REFLECTIVE GENERAL

MBA401

People, Culture and

Contemporary

Leadership

Workshop Week 1

Driving Organisational

Performance through People

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2

This subject aims to:

• detail the key concepts in managing the human resources

within an organisational system

• explain how to evaluate and apply human resource

considerations when making business decisions in line with

an organisation’s strategic goals

• provide an overview of current models of talent management,

culture change, and the ethics of people management

• list and explain contemporary approaches to leadership

• provide students with the opportunity to practice leadership

across a variety of domains.

MBA401

By the end of this workshop you will be able to:

• explain the role of people in organisations

• relay the importance of measuring human capital in organisations

• describe the role of HR

• consider what the future role of HR may be

• LO1 - Explain the key concepts in managing the human resources inherent in an organisational system.

• LO2 - Apply human resource considerations to business decision making and in meeting organisational strategic goals.

Workshop Objectives

Activity

Consider:

• When have you been most engaged in a

job or activity?

• Why?

• Share this with the person next to you.

People and Organisations

“To win in the marketplace, you must

first win in the workplace”. - Douglas Conant

Former CEO of Campbell’s Soup and now best selling author

• All organisations rely on the availability and

effectiveness of three kinds of resources: finance,

technology and people.

• The human resources (HR) are almost always the

key ingredient for organisational success.

• People are the most unpredictable factor, and often

the largest ongoing cost factor, and may also be

regarded as the most valuable asset in any

organisation.

• Both the nature of work and workplaces are

currently transforming.

People and Organisations

• Employees are human assets

– Increase in value to organisations when

investments of appropriate policies &

programs are applied.

• Effective organisations recognise that

employees have value.

– Much as organisations’ physical & capital

assets have value.

• Employees are a valuable source of

sustainable competitive advantage.

The Strategic View of People

• https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ifV7Pn-zIxU

Video - Zappos

Activity – Zappos

• Form groups of 4 or 5 and answer the following

question:

– What are the key things we can learn from Zappos

about people and organisations?

• Elect a spokesperson to present back your key

highlights to the class.

Sources of Employee Value

Measuring People’s Contribution

• Measurement is not solely the domain

of finance and accounting.

• Understanding the ROI of human capital

helps to determine how to invest most

effectively.

• Using metrics and analytics to help to

predict how people contribute to

organisational performance and to

manage organisational talent.

Source: Fitz-Enz (2009, 2010) and Wiley (2016).

Activity - Metrics

• On your own spend a few minutes writing down

what you think are the 5 most important things

to measure in relation to human resources and

then discuss with the person next to you.

Role of Metrics • Quantitative measures of the costs or benefits of aspects

of HR processes.

• Measurement standards and benchmarks.

• Important to a range of stakeholders for different

reasons.

• Complex task and issue of causality.

• Pitfalls include linkage, lack of understanding of value

and complex, difficult to implement measures.

Other Measures

Source: Nankervis et al (2014)

Activity - Measures

• In groups of 4 or 5, select one of the measures

• Discuss:

- what the measure means?

- how it's calculated?

- why it's valuable?

- how it can be implemented (and monitored) within an

organisation?

• You have 15 mins!

• https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=BP_cSA9

UhH0

Video – Employee Turnover

Activity– Employee Turnover

• Discuss:

• What does employee turnover mean?

• What are the advantages and disadvantages of

turnover as a measure?

Strategic HRM

• Strategic human resource management (SHRM)

emphasises the need for HR plans and

strategies to be:

- formulated within the context of overall

organisational strategies and objectives, and

- responsive to the changing nature of the

organisation’s external environment.

Source: Nankervis et al (2014)

• Long-term focus.

• Links organisational business planning with HR

strategic planning.

• People strategy must align with business

strategy and organisational strategy.

Strategic HRM

• Workforce planning

• Employment law

• Talent attraction and selection

• Talent development

• Succession planning

• Training and development

• Performance management

• Reward management

Operational HRM

Source: Nankervis et al (2014)

• In groups of 4 or 5 focus on one operational

HRM area.

• Develop an argument as to why your allocated

function is the most important one of all. You

have 10 mins to discuss.

• Select a spokesperson to present this back to

the broader group.

Activity - Operational HRM

The Role of HR

Ulrich’s 4 Roles Model

Source: www.rbl.net

Activity – Which role?

• Katie Swanton is the Head of HR at a leading Fintech company. In a meeting with her colleagues last month she shared some of the questions she and her team are considering. These were:

– How do we develop a company culture that will attract potential employees who will graduate from University five years from now?

– How do we plan to offer professional development opportunities for jobs and industries that may not even exist yet?

– How can we streamline our processes and systems and make them artificial intelligence (AI)-friendly?

• Is Katie a: A) Strategic partner?

B) Change agent?

C) Administrative partner?

D) Employee champion?

Activity – Which role?

• Recent job advertisement:

– ‘Looking for an experienced HR Professional who can develop

offer letters, on-boarding programs, termination procedures and

a remuneration and incentive systems’.

• What type of role does this describe?

A) Strategic partner?

B) Change agent?

C) Administrative partner?

D) Employee champion?

Activity – Which role?

• Murad Khan has worked at a telecommunications firm for over 12 months. During his lunch break he is over heard saying “This company is really great! I’ve never worked for a business as good as communicating change internally and gaining the trust of its employees like this one.”

• What type of role does this describe? A) Strategic partner?

B) Change agent?

C) Administrative partner?

D) Employee champion?

Activity – Which role?

• Many of Australia’s big Banks run ‘Voice of Employee’

satisfaction surveys to identify gaps in the corporate

culture and managerial practices.

• What type of role does this describe?

A) Strategic partner?

B) Change agent?

C) Administrative partner?

D) Employee champion?

3 Stages of Building HR

Source: Boudreau and Ramstad (2007, 2012)

Video - The Future of HR

• https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Pk04-l8R_7k

• What was your biggest take out from this video?

Summary

• People are an important resource that should be

understood.

• People are an important resource that should be

measured.

• HR plays a key role in maximising the contribution

people make to organisations.

• Next time we look at how to create a positive

organisational culture and engaged people.

Any Questions?