Q. What are the challenges before the Human Resource function in todays Indian business scenario?

Ans. A goal seeking organizations especially one that seeks improvement over the current situation is a challenge, taking organization. When many such goals are pursued tremendous internal pressures some of them conflicting, tend to be generated. Unless the organization develops mechanisms for coping with these self-generated pressures, it may face major failure and suffer disastrous retreats from its goal.

Human Resource function cannot be performed in a vacuum. There are many challenges that it has to face to survive. All these challenges are discussed below.

1. Technological factors: Just as necessity is the mother of invention competition and a host of other reasons are responsible for the rapid technological changes and innovations. As a consequence of these changes, technical personnel, skilled workers, computer operators and machine operators are increasingly required while the demand for other categories of employers has declined. Hence procurement of skilled employees and their increase in numbers to match the changing job requirements has become a complicated task.

2. Human Resource in the Country: The structure, values and the level of education of human resource in a country influence much of the Human Resource function. The influence of manpower in the country can be studies through the changes in structure of employment. a. Change in the Structure of Employment: The structure of employment in an organization changes with the entrance of workforce with different backgrounds (Social economic, region, community, sex, religion, traditions culture etc). There has been a significant change in the structure of employment with the entry of 1) candidates belonging to the schedule castes, schedules tribes and backward communities. 2) more female employees, due to increased career orientation among women to the suitability of women for certain jobs and to women becoming more acclimatized to the working climate and higher level of commitment. 3) The workforce consists of different regions but due to increased transportation facilities and mobile character of people. These changes in workforce are a challenge and a complicated task of HR function. It has to deal with employees with different backgrounds.

3. Changes in employee Roles and their Values: Earlier the management could totally control its employees and get the desired output. Today the employees have to be considered as a partner in the organization. Changing structure of workforce has led to the introduction of new values in organization. Among these are moves 1) emphasis on quality of life rather than quantity ii) equality and justice for employees over economic efficiency iii) participation over authority. iv) Workers now prefer flexible working hours to fixed time schedule. v)

Level of education in recent years is comparatively very higher. Increased formal education has led to the change of attitude of the employees.

4. Changing demands of employer: changes always are not on the side of employees. Organizations also undergo changes and consequently their demands on employees will also change. The information technological revolution and neck to neck marketing competition of most of the organizations due to globalization demand that the existing employees adopt to the ever-changing work situation and learn new skills, knowledge etc to cope with the new changes.

5. Government and Legal factors: Until 1940 the government was not involved or interested regarding the problems of labor or industry. But the need for Govt., interference arose out of the belief that Government is the custodian of industrial and economic activities. The role of the government in business has after 1991 with the announcement of economic liberalization. However awareness of legislations is very important like the Factory Act, 1948, Trade Union act 1962, Payment of wages Act 1936, The Minimum Wages Act 1923, The Payment of Bonus Act 1965, The Employment Exchange Act, Standing Order Act 1946, Maternity Benefit Act 1961, and The Apprentice Act 1961. All these acts if not complied with can get the organization into deep trouble.

6. Customers: Organizations produce products or render services for the ultimate consumption use by the customer. In other words organizations depend upon customers for their survival and growth. Customers revolt against employees, if the services rendered are less qualitative. The banks face such type of challenges. Customers may develop a negative attitude towards the organization, if it does not follow the social policies of the country. Hence the customers pose a challenge special ally in service industry.

7. Social factors: Social environment consists of class structure, mobility social roles social values nature and development of social institutions caste structure and occupational structure, traditions, religion culture etc. To cater to everyones requirement and keep them happy is a big challenge faced by HR today.

Q. Write short notes on any three. a) Job Description Manual b) Training Needs Analysis c) Employee

d) Organization Downsizing

e) Team Effectiveness

Ans a. Job Description: Job description is an important document which is basically descriptive in nature and contains a statement of job analysis. It serves to identify a job for continuation by other job analysts. It tells us what should be done, why it should be done and where it should be performed. The job description should indicate the scope and nature of the work including all important relationships. The job description should be clear regarding the work of the position, duties etc.

More specific words should be selected to show (a) the kind of work (b) the degree of complexity (c) the degree of skill required (d) the extend to which problems are standardized (e) the degree and type of accountability. (f) Supervisory responsibility should be shown to the incumbents. (g) The basic requirement, experience, works wise, age qualifications etc., should be stated very clearly.

And b. Training Needs Analysis: Training needs are identified on the basis of organizational analysis, job analysis and manpower analysis. Training programme, training methods and course content are to be planned on the basis of training needs. Training needs are those aspects necessary to perform the job in an organization in which is lacking attitude/aptitude, knowledge and skill.

Training needs = Job and organizational requirement-Employees Specifications

Methods used in Training Need Analysis.

Sr. 1. 2. 3. 4. 5. 6. 7. 8. 9.

Group or Organizational Analysis To identify Organizational goals and objectives Personnel/skill inventories Organizational Climate indices Efficiency indices Exit interviews MBO or work planning systems Quality circles Customer survey/satisfaction data Consideration of current and projected

Individual Analysis Performance appraisal Work sampling Interviews Questionnaires Attitude survey Training progress Rating scales Observation of behavior

changes

Ans. c. Employee Manual: The Employee Manual is a document that an employee can refer to for any kind of query about the rules and guidelines of an organization. The Employee Manual contains the following :

History, growth, organisation and management, products, market, customers etc. of the company. Basic conditions of employment hours of work, shift, holidays, retirement benefits. Pay, allowances, deductions. Sickness rules, information pay sick leave. Leave rules casual, special, earned holidays, vacation. Work rules work-load, use of materials, equipment, and machine. Disciplinary rules and procedure. Grievance procedure. Career path, promotion channel. Unions, negotiating machinery. Education, training and development facilities. Health, Safety, medical care arrangements. Canteen and restaurant facilities. Social benefits and welfare measures. Telephone calls and correspondence. Traveling and subsistence expenses. Uniforms, clothing. Various employees their designations position in the organisation.

Ans d. Organisational Downsizing: When there is a surplus of labour the organization is faced with a problem of downsizing the organization. Because maintaining surplus of labour will eat into the profits of theCo. It is not easy to pay employees without extracted work from them. In such cases the organization is faced with a problem of using the existing surplus for some higher category of work by giving them training or employing them with their sister concern or simply giving the employees a golden handshake through Voluntary Retirement Scheme (VRS). Another way of downsizing is delayering the organization and rectifies the situation of overstaffing.

Ans e. Team Effectiveness: Team effectiveness is the result of team work which consists of a group of jobs that are linked and interconnected with each other for the purpose of performing a total operation. The total operation is assigned to a group of employees. Though each employee is allotted a job in the team, he is expected to take up the job of other employees when they fail to do it perfectly. Thus jobs in a team overlap with each other. Teamwork gains more significance rather than individual jobs. In fact individual jobs are losing their relevance in the re-engineered businesses, organizations based on supply chain management. Team effectiveness is essential to serve the customer completely. These days organizations started designing teams and analyzing team work. Most recent organization

has realized that teamwork produces better results than the performance of individual work. Infact practices of Enterprise Resource Planning (ERP), Business Process Re-engineering (BPRE) and Supply Chain Management require teamwork. The impact of synergy results in high productivity of teamwork than that of the total of individual employees. Team effectiveness pertains to minimum acceptable human qualities and relationships necessary to perform all kinds of activities in a team.

Q. What is the role of a constructive and positive Trade Union?

Ans. The Role of a constructive and positive Trade Union

Achieving higher wages and better working and living conditions for the members Acquiring the control of industry by worker

Minimizing the helplessness of the individual workers by making them stand collectively and against victimization and injustice of the employers Raising the status of the workers as partners of the industry and citizens of society by demanding the increasing share for the workers in the \management of industrial enterprises Providing a worker self confidence and self esteem Imbibing sincerity and discipline in workers. To protect the right to be consulted on all matters affecting the workers interest.

Besides the above functions of the trade unions the national Commission of Labour has entrusted the following responsibilities on to the trade unions which they execute:

Promotion of national integration

Instilling in their members a sense of responsibility towards the industry and the community Generally influencing the socio-economic policies of the community through active participation in their formulation at various levels.

The functions of the trade union can be divided into 5 categories. Viz

1. Militant or Intra Mural Functions : these functions include protecting the workers interest i.e. hike in wages, providing more benefits, job security etc. through collective bargaining and direct action such as strikes, gheraos etc.

2. Fraternal Or Extra Mural Functions : These functions include providing financial and nonfinancial assistance to workers during the period of strikes, lock-outs, extension of medical facilities, during sickness and casualties, provision of education, recreation, recreational and housing facilities, provision of social and religious benefits etc.

3. Social Functions: These functions include carrying out social service activities, discharging social responsibilities through various sections of the society like educating the customers etc.

4. Political Functions: These functions include affiliating a union to a political party, helping the political party in enrolling members, collecting donations, canvassing during the election period, seeking help of political parties during the strikes and lockouts.

5. Ancillary Functions: Ancillary functions of trade include Communications to its members. Welfare activates like acquiring of house sites, construction of houses, and establishment of co-operative societies. Educating its members and their family. Arranging to conduct research programmes. Analyzing data for collective bargaining, preparing notes for union officials, for court cases etc. They also arrange to analyze macro data about the economy, industry and different sectors etc.

Q. a Give a brief outline of the Human Resource Planning System.

Ans.a. Human resource planning means deciding the number and type of the human resources required for each job, unit and the total company for a particular date in order to carry out organizational activities. It is a process by which an organization moves from its current manpower position to its desired manpower position. It is influenced by the strategic management of the co.

STRATEGY Expansion Diversification Acquisitions and Mergers Retrenchment Low Cost Leadership Differentiation Strategy

HUMAN RESOURCE PLANNING Additional human resources of existing categories. Additional human resources of different categories Reduction of human resources of managerial positions Reduction of human resources of almost all the categories through VRS and other means Reduction of human resources Additional human resources of different categories.

Purpose of Human Resource Planning.

To recruit and retain the human resource of required quantity and quality.

To foresee the employee turnover and make the arrangements for minimizing turnover and filling up of consequent vacancies. To foresee the impact of technology on work. To meet the needs of the programmers of expansion, diversification etc. To improve the standards, skill knowledge, ability discipline etc. To access the surplus or shortage of human resources and take measures accordingly.

To maintain congenial industrial relations by maintaining optimum level and structure of human resources. To minimize imbalances caused due to non-availability of human resources of the right kind, right number in the right time and right place. To make the best use of its human resources To estimate the cost of human resources.

Important Elements of Human Resource Planning.

Analyzing Corporate and unit level strategies

Demand Forecasting: Forecasting the overall human resources requirements in accordance with the organizational plans. Supply Forecasting: Obtaining the data and information about the present inventory of human resources and forecast the future changes in the human resources inventory. Estimating the net human resources requirements In case of future surplus, plan for re-deployment, retrenchment and lay off.

In case of future deficit, forecast the future supply of human resources from all sources with reference to plans of other companies. Plan for recruitment, development and internal mobility if future supply is more than or equal to net human resources requirements. Plan to modify or adjust the organizational plan if future supply is more than or equal to net human resource requirements. Plan to modify or adjust the organizational plan if future supply will be inadequate with reference to future net requirements.

Q b. What is Job Evaluation?

Ans. b. Job Evaluation is the process of determining by observation and study and reporting pertinent information relating to the nature of a specific job. It is the determination of the tasks which comprise the job and of the skills, knowledge, abilities and responsibilities of the worker of a successful performance and which differentiates one job from all others. It is concerned with arrangement of jobs in order of relative value within a given organization. Once jobs have been evaluated it is then possible to harness a wage or salary structure to the established hierarchy

Q. Write short notes on any three:

1. 2. 3. 4.

Identification of training needs Job Rotation Principle of Natural justice Workers participation in Management

Ans.a. Identification of training needs: Training needs are identified on the basis of organizational anaylsis, job analysis and manpower analysis. Training needs are those aspects necessary to perform the job in an organization in which employee is lacking attitude/aptitude, knowledge and skills. Basically there are two type of analysis done to identify the training. One is the Organizational Analysis and the other Individual Analysis.

Training needs = Job and organizational requirement-Employees specifications

Identification of Training Needs Sr. 1. 2. 3. 4. 5. 6. 7. 8. 9. Group or Organizational Analysis To identify Organizational goals and objectives Personnel/skill inventories Organizational Climate indices Efficiency indices Exit interviews MBO or work planning systems Quality circles Customer survey/satisfaction data Consideration of current and projected changes Individual Analysis Performance appraisal Work sampling Interviews Questionnaires Attitude survey Training progress Rating scales Observation of behavior

b. Job Rotation: This type of training involves the movement of the trainee from one job to another. The trainee received job knowledge and gains experience from his supervisor or trainer in each of the Different job assignments. Though this method of training is common in training managers for general

Management positions, trainees can also be rotated from job to job in workshop jobs. This method Gives an opportunity to express his own ideas.

c. Principle of Natural Justice: It is a fair practice of decision making and running the organization. All decisions are transparent All decisions are adequately documented A review process exits for affected employees, with agencies utilizing existing or revised

Grievance processes to enable employees to raise issues arising from the change process. Decision making takes into account both the individual and employers needs

- Relevant and current policy and procedures are well documented and accessible by employees.

d.Workers Participation in Management: The concept of WPM is considered as a mechanism where Workers have a say in the decision making process of an enterprise. The concept crystallizes the Concept of industrial democracy and indicates an attempt on the part of an employer to build his Employees into a team which works towards the realization of a common objective. It is a mental and Emotional involvement of a person in a group situation which encourages him to contribute to goals and share responsibilities in them.

The main objective of WPM in management include

To promote increased productivity for the advantage of the organization, workers and society at large.

To provide a better understanding to employees about their role and place in the process of attainment of organizational goals. To satisfy the workers social and esteem needs

To strengthen labour management co-operation and thus maintaining industrial peace and harmony. To develop social education for effective solidarity among the working community and for tapping latent human resources. An ideological point of view to develop self management in industry To build the most dynamic human resource To build the nation through entrepreneurship and economic development.

Forms of WPM include works committees, Joint Management councils, Joint Councils and Shop Councils.

Q. a. What steps should an organization take to make training more effective?

Ans a. The important steps for a training to be effective are as follows:

1. Preparing the Instructor: The instructor must know both the job to be taught and how to teach it. The job must be divided into logical parts so that each can be taught at a proper time without the training losing plan. For each part one should have in mind the desired technique of instruction i.e. whether a particular point is best taught by illustration, demonstration or explanation.

a) A serious and committed instructor must : 1. 2. 3. 4. Know the job or subject he is attempting to teach Have the aptitude and ability to teach Have willingness towards the profession Have a pleasing personality and capacity for leadership

5. Have the knowledge of teaching principles and methods 6. Be a permanent student, in the sense that he should equip himself with the latest concepts and knowledge.

2. Preparing the Trainee: The trainee should be made at ease. Most people are somewhat nervous when approaching an unfamiliar task. Though the instructor may have executed the training programme many times he or she should never forget the newness to the trainee. The quality of empathy is a mark of a good instructor.

3. Getting ready to Teach : This stage of the programme is class hour teaching involving the following activities : Planning the programme Preparing the instructors outline Too much material much be avoided The session should move logically Each item should be discussed in depth. Repetition should be in different words. The material should be taken from standardized text

When the standardized text is not available then the programme should be developed based on group approach consisting of employer, skilled employees, supervisors, trade union leaders and others familiar with the job requirements. Teach about the standard for trainee like quality, quantity, waste or scrap, ability to work without supervision, knowledge or procedure, safety rules, human relations etc.

4. Presenting the Operation: There are various alternative ways of presenting the operations viz. explanation, demonstration. An instructor mostly uses these methods of explanation. In addition one may illustrate various points through the uses of picture, charts diagrams and other training aids.

5. Try out the Trainees Performance: As a continuation of the training sequence, the trainee should be asked to start the job or operative procedure. Some instructors prefer that the trainee explains each step before doing it, particularly if the operation involves any danger. The trainee through repetitive practice shall acquire more skills.

6. Follow Up: The final step in most training procedures is the follow-up when people are involved in any problem or procedure it is unwise to assume that things are always constant. Follow up can be adapted to a variable re-enforcement schedule as suggested in the discussion of learning principles. Every training programme should have a follow up to improve on the future programmes.

Q b. Critically examine Herzbergs two factor theory.

Ans. b. Herzberg Theory of motivation deals with basically two factors.

DISSATISFIERS: The first group (factor) consists of needs such as company policy and administration, supervision, working conditions, interpersonal relations, salary, status, job security and personal life. These factors he called DISSATISFIERS and not motivators. Their presence or existence does not motivate in the sense of yielding satisfaction, but their absence would result in dissatisfaction. They are also known as hygiene factors.

SATISFIERS: The second group are thesatisfiers in the sense that they are motivators which are related to job content. It includes factors of achievement, recognition, challenging work, advancement and growth in job. Their presence yields feeling of satisfaction or no satisfaction but not dissatisfaction.

Another WAY to present the above question

Ans b. Herzbergs Classification of Maintenance and Motivational Factors

Sr. Maintenance Factors or Dissatisfiers or Hygiene Factors 1. Job Content 2. Extrinsic Factors 3. Company Policy and Administration 4. Quality of supervision 5. Relations with superiors 6. Peer Relations

Motivational Factors or Satisfiers Job Content Intrinsic Factors Achievement Recognition Advancement Work Itself

7. 8. 9. 10. 11.

Relations with subordinates Pay Job security Work Conditions Status

Possibility of Growth Responsibility

Q.b. Write short notes on Assessment Centre. Ans. b. This method of appraising was first applied in the German Army in 1930. Later, business and industrial houses started using this method. This is not a technique of performance appraisal by itself. In fact it is a system or organisation, where assessment of several individuals is done by various experts by using various techniques. It includes techniques like in basket, role playing, case studies, stimulation exercises, structured in sight, transactional analysis etc