IOP Assignment 1

IOP Assignment 1 1.1 Propose a more systematic approach that will enable IOP Information Technologies to face the human resource challenges that confront it. Also, consider in your answer the South African National HR Standards for Strategic HRM, Talent Management and Workforce Planning. A systematic approach will be useful to IOP Information Technologies in facing the human resource challenges that confront it. First of which, requires a workforce planning system that is aligned with the organisation's strategic business plan. A workforce planning system consists of talent inventory, where current resources (abilities, skills and potential) are assessed and current use of employees is analysed (Cascio & Aguinis, 2018). IOP Information Technologies need to look at the number of employees that are willing to learn and how these employees have taken a back seat, it can be seen that the resources in the organisation have not been paid attention. Therefore, the human resource department of the organisation does not know any of the different abilities and skills of different employees. The talent inventory allows for the organisation to see where talent is so that it not wasted. The next component of workforce planning is workforce forecast. The role of which is to foresee future HR requirements, looking at the number of people required, the skills and whether to use internal or external labour supply (Cascio & Aguinis, 2018). In this organisation, it is important to predict when people are needed and what skills are required, and if the skills can be found in the organisation, it should consider using its internal labour supply. Action plans are the third component, that are used to broaden the pool of qualified individuals by recruitment, selection, training, promotions etc. IOP Information Technologies need effective action plans that will motivate and encourage employees to look forward to training and development. This is because an important change that the organisation has to conduct is to invest in their own talent, meaning that employees should be given the opportunity to learn. This is especially important because it gives previously disadvantaged individuals the opportunity to learn and master skills, they were unable to previously. All of which has positive socio-economic implications, as organisations take responsibility of growing the nation and reducing whatever skills shortage that may exist within a society (Cascio & Aguinis, 2018). Lastly control and evaluation is used to provide a closed-loop feedback process to the rest of the system and to monitor how well the goals and objectives of HR were achieved. This can also be used for IOP Information Technologies and will give them an opportunity to be reminded consistently about what is important to the organisation, which is its people. Note how strategic and tactical business plans serve as the base for HR strategy. This is because the organisation's objectives and goals need to resonate within the HR strategy, due to the fact that the HR strategy is the way these objectives are turned into actions. The HR strategy interacts with the talent inventory foresees the workforce supply and demand to meet the workforce requirements. When labour markets are “loose” it means that the labour supply exceeds the demand, and results in high unemployment (Cascio & Aguinis, 2018). Under such conditions, turnover decreases. On the other hand, when the labour markets are tight, the demand is greater than the supply, and unemployment is at a low. Under such conditions, jobs are plentiful and so workers tend to apply to a variety of jobs more and thus employee mobility increases. When an organisation plans, it helps to reduce uncertainty, in which the organisation is able to anticipate any changes that may affect the organisation. This is especially true in a changing work environment. This study source was downloaded by from CourseH on :31:34 GMT -05:00 This study resource was shared via CourseH IOP Information Technologies finds itself in this changing work environment, this is why it vital that the organisation plans well. This will give the organisation a sense of control and are able to do a better job at coping with change, which can be technological, social, legislation and environmental (Cascio & Aguinis, 2018). The South African national human resource standards also give us solutions in which IOP Information Technologies can use to deal with their human resource challenges. The following standards can be used to confront HR challenges. Strategic human resource management (HRM) is a systematic approach to developing and implementing long-term HRM strategies, policies and plans that enable the organisation to achieve its objectives. The objectives are to ensure the HR strategy is derived from and aligned to the organisation’s objectives in consultation with key organisational stakeholders. To analyse the internal and external socioeconomic, political and technological environment and provide proactive people-related business solutions. To provide strategic direction and measurements for strategic innovation and sustainable people practice. To provide a foundation for the employment value proposition of the organisation. To establish a framework for the HR element of the organisation’s governance, risk and compliance policies, practices and procedures, which balance the needs of all stakeholders. Talent management is the proactive design and implementation of an integrated talentdriven organisational strategy directed to attracting, deploying, developing, retaining and optimising appropriate talent requirements as identified in the workforce plan to ensure a sustainable organisation. The objectives are to build a talent culture that defines the organisation’s philosophy, principles and integrated approach to talent, which leverages diversity and is communicated in a clear employment value proposition. To identify strategically critical positions and leadership roles and capabilities in the organisation into the future from the workforce plan that will determine the sustainability of the organisation. To agree on appropriate roles for relevant stakeholders in the development and management of talent. To monitor and report on talent management key results areas and indicators. Workforce planning is the systematic identification and analysis of organisational workforce needs culminating in a workforce plan to ensure sustainable organisational capability in pursuit of the achievement of its strategic and operational objectives. The objectives are to design a strategic workforce plan that meets the needs of the organisation in consultation with line management, and adjust strategy, accordingly, taking into account workforce and labour market trends in relation to the relevant industry sector, within the spirit of the employment equity legislation. To align the workforce planning cycle with the strategic planning and budgeting cycle of the organisation, as well as talent management where relevant. To ensure appropriate budgeting or cost modelling to prepare the budget for the workforce plan. To ensure an adequate supply and pipeline of appropriately qualified staff through sourcing staff and building the future supply of the right skills to meet the needs of the organisation. This study source was downloaded by from CourseH on :31:34 GMT -05:00 This study resource was shared via CourseH QUESTION 2 Discuss the fundamental requirements of successful performance management systems. Link this to a discussion on the barriers to implementing effective performance management systems. Also discuss the influence that both corporate culture (Ochurub, Bussin & Goosen, 2012) and national culture (Ohemeng, 2009) have on performance management. Fundamental requirements of successful performance management systems: The system should measure and encourage behaviours among employees that will assist in achieving organisational goals. This correspondence with strategy is important, as it gives the organisation an opportunity to align strategic plans with performance management systems that will resound organisational goals (Cascio & Aguinis, 2018). Thoroughness is able to ensure that no stone is left unturned, employees at all levels should be evaluated, all key responsibilities related to the job should be measured, all of which means that performance is evaluated to the entire time. The system should be easily accessible, and easy to use in which its benefits are more than their costs. This practicality makes it easier for employees to not dread the use of the system (Cascio & Aguinis, 2018). Meaningfulness is a requirement that includes performance measurement that show only what matters under control of the employee, appraisals are expected to be conducted at regular intervals, continuous training and skills development of the raters and ratees. All of which means that the information recovered should be used to make essential HR decisions and the implementation of the system should be seen as a valuable part of everyone's job (Cascio & Aguinis, 2018). Specificity is a requirement, as the system is expected to provide specific guidance for the raters and ratees about what is expected of them, and what exactly is needed for them to achieve such expectations. The system needs to be able to have clear distinctions between effective and ineffective performance and performers, which is known as discriminability. Reliability and validity are an important requirement that allows for performance scores to be consistent over time and across raters, where the same behaviours are being observed and are not supposed to be contaminated. Inclusiveness is an important part of the system, because successful systems promote active participation and openness of raters and ratees, inclusive of the design of the system. Lastly, the participants of the system need to view it as being just and equitable, in which fairness and acceptability are included. Barriers to implementing effective performance management systems: The barriers to successful performance are often organisational, political, or interpersonal. Organisational barriers are those where employees are blamed for errors that may have resulted from built in organisational system. This is where employees take responsibility for issues that stem from problems within the organisation's system. Common causes are noted in organisational barriers and are known as faults that are built within the system as a result of previous decisions, flaws in materials, shortcomings in the design of the system and other managerial faults (Cascio & Aguinis, 2018). Special causes are those designated to a specific event, a particular operator or subgroup built in the system. Such a barrier can be the result of the misuse of practicality, fairness and acceptability, and inclusiveness. From a practicality point of view the system is not easy to use or accessible if the issues found, are built within the organisation and so users of the system are forced to take responsibility for the problems. All of which is not fair, and the system is not seen as being just and equitable. Lastly, by including employees in the design of the system, the common causes or issues that are experienced by the employees on a daily basis, can be evaluated and fixed (Cascio & Aguinis, 2018). This study source was downloaded by from CourseH on :31:34 GMT -05:00 This study resource was shared via CourseH Political barriers refer to the calculated attempts by raters to look out for themselves by enhancing or protecting their interests above those of others when conflicting courses of action are feasible. These political concerns are organisational factors of life. The organisational environment is not necessarily rational and straightforward, in which appraisals exist. It seems as though accomplishing accuracy in appraisals for managers is not as important as motivating and rewarding their subordinates (Cascio & Aguinis, 2018). Managers try by all means to use the appraisal process to their advantage and do not concern themselves with accurate ratings, especially if they may cause problems for themselves. Political barriers can result in inaccurate performance scores where the behaviours that are being evaluated have been contaminated. Therefore, the reliability and validity of the system and meaningfulness of the system is flawed. Interpersonal barriers stem from the face-to-face encounter between the superior and subordinate. With a lack of communication, employees come up with their own interpretations of the standards that they think the supervisor uses to evaluate one's performance, when their superiors use different ones. More often than not supervisors do not look forward to face-to-face appraisals, supervisors often delay or resist these appraisals (Cascio & Aguinis, 2018). In many cases supervisors find appraisals as a manner in which their positions are emphasised and that they come across as the judge, which conflicts with the supervisor's role as a teacher and coach. Managers often argue that performance appraisals interfere with more constructive coaching relationships between the superior and subordinate (Cascio & Aguinis, 2018). Although managers struggle with keeping a balance, it is important to be thorough in successful performance management systems. This means that each aspect needs to be assessed and measured. Influence of corporate culture and national culture on performance management: Culture is an important aspect of the organisation. Organisational culture refers to the shared values and beliefs that assists individuals in understanding how the organisation functions and providing norms on how to behave in the organisation. An organisation's culture can influence performance management as it is an instrumental part of ensuring that the organisation performs optimally as a whole, and that the organisation's culture dictates how employees take their jobs seriously or not. Corporate culture is rooted in an organisation's goals, strategies, structure, and approaches to its employees and customers. Four types of corporate culture are noted in (Ochurub, Bussin & Goosen, 2012). Namely, competitive culture, entrepreneurial culture, bureaucratic culture and consensual culture. Competitive culture represents a culture in which competition is seen as a healthy part of any organisation. Managers and supervisors encourage their subordinates to strive to be at the top. This can influence performance management practices in which employees are motivated to excel or be above average in their job performance. It becomes part of the organisation's culture to be the best, this come occur in the form of being the best in the market for specific products and services (Ochurub, Bussin & Goosen, 2012). Entrepreneurial culture encourages employees to be creative and take risks, in such an organisation performance management is greatly influenced by the great ideas that employees come up with that are used to increase company revenue and keep the organisation fresh and active. An entrepreneurial culture gives employees the opportunity to be open minded about their work, the work environment and how to improve it all. On the other hand, bureaucratic culture is characterised by rigid structures in which a top down approach resonates throughout the organisation (Ochurub, Bussin & Goosen, 2012). Therefore, a more traditional approach is taken into account when it comes to performance management, which sometimes means that the relationship between the subordinate and their superior is impersonal, where the superior notes errors in performance and expects subordinate to improve those. This study source was downloaded by from CourseH on :31:34 GMT -05:00 This study resource was shared via CourseH The influence of national culture on performance management. Ohemang (2009) presents a special case in Ghana, in which performance management was designed in various ways. To understand the designs, we need to consider the background. Ghana is a predominantly traditional society, where the collectivist approach of society is unlike the western individualistic view of society. It is also largely male-dominated with a high level of power distance, low encounter of uncertainty avoidance and is deeply rooted in the belief of the extended family idea. Ohemang argues “Culture confers legitimacy on organisational structures and on the social controls and sanctions that values exert on behaviour at the organisational and individual levels”. Therefore, national culture is a way in which activities are carried out and may influence operational norms and practices with as much weight as the public service manual of procedures. A performance management framework was created in Ghana's public sector institutions (Ohemang, 2009). The system was designed to develop and improve organisational and individual performance, in which the organisation is required to meet set goals and targets to advance a broader national development plan. The system of family that exists in the society creates a cultural concept of eating from the same bowl, which works well at a societal level, but undermines the appraisal system when it is transferred into the workplace. It was even found that employees would rate each other well on different scores, as a form of unity and that everyone is equally important (Ohemang, 2009). All of which does not represent a well-functioning performance management system.