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HUMAN RESOURCE MANAGEMENT

Answer
CASE STUDY : 1

A policy is a plan of action. It is a statement of intention committing the management to a general course of action.
When the management drafts a policy statement to cover some features of its personnel programmes, the statement
may often contain an expression of philosophy and principle as well. Although it is perfectly legitimate for an
organization to include its philosophy, principles and policy in one policy expression.

Q1) Why organizations adopt personnel policies explain the benefits?


Recruitment and Selection
• Policies pertaining to the recruitment and selection process are the foundation of building any workforce. You must
have a plan for creating applications, how to prequalify applicants, how applicants move up to become a candidate
and other employment procedures. This set of policies also benefits current employees who refer applicants to your
business.
Training and Professional Development
• Provisions for employee training and development are included in human resource policy documents because it
informs employees of the kind of professional development available to them. In addition, policies related to training
and development assistance in the formulation of employee development plans or performance improvement plans.
Training and development policies serve as an outline of educational benefits available to current employees.

Handling Employee Concerns


• Many companies have written procedures for handling employee complaints, whether they are internal, informal
complaints or allegations made about the employer to enforcement agencies. The benefit of this policy is to document
your company’s commitment to nondiscriminatory practices and how such complaints are resolved. These policies also
benefit employees because they provide important information about workplace communication in the event an
employee is unsure of who she contacts to discuss any concerns or problems.
Workplace Safety
• In a time when more than worker safety in the performance of her job is the primary issue addressed in safety
policies, employers distribute policies that address matters such as workplace violence. These types of policies are
generally discussed in detail with employee groups; an emergency evacuation policy isn’t effective if you don’t discuss
it until the emergency happens. Another benefit to having a human resources safety policy is adherence to federal and
state guidelines for workplace safety.
Organizational Structure
• An introduction to the human resources policy manual explains the organizational structure, what departments
fulfill which expectations and company leadership. In the introductory section, many employers also explain the
company philosophy as it is related to customer service, co-workers, leadership and business ethics. Ethics
statements are extremely popular, especially in a world where social responsibility is observed by so much of the
population. This section of a human resources policy manual may also state the company's compliance with federal,
state and local anti-discrimination laws.
Employment Rules
• Employees are accustomed to learning specific workplace rules such as dress code, discipline procedures, parking,
attendance and working hours, holidays, employee benefits and payroll dates. The human resources policy on these
issues is easy accessed by employees who have questions, or reviewed by new employees eager to learn more about
their new employer. The benefit is that you have a written commitment to employees about the operation of the
business.

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Q2) What are the sources and content of personnel policies?


PERSONNEL POLICY
• Personnel policies constitute guide to action. They furnish the general standards or basis on which decisions are
reached.
• A policy is man-made rule or predetermined course of action that is established to guide the performance of work
towards the organization. It is a type of standing plan that serves to guide subordinates in the execution of their
work------------- Edwin B. Flippo.
• Policies include that body of understanding which makes the action of each member of group in a given set of
circumstances more predictable to other members. --------Haynes and Massie.
• Policies are general statement or understanding which guide or channel thinking in decision making of
subordinates. ------Koontz and O’Donnell.
• Personnel policies are statements of objectives for the guidance of management in its relations with employees.

ORIGIN, DEVELOPMENT AND SOURCES OF PERSONNEL POLICIES

Policies stem from a wide variety of places and people. They are not created in a vacuum but are based on a few
principal sources, which determine the content and meaning of policies. These are:
• The past experience of the organization.
• The prevailing practices.
• The attitude, ideals and philosophy of the board of directors.
• The knowledge and experience gained from handling personnel problems.
• Employees’ suggestions and complaints.
• Collective bargaining programme.
• State and national legislations.
• Changes in the country’s economy.
• International forces.
• Culture of the plant.
• The extent of unionism.
• The attitudes and social values of labour.
• The goals of the organization.
• The ethical points of view or the social responsibility.

OBJECTIVES OF PERSONNEL POLICY

• Attention on objectives of the organization.


• Maximum individual development and satisfaction.
• Maximum use of resources.
• Offsetting uncertainty and change.
• Good industrial relations.
• Better control.
• Morale.
• Consistent treatment.
• Continuity of practice.

CHARACTERISTICS OF PERSONNEL POLICY

1. A personnel policy is formulated in the context of organizational objectives.


2. A policy may be in written or it has to be interpreted from the behaviour of organizational members particularly
people at top.
3. A policy is formulated through the various steps in the decision making process.
4. It provides guidelines.
5. Policy formulation is a function of all managers, however top management has important role in policy making.
6. Policy statement should be positive, clear and easily understood by everyone.
7. It provides two-way communication.
8. It should be balanced and maintain consistency.

PRINCIPLE OF PERSONNEL POLICY


Principle of common interest
Principle of development
Principle of recognition of work
Principle of recognition of trade unions
Principle of participation
Principle of change

STEPS IN POLICY

Initiating the needs


Fact – findings
Putting the policy in writing
Communicating the policy
Evaluating the policy.

CONTENTS OF PERSONEL POLICY

• Name of the company.


• Procedure and techniques of recruitment and selection.
• Organizational relationship---allocation of work authorities and responsibilities.
• Working conditions.
• Training and development--- full details regarding planning objectives and methods of training.
• Procedure of handling the grievances.
• Rules and regulations.
• Joint consultation.
• Line of authority.
• Collective bargaining.
• Industrial relations.
• Health and safety.
• Welfare.
• Wages and salaries.

Q3) Explain few personnel policies?

MAIN POLICY STATEMENTS

1. Employment Policy----------to obtain suitable qualified and experienced personnel and to enable them to derive
satisfaction from employment by offering them attractive wages, good working conditions, security and opportunities
for promotions.
2. Training policy-------to provide adequate training facilities to enable employees to learn to do their job effectively
and to prepare themselves for promotions.
3. Wage and salary policy-----to pay wages and salaries that compare favourably with those of other firms locally
within a structure that has due regards for recognized differentials and individual ability.
4. Industrial relation policy-----to operate adequate procedures for dealing with disputes and grievances quickly and
make every effort to improve relations between management and employees through the use of participative method.
5. Welfare policy-----to safeguard the health and safety of all employees and to provide such welfare and social
activities as are sincerely desired by employees and are mutually beneficial to them and company.

Q4) Explain principles of personnel policies?


Principles of personnel policy

Management
Management for us means assuming responsibility for our stakeholders and delegating at the right level. We achieve
both predefined and individual goals regardless of personal preferences and while maintaining equal opportunities,
irrespective of origin, nationality, sex, sexual orientation, religion or age. Managers challenge and motivate, in the
same way as they themselves are challenged and motivated.
Employment plan
The employment plan is discussed annually by the Board of Directors as part of the budget meet-ing. In principle, we
want to avoid any labour reserves. We cover peak times using interdepartmen-tal support, overtime or temporary
employees.
Staff development
We demand a high level of commitment and qualifications. We encourage the development of technical and social
skills through training and further education. Because we invest a lot in our employees, we strive to maintain long-
term employment relationships. We support young people by offering apprenticeships and/or internships.
Social aspects
We offer progressive working conditions and competitive employee benefits. We also provide as-sistance for
employees who use public transport and help with health insurance provisions. Smok-ing is only permitted in
designated areas.
Salaries
Our system ensures that our salaries are competitive, gender-neutral and meet requirements. The basic salary is the
main component of the salary. In addition there is a variable component which is dependent on the extent to which
individually agreed targets are achieved and on the operating performance of the company as a whole. More details
are available in the Employment Regulations.
Job structure
We offer a practical infrastructure with modern, if not fashionable, working tools. Depending on the position, we are
open to flexible working hours.
Information, communication and behaviour
Regarding information and communication, we practice the principle of reciprocity: actively com-municate information
and actively obtain information. We behave in a respectful, loyal, open and honest manner, and act with integrity. We
complete our tasks with dedication and to the best of our knowledge.
Working environment
We work in an environment of mutual trust. We hold joint events to build team spirit and mutual understanding.

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CASE STUDY : 2

Recruitment is understood as the process of searching for and obtaining applicants for jobs, from among whom the
rights people can be selected. Theoretically, recruitment process is said to end with the receipt of applications, in
practice the activity extends to the screening of applications so as to eliminate those who are not qualified for the job.
Recruitment refers to the process of receipt of applications from job seekers. In reality, the term is used to describe
the entire process of employee hiring. These are recruitment boards for railways, banks and other organization.

Q1) Explain in detail the general purpose of recruitment?


recruitment provides a desirable number of candidates for an organization's open positions. Recruitment also manages
the costs in time and money for hiring employees. Recruitment enables the organization to meet social and legal
obligations. By sourcing, developing and recruiting candidates, recruitment facilitates the organization's hiring
process.

The recruitment process is one of the most fundamental value added HR Processes. The recruitment is especially
critical for managers in the organization. The managers use the recruitment process intensively, and satisfaction with
Human Resources is mostly about the satisfaction with the recruitment process.
The recruitment process is sensitive to the external and internal changes, and it can be used as the best indicator for
the future HR trends. By careful analysis of HR Recruitment Measures, the HR Management team can predict the
trends in the job market simply.
Main Recruitment Process Goals
The recruitment process is designed to staff the organization with the new employees, and it uses many different
recruitment sources to attract the right talent in the defined quality and within a defined time.
The recruitment process has several goals:
• Find the best talents for the vacancies
• Manage the recruitment sources
• Manage the vacancies in the organization
• Run the internal recruitment process
• Building the strong HR Marketing platform
• Co-operation with local and international universities
• Provide feedback about the trends in the job market
Most recruitment goals are not visible to managers directly, and they use just sourcing of the job candidates as the
main outcome from the recruitment process. HR has to use the other outcomes from the recruitment process as it is
the source of valuable information.
Finding the best talents on the job market
This is the most important goal of the recruitment process. The HR Recruiters are paid for delivering the candidates to
managers, who make the final decision about hiring a new employee.
The organizations are fighting for the best talents in the job market. HR Recruiters have to develop the competitive
approaches to make the attractive job offers. The candidates select the organization, which is recognized for being
modern and competitive. The job adverts and job offers have to reflect this.
The managers love to hire the best employees available on the job market. They love to interview motivated job
candidates. The role of HR is to describe the real need to the manager. Many times, the best job candidate is not the
appropriate job candidate.
Recruitment Sources Management
The recruitment sources management is an extremely significant goal of the recruitment process. The recruitment
sources deliver the candidates for the selection procedure in the organization. The better the candidates are; the
higher quality job candidates can be hired. The proper management of the recruitment sources has a significant
impact on the competitive advantage of the organization.
The better employees do not have to be more expensive, but the organization has to manage the recruitment sources
to attract the high quality job candidates.
Building the Strong Internal Recruitment Process
The external recruitment is not the only goal of the recruitment process. Building the strong internal recruitment helps
the organization to keep the best talents in the organization. The employees have a chance to apply for a new job
position, and they can change their career path.
The internal recruitment is a difficult HR topic as the managers have to allow their best employees to take a new role
within the organization. The role of Human Resources is in allowing the best employees to rotate and in supporting
the managers in developing the successors.
HR Marketing
The HR Marketing is essential for the large organization, which need to attract many job candidates. The large
organization cannot hire just the experts; they have to attract many university graduates. The graduates do select the
employer by the strength of the brand name on the job market and offered opportunities in the organization.
The HR has to design the recruitment activities, which support the name of the employer on the job market. The
organization has to build a positive brand name, and it has to promote the job opportunities and excellent career
paths.

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Q2) Explain factors governing Recruitment?

Factors Governing Recruitment:


Given its key role and external visibility, recruitment isnaturally subject to influence of several factors. These include
external andinternal forces.
External Forces:
Of particular importance is the supply and demand of specific skills in the labour market. If the demand for a
particular skill ishigh relative to the supply, an extraordinary recruiting effort may be needed.When the unemployment
rate in a given area is high the companies’recruitment process may be simpler. The number of unsolicited applicantsis
usually greater, and the increased size of the labour pool provides betteropportunities for attracting qualified
applicants. On the other hand, as theunemployment rates drops recruiting efforts must be increased and newsources
explored.Labour-market conditions in a local area are of primary importance inrecruiting for most non-managerial,
supervisory and middle-mgt. positions.However, so far as recruitment for executive and professional positions
areconcerned conditions of all India market are important.Another external factor is political and legal
considerations.Reservation of jobs for SCs, STs, minorities, and other backward classes(OBCs) is a political decision.
The companies’ image also matters inattracting large number of job seekers. Blue-chip companies’ attract
largenumber of applications. Often, it is not the money that is important. It is theperception of the job seekers about
the company that matters in attractingqualified prospective employees.
Internal Factors:
There are certain internal forces which deserveconsideration while recruiting personnel. One such internal factor is the
recruiting policy of the organization. Most organizations have a policy onrecruiting internally (from own employees) or
externally (from outside theorganization).Generally, the policy is to prefer internal sourcing, as own employees know
the company well and can recommend candidates who fitthe organizations culture. Another related policy is to have
temporary and part-time employees. An organization hiring temporary and part-time employees is in a less
advantageous position in attracting sufficient applications. MNCs operating in our country prefer local citizens as they
can understand local languages, customs and business practices well.

A major internal factor that can determine the success of therecruiting programme is whether or not the company
engages in HRP.Effective HRP greatly facilitates the recruiting efforts.Size is another internal factor having its
influence on the recruitmentprocess. An organization with one hundred thousand employee will findrecruiting less
problematic than an organization with just one hundredemployees.Cost of recruiting is yet another internal factor that
has to beconsidered. Recruiting cost are calculated per new higher and fig. isconsiderable now-a-days. Recruiters
must, therefore, operate withinbudgets. Careful HRP and forethought by recruiters can minimizerecruitment costs.
One cost-saving measure, for instance, is recruiting formultiple job openings simultaneously. The best solution is to
use proactivepersonnel practices to reduce employee turnovers, thus, minimizing theneed for recruiting. Evaluating
the quality, quantity and cost of recruitmenthelps ensure that it is efficient and cost-effective.Finally, an organization
registering growth and expansion will havemore recruiting on hand than the one which finds its fortunes declining.

Q3) Explain the Recruitment process with diagram?


AN OVERVIEW OF THE PROCESS

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PROCESS ELEMENTS FOR ALL POSITIONS
---------------------------------------------!------------!----------------------
STEP 1

PREPARING JOB ANALYSES


PREPARING JOB DESC
----------------------------------------------------------------------------------
STEP 2

PREPARING JOB SPECS


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STEP 3

DECIDING TERMS AND


CONDITIONS OF EMPLOYMENT
[ MEETS ALL GOVERNMENT REGULATION ON EMPLOYMENT CONDITIONS]

------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
STEP 4

ADVERTISING
[COPY/MEDIA PLAN] except for senior positions [ head hunting]
[ MUST REFLECT TRUTH, NO FALSE INFORMATION,
NO GENDER BIAS, NO DISCRIMINATION,NO AGE BAR, ETC]

------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
---
STEP 5

INTERNAL APPLICANT
EXTERNAL APPLICANT except for tech [ outsourcing ]
ONLINE APPLICANT and senior positions [ head hunting]
------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
--
STEP 6

SIFTING APPLICATIONS
-----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
STEP 7

PERSONAL INTERVIEW
-INDIVIDUAL PER TO PER
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STEP 8

-PANEL INTERVIEW
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STEP 9

-SELECTION BOARD only for senior positions


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STEP 10

TESTING [ BEHAVIORAL]
-PSYCHOLOGICAL procedural element for all positions except senior position
-PERSONALITY procedural element for all positions except senior position
-ABILITY procedural element for all positions except senior position
-APTITUDE procedural element for all positions except senior position
-PSYCHOMETRIC procedural element for all positions
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STEP 11

TESTING [ TECHNICAL ] only for tech. positions


------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
STEP 12

ASSESSMENT CENTRE only for senior positions


-POTENTIAL
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STEP 13

OBTAINING REFERENCE procedural element for all positions


----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
STEP 14

CHECKING REFERENCE procedural element for all positions


-------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
STEP 15

MAKING DECISION procedural element for all positions


[ NO DISCRIMINATION, NO COLOR BAR, NO SEX DISCRIMINATION,
PURELY ON MERIT ]

------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
STEP 16

OFFERING EMPLOYMENT procedural element for all positions


-------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
STEP 17

PREPARING EMPLOYMENT procedural element for all positions


LETTER
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STEP 18

-HR sends out letters to the unsuccessful candidates.


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STEP 19

-HR CHECKS REFERENCES.

[ ABIDE BY LAW ]
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STEP 20

-HR SENDS OUT OFFER LETTERS TO SUCCESSFUL CANDIDATES.


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STEP 21

-THE LINE MANAGERS / AGREE TO THE START DATE


AND INDUCTION PROGRAMME.
--------------------------------------------------------------------------------
STEP 22

PERSONAL FILE CREATION


-HR CREATES ''PERSONAL FILE ''.
---------------------------------------------------------------------------------
STEP 23

HANDOVER TO HR / ADMINISTRATION
-THE LINE MANAGER HANDS OVER THE RESPONSIBILITY
FOR PAYROLL ADMIN AND INDUCTION TO HR.
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STEP 24

-HR PREPARES WELCOME PACK / EMPLOYEE MANUAL.


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STEP 25

ARCHIVING OF APPOINTMENT FILES.

-HR ARCHIVES SELECTED CANDIDATES FILE.

-HR DESTROYS UNSUCCESSFUL CANDIDATES FILES


AFTER 6 MONTHS.

[ BY LAW, ALL OLD FILES MUST BE DESTROYED ]


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Q4) Explain Recruitment planning?

Recruitment is the process used by an organization to locate and attract job applicants in order to fill a position. An
effective approach to recruitment can help a company successfully compete for limited human resources. To maximize
competitive advantage, a company must choose the recruiting method that produces the best pool of candidates
quickly and cost effectively. There are five steps to the process.
STEP 1: IDENTIFY THE JOB OPENING
This step would appear to be an easy one-just wait until an employee turns in a notice of resignation. Many job
openings are, in fact, identified in this way. A major problem with this approach is that it may take the company a
long time to fill the opening. For instance, it usually takes six to eight weeks to notify and screen applicants, and a
week or more to make a decision regarding a job offer. After the decision is made, the selected candidate must give
notice (usually about two weeks) to his or her previous employer. Thus, the job in question is likely to remain vacant
for months, even if the process runs smoothly.
Ideally, organizations should attempt to identify job openings well in advance of an announced resignation. The HRM
department should plan for future openings in both the short and long term. The projection of future openings
provides organizations with the time needed to plan and implement recruitment strategies so that they do not fall
prey to the "must-hire-by-last-week" syndrome. The HR plan should answer at least the following questions:
• Are any newly budgeted positions opening soon?
• Is a contract under negotiation that may result in the need for additional hires?
• What is the amount of expected turnover in the next several months?
STEP 2: DECIDE HOW TO FILL THE JOB OPENING
The first question to ask after determining that an opening exists is "Do we need to find a new person to fill the
vacant position?" Sometimes it is unnecessary to staff a vacant position because the firm can rely on other
alternatives. For instance, it may be more prudent to provide overtime opportunities to current workers to complete
the needed work. Other alternatives include job elimination and job redesign (i.e., incorporating the tasks of the
vacant position into currently existing positions). If the firm chooses to fill the vacancy, it must address two issues:
(1) whether to outsource, and (2) in the absence of outsourcing, whether to recruit candidates internally or externally.
STEP 3: IDENTIFY THE TARGET POPULATION
Now the organization must determine what types of individuals it is looking for to fill the vacant positions. To address
this question, an organization must define its target population. Two issues arise here: (1) specifying worker
requirements and (2) deciding whether to target a certain segment of the applicant population.
An organization must identify specific requirements of the job: the duties, reporting relationships, salary range for
hiring, and competencies required of a new worker (e.g., education, experience, knowledge, skills, and abilities).
Ideally, much of this information will have been gathered during a job analysis and thus be contained in the job
description. If not, the recruiter should gather it from the hiring manager. An organization must also decide at this
point whether to target all qualified applicants or to focus its recruitment efforts on certain segments of the qualified
applicant population.
When recruiting internally, the issue is this: Should the company post the job so that all qualified employees can be
considered? Or should the company select certain high-potential employees and groom them for the position? When
recruiting externally, the company must decide whether to inform all potential applicants or target certain types.
Companies may reap advantages when they target members of certain groups. Another strategy is to target
graduates of specific schools that have exceptionally strong programs in the functional areas of concern. Additionally,
some companies target top-performing employees working for other companies. Recruitment of such individuals poses
some unique problems, however; these individuals may be difficult to reach because they are not actively seeking a
new job. Moreover, the practice of pirating employees from other firms raises some serious ethical questions.
STEP 4: NOTIFY THE TARGET POPULATION
Once an applicant population has been targeted, the company must determine how to notify these individuals of the
vacant position. A variety of recruitment methods may be used for communicating vacancies. A firm can benefit from
both low-involvement and high-involvement strategies at this stage of the recruitment process. Low-involvement
strategies are things such as corporate sponsorship or advertisements of the company's product or service may
influence applicants' positive perceptions of that firm and therefore increase applicant attraction, but do not
specifically identify a job opening. High-involvement recruitment strategies involve things such as detailed recruitment
advertisements or employee endorsements, which occur when potential applicants meet with current employees to
hear more about their experiences with that company. Both low-involvement and high-involvement strategies have a
positive effect on the number of applicants who apply for jobs with an organization and on the quality of the
applicants who apply.
When choosing a specific way to notify the target population, different recruitment methods may be used. Some
popular options are internal job postings; newspaper, radio, and television advertisements; trade magazine
advertisements; Internet job sites; college campus interviews; and current employee referrals. The choice of which to
use depends on the number of positions to be filled, the cost of each recruitment method, the characteristics of the
target audience, and economic conditions.
The more positions to be filled, the more widely the firm may choose to advertise, perhaps using a newspaper or radio
advertisement. Costs differ for recruitment methods and a firm may be willing to invest more in recruitment when
suitable applicants are difficult to find or when poor hiring decisions may be costly. The characteristics of the target
audience influence recruitment method; for example, using an Internet posting would be fruitless if most of the
applicant pool is unlikely to have access to a computer. Poor economic conditions, where unemployment is high, will
result in higher numbers of job applicants and possibly a lower average level of quality of applicants. In this situation,
to avoid spending an inordinate amount of time weeding through applications, firms must discourage all but the best
applicants from applying.
STEP 5: MEET WITH THE CANDIDATES
Finally, the most qualified candidates are brought in for interviews and other assessment procedures. These serve
both selection and recruitment purposes. From a selection perspective, they give the firm a chance to further assess
the candidates' qualifications. From a recruitment perspective, they provide the candidates with an opportunity to
learn more about the employment opportunity.
Candidates should be provided with information about the company and the job. Failure to provide a sufficient amount
of information could be detrimental to the recruiting process. For example, it may be interpreted by the candidates as
an attempt to evade discussion of unattractive job attributes, or it may be viewed as an indication of the recruiter's
disinterest in them. Without specific information, applicants might accept a job offer without knowing about aspects of
it that might affect their long-term job satisfaction, or they may refuse an offer without knowing about some of the
job's attractive attributes.

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CASE STUDY : 3
Navin AGM materials, is fuming and fretting. He bumped into Kiran, GM Materials, threw the resignation letter on his
table, shouted and walked out of the room swiftly.

Navin has reason for his sudden outburst. He has been driven to the wall. Perhaps details of the story will tell the
reasons for Navin’s bile and why he put in his papers, barely four months after he took up his assignment.

The year was 2005 when Navin quit the prestigious Sail plant at Mumbai. As a manager material Navin enjoyed the
power. He could even place an order for materials worth Rs 25 lakh. He needed nobody’s prior approval.

Navin joined a pulp making plant located at Pune as AGM Materials. The plant is owned by a prestigious business
house in India. Obviously perks, designation and reputation of the conglomerate lured Navin away from the public
sector.

When he joined the pulp making company, little did Navin realize that he needed prior approval to place an order for
materials worth Rs 12 lakhs. He had presumed that he had the authority to place an order by himself worth half the
amount of what he used to do at the mega steel maker. He placed the order material arrived, were recived, accepted
and used up in the plant.

Trouble started when the bill for Rs 12 lakh came from vendor. The accounts department withheld payment for the
reason that the bill was not endorsed by Kiran. Kiran rused to sign the bill as his approval was not taken by Navin
before placing the order.

Navin felt fumigated and cheated. A brief encounter with Kiran only aggrarated the problem. Navin was curtly told
that he should have known company rules before venturing. Navin decided to quit the company.

Q1) Does the company have an orientation programmer?

It doesn’t look like the company has an orientation programmed or it is ineffective.


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Q2) If yes how effective is it?

It is not as effective, as it should be.


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Q3) How is formal Orientation programmer conducted?


The orientation process has three stages:

1 A general orientation
2 A departmental orientation, and
3 A specific job orientation
They are conducted by different parties.
The General Orientation is usually managed by either the Training Department or the Human Resources Department,
with the Departmental Orientation by the Department Head or first Assistant, while the specific Job Orientation can be
carried out by an experienced and trained employee (trained on how to train). These guidelines are intended for
people conducting the General Orientation:
A general rule of thumb for having the audience interested in the general orientation is to
1 Make them feel at ease (open circle).
2 Make sure that they had enough time to read the employee manual ahead of orientation time.
3 Spend a good portion of the introduction time towards self-introductions, spiced with open questions.
4 Get them to know who Management is: have a big chart in the orientation/training room which depicts how the
organisation is set up, with photos of the management team next to their title.
5 Get them acquainted with the operation: have another large chart in the room depicting the flow of work and
communications regarding the organization; this flow should include customers, suppliers and all parties affecting the
organisation (I had just planned such a chart for the hotel where I dealt with Training and Development, wrote it out
in text, had an artist depict it with cartoon characters on a big white chart, making it educational but humorous - after
all this was a hotel. Maybe in a technical company humour is not allowed. I explained it to the artist and we showed
how each job position affected the final product since the customer's / guest's first contact with the operation and
ending with the last contact.
6 Have them know and see departments in operation: based on this drawing I conducted the orientation and
explained all functions of the hotel, promising a personal tour of all the departments we discussed, including back
areas, where the Department Heads received us personally and gave further insight on their departments.
7 Allay their fears and doubts: cover subjects which are usually never mentioned in orientations, such as the
difficulties new employees or supervisors experience, about turnover figures, about how people assimilate better after
hanging out three months, about how they can turn to you for any difficulties they experience, be it regarding their
rejection by existing old-timers or other matters. Let them know they can always turn to you for confidential advice
(do not forget that any new person has fears and doubts regarding being accepted, succeeding or failing).
8 Encourage friendships among new employees: try to create a team spirit among the existing group of newcomers -
by the end of the day or the two days you will have created a group of employees at different levels and from
different departments who will cooperate and enhance communications across the organisation.
9 Extend respect to them as human beings: have lunch with them as a group (I saw too many people who conduct
orientations go to a different lunch room and this is very insulting).
10 Enable first hand contact with upper management: have different Executives come to welcome the group and
assure them of management's commitment to help them succeed. Introduce each of the newcomers, dwell on their
position, career background and personal interests.
11 Assure them that the organisation welcomes their observations, comments, and critiques.
12 Last but not least, share company goals with them. Discuss it with them. Ask what their own personal and career
goals are and try to (right there and then) mesh their own goals with the company goals.
This strategy (action plan) has proven to be highly successful. It cuts down on turnover drastically, engenders trust,
cooperation and motivation.

Although these sessions should be welcoming, orientations for new employees should also be more than a feel-good
gesture. They should also be more than an instructional session that provides essential human resources, benefits,
and payroll information for new employees. The most effective orientations help new employees understand what will
be expected of them and prepare them for the organization's work culture.
Orient the expectations of new employees
Managing expectations has long been a mantra of salespeople, account executives, and others whose responsibilities
are focused primarily outside the organization. Expectation management falls on human resources managers as well.
Managing expectations can start as early as during new-employee orientations.
In new-employee orientations, the HR manager is essentially bringing new employees' expectations in line with the
organization's expectations. Accurately aligning these sets of expectations in the first weeks of employment helps
employees become productive more quickly and ensures that they enjoy greater job satisfaction throughout their
tenures. Some studies suggest that well-executed new-employee orientations can also:
1 Lengthen the time that employees stay with a company.
2 Enhance staff cooperation and communication.
3 Improve client-customer relations because staff members have better work attitudes.
Communicate the organization's big picture
Where is your organization going? Even if your company has not made a formal strategic planning document, it has
communicated some important long-term goals. Too often, however, these goals aren't shared with new employees
whose efforts help determine whether the organization's goals are met. Therefore, it should come as no surprise that
employees, even entire departments, sometimes operate under disparate assumptions about the company's priorities
and objectives.
All new employees, from entry-level staff members to senior executives, should view themselves as members of an
organization-wide team working toward a defined and united goal. Certainly new employees need to understand their
specific roles, but first they need to understand the big-picture objectives of the organization, including objectives
such as:
1 Is the organization striving to be an industry innovator?
2 Is the organization working to develop an international presence?
Whatever the objectives, new employees should be given a brief introduction to your organization's goals. If you can,
provide a copy of your annual report or a company brochure that explains your organization's goals. With a bigger-
picture perspective, employees are better equipped to understand their specific role as it relates to long-term
objectives.
Describe the unspoken company culture
Company culture can't be fully captured in job descriptions or employee manuals, because culture is both explicit and
unspoken. Most employees determine what behaviors are acceptable as the organization evolves. However, an
effective orientation can help new employees transition more easily into the unique culture of your organization.
Even in highly conventional corporate cultures, it's preferable to share the unspoken aspects of company culture to
ensure that all new employees understand their work environments. Don't make the mistake of assuming that cultural
nuances are obvious or that new employees will raise questions if they're unsure about what to wear or when to arrive
at work.
Some unspoken aspects of company culture to share are:
1 Dress code What's the norm for the dress code?
2 Internal communication Is vertical communication encouraged or frowned upon?
3 Phone etiquette Do employees routinely forward their phone calls to voice mail?
4 Parking Are there any unspoken rules about where employees can park?
5 Lunch Do most employees eat in or out? Are there good places to eat nearby?
6 Work hours Are work hours fixed or flexible?
7 Extracurricular activities Are there groups of employees that get together outside work?
8 Attitudes Are work teams more cooperative or more competitive?
Share the routine details
As a seasoned HR professional, you probably already use a comprehensive checklist to ensure that new employees
receive and complete all required documentation, from W-4 forms to insurance forms to e-mail account requests.
Unfortunately, the sheer volume of this paperwork can eclipse the routine information that new employees need on
their very first day.
To help new employees get started, be sure that they know:
1 The layout of your office or campus A tour is preferable, but at the very least provide a user-friendly map.
2 The location of the restrooms Inform them of the locations of restrooms near their work areas.
3 Names and contact information of two coworkers Give them the contact information of two coworkers in their
department, besides their immediate supervisor or hiring manager.
Outline the employee's specific role
The best way for new employees to become productive quickly is by immersing themselves in their new positions.
Immerse new employees in their jobs For positions with formal training, immersion is easy. New employees simply
pass from orientation to training, often in the same day. For positions without formal training, role immersion can be
more difficult.
Too often, supervisors and managers aren't available when new employees start, so employees are left with little
more to do than read the company handbook during their first few days on the job. This can be confusing, especially
for new employees who are expecting a challenging, fast-paced environment.
Introduce new employees to their jobs The best employee orientations conclude with introductions to each employee's
specific job role. If several employees in a single role have been hired at one time, this introduction can occur in a
group setting. Otherwise, new employees should receive one-on-one introductions from their managers or team
leaders as part of their orientation.
Orient employees for success
Starting a new job always involves a learning curve, but effective orientations can help new employees make the
transition by equipping them with:
1 An understanding of company goals.
2 An appreciation for the company's unique culture.
3 Routine information to get started.
4 An introduction to their role within the organization.
Employees who are well oriented to the company and to their jobs are ready to begin making a significant
contribution.

##########################################
Q4) If you were Navin what would have you done?

1.DISCUSS THE PROS/CONS OF THE CURRENT SYSTEM AND THE NEED FOR REVISION FOR THE SAKE OF
OPERATION EFFICIENY.
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CASE STUDY : 4

Bitter it may taste, shrill it may sound, and sleepless nights it may cause, but it is true. In a major shake up Airbus.
The European aircraft manufacturers has thrown a big shock to its employees. Before coming to the details of the
shock, a peep into the company’s resume.

Name Airbus
Created 1970
President CEO : Vijay M.
Employees 57000
Turnover 26 Bn (Euro)
Total Aircraft sold (Feb 2007) 7187
Delivered 4598
Headquarters Paris (France)
Facilities 16
Rival Boeing

Airbus announced on February 27, 2007 that it would shed 10,000 jobs across four European contries and sell six of
its unit. N the same day the helpless workers did what was expected of them – downed tools and staged protests. The
protesting workers at Airbus’s factory at Meaulte, northern France, were seen picketing outside the factory gate after
holding up production a day earlier. To be fair to Airbus, its management entered talks with unions before the job loss
and sale was formally announced. But the talks did not mollify the agitated workers.

Job sheating and hiring of units are a part of Power and restructuring plan unleashed by Airbus to save itself from
increasing loss of its ground to the arch rival, Boeing Co.

Airbus Power & Strategy was first mooted in October 2006 but sparkled a split between France & Germany over the
distribution of job losses and the placement of future ones. Later the two countries agreed to share both job losses
and new technology.

The power and plan, if finalized, would mean a 3 per cent reduction to Airbus’s 55000 employee strength.

Q1) Why should Power and focus on shedding jobs to save on cost?

It is a mean to save the company and carry on the good work.


-------------------------------------
Q2) Are there no alternative strategies?
THRER ARE ALTERNATIVES BUT THE FUNDING IS THE MAJOR CONSTRAINT.
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Q3) Will the proposed shedding of jobs and scale of six units help airbus survive the intense competition from Boeing?
YES, THIS IS THE EXACT SITUATION.
-----------------------------------
Q4) Comment on the whole issue?

THES WHOLE ISSUE COULD HAVE BEEN AVOIDED, IF THERE WAS AN EFFECTIVE STRATEGIC PLANNING.
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