1901
Human resources and motivation
Edward Thomas
Nahoru1. HUMAN RESOURCES
Read what human resource manager Andy Hands has to say about staff management. Can you put the paragraphs back into the correct order?
A) More generally, we should not forget managerial issues that require human resources involvement. If staff have too much to do, heavy workloads cause a lot of stress. Sometimes office politics might require a human resources response, such as transferring individuals from one department to another. Human resources must offer management support, helping to solve problems such as effort-reward imbalances or home-work imbalances.
B) Of course there are more routine matters of personnel management, such as organising sick pay, cover for missing workers, parental leave and maternity leave.
C) Many companies are trying to cut costs, going through cost cutting exercises. This can involve freezing benefits, working a reduced week, forced holidays, pay cuts, voluntary redundancies and forced redundancies.
D) Now, more than ever, is a challenging time for businesses to manage their staff effectively.
E) So you can see that the activities of human resources manager are many and varied. There may be a shortage of staff, but there is never a shortage to do!
F) Lastly, there is recruitment, which always needs to happen whatever the economic situation, so it is necessary to organise job advertisements, first round interviews, testing, shortlists, final interviews and then an induction course for the candidates which are chosen to fill the vacancies.
G) Despite cutbacks, the challenge for human resource managers is to ensure that worker productivity remains strong. That means that professional development and incentives are still important and must be supported by the company pay and benefits structure.
Correct answers are here
Nahoru2. ROLE REVIEW
First match the each group of words below to the right group of sentences. Then put the words in the right places!
1) Some problems occur when 1. …………………………… are too heavy. It may be that there is an 2. …………………………… between what workers receive from their job and what they are expect to do. Other sources of 3. …………………………… include 4. …………………………… - for example where somebody is clearly the boss's favourite, and other staff are treated less well. One solution to problems like this for individual workers is to 5. …………………………… them to another department.
2) One important principle of management is that the 1. …………………………… made by workers should be matched by the 2. …………………………… that they are given for their work. In addition to their basic 3. ……………………………, this might include 4. …………………………… such as a bonus for successfully reaching targets. It may also include 5. …………………………… such as gym membership or a company car.
3) 1. …………………………… should be there to offer 2. …………………………… with the ultimate goal of raising 3. …………………………….
4) Another human resources function is to try to fill 1. …………………………… that appear in company staffing. 2. …………………………… requires an advert to be placed in some publication, 3. …………………………… to be arranged where some kind of 4. …………………………… of applicants can happen. Next, a 5. …………………………… can be drawn up of the better candidates, and 6. …………………………… need to be arranged. The successful candidate will then need an 7. …………………………… course, which it is personnel's job to organise.
5) In times of economic difficulty, there are a number of steps that can be taken. The first might be to 1. …………………………… - no free company gym; no free parking place. Of course generally there will be moves to 2. …………………………… - possibly reducing the travel budget and making sure all trips are essential for business purposes. After this there could be a 3. …………………………… working, or 4. …………………………… where workers who have already used up their yearly amount would simply lose income. There may also be a request for workers to accept 6. ……………………………. If all these fail, the next step would be to ask for 7. ……………………………, and if not enough people come forward, these would be 8. …………………………….
6) On a day to day basis, Personnel has to deal with arranging 1. …………………………… for people away. We have to ensure they receive their 2. ……………………………. More unusually, we have to arrange for 3. …………………………… if children are unwell and staff can't leave them with anyone, and of course 4. …………………………… when our staff become mothers.
Correct answers are here
Correct answers are here
Nahoru3. MORE TECHNICALLY...
Read the following information about a new human resources data management system for a large financial company. Can you put the right headings to the paragraphs?
