3.6.1

Question 1

benefits of employee engagement?

Answer 1

• more reliable and loyal
• loyal employees are less likely to leave- improves labour turnover rates
• engaged staff are less likely to take time off- improves absenteeism rates
  > this reduces costs of having to recruit and train new staff or hiring temporary staff to cover

Question 2

what is talent development?

Answer 2

• identifies those employees who have potential and nurturing this to help progression
  > important to retain these staff and give them opportunities to progress

Question 3

what does training of employees involve?

Answer 3

• on the job, off the job training
• can be time consuming
• can be costly

Question 4

what is employee diversity?

Answer 4

• all employees are different
• cannot discriminate on age, gender, race, religion, sexual orientation, disabilities etc.

Question 5

what are the benefits of employee diversity?

Answer 5

• representation
• range of different skills- different languages, cultures
• a sense of community
• equal opportunities
• inclusion may be motivating

Question 6

what is alignment of employee and employer relations?

Answer 6

• bringing the core values or beliefs of all employees together to focus on achieving a common aim
  > can lead to a strong corporate culture

Question 7

what is number, skills and location of employees?

Answer 7

• matching workforce skills, size and location to the business’s needs
  > can meet seasonal fluctuations
  >can respond to changes in the workforce- people leaving for example

Question 8

what is a hr objective?

Answer 8

a specific goal or target of relating to the management and performance of human resources in a business

Question 9

what does hrm stand for?

Answer 9

human resource management

Question 10

what is hard hrm?

Answer 10

• treats employees simply as a resource of the business
• link with corporate business planning- what resources do we need, how, how much will they cost

Question 11

what is soft hrm?

Answer 11

• treats employees as the most important resource in the business and a source of competitive advantage
• employees are treated as individuals and their needs are planned accordingly

Question 12

what does hard hrm focus on?

Answer 12

• identifying workforce needs of the business and recruiting and managing accordingly

Question 13

what does soft hrm focus on?

Answer 13

• concentrates on the needs of employees- their roles, rewards, motivation etc.

Question 14

what are key features of hard hrm?

Answer 14

• minimal communication
• pay- enough to recruit and retain enough staff (e.g. minimum wage)
• little empowerment or delegation
• taller organisational structures
• autocratic leadership style

Question 15

what are key features of soft hrm?

Answer 15

• focus on long term workforce planning
• strong, regular two way communication
• competitive pay structure, with suitable performance related rewards
• employees are empowered and encouraged to seek delegation
• flatter organisational structures
• suits democratic leadership style