Principles of Human Resource Management

Principles of Human Resource Management 1. Introduction I will attempt to explain, research, apply the knowledge to my organisation make recommendations, and provide new knowledge for the following five key learning points: A company/business cannot grow without, until its leaders grow within  [3]  , The key to retention of the right people is role sculpting, Mentoring is not coaching, The rate at which an organisation learns may become the only sustainable source of competitive advantage  [4]  , and Diversity is inclusivity. 2. Key Learning Points 2.a) Key Learning Point A company/business cannot grow without, until its leaders grow within  [5]   Synthesis The premise of John Maxwells statement and this key learning point is that leaders growth precedes company growth and the companys growth is directly related to that of its leaders growth. Leaders growth is also be extended to growth of managers and employees, creation of a learning organization. Research Research on this key learning point indicates the following process to grow the business by growing its leaders: Creating a climate for potential leaders  [6]  , The environment has to be conducive for change, an environment in which people will excel, an environment which will automatically produce individual growth and therefore company growth, and most importantly of all, a positive environment. Identifying potential leaders  [7]  , The right person for the job has to be selected that has / will have the ability to influence people to achieve company goals. This is not an easy task. The potential downside is if the wrong person is hired you are committed and reversing the decision is costly is all respects. Nurturing potential leaders  [8]  , According to John C Maxwell, nurturing is not only about rewarding with money / shares etc. but its also about changing the person life by believing in them, encouraging them, sharing with them and trusting them  [9]   Equipping potential leaders  [10]  , The person is given the given the ongoing training they require for their current roles and responsibilities Developing potential leaders  [11]  , The person is given the given the ongoing development they require for the position with the focus being gearing up for the future. Coaching potential leaders  [12]  , The employee is equipped, empowered in their current roles and responsibilities Realizing the value to and from potential leaders  [13]  . Harnessing the growth in the employees to achieve company growth. It is important that the growth is perpetuated throughout the organization, a learning culture. Application Our business is a family owned property development, construction and property investment business. It grew organically to a point where an executive management team was appointed (sourced internally externally) to take the business forward, as the owners felt that they did not have the skills to do so. This management team has had the necessary training. Development is currently being undertaken by WBS MAP and a mentorship program; however, this is in reality a coaching program. The following issues have been identified: Learning / growth is only happening at an executive management level and not below, The owners are battling to let go. This creates uncertainty in the executive management team and is not a positive environment conducive to change, Nurturing has taken place but trust remains an issue, and Coaching has taken place albeit under the guise of mentorship. The following are the recommendations: A learning culture should be created throughout the organization, For learning and change to take place, confidence is needed in the executive management team. This will require the owners to let go and trust in their appointees, Systems, procedures together with levels of authority are required for decision making to alleviate the trust issue, and A properly structured mentorship program is required. New Knowledge We need to develop and surround ourselves with leaders as we are only as good as those that report to us. This will form the basis of a very good team. Doing this will enhance our effectiveness by creating leverage through staff. This will enable us to drive the strategies of the organisation. 2. Key Learning Points (contd) 2.b) Key Learning Point The key to retention of the right people is role sculpting Synthesis Retaining the right people (talent war) for the right position and employee mobility is a worldwide problem as people below the age of 35 years move jobs every 5 years and in South Africa every 2.5 years  [14]  . Job sculpting is the art of matching people to roles that allows: 1) Their deeply imbedded life interests, 2) Their abilities, and 3) Their values. This is expressed in work satisfaction and commitment, and leads to growth and success.  [15]   Research Business environments are continually changing and consequently the role of the employee needs to follow suit. Strategically and using the HR Database, a GAP analysis is performed of where we are now versus where we want to be. A decision is then made as to the role of the employee (with employee engagement and employee consent [positive buy-in]). Implementation is then planned and executed. It is a given and of paramount importance that career management and career development have and are still taking place. It is also a given that the right person, at the right time, with the right complimentary talents is required. Once again this comes from the HR Database. It is also a given that Role description and role specification are required. The sculpted role is then monitored through performance management. Application Role sculpting does not exist within the organisation for which I work. Retention of talent is done by paying above market salaries and talent mobility has not been a problem since the world economic crisis started in 2008. GAP analyses are performed resulting in changed employee roles, however employee consultation requires attention. Strategies are effective executed but there is need for a HR Database. There is also a need for career management and career development have and are still taking place. Role description and role specification are done. The new role is monitored through performance management. New Knowledge The retention of the RIGHT people is hugely important due to the skills shortages being experienced in the country. What I have found personally is that skills available out there have become more expensive than the existing skills we have bought over the past 3 to 5 years. What Im raising here is that companies are paying above market salaries for an average skill due to the shortage thereof. Staffing and retention of staff has become challenging and complex, hence the importance of the key to retention of the right people is role sculpting. 2. Key Learning Points (contd) 2.c) Key Learning Point Mentoring is not coaching Synthesis Mentoring IS NOT the same coaching as is often confused by organizations. Mentoring is voluntary process focusing on relationships, guidance and advice. The outcome of mentoring is EMPOWERMENT. A mentor does not teach. Coaching is a compulsory process with the focus on teaching within the employees roles and responsibilities. The outcome of coaching is TRANSFORMATION. A coach teaches. Mentoring and coaching form part of training and development and both build peoples confidence through their successes. Research Per the CIPD (Chartered Institute of Development), London, surveys  [16]  the use of mentoring and coaching as part of a broader HR personal developmental tool is on the increase, with 72% of companies surveyed using mentoring and 63% using coaching. The use of mentoring and coaching is used as part of a broader HR personal developmental tool. Mentoring refers to a developmental relationship with a more experienced expert and a less experienced (and usually younger) protà ©gà ©. The use of the term coaching on the other hand (as in the art of coaching people) has its origins in English traditional university cramming in the mid 19th Century.  [17]   Per an article written by Jo Lamb on 24 April 2008, Workplace Coaching and Mentoring, Exploring the Key Differences to Maximise Personal Development  [18]  , Mentoring and coaching are similar in light of enabling employees (therefore employers) to try and gain full potential by leverage with the employee. However, the fundamental differences are 1) Timing mentoring does not have a time frame and can go on indefinitely (even through career changes) but coaching does have a very specific time frame, 2) Experience and qualifications mentors are experienced in the field they are mentoring in whereas coaches are not necessarily experienced in this field, and 3) Focus in mentoring is not as specific as that of coaching. The success of the coaching and mentoring programs were questioned as they were more often than not left to managers who did not always have the time and sometimes ability to see the process through to fruition. I dont necessarily agree with the fundamental timing difference 1) above as mentors within an organisation are bound by time. You could however have an outside mentor who could mentor you across many employments. I also dont agree with experience and qualification in 2) above. My opinion is that this is the reverse; coaches have specific knowledge whereas mentors may have specific knowledge but the mentoring takes place on a generalist level and specific job knowledge is not required. Application Mentoring takes place within the organization for which I work, but I feel that the mentors were not properly trained. This was key to the process not working as intended. There was only one mentor for each mentee and confidentiality was an issue. Coaching does take place, but it is ad hoc and informal. There is a need for coaching to be formalized. New Knowledge There is an ongoing argument that mentoring and coaching can be viewed as the same within training and development. I do however feel that the mentoring is empowering and coaching is transforming. The biggest downfall of mentoring and coaching programs is the whether they take place correctly, or if at all (monitoring and feedback sessions would be required, and whether the coaches and mentors are properly qualified to mentor and coach respectively. 2. Key Learning Points (contd) 2.d) Key Learning Point The rate at which an organisation learns may become the only sustainable source of competitive advantage  [19]   Synthesis (15) Research (30) Application (30) New Knowledge (20) 2. Key Learning Points (contd) 2.e) Key Learning Point Diversity is inclusivity Synthesis (15) Research (30) Application (30) New Knowledge (20)

Drug Testing Is Illegal Essay -- Essays on Drug Testing

Making a person take a drug test violates their Fourth and Fifth Amendment rights under the constitution of the United States of America. Recently, there has been an increase in companies and schools using drug test. Some companies force their employees to submit to a drug test before being hired and randomly while employed. High school sport regulations require that all student athletes give consent to being randomly drug tested. Other schools are going as far as making all students give consent to being randomly drug tested.   Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  The Fourth Amendment states, â€Å"The right of the people to be secure in their persons, houses, papers, and effects, against unreasonable searches and seizures, shall not be violated.† By taking a drug test, a person is being searched and having a sample to be tested seized without probable cause, therefore, companies and schools using a drug test are infringing on the student or employees rights. In South Carolina, a hospital was drug testing pregnant women and reporting the positive results to the police. The Supreme Court found this to be a violation of the Forth Amendment to the U.S. Constitution’s protection against unreasonable search and seizures without probable cause.   Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  There is a very large possibility for an error on a drug test. If a person applying for a job takes a drug test and gets a false positive, this would cause him to not be hired. Also, if a company randomly tests an employ...

Euthanasia Essay

Countless debates have been conducted in recent years regarding euthanasia. It is a topic of great significance and sensitivity, because in the simplest terms, it is a debate about someone’s right to take his/her own life. Ultimately the legalization of euthanasia is a matter of human rights, and therefore the outcome of its debate has great implications on how humans define those inalienable rights. The arguments against euthanasia are numerous, and many of them are valid, good, humanitarian points. After all, euthanasia has been used to justify some of history’s most horrific and terrible genocides and injustices throughout the world. However, the debate of euthanasia, like life, is very complicated. It is very opaque, not black and white. By and large, euthanasia should be illegal. However, to outlaw it universally no matter the circumstance, forces suffering upon certain people and deprives them of their only relief. Legalizing euthanasia is a very controversial topic, however it should be legal in very limited and exact, fiercely regulated situations. Respect for patient autonomy is a standard for human rights within the medical practice, and the choice of euthanasia is an essential part of these rights. The concept of patient autonomy is a fairly recent standard in medical ethics. After World War II, all the despicable Nazi medical experiments became known to the world. After much litigation and evaluation, the current concept of patient autonomy became very important. The result was that no one may force another to be the subject of research against his/her will. The patient has the option to choose how he/she should be treated. This standard is now all but universally accepted in democratic countries. Currently, the right not to suffer is an indispensible part of patient autonomy and of human rights the world over (Annas 1992). The choice of euthanasia should be available to patients who are physically incapable of taking their own lives. There are people who are paralyzed in a tragic accident or dying a slow miserable death for years. These people don’t have the choice to decide about their own life. Some of them are alive only by some elaborate medications or machinery without which their bodies will stop living. It used to be the law of natural selection that decided the fate of an injured human being. These days we have machines and committees to â€Å"choose† life to continue, though it is more like forcing life without consent. According to nature, our bodies would die far earlier than we sometimes allow. However, it is considered an offense when somebody is helping another person to take his/her own life. There is no law against suicide. Paralyzed or physically inept people have already been robbed of enough: their physical faculties. Is it really the right of another person, a politician, to force their suffering and ensure the inferiority of their liberty by denying them a right a non handicapped person has: suicide? There is a main difference between euthanasia and suicide. Euthanasia is the last choice for people who are suffering and dying, incapable of taking their own lives. In countries where euthanasia is illegal, patients who are mortally ill or wounded, don’t have the option to choose when death will meet them. Healthy, non-handicapped people who decide to commit suicide have the option to choose when they will meet their death (Leavitt 1996). To deny these people the only escape from their suffering and misery, through suicide, is to prolong their suffering and in effect to sustain it. Euthanasia can be legal in limited, patient chosen scenarios without running the risk of being abused to justify the systematic murder of people. Many opponents of euthanasia agree that to deny a person incapable of choosing suicide is to â€Å"force† that person to continue to suffer. Such people oppose the legalization of euthanasia, based on the â€Å"slippery slope† argument. That is, if euthanasia is legal at all, eventually an evil person will be able to justify murder as legal (Dees). These possibilities are very important for lawmakers to take into consideration. However, the slippery slope arguments are not inevitable. The physical evidence does not support opponents. As Leavitt reports, there is no support for the â€Å"slippery slope† arguments. Legislators were scared that euthanasia will be overused, but the number of people who accessed euthanasia increased only in small amounts (p. 48). Because pain is subjective, and can be caused by a very complex number of things, it becomes difficult to create legal boundaries to define and quantify it (Dees,Vernooij-Dassen, Dekkers, & van Weel p. 339-352). Though this is true, it does not mean it is absolutely inevitable that all people suffering and wanting to die should be denied that privlege. Approaches to euthanasia vary from country to country, and even within the same country opinions are divided. Euthanasia is legal in Netherlands (2000), Switzerland, Belgium (2002), Luxemburg (2009), and Albania (1999). In the USA, Oregon became the first state to pass The Death With Dignity Act (2005), which â€Å"allows terminally ill Oregon residents to obtain and use prescriptions from their physicians for self-administered, lethal medications. Under the Act, providing these medications to end one’s life does not constitute illegal assisted suicide. Of course, the individual has to meet certain requirements, such as being over age of 18 years old and diagnosed with a terminal illness and capable to make conscious decisions. The â€Å"Death with Dignity Act† doesn’t include patients who are in a vegetable state and not able to make decision, but this is a big step in right direction (Law and Medicine 1995). Another important argument for legalizing euthanasia is the cost of keeping patients alive. It is common for a terminally ill patient to lose all their savings while sitting helplessly in the hospital, against their will, with no hope of recovery. This is especially true for people without health insurance. A patient in this situation must sit passively, as they suffer in helpless pain, while the money of their families and loved ones is drained for a hopeless cause, for the maintaining of the misery and terror that life is for them. They take up time, resources of the hospital and its staff, and taxpayer dollars. All a patient in this circumstance wants is to end it all. Yet somehow, by denying them their wish to end it all, the suffering of that individual is spread like a virus, and becomes a collective suffering, shared by all and alleviated by nothing but that which the government and â€Å"law† denies them. As Taylor (2005) reported that â€Å"Some 28 percent of this year’s Medicare budget of $290 billion (projected to grow to $649 billion by 2015) will be spent on people in their last year of life. In many cases, the main effect will be to prolong the pain of impending death† (p. 58). Not only does this money go to a â€Å"lost cause† whereby the beneficiary of the law and resources is only made to suffer by those same offerings, others who want to choose life are further denied in their options because of how those government funds are allocated. As Taylor points out again, â€Å"If the right-to-lifers put our money where their mouths are, we may spend more tax dollars to postpone the expiration of post-sentient Alzheimer’s patients than we spend to educate poor children† (p. 959). Illness has a great impact patients, family, and friends. The results of studies showed that caregivers of patients with cancer and dementia have increased health problems and psychosocial stress. We should be very careful to make the legal limits of euthanasia very strict. So racial or prejudiced euthanasia will never possible in justifying murder for a cause other than a patient’s individual will and choice. Citizens should ensure that the government or private sector can never end the lives of innocent people who hinder their agendas. This said, it’s a person’s right to end his or her own life. Should we rob someone who is too weak or otherwise physically unable to choose this liberty by her/his own power? To force suffering upon someone whose only available relief is death is a gross injustice. Every life deserves equal liberty, and we should grant the same choices and freedoms for all humankind. Clipboard Edits: †¢Ã¢â‚¬ ¢ (Apted 1996). †¢ There is big debate over legalization of euthanasia. This is topic there is controversial among politician, religious organization and citizens. Everyone wants to make decision about the fate of a ¬Ã‚ ¬Ã‚ ¬nother human being. However, rarely do the policy makers ask the opinion of the patient, the subject of all the debate in making their decisions about that patient’s fate, his/her rights. â€Å"There is no law†¦Ã¢â‚¬  Using new technologies the human population is continually trying to prolong individual life. One negative consequence is that by extending the length of a person’s life, the process of dying and suffering can also be extended The economic effect of keeping patients alive against their own will or without their consent, has significant consequences on these patients’ families. For example, The Study to Understand Prognoses and Preferences for Outcomes and Risks of Treatment (SUPPORT) reports that â€Å"families of seriously ill patients experienced substantial economic losses, in 20% of families, a family member had to stop working; 31% of families lost most of their savings† (Emanuel, E. , Fairclough, Slutsman, ; Emanuel, L. , 2000, p. 451-459). It makes very little (Starrs, 2006, p. 13-16).

Ataturk, a Great Leader essays

Ataturk, a Great Leader essays According to John F. Kennedy, he was one of the greatest figures of our century. Winston Churchill called him a great hero, and former French President Charles de Gaulle said, He was the greatest achiever among all the world leaders, because he modernized his nation. The great man is Ataturk, the idol of the Turks. His original name is Mustafa Kemal, but in 1934 his constituents gave him the name Ataturk, which means, Father of the Turks. He was the first president of the Republic of Turkey, and without his reforms and leadership, Turkey would not be what it is today. His endeavor was to modernize Turkish life; he wanted to give his nation happiness, better life standards and equality. In his view, modernization of the nation and the state could become real by replacing Arab alphabet with Latin alphabet, giving women the right to vote and participate in the congress, and abolishing the Ottoman Empires sovereignty with a secular government and a contemporary constitution. Turkey is the first Muslim-dominant nation that became a republic; there are also small Christian and Jewish minorities living in the country. October 29, 1923 is an exceptional day in Turkish history, because on that day the theocratic Ottoman Empire came to an end with the declaration of the Republic of Turkey by Ataturk. In 1924, Ataturk introduced the parliamentary system to the nation, and in a 4-5 year period, he changed and modernized the whole law system. In creating the new constitution, secularism played an important role for the establishment of the new governmental and educational institutions. Ataturk always considered religion as an individuals choice, so he created a secular system, in which everyone in society is free to practice his or her religion. Ataturk once said, We are a nation without classes or special privileges, and this quote reflects his motivation of establishing...

Grendel Character Analysis Essays

Grendel Character Analysis Essays Grendel Character Analysis Paper Grendel Character Analysis Paper Essay Topic: Grendel Beowulf is a heroic epic chronicling the life of one brave warrior and the battles he faces. Strangely enough the battle he is most famous for was in all likely-hood, against the easiest opponent he ever faced. The character Grendel is always portrayed as some despicable fiend who relishes killing and would love nothing more than to spend his whole life slaughtering innocent people. If, however the text is read carefully, it is quite apparent that Grendel is a classic tortured soul who has been handed such rage and pain by external forces, such as God and his mother. There is a large amount of textual evidence that suggests that God had a large hand in the creation of Grendel He was spawned in that slime/ Conceived by a pair of those monsters born of Cain/ murderous creatures banished by God. (Line 19-22). So in just the first few lines of the poem it is stated that Grendel is an offspring of one of Gods flawed creations. He has been banished forever for the sins of his forefather, which is hardly fair treatment from God. It is also stated that the fiends are in constant opposition of the Lord, A brood forever opposing the Lords will. : (28-29). Grendel is born into a world of hatred and suffering, of cruel and unjust treatment that he has done nothing to deserve. Skipping ahead in the poem there is another instance of Gods interference Bearing Gods hatred/ Grendel came, hoping to kill (286-287). This is a statement that basically explains everything that is going on within Grendel. He is bearing Gods hatred (286) that is a very powerful statement with very strong implications. It seems the author would have us believe that Grendel is some sort of conduit for God to pour his rage into. This leads to the question, who is Grendels father? All that is said is that he was a monster, and there is nothing more monstrous than making your child suffer so that you dont have too. Could this so called God be Grendels father? While there is very little textual support for this claim the implications are very strong. So now it can be said that Grendel is ultimately not responsible for his crimes, God was using him to syphon off his own human emotions. Now God was not the only external force that turned Grendel into a monster, his mother, as quoted above, is a murderous monster. So it is fair to say that Grendels mind was shaped and warped by his mothers teachings. It is true that children very often follow the footsteps of their parents, look at some examples from present day, the children of actors often grow up to be actors, the children of soldiers often grow up to join the military. Things havent changed its just the way the world turns and unfortunately Grendel was born into a very bad Profession. So the real question to ask is, without Gods rage would Grendel still have attack Herot? Its impossible to know for sure, but using clues from the text it seems like, no he would not. When Grendel first journeys down to Herot he is simply going to see what the Danes do after they drink Grendel/ Went up to Herot, wondering what the warriors/ Would do in that hall when their drinking was done. (30-32). The poem states right there that he went with nothing but curiosity in his heart, that unfortunately would soon change The monsters/ thoughts were as quick as his greed or his claws:/ He slipped through the door and there in silence/ Snatched up thirty men, smashed them/ Unknowing in their beds and ran out with their bodies (34-38). The text states that he was filled with greed, but whose greed was it? His or perhaps Gods? Many of the questions posed above simply cant be answered, but they do bring up some interesting points and show a new way of looking at the classic tale. Perhaps the monster should be pitied instead of hated. If God is pouring his negative human emotions into him then there is naught Grendel can do about it. Grendel is in reality just The wickedness of God.

Managerial Communication Report Term Paper Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 1250 words

Managerial Communication Report - Term Paper Example The Social Media as a Management Tool in the Business Environment Managerial Communication Report To: From: Subject: Date: The social media are one of the technological advancements in a business environment. Although during its advent, many companies could not hide their criticism over the negative effect that the social media had on the business environment. The report will consider the evil and the ethical of the social media on any business environment. Social Medias such as Facebook, Twitter and various company intranets have been a valuable link among employees of a company. These Medias have also been the best marketing media that reach the various groups of consumers. Various companies agree that they help in the maintenance of communication among employees. The description of the nature of communication is an honest one; this allows employees to know more about one other. The aim for a good communication in any company is to create an interconnected, work place. A good worki ng environment for employees motivates them to be productive. ... an urgent announcement to its employees, the most appropriate means will be to post the notice in the company’s intranet, and the other way would be to post the notification in the company’s space, in any social network. The scope of doing this is that employees who visit the space will get the message, and because of the good relation that exists, among the employees, the notice gets to be passed to the other employees. This means of communication would be better than writing a memo to each department in the sense that the time used to deliver the memos is saved; the company also saves the misuse of its papers on printed notices. This means of communication can be facilitated using a computer or the advance mobile handset. This is easy for any management because the heads of departments could also get the chance to have a control of the company from any place. A clear example would be for a manager who wishes to know what his employees are up to at any given time can j ust log into the social network site, and keep track of the thoughts and action of his/her employees. D’ Angelo examines that the social media is one way that companies have employed to interact with their customer and stakeholders. Companies have also employed social media managers to manage the media existence. Various studies show it is not the leading companies alone that use the social media as a means of communication but rather in the year 2008 to 2009 there was an increase in the use of social media by the small businesses (D’ Angelo, 2010). D’ Angelo exerts that the use of the social media is crucial in the promotion of Brand identity, management, a company can employ a social site manager with its main activity being to create the company’s brand identity and market it online. D’

Early Childhood Educator and NAEYC Code of ethics Essay

Early Childhood Educator and NAEYC Code of ethics - Essay Example Although everything written in the Code of Ethics is significant to the well-being of children, some stood out for me among the rest. Some are on the issues of children’s assessment. I 1.6 states: â€Å"To use assessment instruments and strategies that are appropriate for the children to be assessed, that are used only for the purposes for which they were designed, and that have the potential to benefit children†. I 1.7 states: â€Å"To use assessment information to understand and support children’s development and learning, to support instruction and to identify children who may need additional services† (Decker, Decker, Freeman, and Knorpf, 2009, p. 356). For several years in the past, assessment techniques were limited to written quizzes, exams, oral recitation, individual and group projects, etc. Assessment methods either fall under the more traditional approaches that expect students to regurgitate information previously fed to them or authentic asses sment that traverse a wider range of academic disciplines and skills as well as assessment approaches that attempt to evaluate the â€Å"whole child† in a wide span of application of his knowledge and abilities (Darling-Hammond et al, 1993). Although the basic assumption behind traditional and authentic assessment is common, which is to develop prolific citizens, the former approach tests the students on the possession of certain knowledge while the latter tests the students on the application of knowledge. Consistent with constructivist philosophy, authentic assessment entrusts the reins of learning to the students. They â€Å"are required to provide rigorous intellectual commitment and perseverance, and teachers must continually connect student’s previous and current knowledge to the emerging curriculum† (Wescombe-Down, n.d., n.p). Hence, assessment methods should include learner-centred activities