Human Resources Management Overview
and Key Concepts
Human resources - ANS The people who work within an organization, considered the most
important and valuable resource for a business.
Human resources management (HRM) - ANS All the activities involved in acquiring,
maintaining, and developing an organization's human resources.
Human resources planning - ANS Determining the firm's future human resources needs.
Job analysis - ANS Determining the exact nature of the positions.
Recruiting - ANS Attracting people to apply for positions.
Selection - ANS Choosing and hiring the most qualified applicants.
Onboarding - ANS Integrating new employees into the firm.
Employee relations - ANS Increasing employee job satisfaction through satisfaction surveys,
employee communication programs, exit interviews, and fair treatment.
Compensation - ANS Rewarding employee effort through monetary payments.
Benefits - ANS Providing rewards to ensure employee well-being.
Training and development - ANS Teaching employees new skills and new jobs, and more
effective ways of performing their present jobs.
Performance appraisal - ANS Assessing employees' current and potential performance levels.
Responsibility for HRM - ANS HRM is a shared responsibility of line managers and staff HRM
specialists.
Replacement chart - ANS A list of key personnel and their possible replacements within a firm.
Skills inventory - ANS A computerized data bank containing information on the skills and
experience of all present employees.
, Rightsizing - ANS Taking steps to reduce the size of the workforce when supply of employees
is predicted to be greater than demand.
Workplace diversity - ANS The variety of beliefs, expectations, perspectives, and behavioral
norms that employees bring to the workforce.
Diversity training programs - ANS Programs that may include recruiting, training, and mentoring
women and people from underrepresented groups, training managers to view diversity
positively, teaching English as a second language, and facilitating support groups for
immigrants.
Successful diversity program - ANS A program that is systematic, ongoing, and has a strong,
sustained commitment from top leadership.
Better use of employee talent - ANS Companies gain a competitive advantage when they
recruit, retain, and advance the best talent.
Improved understanding of the marketplace - ANS A more diverse workforce can more easily
anticipate and respond to the changing needs and desires of diverse customers.
Greater scope of understanding in leadership positions - ANS A diverse leadership team can
bring more perspectives to bear on anticipating and responding to a complex and dynamic
environment.
Increased quality of team problem solving - ANS Diverse teams can often devise more creative
ideas and better solutions to problems.
Reduced costs associated with high turnover, absenteeism, and lawsuits - ANS Flexible
workplaces that satisfy and motivate employees with a variety of needs and wants help
companies retain and advance the best talent.
Job description - ANS A list of the elements that make up a particular job.
Job specification - ANS A list of the qualifications required to perform a particular job.
Internal recruiting - ANS Considering current employees as applicants for available positions.
Advantages of internal recruiting - ANS Provides strong motivation for current employees;
Helps the firm to retain quality personnel.
Disadvantage of internal recruiting - ANS Leaves another position open, resulting in both
recruiting and selection costs and the training of two employees instead of one.
External recruiting - ANS Attracting job applicants from outside an organization.
and Key Concepts
Human resources - ANS The people who work within an organization, considered the most
important and valuable resource for a business.
Human resources management (HRM) - ANS All the activities involved in acquiring,
maintaining, and developing an organization's human resources.
Human resources planning - ANS Determining the firm's future human resources needs.
Job analysis - ANS Determining the exact nature of the positions.
Recruiting - ANS Attracting people to apply for positions.
Selection - ANS Choosing and hiring the most qualified applicants.
Onboarding - ANS Integrating new employees into the firm.
Employee relations - ANS Increasing employee job satisfaction through satisfaction surveys,
employee communication programs, exit interviews, and fair treatment.
Compensation - ANS Rewarding employee effort through monetary payments.
Benefits - ANS Providing rewards to ensure employee well-being.
Training and development - ANS Teaching employees new skills and new jobs, and more
effective ways of performing their present jobs.
Performance appraisal - ANS Assessing employees' current and potential performance levels.
Responsibility for HRM - ANS HRM is a shared responsibility of line managers and staff HRM
specialists.
Replacement chart - ANS A list of key personnel and their possible replacements within a firm.
Skills inventory - ANS A computerized data bank containing information on the skills and
experience of all present employees.
, Rightsizing - ANS Taking steps to reduce the size of the workforce when supply of employees
is predicted to be greater than demand.
Workplace diversity - ANS The variety of beliefs, expectations, perspectives, and behavioral
norms that employees bring to the workforce.
Diversity training programs - ANS Programs that may include recruiting, training, and mentoring
women and people from underrepresented groups, training managers to view diversity
positively, teaching English as a second language, and facilitating support groups for
immigrants.
Successful diversity program - ANS A program that is systematic, ongoing, and has a strong,
sustained commitment from top leadership.
Better use of employee talent - ANS Companies gain a competitive advantage when they
recruit, retain, and advance the best talent.
Improved understanding of the marketplace - ANS A more diverse workforce can more easily
anticipate and respond to the changing needs and desires of diverse customers.
Greater scope of understanding in leadership positions - ANS A diverse leadership team can
bring more perspectives to bear on anticipating and responding to a complex and dynamic
environment.
Increased quality of team problem solving - ANS Diverse teams can often devise more creative
ideas and better solutions to problems.
Reduced costs associated with high turnover, absenteeism, and lawsuits - ANS Flexible
workplaces that satisfy and motivate employees with a variety of needs and wants help
companies retain and advance the best talent.
Job description - ANS A list of the elements that make up a particular job.
Job specification - ANS A list of the qualifications required to perform a particular job.
Internal recruiting - ANS Considering current employees as applicants for available positions.
Advantages of internal recruiting - ANS Provides strong motivation for current employees;
Helps the firm to retain quality personnel.
Disadvantage of internal recruiting - ANS Leaves another position open, resulting in both
recruiting and selection costs and the training of two employees instead of one.
External recruiting - ANS Attracting job applicants from outside an organization.
