UNIT 2: 2.1 Intro to HR management

Question 1

What is human resource management? (HRM)

Answer 1

the strategic approach to the effective MANAGEMNT OF AN ORGANISATION’s WORKERS so that they the business achieve its objectives

Question 2

What is the role of HRM?

Answer 2

HRM aims to recruit capable, flexible and committed people and is crucial to the long-term performance and success of businesses

Question 3

List some of the functions of HRM

Answer 3

• Talent management
• Training and development of employees
• Reward and performance management
• Employee welfare
• Human resource compliance (e.g. minimum wage law and health and safety work laws)

Question 4

What is human resource planning?

Answer 4

Analysing and FORECASTING THE NUMBER OF WORKERS and the skills of those workers that will be required by the organisation to achieve its objectives

Question 5

External factors influencing human resource planning (explain their impact)

Answer 5

• Demographic change, natural population growth or decline, ageing population, net migration

CON: could cause shortage in labor market, decline in job applicants

• Change in labor mobility, extent to which workers are willing and able to move to different jobs requiring different skills

PRO: helps a country achieve economic efficiency/mobile workforce, if jobs are lost in one industry.region workers are willing and able to move to other jobs

Question 6

Internal factors influencing human resource planning (explain their impact)

Answer 6

• flexi-time, flexible way of working e.g. working from home/adjusting start and finishing times

CON: impacts workforce plan as there must always be sufficient employees available at key times of the day

• Gig economy, short-term contracts or freelance work labor market rather than jobs with permanent contracts

PRO: use of freelance contractors can reduce overall labor costs
CON: difficult to recruit gig workers if needed when demand for services is high

Question 7

What are some reasons for resistance to change in the workplace

Answer 7

-Fear of the unknown
-Fear of failure
-Self-interest, loosing something of value
- Misinformation, false beliefs about the need for change
-Low tolerance, lack of trust
-Inertia, many people suffer from inertia (tendency to maintain status quo)

Question 8

Human resource strategies for reducing the impact of change and resistance to change

Answer 8

• Involve workers in the plan for change and its implementation, encourages them to accept change and develop a sense of ‘ownership’ of it
• Communicate, employees may build resistance if not kept up to date with the pace and scope of change
• Check on how individuals are coping and remember to support them during the change period