HRM2605 Study Notes
Human Resource Management for Line Managers
Topic 1 - The Environment for human Resources
Work Book 1 – The Environment for human Resources
Introduction
For any organisation, making the right decisions about its employees is crucial to its success. The
decisions it makes will have a huge impact on a large number of people given the diversity of the
organisation’s workforce and ever-changing environment in which it exists and operates.
The decisions it makes is furthermore influenced by factors such as the availability of talented
employees (high performers) and the organisation’s ability to attract and retain talented employees,
the creating of a culture or collaboration, rewarding emotional intelligence and investing in
leadership development.
The aim of HRM is therefore to ensure that the organisation is able to achieve its objectives through
people.
It is important for HR and line managers to be aware of the environment in which they operate to
ensure that the organisation remains competitive and that the organisational goals are achieved.
The Foundations and Challenges of HRM
Organisations have a huge challenge to ensure that they hire and employ people that are high
performers to ensure that the organisation can improve their performance. These people are scarce
and HRM therefore plays an important role in sourcing such people. Effective HRM is the most
powerful tools which can be used to ensure that the necessary changes take place in South Africa.
The relationship between line managers and the HR function has been subject to a number of
changes in recent years. Line managers are now responsible for HR-related tasks such as conducting
performance appraisals, interviewing candidates for employment and making salary increase
recommendations.
Human Resources, human resource information systems (HRI’s) and technology
The rapid development of science and technology, especially the use of the internet and computer
technology, has brought incredible changes to our economy, society and culture.
One of the most significant issues faced by modern organisations is the use of technology to
streamline activities, cut costs, improve connectivity and efficiency, and increase business
effectiveness, thus moving labour-intensive to technology-intensive activities.
The use of technology in HRM has led to human resource management systems (HRMSs), also
known as human resource information systems (HRISs), which are electronic integrated systems
providing information that is used by HR managers to make decisions. These systems are also used
by a number of other end-users in the organisation, including line managers and employees.
HRISs are used to keep track of employee information, such as who is doing what job and where,
what they are paid and what training they have already had.
Electronic HRM (or e-HRM) uses web-based technology (i.e. the web) to carry out the HR functions.
The difference between an HRIS and e-HRM is that the HRIS is directed towards the HR department
,itself, whereas with e-HRM, the target group is not only the HR staff but people outside the
department, namely the line managers and employees.
Managing diversity and regulatory challengers
Due to new labour market demographics, globalisation and competitive pressures, the management
of diversity has become important to organisations. Furthermore, due to South Africa's past, there
are certain imbalances that have influenced the workforce population. The most urgent challenge,
therefore, is for all South African organisations to correct these imbalances by creating a diverse
workforce and providing opportunities to all individuals. As you can see, these issues are all related
to human resources and have a direct impact on the HR function in every South African organisation.
The rapid diversification of the South African workforce is changing the way in which managers
succeed in administrating organisations. They must be able to harness the energies, talents and
differences of a more diversified workforce. This requires an ability to recognise value and to
manage individuals from diverse cultures and perspectives.
Summary of Topic 1
Firstly, a number of critical issues affect HR managers and line managers in South Africa today, for
example improving worker productivity through HR programmes, policies and techniques remains a
challenge. Increasing the quality of work life is the goal of many organisations, and programmes such
as the redesign of jobs have been implemented to enhance the quality of work life. Hiring and
motivating today's workforce is another HR challenge. Innovative HR programmes must meet the
needs of a diverse workforce while enabling the organisation to compete successfully in the global
economy and realise its overall goals. HR and line managers must also keep up with the different
needs and the different generations in the workplace and how they communicate.
Although the HR programmes of different organisations will vary, the HR department of most
organisations have these common responsibilities: job design and analysis, recruitment and
selection, orientation and on boarding, internal staffing, performance appraisal, training and
development, compensation and labour relations. They provide support to line managers who have
to manage their employees.
Secondly, HR and line managers must also be aware of the major developments in technology. The
computer and systems are becoming an integral part of the HR department. As a tool, it has moved
beyond producing simple reports to helping HR managers make complex decisions. Human resource
information systems (HRISs) are making this possible. As a whole, the HRIS creates more
opportunities for the HR profession to influence the organisation and provide better support and
information.
Lastly, the management of diversity needs to be systematic with a widespread and deep-rooted
commitment to maximising the potential of the workforce, regardless of its age, gender,
ability/disability, race, religion, political views or sexual orientation.
Topic 2 – Finding and Placing Qualified employees
Work Book 2 – Strategic HR Planning and Research (Chapter 4)
Key Concepts:
HR capital metrics (measures)
Include the measurement of HR practices, but go further by also looking at other work practices and
people management strategies in general, including the overall strategy of the organisation.
,HR research
The collection and investigation of facts related to HR problems in order to eliminate or reduce those
problems.
HR metrics
Used to calculate the success or failure of workplace-related HR projects, or initiatives related to the
HR function, in terms of cost and impact.
HR planning
The process of anticipating and providing for the movement of people into, within and out of an
organisation with the aim of finding the best fit between employees and jobs; an attempt to forecast
the number and type of employees needed for future requirements.
SHRP
Strategic HR planning (SHRP) implies that the organisation’s goals are reflected in the organisation’s
mission which will then be translated into appropriate HR objectives that will ensure that these goals
are achieved. It is a focus on the integration of all HR policies with one another and with the overall
strategy and direction of the organisation.
Strategic HR planning is defined as the process by which company goals, as put forth in the mission
statement and company plans, are translated into HR objectives to ensure that the company is
neither over- nor understaffed, that employees with the appropriate talents, skills and desire are
available to carry out their tasks in the right jobs at the right times.
Introduction
Any organisation needs people and it is crucial to employ the right people with the right skills,
qualifications and experience at the right time. It will be very difficult for an organisation to achieve
its objectives if it has not employed the right people. In order The organisation needs to do proper
planning. It may also happen that the organisation experiences HR-related problems such as
frequent absences from staff members or high staff turnover. These aspects and other HR-related
matters can be investigated by doing research. The results of this research could then be used to
address the causes of these problems in an attempt to prevent or eliminate them.
Key Question: How does the HR manager ensure that the right number of people with the right
skills, qualifications and experience are available in the organisation at the right time?
HR planning is a complex process used in organisations not only to draw up an HR budget, but also
to ensure that a supply of the right kind of employees is available when needed. In the light of South
Africa’s current skills shortage and labour legislation such as the Employment Equity Act and the
Skills Development Act, this is becoming an increasingly important HR management function.
SHRP Defined
Strategic HR planning: The process by which company goals, as put forth in the mission statement
and company plans, are translated into HR objectives to ensure that the company is neither over- nor
understaffed, that employees with the appropriate talents, skills and desire are available to carry out
their tasks in the right jobs at the right times.
Strategy-linked HRP (Chapter 4)
Strategic workforce planning enables the organisation to slice and dice its workforce data to discover
critical issues, compare different groups, understand patterns and trends, home in on critical
, segments of the workforce, such as mature workers and top performers, and customise its approach
to managing different segments of its workforce. This ensures that the company is neither over no
understaffed.
This differs greatly from the traditional HR planning process, which mainly took action relating to
annual forecasts. These one-year planning horizons failed to take into consideration longer-range
organisational plans and needs such as new facilities, new products, retrenchments, expansions, or
gradually changing talent requirements of a qualitative nature. As a result a lack of adequate talent
was one of the single major constraints in an organisation’s ability to sustain future growth.
ORGANISATIONAL LEVEL HUMAN RESOURCE LEVEL
Mission, vision and values Identify purpose and scope of Capture Underlying
organisation. business philosophy
Clarify its long-term direction Establish cultural
Establish its enduring beliefs foundation
and principles. Guide ethical codes of
conduct
External Analysis (SWOT) Assess its opportunities and Gauge demographic
threats (OT) trends
Conduct environmental Gauge the external
scanning (legal, etc.) supply of labour
Analyse the industry and Benchmark competitor’s
competitors HR metrics
Internal Analysis (SWOT) Analyse firm’s strengths and Analyse workforce’s
weaknesses (SW) culture, competencies,
Analyse firm’s competencies and composition
Analyse firm’s resources: Forecast the demand for
people, process, systems. employees
Forecast the supply of
employees
Strategy Formulation Develop corporate strategy Establish productivity and
Develop business strategy efficiency goals
Functional Strategy: Ensure Establish quality, service,
alignment speed and innovation
goals for workforce
Ensure vertical and
horizontal fit
Strategy Implementation Design structure, systems, etc. Reconcile supply and
Allocate resources demand via hiring,
downsizing, layoffs, etc.
Use staffing, training,
rewards, etc. to motivate
employees to achieve the
strategy
Evaluation Evaluate benchmarking efforts Maintain human capital
Ensure alignment is achieved metrics
Encourage workforce agility Utilise balanced
and flexibility scorecard
Human Resource Management for Line Managers
Topic 1 - The Environment for human Resources
Work Book 1 – The Environment for human Resources
Introduction
For any organisation, making the right decisions about its employees is crucial to its success. The
decisions it makes will have a huge impact on a large number of people given the diversity of the
organisation’s workforce and ever-changing environment in which it exists and operates.
The decisions it makes is furthermore influenced by factors such as the availability of talented
employees (high performers) and the organisation’s ability to attract and retain talented employees,
the creating of a culture or collaboration, rewarding emotional intelligence and investing in
leadership development.
The aim of HRM is therefore to ensure that the organisation is able to achieve its objectives through
people.
It is important for HR and line managers to be aware of the environment in which they operate to
ensure that the organisation remains competitive and that the organisational goals are achieved.
The Foundations and Challenges of HRM
Organisations have a huge challenge to ensure that they hire and employ people that are high
performers to ensure that the organisation can improve their performance. These people are scarce
and HRM therefore plays an important role in sourcing such people. Effective HRM is the most
powerful tools which can be used to ensure that the necessary changes take place in South Africa.
The relationship between line managers and the HR function has been subject to a number of
changes in recent years. Line managers are now responsible for HR-related tasks such as conducting
performance appraisals, interviewing candidates for employment and making salary increase
recommendations.
Human Resources, human resource information systems (HRI’s) and technology
The rapid development of science and technology, especially the use of the internet and computer
technology, has brought incredible changes to our economy, society and culture.
One of the most significant issues faced by modern organisations is the use of technology to
streamline activities, cut costs, improve connectivity and efficiency, and increase business
effectiveness, thus moving labour-intensive to technology-intensive activities.
The use of technology in HRM has led to human resource management systems (HRMSs), also
known as human resource information systems (HRISs), which are electronic integrated systems
providing information that is used by HR managers to make decisions. These systems are also used
by a number of other end-users in the organisation, including line managers and employees.
HRISs are used to keep track of employee information, such as who is doing what job and where,
what they are paid and what training they have already had.
Electronic HRM (or e-HRM) uses web-based technology (i.e. the web) to carry out the HR functions.
The difference between an HRIS and e-HRM is that the HRIS is directed towards the HR department
,itself, whereas with e-HRM, the target group is not only the HR staff but people outside the
department, namely the line managers and employees.
Managing diversity and regulatory challengers
Due to new labour market demographics, globalisation and competitive pressures, the management
of diversity has become important to organisations. Furthermore, due to South Africa's past, there
are certain imbalances that have influenced the workforce population. The most urgent challenge,
therefore, is for all South African organisations to correct these imbalances by creating a diverse
workforce and providing opportunities to all individuals. As you can see, these issues are all related
to human resources and have a direct impact on the HR function in every South African organisation.
The rapid diversification of the South African workforce is changing the way in which managers
succeed in administrating organisations. They must be able to harness the energies, talents and
differences of a more diversified workforce. This requires an ability to recognise value and to
manage individuals from diverse cultures and perspectives.
Summary of Topic 1
Firstly, a number of critical issues affect HR managers and line managers in South Africa today, for
example improving worker productivity through HR programmes, policies and techniques remains a
challenge. Increasing the quality of work life is the goal of many organisations, and programmes such
as the redesign of jobs have been implemented to enhance the quality of work life. Hiring and
motivating today's workforce is another HR challenge. Innovative HR programmes must meet the
needs of a diverse workforce while enabling the organisation to compete successfully in the global
economy and realise its overall goals. HR and line managers must also keep up with the different
needs and the different generations in the workplace and how they communicate.
Although the HR programmes of different organisations will vary, the HR department of most
organisations have these common responsibilities: job design and analysis, recruitment and
selection, orientation and on boarding, internal staffing, performance appraisal, training and
development, compensation and labour relations. They provide support to line managers who have
to manage their employees.
Secondly, HR and line managers must also be aware of the major developments in technology. The
computer and systems are becoming an integral part of the HR department. As a tool, it has moved
beyond producing simple reports to helping HR managers make complex decisions. Human resource
information systems (HRISs) are making this possible. As a whole, the HRIS creates more
opportunities for the HR profession to influence the organisation and provide better support and
information.
Lastly, the management of diversity needs to be systematic with a widespread and deep-rooted
commitment to maximising the potential of the workforce, regardless of its age, gender,
ability/disability, race, religion, political views or sexual orientation.
Topic 2 – Finding and Placing Qualified employees
Work Book 2 – Strategic HR Planning and Research (Chapter 4)
Key Concepts:
HR capital metrics (measures)
Include the measurement of HR practices, but go further by also looking at other work practices and
people management strategies in general, including the overall strategy of the organisation.
,HR research
The collection and investigation of facts related to HR problems in order to eliminate or reduce those
problems.
HR metrics
Used to calculate the success or failure of workplace-related HR projects, or initiatives related to the
HR function, in terms of cost and impact.
HR planning
The process of anticipating and providing for the movement of people into, within and out of an
organisation with the aim of finding the best fit between employees and jobs; an attempt to forecast
the number and type of employees needed for future requirements.
SHRP
Strategic HR planning (SHRP) implies that the organisation’s goals are reflected in the organisation’s
mission which will then be translated into appropriate HR objectives that will ensure that these goals
are achieved. It is a focus on the integration of all HR policies with one another and with the overall
strategy and direction of the organisation.
Strategic HR planning is defined as the process by which company goals, as put forth in the mission
statement and company plans, are translated into HR objectives to ensure that the company is
neither over- nor understaffed, that employees with the appropriate talents, skills and desire are
available to carry out their tasks in the right jobs at the right times.
Introduction
Any organisation needs people and it is crucial to employ the right people with the right skills,
qualifications and experience at the right time. It will be very difficult for an organisation to achieve
its objectives if it has not employed the right people. In order The organisation needs to do proper
planning. It may also happen that the organisation experiences HR-related problems such as
frequent absences from staff members or high staff turnover. These aspects and other HR-related
matters can be investigated by doing research. The results of this research could then be used to
address the causes of these problems in an attempt to prevent or eliminate them.
Key Question: How does the HR manager ensure that the right number of people with the right
skills, qualifications and experience are available in the organisation at the right time?
HR planning is a complex process used in organisations not only to draw up an HR budget, but also
to ensure that a supply of the right kind of employees is available when needed. In the light of South
Africa’s current skills shortage and labour legislation such as the Employment Equity Act and the
Skills Development Act, this is becoming an increasingly important HR management function.
SHRP Defined
Strategic HR planning: The process by which company goals, as put forth in the mission statement
and company plans, are translated into HR objectives to ensure that the company is neither over- nor
understaffed, that employees with the appropriate talents, skills and desire are available to carry out
their tasks in the right jobs at the right times.
Strategy-linked HRP (Chapter 4)
Strategic workforce planning enables the organisation to slice and dice its workforce data to discover
critical issues, compare different groups, understand patterns and trends, home in on critical
, segments of the workforce, such as mature workers and top performers, and customise its approach
to managing different segments of its workforce. This ensures that the company is neither over no
understaffed.
This differs greatly from the traditional HR planning process, which mainly took action relating to
annual forecasts. These one-year planning horizons failed to take into consideration longer-range
organisational plans and needs such as new facilities, new products, retrenchments, expansions, or
gradually changing talent requirements of a qualitative nature. As a result a lack of adequate talent
was one of the single major constraints in an organisation’s ability to sustain future growth.
ORGANISATIONAL LEVEL HUMAN RESOURCE LEVEL
Mission, vision and values Identify purpose and scope of Capture Underlying
organisation. business philosophy
Clarify its long-term direction Establish cultural
Establish its enduring beliefs foundation
and principles. Guide ethical codes of
conduct
External Analysis (SWOT) Assess its opportunities and Gauge demographic
threats (OT) trends
Conduct environmental Gauge the external
scanning (legal, etc.) supply of labour
Analyse the industry and Benchmark competitor’s
competitors HR metrics
Internal Analysis (SWOT) Analyse firm’s strengths and Analyse workforce’s
weaknesses (SW) culture, competencies,
Analyse firm’s competencies and composition
Analyse firm’s resources: Forecast the demand for
people, process, systems. employees
Forecast the supply of
employees
Strategy Formulation Develop corporate strategy Establish productivity and
Develop business strategy efficiency goals
Functional Strategy: Ensure Establish quality, service,
alignment speed and innovation
goals for workforce
Ensure vertical and
horizontal fit
Strategy Implementation Design structure, systems, etc. Reconcile supply and
Allocate resources demand via hiring,
downsizing, layoffs, etc.
Use staffing, training,
rewards, etc. to motivate
employees to achieve the
strategy
Evaluation Evaluate benchmarking efforts Maintain human capital
Ensure alignment is achieved metrics
Encourage workforce agility Utilise balanced
and flexibility scorecard
