Week 2 – Assignment: Assess the Ethical and Legal Implications of Social Media and Hiring

Course Credits: 3

Course Description:

In this course, you will focus on the development of the human resource function in organizations. From exploring employee recruitment, motivation, performance and various forms of compensation and benefits packages, you will view the human resource function in a strategic role that enhances global business environments.

Number of Assignments: 8

Course Learning Outcomes:

2. Assess plans for all phases of employee recruitment.

3. Evaluate current methods in employee motivation and performance.

5. Evaluate the various forms of compensation and benefits packages.

Course Concepts:

1. Current and Legal Issues in Human Resources

2. Job Analysis/Design, Planning, Recruitment, and Selection

3. Training, Career Development, and Performance Appraisal

4. Compensation, Incentives, and Benefits

5. Labor Relations

6. International Human Resources

COURSE RESOURCES

PRIMARY RESOURCES/Text

*No required text for the course. All resources are available via the NCU Library.

Course Outline

Week 1: Importance of Human Resource Management

Week 2: Legal Issues in Human Resource Management

Week 2 – Assignment: Assess the Ethical and Legal Implications of Social Media and Hiring (10 points)

Week 3: Purpose of Labor Relations in the Workplace

Week 3 – Assignment: Examine the Role of Labor Relation Personnel (10 points)

Week 4: Understanding Employee Incentives in Human Resource Management

Week 4 – Research Various Pay and Benefit Programs Companies Can Offer Employees (10 points)

Section 2: Recruitment, Retention, and Assessment of Employees

Week 5: Recruitment and Retention of Employees

Week 5 – Assignment: Develop a Recruitment and Retention Plan (10 points)

Week 6: Effective Performance Appraisal Systems

Week 6 – Assignment: Develop an Annual Performance Appraisal Timeline (10 points)

Section 3: Understanding Personnel Management

Week 7: Celebrating Diversity in the Workplace

Week 7 – Assignment: Develop an Annual Plan to Celebrate Diversity in the Workplace (10 points)

Week 8: Understanding Motivation and Human Behavior

Week 8 – Signature Assignment: Develop a Plan of Work (30 points)

Section 1: Introduction to Human Resource Management in the 21st Century

Human resource management is the study of how employees are managed in the workplace (Kivak, 2016). Human resource management includes employee recruitment, selection, training, motivation, job satisfaction, retention, employee well-being and safety, compensation, benefits, and incentives, labor relations and collective bargaining, performance evaluation systems, strategic management, diversity, and corporate social responsibilities. Human resource management is personnel management in the workplace. In the study of human resources, it is acknowledged that the main resource in an organization are the employees. Human resources in general is the also the study of organizational behavior (Kivak, 2016).

Organizational behavior is defined as a social science. It is the study of employees and their behavior in organizations (Yonker, 2017). Human behavior in the workplace is a complex area of study. Theories developed through organizational behavior help people to better understand the needs of employees and organizations and ways to operate more effectively for satisfying the goals of the employer and employee, understanding satisfaction should be met on both ends (Yonker, 2017).

It is important for non-human resource personnel to study human resource management as well. Managers and supervisors should also study human resources and become knowledgeable of the key factors in human resources such as staff a department, designing a job, and discovering ways to improve practices in the workplace. In the study of human resources, there are several issues that reoccur such as challenges in personnel concerning global markets, managing change, responsiveness to the market, and technology. These topics are important to human resources, but also managers and supervisors (Kivak, 2016).

References

Yonker, R. (2017). Organizational behavior. In S. Rogelberg (Ed.), The SAGE

encyclopedia of industrial and organizational psychology, 2nd edition (pp. 1065-1065). Thousand Oaks, CA: SAGE Publications, Inc doi: 10.4135/9781483386874.n369

Week 1: Importance of Human Resource Management

Human Resource staff also ensure organizations have all the proper paperwork for employees and the agency, such as tax forms, personnel files, emergency contact information, payroll forms, performance evaluations, job descriptions, etc. Human Resource Departments also oversee payroll and benefits management. Payroll responsibilities can be massive with legal requirements and the number of employees the department manages. Benefits are often reviewed on an annual basis and that process can take a couple of months, depending on the size of the agency and budget, to ensure the cost is effective for the company. There are several legal factors that are also considered in relation to the paperwork managed, payroll, and benefits (SHRM, 2017).

Legal compliance is a time-consuming task in Human Resources as well. It takes research, staying current on state and federal law changes, and discussions with legal counsel about interpretation and compliance with established and new laws. Each year there are possible new laws discussed and enforced. As the law changes, organizations expect Human Resources to be current on all requirements to keep agencies in compliance with the law. There are many moving parts in Human Resources, which is why it is critical in the workplace (SHRM, 2017).

Kivak, R. (2016). Human resources management. Salem Press Encyclopedia,

SHRM (December 18, 2017), Starting an HR Department from the

Ground Up

Heads-Up to the Signature Assignment

The Signature Assignment is the final assignment for the course. It is worth 30% of the final grade. The assignment is a plan of work of an employee with challenges in the workplace. A plan of work will be created to assist the employee in overcoming the challenges. It is recommended that you review the assignment during week one and work towards the final plan of work throughout the course, since it is a significant part of the course grade. Several of the references you will review weekly can be used with the final assignment.

All resources for this week:

Articles

Anghel, M., Jaradat, M., Gherman, C. & Gabrea, R. (2015). The Place and the Importance of Human Resources in Secondary Education. Valahian Journal of Economic Studies, 6(1), 87-92.

The reference outlines the importance of Human Resources in a public school setting. The reasons are similar for other settings. It relates to the assignment, because highlighting the reasons for adding a human resource department is important for the proposal in the assignment.

Gherman, R., Brad, I., & Dincu, A. (2016). The Role and Importance of Human Resources in Organizations. Agricultural Management / Lucrari Stiintifice Seria I, Management Agricol, 18(2), 63-66.

The reference outlines how important Human Resources is for an agency. It suggests Human Resources is the most important resource for an organization. It relates to the assignment, because persuasion for developing a Human Resource Department is necessary for an agency that

currently does not invest in one.

Osmani, O. (2016). The Importance of Human Resources for Companies With Energy Profiles and Their Influence in Raising the Operating Efficiency. Review of Innovation and Competitiveness, 2(2), 115-124.

The reference discusses the importance of Human Resources and how that directly relates to high production. High productivity is important for the assignment, so the Board of Directors can see how the investment will improve the bottom line.

Assignment Title

Week 1 – Assignment 1: Importance of a Human Resource Department

Assignment Points

10 Points

Assignment Instructions

You are the office manager of a growing modular home company, family based, owned, and operated. The company just reached 50 employees and the CEO has requested a proposal explaining why it might be productive to create a human resource department. Prepare a proposal explaining the importance of human resources in the workforce. Explain the main functions of a human resource department such as recruitment, selection, training, performance evaluation, etc.

Upload your document and click the Submit to Dropbox button.

Course Learning Outcomes associated with this assignment:

1

· Explore current issues affecting work environments and human resource functions in organizations.

There are numerous legal issues to manage in Human Resources. There are several laws that protect employees such as the Equal Employment Opportunity and Affirmative Action laws. This is often the most discussed law in the workplace and in the courts over the last several decades. Equal employment opportunity is a law that ensures employers not discriminate against employees due to characteristics such as race, sex, disability, age, or religion. There is a lot of existing case law on several law suits regarding this law (SHRM, 2016).

The American Health Care Act, also known as the Affordable Care Act, is law that has generated recent changes in the United States. Various mandates for individuals and employers were removed and cuts to Medicaid were included in the American Health Care Act (SHRM, 2017). From the beginning of the Affordable Care Act until the current version of the American Health Care Act, Human Resource professionals had to follow the potential changes and final changes carefully to keep executive leadership and boards abreast of changes and effects to budgets.

Another growing legal issue in Human Resources is the use of social media in human resources search for talent acquisition. Through research, SHRM (2017) has discovered that 84% of organizations use social media for recruitment and 9% plan to use it in the future for employee recruitment purposes. Seventy-one percent of human resource departments surveyed indicated that social media reduces the time to recruit qualified applicants. With the growing use of social media in hiring practices, the legal implications, and issues are also growing. The main legal issues are directly related to concerns regarding discrimination during the screening process (SHRM, 2017).

SHRM (August 30, 2016), EEO: What is the difference between EEO,

affirmative action, and diversity?,

SHRM (May 4, 2017), SHRM Summary American Health Care Act

SHRM (September 20, 2017), Using Social Media for Talent

Acquisition: Recruitment and Screening,

Be sure to review this week's resources carefully. You are expected to apply the information from these resources when you prepare your assignments.

All resources for this week:

Articles

Bologna, M. (2014). Social Media Strategies in Recruiting, Hiring Pose Legal

Risks for Employers. (cover story). HR Focus, 91(5), 1-4.

The reference studies the legal implications with using social

media in the hiring process. This relates to the assignment that

explores implications of using social media with hiring.

Drouin, M., O’Connor, K. W., Schmidt, G. B., & Miller, D. A. (2015).

Facebook fired: Legal perspectives and young adults’ opinions on the use of social media in hiring and firing decisions. Computers In Human Behavior, 46123-128. doi:10.1016/j.chb.2015.01.011

The reference is significant because it studies the opinions related to hiring and use of social media, which is the purpose of the assignment.

Assignment Title

Week 2 - Assignment: Assess the Ethical and Legal Implications of Social Media and Hiring

Assignment Points

10 Points

Assignment Instructions

Conduct a simple poll (using social media, email, in-person, or via telephone) with the intent to assess the ethical and legal implications of social media and hiring.

These are the questions you should ask:

Should employers research potential hires on social media during the hiring process? Ask respondents why or why not as well.

After you collect the data, prepare an analysis of academic research related to social media and hiring practices and outline the legal issues you could face regarding this topic. Share examples provided that could or did have legal implications for the hiring agency. Compare your findings of the poll results to the academic research and assess recommendations and findings.

Length: 5-7 pages, not including title and reference pages

References: Include a minimum of five scholarly resources.

Your paper should demonstrate thoughtful consideration of the ideas and concepts presented in the course by providing new thoughts and insights relating directly to this topic. Your response should reflect graduate-level writing and APA standards. Be sure to adhere to Northcentral University's Academic Integrity Policy.

Upload your document, and then click the Submit to Dropbox button.

Course Learning Outcomes associated with this assignment:

1, 2

· Explore current issues affecting work environments and human resource functions in organizations.

· Assess plans for all phases of employee recruitment.

Week 3: Purpose of Labor Relations in the Workplace

Some other major areas protected by labor relations is the employment-at-will law. Employment-at-will allows an employee to quit a job at any time, but it also allows the employer to terminate an employee at any time, both without cause or explanation. There are some cases that challenge employers’ at-will decisions, under wrongful termination. There are laws that also protect whistle blowers, which refers to an employee reporting a wrongful act of the employer. The law protects the whistle blowers’ job during and after the accusation (Greene, 2017; Duska, 2016).

Unions have existed in the United States since the mid-1800s. Unions can sometimes acquire bad reputations; however, unions have played a large role in protecting employees in their workplaces and shaping federal and state laws as well as organizational policies that benefit the workplace. There are four major parts to the labor relations process:

· Employees have a desire for representation.

· Union help employees to begin organizing and start a campaign for organization.

· Collective bargaining occurs, which results in a contract.

· The contract is administered between the union (to represent the employees) and the employer. Human Resources is the main contact for the union on behalf of the employer (Westmark, 2013).

Once the contract is administered, the Union will represent and negotiate on

behalf of the employees.

Duska, R. (2018). Whistle-blowing. In R. Kolb (Ed.), The SAGE encyclopedia

of business ethics and society (pp. 3627-3630). Thousand Oaks, CA: SAGE Publications, Inc. doi: 10.4135/9781483381503.n1260

Greene, J. M. (2017). At-will employment. Salem Press Encyclopedia.

Westmark, F. (2013). Labor Relations and Human Resource

Management. Research Starters: Business.

All resources for this week:

Articles

Hayer, S. (2015). Introduction: What future for industrial

relations? International Labor Review, 154(1), 1-4. doi:10.1111/j.1564-913X.2015.00220.x

This reference is significant because it reviews the current issues and purpose of labor relations and discusses future issues. This reference relates to the assignment because the Labor Relations Specialist work directly with the major themes discussed.

Pandey, J. (2017). Unions In The IT/ITES Sector. Human Capital, 21(7), 40-

42.

The reference discusses unions in the information technology sector. Discussion of the changes in unions and positions of unions can assist with creating the main sections of the assignment.

Romero Pender, E., Munduate, L., Belen Garcia, A., Euwema, M. C., &

Elgoibar, P. (n.d). Improving social dialogue: What employers expect from employee representatives. Economic And Labor Relations Review, 29(2), 169-189.

This reference is significant, because it reviews major areas of communication and expectations of labor relations personnel. These expectations will assist in developing the core areas of the assignment.

Assignment Title

Week 3 – Assignment 3: Examine the Role of Labor Relations Personnel

Assignment Points

10 points

Assignment Instructions

Create a job description and a 90-day plan of work for a newly hired labor relations specialist. This job description should outline the job title, education requirements, direct supervisory, primary responsibilities, and duties. Then, use this job description to create a 90-day plan of work for a newly hired employee. Highlight goals a new employee should work on related to the job description.

Length: Job Description 1-2 pages and Plan of Work 1-2 pages, not including title and reference pages

References: Include a minimum of five scholarly resources.

Your paper should demonstrate thoughtful consideration of the ideas and concepts presented in the course by providing new thoughts and insights relating directly to this topic. Your response should reflect graduate-level writing and APA standards. Be sure to adhere to Northcentral University's Academic Integrity Policy.

Upload your document, and then click the Submit to Dropbox button.

Course Learning Outcomes associated with this assignment: 1, 2

· Explore current issues affecting work environments and human resource functions in organizations.

· Assess plans for all phases of employee recruitment.

Week 4: Understanding Employee Incentives in Human Resource Management

Employee retention and job satisfaction are areas of concentration in Human Resources. There are various compensation plans an employer can offer, which helps lead to employee satisfaction with pay. There are several different types of compensation plans (SHRM, 2017). Here are a few plans:

· Wages and Salary – Base pay (SHRM, 2017)

· Variable Pay – Short term or long-term incentives, bonuses, or

· employee ownership programs (SHRM, 2017).

· Other Pay – Other pay varies, such as working over the holidays and getting additional pay or working during emergency circumstances (SHRM, 2017).

· Retention Compensation Plans – Extra compensation to stay in a time of significant change, such as a change in leadership or a change in ownership (Rogers, 2015).

It is important to know various compensation options in Human Resources, so you can advocate for them when needed, based on an organization’s needs.

There are also a wide range of benefits that employers can offer. In 2017, 72% of organizations increased benefit offerings to help retain staff (SHRM, 2018). Most common are health, dental, life, vision, and disability insurance. Today, many organizations consider including paid coverage for family members and non-traditional dependents such as grandchildren. More wellness benefits are being offered such as fitness classes and fitness areas to assist with managing stress. Paid time off commonly includes vacation and sick time. More companies are adding personal days and parental leave for new children (birth or foster). Many agencies also offer retirement plans for employees and other savings plans such as college savings plans. Companies also offer flexible working schedules, telecommuting, or compressed work weeks to allow for more balance in work and family life. Awards and bonuses are also provided as employee benefits (SHRM, 2018).

Employers also offer career and professional development for employees as well. Some tuition reimbursement programs are also offered. Employers also provide relocation expenses for new employees, or existing employees that transfer to another location. Many offer expenses paid during travel as well, such as meals, parking, etc. There are a wide range of benefits that are offered among employers to help retain staff (SHRM, 2018).

Rogers, R. (2015). Retention Compensation Plans: Please Stay!,

SHRM.

SHRM (2018). 2018 Employee Benefits.

SHRM (May 5, 2017). Introduction to Human Resources Discipline of

of Compensation.

All resources for this week:

Articles

Bryant, P., & Allen, D. (2013). Compensation, benefits and employee

turnover: HR strategies for retaining top talent. Compensation & Benefits Review. 45(3), 171-175.

The reference reviews how Human Resources can better retain top talent through compensation and benefits, which is the main purpose of this assignment.

Hipp, L. l., Morrissey, T. W., & Warner, M. E. (2017). Who Participates and

Who Benefits From Employer-Provided Child-Care Assistance? Journal Of Marriage & Family, 79(3), 614-635.

The article discussed employer-provided child care assistance explored as a benefit for employees. The assignment explores various benefits for employers.

Hoffman-Miller, P. M. (2013). Equity theory. Salem Press Encyclopedia.

The reference provides an overview of equity theory, which should be discussed in the assignment.

Viswanathan, M., Li, X., John, G., & Narasimhan, (2018). Is Cash King for

Sales Compensation Plans? Evidence from a Large-Scale Field Intervention. Journal Of Marketing Research (JMR), 55(3), 368-381. doi:10.1509/jmr.14.0290

The reference studies various compensation plans for sales employees. The assignment discusses various compensation plans for employers.

Assignment Title

Week 4 - Assignment: Research Various Pay and Benefit Programs Companies Can Offer Employees

Assignment Points

10 points

Assignment Instructions

Develop a competitive compensation, benefits, and incentive program for a large marketing firm in New York City. The board of directors wants the firm to be the primer marketing firm in the city. The marketing firm experiences several firms competing for the same employees. The average age of employees is 35 years old. Ensure your compensation, benefits, and incentive program will cater to most employees in the agency. Discuss how equity theory will be considered and the factors incorporated into the plan.

Length: 5-7 pages, not including title and reference pages

References: Include a minimum of five scholarly resources.

Your paper should demonstrate thoughtful consideration of the ideas and concepts presented in the course by providing new thoughts and insights relating directly to this topic. Your response should reflect graduate-level writing and APA standards. Be sure to adhere to Northcentral University's Academic Integrity Policy.

Course Learning Outcomes associated with this assignment: 3

· Evaluate current methods in employee motivation and performance.

Section 2: Recruitment, Retention, and Assessment of Employees

In Human Resources, it can be frustrating to encounter constant employee turnover in certain positions. Therefore, it is critical to keep employees motivated and satisfied in their work. This is not an easy task, but an area that requires a lot of attention in Human Resources. Understanding and meeting employees where they are is a big step in the direction of retaining more staff. Expectancy theory suggests that Human Resource personnel can predict employees’ level of motivation by evaluating how attractive the benefits are and how attainable the benefits are for employees. For example, if George has a sales goal that is unreachable, despite the fact the bonus would be nice, it is unattainable for the employee. It is important that motivational factors such as pay are reachable for all employees to result in job satisfaction (Kellock, 2010).

Job satisfaction is important. When employees are motivated by work, job satisfaction tends to follow. It is important to allow employees empowerment within the workplace. Employee empowerment in the workplace allows employees to initiate change and get involved in work through inclusion. For example, you could have an employee empowerment committee that helps resolve issues in the workplace. Employees will have buy-in and be more willing to accept changes that may need to occur in the workplace (Parker, 2017).

One major issue often tied to low morale is not understanding the impact of one’s work. Job enrichment allows employees to further enhance their job by adding more meaningful duties, so the work feels more meaningful. For example, consider an employee on a production line that makes Campbell Soup. The employee is a line worker that performs the same job day after day and the repetition gets boring. The employee could oversee a world hunger project that sends hundreds of boxes of canned soups to places in need. The employee feels more connected to their work and in return morale and satisfaction is higher (Kellock, 2010).

Kellock, G. (2010). Motivation. In A. Pizam (Ed.), International

encyclopedia of hospitality management (2nd ed.). London,

UK: Routledge.

Parker, S. (2017). Job satisfaction. In S. Rogelberg (Ed.), The SAGE

encyclopedia of industrial and organizational psychology, 2nd edition (pp. 804-808). Thousand Oaks, CA: SAGE Publications, Inc doi: 10.4135/9781483386874.n277

Week 5: Recruitment and Retention of Employees

Once employees are hired, Human Resources has a desire to retain them. Staff turnover is costly to agencies. There are various formulas that can be used to demonstrate staff turnover cost to an agency; the formulas can focus on the rate per month, year, or even over a longer period. The best way to manage staff retention is by knowing the data and providing employees with an environment that has the competitive advantage (Froiland, 2015).

Froiland, J. M. (2015). Employee Retention. Research Starters: Business.

Li, X. & Song, Z. (2018). Recruitment, job search, and job choice: an

integrated literature review. The sage handbook of industrial, work and organizational psychology (pp. 489-506). 55 City Road, London: SAGE Publications Ltd doi: 10.4135/9781473914940.n18

All resources for this week:

Articles

Barrett, R., & Holme, A. (2018). Self-rostering can improve work–life

balance and staff retention in the NHS. British Journal Of Nursing, 27(5), 264-265. doi:10.12968/bjon.2018.27.5.264

The reference suggests improvements that will encourage work-life balance and staff retention among nurses. The assignment requests a retention plan for nurses.

Callwood, A., Cooke, D., Bolger, S., Lemanska, A., & Allan, H. (2018). The

reliability and validity of multiple mini interviews (MMIs) in values-based recruitment to nursing, midwifery and paramedic practice programmes: Findings from an evaluation study. International Journal Of Nursing Studies, 77138-144. doi:10.1016/j.ijnurstu.2017.10.003

The reference provides suggestions for effective recruitment in

nursing. The assignment requests effective ways to recruit nurses.

Froiland, J. M. (2015). Employee Retention. Research Starters: Business.

The reference discusses employee retention, which is a major part of the assignment.

Assignment Title

Week 5 - Assignment: Develop a Recruitment and Retention Plan

Assignment Points

10 points

Assignment Instructions

Assume you are the vice president of Human Resources for a large, nonprofit hospital with three locations. Two locations are in the United States and one location is in Mexico. The turnover rate for registered nurses is extremely high, especially in the location in Mexico. Develop a recruitment plan to attract and retain qualified registered nurses in the hospitals. Include a visual diagraph to represent the turnover rate over the last five years. The retention plan will be presented to the board of directors.

Length: 5-7 pages, not including title and reference pages

References: Include a minimum of five scholarly resources.

Your paper should demonstrate thoughtful consideration of the ideas and concepts presented in the course by providing new thoughts and insights relating directly to this topic. Your response should reflect graduate-level writing and APA standards. Be sure to adhere to Northcentral University's Academic Integrity Policy.

Upload your document, and then click the Submit to Dropbox button.

Course Learning Outcomes associated with this assignment:

1, 2, 4, 5

· Explore current issues affecting work environments and human resource functions in organizations.

· Assess plans for all phases of employee recruitment.

· Critique the strategic roles of human resource management in global business environments.

· Evaluate the various forms of compensation and benefits packages.

Week 6: Effective Performance Appraisal Systems

The performance appraisal system is an important one in Human Resources. Performance appraisal systems are used to direct the improvement for areas of improvement and praise for areas of progress. There are several reasons that the performance appraisal process cannot be effective. Here are a few reasons:

· The preparation is inadequate.

· The objectives may be unclear.

· The manager may not be trained to provide feedback and coaching.

· Inflated ratings exist because managers may not want to deal with problems related to performance.

· There is an inappropriate time span for employees to achieve goals.

It is important to ensure areas of weaknesses are discussed so that appraisals are effective from the beginning and throughout the entire process (Wienclaw, 2013).

There are various ways employees can be evaluated. Most commonly employees are known to be evaluated by their immediate supervisor. There are also other evaluators that could be beneficial in the appraisal process. Others that may evaluate include peers, customers, team members, and the employee can even complete a self-evaluation. Several parties contributing to the evaluation process is known as the 360-Degree Appraisal. The most important point is that the evaluation is effective and beneficial to the employee and employer (Battaglio, 2015; Wienclaw, 2013).

Battaglio, R. (2015). Performance appraisal. In Public human resource

management (pp. 186-216). 55 City Road, London: SAGE Publications, Ltd doi: 10.4135/9781483395784.n7

Wienclaw, R. A. (2013). Performance Appraisal. Research Starters: Business.

All resources for this week:

Articles

Buckingham, M., & Goodall, A. (2015). Reinventing performance management. Harvard Business Review, 93(4), 40-50.

The reference suggests a new performance management system and the assignment relates to performance management systems and best practices.

Celik, D. (Sep. 15, 2014). Enabling more objective performance appraisals:

A training program model of pinpointing. 10th International Strategic Management Conference 2014, Procedia – Social and Behavioral Sciences.

The reference discusses best practices with performance appraisals, which is directly related to the assignment.

Mulvaney, M. (2017). Performance Appraisals in Public Parks and

Recreation: A Study of Employees' Short and Longer-Term Attitudes Toward the Appraisal System. Journal Of Park & Recreation Administration, 35(2), 86-107.

The reference reviewed the performance appraisal process for

parks and recreation departments to gain their thoughts on the processes. Personal insight will assist with developing an annual timeline.

Assignment Title

Week 6 - Assignment: Develop an Annual Performance Appraisal Timeline

Assignment Points

10 points

Assignment Instructions

Human resource field personnel often deal with the complaint of useful and non-useful performance evaluations/reviews. Many times, the intention is good, and the human resource department provides the resources for the evaluation to be meaningful and effective for both the employee and the employer.

Managers are rushed and at the end of the day, they are forced to gather all completed paperwork and to submit it, including performance evaluations. Sometimes, this situation results in a poor performance management evaluation system for the employee.

This week, please review academic journals to research best practices among the performance evaluation process. After summarizing best practices for effective performance measurements, create an annual timeline that human resources could use for managers to make the process a year-long process and not an annual report that is rushed because of other time- sensitive deadlines. Include suggestions for making the process more meaningful and engaging for the employee and supervisor. For example, document the number of times you will meet with employees throughout the year to discuss their progress. How will you document their successes, challenges, and concerns? Will professional development be incorporated? If so, how often? How will goals be revised, if needed, throughout the year? How is this determined? These are a few areas to consider for your plan. An annual plan will include a list of ideas/suggestions supported by academic literature. Flexibility is also important, because employee needs will differ.

Length: 3-5 pages, not including title and reference pages

References: Include a minimum of five scholarly resources.

Your paper should demonstrate thoughtful consideration of the ideas and concepts presented in the course by providing new thoughts and insights relating directly to this topic. Your response should reflect graduate-level writing and APA standards. Be sure to adhere to Northcentral University's Academic Integrity Policy.

Upload your document, and then click the Submit to Dropbox button.

Course Learning Outcomes associated with this assignment:

1

· Explore current issues affecting work environments and human resource functions in organizations.

Section 3: Understanding Personnel Management

Personnel management is a major part of human resources. Ensuring every employee feels respected, welcome, and appreciated can be a difficult task, since individuals are quite different and have different desires. Conflict will arise in the workplace. Understanding how to effectively respond to conflict in the workplace is important. Conflict is inevitable, and it can occur between team members, manager and direct report, employee and customer, employee and a friend or family member; and it can be brought into the workplace. It is also important to understand that not all conflict is bad (SHRM, 2015).

There are several reasons conflict may arise in the workplace.

· Poor communication or lack of effective communication.

· Job roles are not fully understood by the team members or clarified by management.

· Employees may not be in the best position for their qualifications (e.g., an ill-timed promotion for an unprepared staff member results in poor performance).

· There are unmet needs within the agency/department.

· Conflict will occur among people because of their personalities; and conflict will occur among people of different ages, genders, cultural beliefs, upbringing, etc. (SHRM, 2015).

Even the best organizations employees can work for will still have conflict to manage. Now, it is important to discuss how to handle conflict when it arises within the workplace (SHRM, 2015).

It is critical not to ignore or attempt to avoid conflict in the workplace. It can be a natural reaction for many to avoid conflict at all costs. However, it is unacceptable for managers and/or human resource personnel to avoid conflict. In fact, it is better to handle or manage conflict quickly. It is best practices to also try and determine how to prevent conflict in the future and to put those practices into place (SHRM, 2015).

It is critical to be flexible when resolving conflict. Scenarios are often different, although some cases may have similarities. There are suggested steps by various authors about how to handle conflict effectively, such as the presented here. It is most important to add the steps to your “tool box,” but understand flexibility is important as well (SHRM, 2015).

Although flexibility is critically significant, it is just as important to ensure policies and practices treat all employees fairly. Although scenarios will differ, just remember to keep the same rules and apply them equally across the board (unless a special circumstance in an extreme case dictates a different approach), and in that manner document it and communicate as much as you can to ensure employees do not feel some are receiving special treatment. For example, you may have two employees frequently arriving to work late. One employee may be running late due to a lack of time management, while another employee may be running late because of childcare time drop-off time constraints. It is important for the manager to discuss this issues with both employees. For the employee with the childcare challenges, additional adjustments could be made to allow for more scheduling flexibility. If possible, the other employee may be able to benefit from a schedule adjustment as well; however, poor time management will likely still occur and will need to be addressed. Time management courses can also be offered to assist with the challenge (SHRM, 2015).

It is important to ensure communication is effective and dialogue is open for all employees. It is critical that all employees read and understand policies and procedures is critical; therefore, guidelines must be clear and consistent. Regular meetings are a great way to keep the door open for questions and to prevent conflict. Empowerment is an important tool to teach all employees in an agency because it enables all employees, not just managers, to resolve conflict (SHRM, 2015).

SHRM (November 4, 2015). Managing Workplace Conflict.

Week 7: Celebrating Diversity in the Workplace

Today’s workplace is a global market. Many companies own organizations in various locations in the world, which brings a mixture of challenges and advantages. To remain competitive in today’s global market, companies must stay engaged and rely on international relations. Of course, this global market environment brings greater diversity to the workplace, which means that it is vitally important to ensure human resources and employees understand and respect different cultural values and customs. In today’s market, employers search for managers who can speak multiple languages and possess broad, international work experience (Swiger, 2013).

Kohut, G. (2017). Diversity training. In S. Rogelberg (Ed.), The SAGE

encyclopedia of industrial and organizational psychology, 2nd edition (pp. 321-323). Thousand Oaks, CA: SAGE Publications, Inc doi: 10.4135/9781483386874.n113

Swiger, M. (2013). Diversity training. In R. Chapman, & J. Ciment (Eds.), Culture wars in America: An encyclopedia of issues, viewpoints, and voices (2nd ed.). London, UK: Routledge.

Be sure to review this week's resources carefully. You are expected to apply the information from these resources when you prepare your assignments.

All resources for this week:

Articles

Gerbert, D., Buengeler, C., & Heinitz, K. (2017). Tolerance: A neglected

dimension in diversity training? Academy of Management Learning & Education, 16(3), 415-438.

The reference discusses disadvantages with the traditional diversity training and suggestions for improving diversity trainings in the workplace. The assignment is to encourage unique ways to provide learning opportunities around diversity.

Golden, J. (2017). A celebration of diversity in the workplace. Westchester

County Business Journal, 53(16), 35.

The reference highlights a diversity celebration. The assignment requires unique ways to find celebrate diversity.

Phillips, B., Deiches, J., Morrison, B., Chan, F., & Bezyak, J. (2016).

Disability Diversity Training in the Workplace: Systematic Review and Future Directions. Journal Of Occupational Rehabilitation, 26(3), 264-275. doi:10.1007/s10926-015-9612-3

The reference discusses training around diversity as it relates to disabilities. For the assignment, the student needs to incorporate more than training and the article can assist with thinking beyond the common practices.

Assignment Title

Week 7 - Assignment: Develop an Annual Plan to Celebrate Diversity in the Workplace

Assignment Points

10 Points

Assignment Instructions

Today’s competitive market includes international business. Actively recruiting different individuals into a workplace will not magically create a unified work environment simply because they share a common purpose; it is certain that unique challenges will arise. Some challenges include cultural differences and different religious beliefs.

This week be sure to interview at least two current or previous human resource personnel to learn unique and engaging ways to celebrate diversity within the workplace. Some large companies include diversity and inclusion staff in their human resource departments. Not all companies are large enough to have diversity and inclusion staff. Any member of the human resource team can provide insight into this topic. The insightful information that emerges should be incorporated into your assignment (annual plan).

Then, create an annual plan that explains how a human resource department could recognize and celebrate different cultures, enabling employees to understand more about the backgrounds of their fellow co-workers. The plan can include educational, cultural experiences, festivities from various cultures, etc. The experiences should include the activities, timeframe, duration, and purpose. Suggestions should come from interviews and academic research for best practices among human resource departments.

Example of Annual Plan Template

Length: 3-5 pages, not including title and reference pages References: Include a minimum of five scholarly resources.

Your paper should demonstrate thoughtful consideration of the ideas and concepts presented in the course by providing new thoughts and insights relating directly to this topic. Your response should reflect graduate-level writing and APA standards. Be sure to adhere to Northcentral University's Academic Integrity Policy.

Upload your document, and then click the Submit to Dropbox button.

Course Learning Outcomes associated with this assignment: 1

· Critique the strategic roles of human resource management in global business environments.

Week 8: Understanding Motivation and Human Behavior

Human Resource personnel have a need to understand human behavior and needs. A good method of understanding human behavior and needs are Maslow’s Hierarchy of Need. There are five areas of Maslow’s Hierarchy of Need:

· Self-Actualization – achieving one’s full potential

· Esteem Needs – feeling accomplished

· Belongingness and love – friends and intimate relationships

· Safety – feeling safe and secure

· Physiological – having food, water, shelter, and rest

Understanding which area employees are on Maslow’s Hierarchy of Need will help you better understand where they are in life and possibly further understand their performance in the workplace. For example, a person that does not have access to enough food may not be able to fully concentrate on reaching their full potential until more basic needs are met in their life. At that time, their major concern is very basic ,which is to ensure they have consistent access to food. If you apply this theory, as you manage people, you can better understand their goals and needs (Aanstoos, 2013; Bayne, 2015).

Aanstoos, C. M. (2013). Maslow's hierarchy of needs. Salem Press

Encyclopedia Of Health.

Bayne, H. (2015). Maslow’s hierarchy of needs. In E. Neukrug (Ed.), The

SAGE encyclopedia of theory in counseling and psychotherapy (pp. 632-634). Thousand Oaks, CA: SAGE Publications, Inc. doi: 10.4135/9781483346502.n224

Be sure to review this week's resources carefully. You are expected to apply the information from these resources when you prepare your assignments.

All resources for this week:

Multimedia

Maslow's Hierarchy of Needs. (2007).

The video is about Maslow’s Hierarchy of Need. The assignment is related to understanding the needs of employees.

Please see the references from previous weeks readings as well, if you wish to relate them to your case study.

Assignment Title

Week 8 – Assignment 8: Develop a Plan of Work

Assignment Points

30 points

Assignment Instructions

Plan of Work

Gloria is employed at Jones University, through Higher Learning Systems in Connecticut as a data entry specialist. She originally worked for Higher Learning Systems in Canada; but, she transferred with her husband to the United States through his military career. Gloria has been employed with Higher Learning Systems for 6 years. She worked 5 years in Canada and has been in Connecticut for one year. She was on medical leave for 6 months due to her pregnancy with her first child. She had complications and was absent from work for 3 months before the birth of her child.

There are 12 data entry specialists at Jones University in Connecticut. When Gloria took leave unexpectedly, the other 11 specialists had to split up her work duties. After the birth of Gloria’s child, her co-workers were upset that she decided to take off 12 weeks after the birth, despite the fact she was out 12 weeks before the delivery. When Gloria returned to work, she took frequent breaks, more than the policy allowed, to pump and securely store breast milk for her infant. Since these breaks interfered with her workload, the 11 employees were required to carry a percent of Gloria’s workload until she decided to stop pumping and storing breast milk at work. Employees were extremely frustrated at Gloria and felt as though the university was giving her special treatment.

Gloria felt the frustration immediately when returning to work, despite the fact that the university had indicated that it supported mothers on parental leave and mothers who needed extra time to pump breast milk after maternity leave. She felt disrespected by her co-workers due to her cultural beliefs about the importance of breast feeding. The discomfort she felt affected her work, and she began to fall further behind in her daily responsibilities. Soon, she dreaded going to work, cried often, and felt unappreciated by her supervisor. She also felt her supervisor did not approve of her decision to take 12 weeks off after her infant was born and she didn’t approve of her frequent breaks. Gloria often overheard other employees making jokes about her. Gloria has worked for the company for 6 years and does not want to quit. She decides to visit Human Resources for assistance. Human Resources works with Gloria and her supervisor to create a plan of work to assist with the areas of concern.

For this assignment, there are three main parts: first summarize the scenario, second outline Human Resources response to Gloria, and third prepare a plan of work for Gloria and her supervisor. The plan of work is prepared by Human Resources, so it should include goals for Gloria, the supervisor, and/or the department. Include a timeline with the goals. Ensure the goals are measurable and attainable.

Length: 5-7 pages, not including title and reference pages References: Include a minimum of five scholarly resources.

Your paper should demonstrate thoughtful consideration of the ideas and concepts presented in the course by providing new thoughts and insights relating directly to this topic. Your response should reflect graduate-level writing and APA standards. Be sure to adhere to Northcentral University's Academic Integrity Policy.

Upload your document, and then click the Submit to Dropbox button.

Course Learning Outcomes associated with this assignment:

1, 3, 4

· Explore current issues affecting work environments and human resource functions in organizations.

· Evaluate current methods in employee motivation and performance.

· Critique the strategic roles of human resource management in global business environments.

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