Running head: TRENDS IN THE WORKPLACE

Trends in the Workplace

Patia Long
HRM500 HR Management Foundations
Strayer University
Dr. Matthew Gonzalez
October 21st 2015

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Introduction (centered & bold)

Human resources management is defined, as the process of hiring and developing
employees, so that they become more valuable to the current organization. (What Is Human
Resources Management (HRM)?, n.d.) Human resources management includes conducting job
analysis, addressing personnel needs, hosting training sessions, developing benefit and wage
packages, interviewing, resolving disputes, and communicating with employees at every level.
(What Is Human Resources Management (HRM)?, n.d.) The HRM department members provide
the knowledge, necessary tools, training, administrative services, coaching, legal and
management advice, and talent management oversight that the rest of the organization needs for
successful operation. (Heathfield, 2015) In her human resources career guide, author Susan
Strayer refers to HR management as glue that holds people and the organization together.
(Brunot, 2013) Companies with a great HR team produces higher quality employees and a more
positive workplace environment. Human resource managers understand that an employee
success begins with their department.
Specify the key functional areas of Human Resources Management. Explore the manner in
which each function contributes to the overall performance of an organization. Support
your response.
There are key functional areas in the human resources department that help it run
efficiently and smoothly, this will in turn allow the organization to do the same. There are five
key areas of HR are business management and strategy, workforce planning and employment,
human resource development, compensation and benefits, employee and labor relations and risk
management. (Brunot, 2013)

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The first area is the business management and strategy function of HR. Developing
human capital is important to the longevity and success of a business. (Mayhew, 2013) Human
resources strategy today involves executive leadership teams conferring with human resources
experts to develop complementary goals for human resources and the overall business.(Mayhew,
2013)
Workplace planning and employment involves the planning, recruitment, and
interviewing of potential staff members. This step is essential to the human resource
management process. It is crucial that this step is correct, because, it has many working parts
involved in the process. This is where HR will create job postings, determine where to advertise
open positions, and conduct interviews. (White, n.d)
Human resource development involves training, career mapping and performance
management aspects of human resource development give HR bottom-line influence.(Brunot,
2013) In some cases, HR personnel make final decisions about which applicant to hire, while in
others they narrow down the field to qualified applicants so that supervisors can make the final
selection. (White, n.d)
Total rewards or compensation and benefits is the next in line of functional areas for
human resource management. This is the planning and mapping out for employee wages and
benefit packages and incentives. Payroll processing falls under this function, as does benefits
administration. It involves making sure that employees are paid in a manner that is compliant
with the Fair Labor Standards Act, that payroll taxes are withheld and filed properly, and that
benefits enrollment procedures are handled properly.(White, n.d)
The last area is the employee labor relations and risk management. Positive employee
relationships are pertinent to positive working environment. The relationship between HR and

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employees will a key element for communication and understanding labor practices. This will be
critical in producing a cohesive working unit. A secure and safe work environment serves the
entire organization. (Brunot, 2013) The HR department uses disaster and emergency plans, safety
guidelines and training, ergonomically-minded office and equipment selections and security
procedures to promote employee well-being. (Brunot, 2013)
Examine four (4) federal equal employment opportunity laws. Suggest the primary manner
in which each law influences fair practices in current or past organization. Support your
response with specific examples of the chosen organizations employment practices.
Fair, safe, and equality based labor practices are a benefit for all organizations. Constant
practices of these labor laws will help to ensure that business make the right choices concerning
employees as well as potential employees. (Laws Enforced by EEOC,1963) As the times,
trends, and cultures change, so will the laws. It will be imperative that companies keep up with
these laws and abide by them accordingly.
The Equal Pay Act of 1963 requires that both men and women, performing the same jobs
get equal and fair pay for their work. (Noe, Hollenbeck, & Gerhart, 2013, pp.65-66) This law
covers employers engaged in interstate commerce and is enforced by Equal Employment
Opportunity Commission (EEOC). The law states, no employer having employees subject to any
provisions of this section shall discriminate, within any establishment in which such employees
are employed. (The Equal Pay of 1963,(EPA),1947) My current organization has no men, at the
moment, in employment, however when there was one, he actually was paid a lower wage than
the women. He threatened to file suit but later just resigned.
The Pregnancy Discrimination Act of 1978 states that discrimination based on pregnancy
related conditions is a form of sex discrimination and deemed illegal. (Noe, Hollenbeck, &

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Gerhart, 2013, pp.65-66) Employers cannot make a hiring or firing decision based off the fact
that a woman is pregnant. This applies to all women and is governed under the EEOC.(The
Pregnancy Act,1978) As a organization that is filled with women, there has never been an issue
with this type of discrimination. Since we are a childcare facility, we offer fifty percent off of
childcare tuition. The current director also has included vouchers and gift cards for various baby
items to expectant employee mothers.
The Americans with Disabilities Act of 1990 prohibits discrimination against individuals
with disabilities. (Noe, Hollenbeck, & Gerhart, 2013, pp.65-66) This law relates to all employers
with fifteen (15) or more employees and is enforced by the EEOC. (Noe, Hollenbeck, & Gerhart,
2013, pp.65-66) This law makes it illegal to discriminate against a qualified person with a
disability in the private sector and in state and local governments. Though working in a childcare
facility for someone with a physical disability is not ideal, we have had one or two candidates
apply that have been disabled. Employer had to get a wheelchair ramp installed and the
employee was not in the classroom. The director, opted, instead to place her on administrative
duties.
The Civil Rights Act of 1964 makes it illegal to discriminate against someone on the
basis of race, color, religion, national origin, or sex. (Title VII of the Civil Rights Act of 1964,
n.d) There is a lot more diversity at my job than there used to be just a couple years ago. The
demographic area changed and, by default, so did the workforce. My coworkers and directors are
very open minded people and embrace all cultures and nationality backgrounds. We all
understand than in order to move forward with the next generation, we must take the first step.

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Analyze the primary manner in which the aging workforce, diversity, and skills deficiencies
has affected your current organization.
The aging workforce, diversity, and skills deficiencies have definitely affected my current
organization. The aging workforce is very much a factor with my current job, which is in the
childcare industry. The problem with aging workforce is that there are more health concerns and
there is difficulty adjusting to newer technology. For example, our daycare uses iPads for the
kids to use for learning games. One of our older workers has lot of challenges understanding how
to use the iPads and often chooses not to use them at all. This is also the case with the new
laptops. She gets very frustrated and just chooses to do something else than to use the devices.
This worker has some varying health issues and often has to take time and days off work
because of illness or doctor appointments. Because of these factors, adjustments in personnel
schedules have to be adjusted to compensate for the conflict. This is perfect scenario of why we
need more flexibility in our workweek, with the ability to switch schedules with each other. She
could still work without worrying about loss of pay and there is still someone in her room to
watch her class. It is a win for all involved.
Diversity has definitely influenced our facility in a very positive way. We have more staff
members of different cultural and national descents than we did two years ago. Our center is
located in an area of a mostly Caucasian population and very little else. In recent years, the area
has become a bit more diverse and that diversity has overflowed into the workspace. Two years
ago, I and one other person were the only Blacks on staff, now there are two others, as well as,
two Hispanics.
Skill deficiencies is something that needs work, throughout the entire building, especially,
with the management staff. The main reason for the deficiencies is a lack of training, education,

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and the desire to fill positions with warm bodies instead of qualified candidates. The other issue
is that the previous director had no experience in childcare and no idea what she was doing or
how to lead. She trained ninety percent of the people there, and since she did not have any
experience, and would not ask for help, those employees are not properly trained and it has been
a problem since its inception. Now there is a new director and she has her hands full with trying
to make sure everyone has the correct training and understanding of their job and duties. When
employees lack the skills needed to perform their duties, it becomes overwhelming and
frustrating for both employee and employer.
Explore two (2) ways that your current organization might respond to the need to be
flexible. Provide a rationale.
A great way for my current organization to be more flexible is allowing employees to
switch out schedules with each other when necessary. For example if an employee needs to leave
work early because of a childs school function or some other reason, the employee with need
could switch with someone whom has an earlier schedule or a day off and make up any missing
hours on the next week. Recently an employee needed to leave early for an appointment, and was
not able, because, there were no substitutes available and she was not allowed to work someone
elses schedule for that day. She had to reschedule her appointment for another day. Allowing
employees to do this still allows for necessary staff coverage, and shows employees that you are
understanding and compassionate towards outside needs. The employee would have to give at
least a weeks notice and ensure that proper managers are notified of the change.
My current organization could also allow employees to take time off without using sick
days or unpaid/paid leave. For example is an employee wanted a day off, they can make up the
time in the same payroll week. If they needed Thursday off, the employee would need to stay

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longer Monday Wednesday and the remaining hours on Friday. Employees can then save their
leave for extra vacation days, illness, or emergencies. Employers sometimes forget that their
employees have outside of work, lives and sometimes just need a little understanding and
flexibility in their work scheduling needs.

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9
References

Brunot, T., & Demand Media. (2013). Functional areas of human resources
management. Retrieved 26 October 2015, from
http://work.chron.com/functional-areas-human-resources-management1157.html
Heathfield, S. M. (2015). What Is Human Resource Management? Definition of
Human Resource Management. Retrieved 26 October 2015, from
http://humanresources.about.com/od/glossaryh/f/hr_management.htm
Laws Enforced by EEOC. (1963). Retrieved 26 October 2015, from
http://www.eeoc.gov/laws/statutes/index.cfm
Mayhew, R. (2013). Relationship between HR strategies & business. Small Business
Chron. Retrieved from http://smallbusiness.chron.com/relationship-between-hrstrategies-business-2636.html
Noe, R. A., Hollenbeck, J. R., & Gerhart, B. A. (2013). Fundamentals of Human
Resource Management (Version 5) (5th ed.). New York, NY: McGraw Hill Higher
Education.
The Equal Pay Act of 1963 (EPA). (1947, May 14). Retrieved 26 October 2015, from
http://www.eeoc.gov/laws/statutes/epa.cfm
The Pregnancy Discrimination Act. (1978, October 31). Retrieved 26 October 2015,
from http://www.eeoc.gov/laws/statutes/pregnancy.cfm
Title VII of the Civil Rights Act of 1964. (n.d.). Retrieved 26 October 2015, from
http://www.eeoc.gov/laws/statutes/titlevii.cfm
Titles I and V of the Americans with Disabilities Act of 1990 (ADA). (n.d.). Retrieved
26 October 2015, from http://www.eeoc.gov/laws/statutes/ada.cfm

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10

What is human resource management (HRM)? (n.d.). The Business Dictionary.

BusinessDictionary.com. Retrieved from
http://www.businessdictionary.com/definition/human-resource-managementHRM.html
White, M. (n.d.). Functional areas of human resources management. Retrieved 27
October 2015, from http://yourbusiness.azcentral.com/functional-areas-humanresources-management-10918.html