrain those whose skills have become outdated (Holland & De Cieri, 2006). Organizations that fail to address the ageing workforce issue risk future staff and skill shortages. The key to managing ageing workers is to actively identify strategies to retain, retrain and integrate older workers into their workplace and to capitalize on their skills, knowledge and experiences (Holland & De Cieri, 2006).

Managing and Retaining Baby Boomers Organizations need to be wary of losing a wealth of skills and knowledge that older workers possess through poor management (Beaver & Hutchings, 2005). As employees mature they are more likely to experience disengagement with the workplace and career plateauing, which can lead to an increased intention to leave. HR managers will need to work with both the employee and the organization’s goals to eliminate these barriers.

There are various options available to organizations faced with the problem of retaining older workers. Providing phased retirement plans, moving older workers to part time work and creating more flexible working conditions can save organizations the costs involved with hiring new employees while maintaining older workers technical knowledge. Additionally it is important for organizations to recognize older workers personal commitments and their need for work life balance (Hutchings & Beaver, 2005).

Contrary to the view of a career plateau, Armstrong-Stassen (2008) argues that majority of older workers want to continue learning and developing their skills and also desire a job that is challenging and meaningful. There will also be an increased attractiveness for organizations to hire mature age workers, even if it is on a part time basis, as older workers are readily available sources in terms of expertise that can impact the future success of the organization (Miller & Siggins, 2003).

In turn HR managers will have a responsibility to have policies in place to encourage lifelong learning and knowledge management. However older workers can be a popular target during downsizing, and many experience hidden and open pressures to retire early. Addressing these issues through frequent training and feedback programs will assist older employees to feel valued by their organization. (Cadrain, 2007) believes that the costs associated with recruiting and training staff pays off over time, as the longer you retain staff the greater the return is on your investment.

Therefore it is vital for organizations to retain and retrain not only the older workers but younger workers as well as generation Y workers present a different challenge for HR managers altogether. Issues and Challenges of Generation Y In a tight labour market the need for organizations to effectively manage younger workers, such as generation X and generation Y have become crucial. During the current skills shortage organizations will need to put new strategies in place to support proactive recruitment and HR policies.

The high mobility of generation Y can be attributed to technological advances whereupon there is instant connectivity and experience sharing with others, leading to more information and inevitably more choice (Macky, et al. , 2008). Younger workers relish employment opportunities that allow them to learn new things, meet new people, to work in new ways and to take calculated risks (Schulman, 2007). Therefore organizations will need to include values such as flexibility, creativity and personal development when dealing with the management of younger employees.

Due to the high mobility of Generation Y, organizations will need to focus on engagement of their younger employees. Younger employees are eager to showcase their talents when joining an organization, as they have not been tainted by bad working habits and are generally excited to take on new and challenging responsibilities (Fallon, 2009). Although this may be seen as a positive, keeping them happy and motivated requires different strategies than those that have been used with the baby boomers.

It is widely accepted that younger workers care about much more than money; Holland & De Ceiri (2006) believe that work life balance is critical to Generation Y employees, while Fallon (2009) states that younger employees aim for a holistic fulfillment through work including feeling good about their job and a healthy balance with their social lives. This view is consistent in that younger generations need to have a perception of meaningfulness associated with their role. A lack of engagement from the employer can produce disillusionment, a lack of creativity and a lack of investment (Shulman, 20007).

Organizations will therefore need to have HR strategies in place to retain younger employees and to keep them motivated and productive. Managing and Developing Generation Y There are many strategies that organizations can utilize in order to attract, train and retain the best young talent in the market. As generation Y have incredibly high expectations about the work environment, growth opportunities and rate of advancement (Downs, 2009) it is imperative for HR managers to consider the career plans of younger employees.

Generation Y’s are entering the workforce in large volumes, and organizations that are unable to harness this growing resource will find themselves at a distinct disadvantage (Anonymous, 2006). Management of younger workers is crucial in times of financial hardship. Contrary to the view of (Miller & Siggins, 2003), who argues that older workers can assist organizations through financial as they are readily available sources, Anonymous (2009) states that organizations need to consider the long term prospects of generation Y’s.

In order to keep generation Y’s challenged, HR managers may consider restructuring certain entry level positions so that the duties of the role vary. Additionally HR managers should discuss various career paths with younger employees and the possible steps in reaching such goals (Downs, 2009). Research shows that communication between managers and younger employees is becoming increasingly crucial (Fallon, 2009). As younger employees are used to direct, ongoing feedback in their developmental years they expect the same type of treatment from their managers.

Especially as they have not yet experienced a recession, Generation Y’s will need constant feedback to remain motivated and productive. They will feel more valued and loyal to the company if managers are able to show that they care about the growth and progress of the employee. This will in turn have long term benefits and save the organization costs from a reduced turnover (Fallon, 2009). How organizations manage the generation gap is determined by the demographics of the workplace and strategies available to them.

This article will now link effective HR strategies to Mixed Ages Technology Corporations organization culture and goals. Feeling Valued by the Organization There are several generational issues that confront MATC’s newly appointed HR director Tom Fletcher. Employee morale and productivity has dropped due to the rising tension between the baby boomers and the generation Y workers. The baby boomers of the company are unsatisfied with the amount of respect shown to them by the younger workers and are quite resistant to any change in the promotions system, which is based on seniority.

On the other hand the generation y workers believe that there is a lack of opportunity for individual growth and oppose the current promotion system; they also believe that the older workers are outdated when it comes to modern technology. To enable both younger and older workers to feel valued by each other and by MATC, the HR team will need to address these two underlying issues. Initially the HR team needs to assess the generation gap by recognizing and openly discussing generational differences with the employees.

McGuire, By & Hutchings (2007) believe that effective managers will help employees feel valued by the organization; therefore HR should be proactive in helping managers succeed in this area. As managers nowadays have to deliver in a shorter time frame and with limited resources (Aker, 2009), HR can provide coaching and mentoring programs and develop learning solutions and performance management tools to educate managers on generational differences and the best strategies available to manage a multigenerational workforce.

However (Anonymous, 2009) argues that it is up to the employees to adapt to generational differences and that an assessment should be made to identify improvement opportunities within MATC’s organizational culture. The company’s current culture is one of continuous change and adaptation; hence HR needs to remind employees of this culture while adding a culture of embracing and encouraging workforce diversity (Aker, 2009). A diverse workforce is richer because there are many different perspectives, different learning styles and different attitudes towards work.

Through effective human resource development, MATC will have the ability to harness this diversity into an organizational strength and investment for the future. Feedback Programs One of the biggest causes of generational tension is insecurity about jobs (Crumpacker & Crumpacker, 2007). Older workers may be involved in a transactional psychological contract and will therefore be reluctant to share information and resources will the younger employees. Additionally younger employees may worry that older employees will resent their attempts to climb the corporate ladder (Downs, 2009).

HR needs to encourage an intergenerational learning environment and an environment of continuous learning and a continuous transfer of knowledge by addressing anxiety and tensions through positive reinforcement. HR also needs to reassure all employees that their contributions are valued and may even consider rewarding behaviours displaying knowledge sharing and acceptance of diversity. These types of career management strategies will help employees to feel greater job security and in turn less threatened by other generations.

A commonly used strategy to instill confidence in employees and to make them feel valued is to provide frequent and timely positive feedback and offering public praise from management and peers (Cadrain, 2007). However HR needs to understand that feedback programs need to differ according to generational characteristics. It is not uncommon for HR to bring in change and communication consultants to train managers in areas of communication, feedback and negotiation to help managers understand such differences (Crumpacker & Crumpacker, 2007).

As baby boomers are facing a growing pressure from a young demographic of workers, they will need to be reassured about that value they add to the organization. However baby boomers can be overly sensitive to feedback and can usually spot transparent feedback (Cadrain, 2007). In contrast generation Y employees rely of feedback from authority figures to assess whether they are on the right track and consequently they can struggle with the processing of feedback (Fallon, 2009).

Therefore it is imperative to reassure younger workers that the feedback is designed to support their career progression, which is a major driving factor for generation Y’s. In the same article (Fallon, 2009) it states that it will be worthwhile for HR managers to organize more frequent gatherings among the staff and to explore programs that encourage greater collaboration. Improving Productivity through Mentoring Programs For a multigenerational workforce to function cohesively, MATC needs to build a culture based on open communication and mutual respect.

A popular method for achieving such as goal is to encourage frequent group collaborations and teamwork. (Carnevale, 2005) found that brownbag training sessions, special projects and committee work can assist to reduce friction and in turn build camaraderie among employees. Another effective strategy to lower tensions is to assign the older workers as mentors to younger employees. Despite the stereotype of Generation Y’s to be impatient, Downs (2009) states that they keenly understand the value of experience and that they excel at working in teams.

By pairing them with older and more experienced workers, this will assist the older workers to feel valued and respected and in turn facilitate the transfer of knowledge between generations, it will also fulfill younger employee’s desires to rocket up the learning curve and improve their chances of promotion. Further to this Caudron (2002) states the importance of dual mentoring relationship.

There is a distinct advantage of this method in that two professionals may possess vastly different skill sets, and pairing them will eliminate shortcomings and maximize strengths. However (McGuire, et al. 2007) argues that organizations need to be wary that generational differences in judgments or a destructive tone of relationship such as jealousy or prejudice may have a negative impact on mentoring program and therefore need to link a culture of embracing generational diversity with such HR strategies.

This view is supported by Jorgensen (2005) who argues that older employees who are no longer competing for promotion could move into a mentor or coach role to enable effective knowledge transfer to younger employees, while still contributing their skills and experiences directly to specific projects.

By engaging all employees, the organization will inevitably improve long term benefits. Engagement of the Workforce Given current economic challenges MATC need to put a premium on fully engaged employees. Promoting employee engagement is one indicator of the effectiveness of HR approaches to talent management, due to the fact that enhancing employee engagement benefits both employees and employers (Downs, 2009). There are a range of benefits resulting from effective engagement including higher productivity, higher job satisfaction, less sick days taken and a longer tenure with the organization.

Managing a multigenerational workforce has forced organizations to consider many alternative strategies for engagement. Past research has found varying factors effect the level of engagement; gender, caring responsibilities, physical health, core self evaluation and most importantly, age (Tsai, 2008). MATC needs to identify options for different approaches to enhancing employee engagement.

The HR team may want to get suggestions employees about supports that they can rovide for them that would simultaneously support positive work life balance and also enhance engagement. It terms of baby boomers, child care facilities or carers leave may be beneficial.

While for generation Y’s past research has shown that work life balance is a priority (Shulman, 2007), therefore an increase in flexible hours may lead to higher levels of engagement. MATC can also put HR strategies in place that directly affect some of the individual characteristics noted above.

For example, the offer of wellness initiatives and programs can improve or maintain the health of older workers which can in turn affect their engagement level. While having social gatherings and events may help younger employees have a greater sense of inclusion in the organization. Conversely Gebauer (2006) believes that it is an interaction of an employee’s characteristics and experiences at work that affect their level of engagement. The workplace culture regulates an individual’s experiences at work.

Providing employee specific opportunities for training and development, a culture of flexibility, organizational support and perceptions of inclusion and job security are all important in maintaining productive employees. Conclusion Every individual possesses biases that can often prevent them from recognizing the valuable contributions that others can offer; the generational stereotypes that exist in the workplace are usually derived from generational differences in personality and motivational drivers (Brooke, 2003). Tensions arise if these differences are not addressed and can lead to a low morale of the workforce.

HR managers need to eliminate generational barriers between older and younger workers and this can be done by imposing an organizational culture that accepts generational differences while promoting the fact that there are consistent drivers across generations (Macky, et al. , 2008). Organizations nowadays can have up to four generations working for them and it is their ability to address generational gaps and manage these differences that is imperative to remaining competitive and having a motivated and productive workforce.

As workforce demographics are shifting dramatically, HR managers should aim to provide an effective mix of compensation, benefits, flexible work arrangements and opportunities for growth and development for every individual. Traditional approaches designed to meet the needs of baby boomers are no longer effective and therefore new strategies need to be tailored to a more diverse workforce. Each generation requires a unique set of factors to motivate them at work and human resources plays an important strategic role in enabling diverse talent to thrive (Tsai, 2008).

HR strategies should be free of bias from the recruitment, training and development and promotional processes of the organization. Organizations will need to shift away from a mindset that tolerates diversity to one where diversity is valued, harnessed and leveraged to achieve greater business success. This will have implications for organizations to have effective strategies in place to manage and support diversity which are aligned to organizational goals. After all it is a diverse workforce that creates balance and a successful and productive workforce. References

Aker, J, M. (2009). Managing a multigenerational workforce. Buildings. 103(1), 46-48. Anonymous. (2006). Beyond age discrimination to leveraging human capital. Human Resource Management International Digest. 14(3). 6-8. Anonymous. (2009). Make plans for Gen Y workers. CU360 Newsletter. 35(7), 2-3. Armstrong-Stassen, M. (2008). Factors associated with job content plateauing among older workers. Career Development International. 13(7), 594-613. Beaver, G. , & Hutchings, K. (2005). Training and developing an age diverse workforce in SMEs. Education & Training. 47(8), 592-604.

Brooke, L. (2003). Human resource costs and benefits of maintaining a mature-age workforce. International Journal of Manpower. 24(3), 260-283. Cadrain, D. (2007). Employers prepare to keep, not lose, baby boomers. HRMagazine. 52, 23-24. Carnevale, T. (2005). The coming labor and skills shortage. T&D. 59(1), 37-41. Caudron, S. (2002). Rebuilding trust through communication. Workforce. 81(10), 33-33. Crumpacker, M. , & Crumpacker, J. M. (2007). Succession planning and generational stereotypes: should HR consider age-based values and attitudes a relevant factor or a passing fad?

Public Personnel Management. 36(4). 349-369. Downs, K. (2009). Managing Gen Y in recessionary times. Business Credit. 111(4), 28-29. Fallon, T. (2009). Retain and motivate the next generation: 7 ways to get the most out of you millennial workers. Supervision. 70(5), 5-7. Gebauer, J. (2006). Workforce engagement. T&D. 61(2), 28-30. Holland, P. , & De Cieri, H. (2006). Contemporary issues in human resource development: an Australian perspective. NSW, Australia: Pearson Education Australia. Jorgensen, B. (2005). The ageing population and knowledge work: a context for action.

Foresight. 7(1), 61-76. Macky, K. , Gardner, D. , & Forsyth, S. (2008). Generational differences at work: introduction and overview. Journal of Managerial Psychology. 23(8), 857-861. McGuire, D. , By, R. T. , & Hutchings, K. (2007). Towards a model of human resource solutions for achieving intergenerational interaction in organizations. Journal of European Industrial Training. 31(8), 592-608. Miller, M. & Siggins, I. (2003). A framework for intergenerational planning. Foresight. 5(6), 18-25. Patrickson, M. , & Hartmann, L. (1995).

Australia’s ageing population: implications for human resource management. International Journal of Manpower. 16(5), 34-46. Schulman, S. (2007). Crossing the generational divide: engaging “young” employees in your organization. Development and Learning in Organizations. 21(2), 7-9. Tsai, J. (2008). Working with the years. CRM Magazine. 12(11), 15-16. Westerman, J. W. , & Yamamura, J. H. (2007). Generational preferences for work environment fit: effects on employee outcomes. Career Development International. 12(2), 150-161.

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