Chapter 1
 Human Recources Management (HRM) = the management of people (the holders of the
Human Capital) in organizations to drive successful organizational performance and
achievement of organization’s strategic goals
 Human Capital (the Human Recource) = the knowledge, education, training, skills, and
expertise of an organization’s workforce (motivation/engagement)
 History of HRM
1. Concern for production
2. Concern for people and productivity (and society?)
 Characteristics of a profession
1. A common body of knowledge (doing things right)
2. Performance standards (doing things well)
3. Ethical practice (doing the right thing)
 Growing professionalism in HRM
1. Code of ethics (do the right thing)
2. Required training credentials (do things right)
3. Ongoing skill development (don’t become outdated)
4. Maintenance of professional competence (don’t slack off)
 Chartered Professional in Human Resources (CPHR)
1. 7 routes to CPHR in Canada
 Environmental influences on HRM
1. Internal influences
 Organizational culture (deep)
o Management styles
o Core values, beliefs and assumptions
o Socially responsible
o Conveyed through an organization’s mission statement
o Stories
o Positive culture is desired
 Organizational climate (surface)
o Prevailing atmosphere in an organization
o Friendly/unfriendly, open/secretive, rigid/flexible,
innovative/stagnant
o Influenced by leadership, HR policies, communication style
 Opportunity to influence = surface (easier) ----- deep (tough)
 Management practices
2. External influences
 Economic conditions
 Employment levels
 Productivity levels
 Growth of the primary, secondary and service sectors
 Labout market issues
 Increase in workforce diversity
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Generational differences
Higher overall level of education
Increased non-standard or contigent workers (part-time, temporary,
home, self-employed, …)
Technology
 New technology
 Concerns over data control, accuracy, right to privacy, and ethics
 Computerized monitoring of email, voicemail, telephone conversations,
computer usage and behaviour
Government
 Ensure policies and practices comply with new and changing laws
covering
o Human rights
o Employment standards
o Labour relations
o Occupational health and safety
o Worker’ compensation
Globalization
 Firm extend business operations abroad, increased international
competition, seek cheap skilled labour
Environmental concerns
 Sustainability
 Global warming
 Pollution
 Carbon footprints
 Extinction of wildlife species
 Ecosystem fragility
Chapter 2: The Changing Legal Emphasis-Compliance and Impact on Canadian Workplaces
 The legal framework for employment in Canada
1. Employer = right to modify employee work terms for legitimate business needs
2. Employee = right to be protected from harmful business practices
3. Government = balance needs of employer and employee
 Jurisdiction (federal system)
1. Federal laws = federally regulated employers (federal civil service, crown corporations
and agencies, transportation, banking and communications)
2. Provincial/territorial employement laws = all the other employers (90% of Canadian
workers)
 Hierarchy of employment legislation in Canada
1. Canadian Charter of Rights and Freedoms (Constitution Act 1982)
 Freedoms = Section 15 – Equality Rights (rights to equal protection and benefit
of law without discrimination
2. Human Rights Legislation (Federal and Provincial) = jurisdictions specific legislation,
prohibits intentional and unintentional discrimination among others, employment
situations
 Intentional discrimination
 Differential or unequal treatment
 Direct (you did it)
 Indirect (3rd party) by association. Because of someone you are
associated with
 Unintentional discrimination
 Constructive or systemic discrimination (eg rules, and policies)
 Embedded in policies with adverse impact on specific groups
3. Employment Standards Legislation
 Bona Fide Occupational Requirement (BFOR)
 Justifiable reason for discrimination (on a prohibited ground that such
reason would otherwise be prohibited)
 Based on business necessity (safe and efficient operations)
 Must first consider whether you could reasonably accomodate the person bby
making changes to the work/work environment and still hire that person, up to
the point of undue hardship
4. Ordinary Laws – eg. Labour Relations Law
5. Collective Bargaining Agreement
6. Employment Contract
 Harassment = employer responsiblity, protect employees from harassment, includes
harassment by clients or customers
 Sexual harassment
1. Sexual coercion (if you … then i will)
2. Sexual annoyance (jokes, touching, comments)
 Harassment policies = to reduce liabillity, employers should
1. Establish sound harassment policies
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2. Communicate policies to all employees
3. Enforce policies in a fair and consistent manner
4. Take an active role in maintaining a working environment that is free of harassment
Effective harassment policies should include
1. A clear workplace anti-harassment policy statement
2. Information for victims
3. Employees’ rights and responsiblities
4. Employers’ and managers’ responsibilities
5. Anti-harassment policy procedures
6. Penalties for retaliation against a complaint
7. Guidelines for appeals
8. Other options such as union grievance procedures
9. Human rights complaints
10. How the policy will the monitored and adjusted
Enforcement of harassment
1. Responsibility lies with human rights commision in each jurisdiction (and/or collective
agreement)
2. Costs are borne by the commision
3. Human rights tribunal resolves conflict through mediation
4. Remedies = systemic (systems/organizational), restitutional (individual)
A respectful workplace look like:
1. Inclusive
2. Values diversity
3. Clearly communicates expectations around behaviour
4. Promotes employee health and safety
5. Provides resources and training to resolve disputes
6. Strives for improvement
7. Has open channels of communication
Canadian Tort Law = a tort consit of a wrongful acts or injury that lead to physical, emotional or
financial damage to a person in which another person could be held legally responsible
1. Intentional torts
2. Unintentional torts
Employment Standards Act
1. Federal and provincial/territorial versions
2. Establish minimum terms
 Wages, overtime pay
 Paid holidays and vacations
 maternity/paternity leave
 bereavement/compassionate leave
 termination notice
3. employment contracts may exceed minimums
4. principle of greater benefit applies
Respecting employee privacy issues
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1. Employer has right to prevent liability to the company (eliminate wasted on personal
matters prevent abuse of company resources)
2. Employees have right to (control over information about themselves, freedom from
interference in their personal life)
Internet and email usage policy
1. Electronic surveillance is permitted
2. Employer should create written policy
3. Policy should be updated regularly to stay current with technology
Video surveillance
1. Used to prevent employee theft and vandalism
2. Employees must be made aware
3. Not advised if reasonable alternatives exist
Chapter 4: Designing and Analyzing Jobs
 Job = a group of related activities/duties for one or more employees
 Position = the collection of tasks/responsibilities performed by one person
 Steps in Job Analysis
1. Review the relevant background information
2. Select jobs to be analyzed
3. Collect data on job activities
4. Verify modify data if required
5. Write job descriptions and job specifications
6. Communicate and update information as needed
 Step 1 = review relevant background information
1. Organizational structure (what exists)
 The formal relationships among jobs in an organization
 Should be appropriate given strategic goals of the organization
2. Organization chart (how it is represented on paper)
 Clarifies chain of command: who reports to whom
 Does not explain communication patterns, degree of supervision, power,
authority or specific duties
 Step 2 = select job to be analyzed
1. Job design = the process of systmeatically organizing work into tasks that are required to
perform a specific job
2. Job specialization = work simplification, industrial engineering
3. Behavioural aspects
 Job enlargement (more duties), job enrichment (more control) and authority, job
rotation, team-based job design
4. Ergonomic aspects = physical needs of workers
5. Competency-based job analysis
 Competencies = demostrable characteristics that enable performance of a job
 Shift from job-specific duties to competencies in job descriptions, emphasis on
employee capabilities (eg. General – reading, writing, mathematics, leadership –
strategic thinking, motivating, technical competencies to specific jobs)
 This is more common because it encourages workers to learn and rotate among
jobs, more strategic approach to defining jobs, and supports performance
management process
6. Organizational structure
 Bureaucratic (typical maufacturing organization)
 Flat (typical research and development organization)
 Matrix (a consumer products company)
 Step 3 = collecting job analysis information
1. Interviews (individual, group, supervisory)
2. Questionaires
 How structures is a questionaire? Structured/open-ended
 Who will complete questionaire? Employees/supervisors
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3. Observations
4. Participant diary/log
5. National occupation classification (NOC)
Step 4 = verifying information
1. Verify with = workers currently performing the job and supervisors
2. Increases validity (does it accurately describe) and reliability (will it do so for each
position)
 Inconsistencies/concerns can be addressed
 Participants will be more honest
Step 5 = writing job descriptions and job specifications
1. Job description = statement of duties and responsibilities reporting relationships, and
working conditions of the job
 Duties and responsibilities = a “detailed” list of the job’s major duties and
responsibilites. Make sure you identify the essentail duties
2. Job specification = statement of requisite knowledge, skills, and abilities needed to
perform the job
3. Job identification includes
 Title of the job
 The department and location as well as the title of the immediate supervisor
4. Job summary = describe the general nature of the job, listing only its major funtions or
activities
5. Relationships = indicates the jobholder’s relationships with others inside and outside
the organization
6. Authority = defince the limits of the jobholder’s authority, including the decision making
authoriy, direct supervision of other employees, and budgetary limitations
7. Performance standards/Indicators = indicates the standards the employee is expected
to achieve in each of the job description’s main duties and responsibilities
8. Physical demands analysis = identification of the sense used and the type, frequency,
and amount of physical effort involved in a job
9. Human rights legislation considerations
 Consider human rights issues when drafting job descriptions
 Essential job duties should be clearly identifies
 Only examine criteria = essential knowledge skills, and abilities required for the
duties of the job (needed to be able to do the work)
Step 6 = communication and preparedness for revisions
1. Communicate to all relevant stakeholders
2. Anticipate modifications (restructing, new product development, technological changes,
competitors, feedback from employees)
Chapter 5: Human Resources Planning “HRP”
 External environmental factors includes
1. Economic conditions
2. Market and competitive trends
3. New or revised laws relating to HR
4. Social concerns (health care, childcare, educational priorities, social responsibility)
5. Technological changes
6. Demographic trends (generational wants and the numbers)
 Steps in Human Resources Planning Process
1. Forecasting the availability of candidates (supply)
2. Forecasting future HR needs (demand)
3. Planning and implementing HR programs to balance supply and demand
 Forecasting the availability of candidates (internal supply)
1. Skills inventories
- Summary of current employees’ education, experience, interests and skills
- Used to identify eligibility for transfer/promotion
2. Management skills/aptitude inventories
- Summary of management employees qualifications, skills, interests, managerial
responsibilities
- Used to identify eligibility for transfer/promotion to management positions
3. Replacement charts
- Depiction of who will replace whom in the event of a job opening
- Internal candidates age, present performance rating, and promotability status are listed
4. Replacement summaries
- Lists of likely replacements for each position
- Indicates relative strengths/weaknesses, current position, performance, promotabiltiy,
age and experience
 Forecasting the availability of candidates (external supply)
1. Market conditions assessed
 General economic condition (interest rates, wage rates, inflation, unemployment
rates)
 Labour market conditions (demographics: education levels, age, gender, marital
status)
 Occupational market conditions (relevant occupations: engineers, skilled, labour,
accountants)
 Forecasting future human resources needs
1. Trend analysis = predict future needs based on past employment levels
2. Ratio analysis = ratio of business activity and number of employees needed
3. Scatter ployt = used to determine whether 2 factors (business activity and staffing
levels) are related
4. Regression analysis = examines the statistical relationship between business activity and
employees
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5. Nominal group technique = involves a group of experts meeting face to face, steps
include independent idea generation, clarification and open discussion, and private
assessment
Labour surplus = the internal supply of employees exceeds the organization’s forecasted
demand
1. Repsonding = hiring freeze/attrition, early retirement buyout programs, job sharig, work
sharing, reduced workweek, layoff, termination, leave of absense
2. Considerations = survivor syndrome, supplementail unemployment benefits, severance
packages, pay and benefits, golden parachute, outplacement assistance
Labour shortage = the internal supply of human resources cannot meet the organization’s
needs
1. Responding
 Internal = transfer, promotion, employee retention
 External = recruiting
Chapter 6: Recruitment
 Employer branding = the image of an organization based on the benefits of being employed by
that organization, and the experiences a candiate goes through druing the recruitment process
1. Experience when they go the the company’s website
2. Acknowledgement thanking candidate who sends in a resume
3. Initial greeting by the receptionist
4. Ability of the interviewer to articulate organization’s values and culture
 Employer Branding
1. Define the target audience, where to find them, and what they want from an employer
2. Develop the employee value proposition and the reasons why the organization is a more
attractive employer
3. Communicate the brand by incorporating the value proposition into all recriutment efforts
 The recruitment process
1. Identify job openings
2. Specify job requirements
3. Select methods of recruitment
4. Generate pool of qualified applicants
 Developing and using application forms
1. Standard application form
 Facilitates comparison of candidates (easy)
 Information that the company requires is specifically requested (focus)
 May be used as a sample of the candidate’s own work (quality of application)
2. Includes a written authorization for reference checking
3. Includes acknowledge that the information is provided is true and accurate
4. Many application forms include an optional section regarding designated group member
status
5. Application types
 Biographical information blank (BIB) – typical
 Biographcal data predictive of job sucess is scored
 Includes background, experiences, preferences
 Online applications
 Reduce risk of lost applications
 Increase exposure level of job ad
 May reduce baises based on face-to-face meetings
 Recruiting from within the organization
1. Job posting = notifying current employees about vacant positions
2. Human resources records = review of information on existing employees to identify
candidates for openings
3. Skills inventories = review of qualification, interest skills of existing employees
 Recruiting from outside the organization
1. Advantages
 Larger poll of qualified candidates
 Availability of a more diverse applicant poool
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 Acquisition of new skills, knowledge, and ideas
 Elimination of employee rivalry and competition for transfers and promotions
 Hiring individuals who already have necessary skills reduces training costs
2. Planning external recruitment. Considerations:
 Type of job affects recruitment method chosen
 Yield ratios – percentage of applicants that proceed to the next stage of selection
 Time lapse data – time from start of recruitment to new employee starting work
3. Types
 Recruiting non-permanent staff (temporary help agencies)
 Provide relief for employees who are ill, on vacation, taking a leave of
absence.
 Benefits
o Cost less than permanent employees (but short term costs)
o Immediate replace ment of an unsuitable temporary worker
o Workers are often highly motivated
 Contract workers
 Work directly for the employer
 Specific type of work or period of time
 Benefits
o Coverage for seasonal or unplanned peaks in business
o Specialized work or porjects
o Reduced layoffs during downturns
Recruiting a more diverse workforce
1. Attracting older workers
 Workers at or beyond retriement age
 Typically have high job satisfaction, strong sense of loyalty and work ethic, good
people skills
 Considerations
 Remove stereotypical attitudes
 Develop flexible work arrangements
2. Attracting younger employees
 High energy, enthusiasm, physical strength/stamina
 Considerations
 Provide independence and work-life balance
 Give variety of experiences (they want growth)
3. Designated group members
 Assists in goal of employment equity
 Considerations
 Alternative publications for recruitment
 Liaise with agencies assisting designated groups
Chapter 7: Selection
 The strategic importance of employee selection = the process of choosing individuals to fill job
openings (from those you have recruited)
1. Quality of human resources determines organizational performance (value of the
human capital)
2. Inappropriate selection decisions are costly
3. Significant legal implications (human rights)
 Selection ratio = the ratio of the number of applicants hired to the total number of applicants
 The selection process
1. An approach to selection involving a series of successive steps or hurdles
2. Only candidates clearing the hurdle are permitted to move on to the next step
 6 typical hurdles in the selection process
1. Preliminary applicant screening
- Initial screening is performed by HR department
- Application forms and resume are reviewed
- Candidates not meeitng selection criteria are elimiated
- Remaining candidates matching the job specifications are given further consideration
- Use of technology is becoming increasingly popular
2. Selection testing
- Screening device
- Assesses specific job-related skills, genral intelligence, personality characteristics,
mental abilities, interests, and preferences
- Efficient, standardized methods for screening large numbers of applicants
- Must be reliable (can be repeated) and valid (measures what you want)
o Reliabiliy = the degree of dependability, consistency, or stability of the measures
used
o Validity = the accuracy with which a predictor measures what it is intended to
measure. Types of validity:
 Differential validity = confirmation that the selection tool accurately
predicts the performance of all possible employee subgroups (eg non
white males and females)
 Criterion-related validity = extent to which a selection tool predicts or
correlates with important elements of work behavior (doing well in an
interview on specific quesitons is a good predictor of work behavior)
 Content validity = extent to which a selection tool adequately samples
the knowledge and skills needed to perform the job (eg word processing
skills or a clerk)
 Construct validity = extent to which a selection tool measures a
theoretical construct or trait deemed necessary to perform the job
successfully (eg verbal skills, leadership skills – general intellectual skills)
- Types of tests used in selection
o Cognitive abilities (intelligence tests, emotional intelligence tests, specific
cognitive abilites)
o Motor/physical abilities
o Personality and interests
o Achievement tests (learned from school)
o Work sampling (actual work)
o Management assessment centres
o Situational testing
o Micron-assessments (series of small tests from job)
o Physical examination, substance abuse testing, polygraphs
3. Selection interview
- Type of interviews
o Degree of structure = unstructured, structured, or mixed/semi-structured
o Content = situational (how would you, behavioural (how did you)
o Administering the interview = one-on-one or panel, sequentially or all at once
(mass interview), face-to-face or technology enabled
- Common interviewing mistakes
o Poor planning
o Snap judgments
o Negative emphasis (too quick to turn negative)
o Halo effect
o Poor job knowledge (don’t know the job)
o Contrast error (order error)
o Influence of nonverbal behaviour (ethnic bias)
o Leading
o Too much/too little talkung
o Similar-to-me bias (bias)
- Conducting an effective interview
o Planning the interview
o Establishing report
o Asking questions
o Seeking questions
o Closing the interview
o Evaluating the candidates
o Reference checking
4. Background investigation/reference checking
- Verify accuracy of information provided
o Criminal record check
o Verification of educational qualifications
o Verification of previous employment
o Performacne-related references from past supervisors
o Credit check may also be included
5. Supervisory interview and realistic job preview
- The supervisor is best qualified to assess job knowledge/skilss, can answer job-specific
questions, must feel comfortable with new hire, can assess fit with current team
memebrs
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Realistic job preview (RJP) = provides applicants with realistic information, both positive
and negative, about the job
6. Hiring decision and candidate notification
- Compile information from all techniques used
- Evaluate informaition about each candidates
- Immediate supervisor usually makes final hiring decision
- Make offer that specifies terms and conditions of employment
- Give candidates time to think about the offer
- Notify all finalists who were not selected
Designing the selection process (5 steps)
1. Develop selection criteria
2. Specify musts (must have) and wants (would like to have)
3. Weight the wants (which are the most important)
4. Develop an evaluation form
5. Develop genral interview questions (for all candidates)
6. Develop candidate-specific questions
Acquiring employees and the laws
1. Use selection criteria based on the job
2. Do not ask questions that would violate human rights legislation
3. Obtain authorization for refernce checking
4. Save all records and information
5. Reject applicants who make false statements
Chapter 8
 Training = short-term, focuses on skills and competencies needed to perform employees’
current jobs
o Part of organization’s strategic plan
o Consider it as an investment in human capital
 Empoyee onboarding (orientation) = provide basic background information they need to do
the job.
- Goals
o Create a common bond, understand the culture and what is needed to be
successful in the organization
- Purpose
o Part of ongoing socialization process
o Helps reduce first dayjitters and reality shock
o Foundation for ongoing performance management
o Improved productivity
o Improved retention levels and reduced recruitment costs
 Content of orientation programs
o Internal publications (handbooks, newsletters, company history)
o Facility tour and staff introductions
o Job-related documents and explanation of duties, responsibilities
o Expected training to be received
o Performance appraisal criteria
o Avenues for learning about the organization
 Responsibility for orientation
o HR specialist = explains corporate information, does “sign up”, follows up over
time
o Supervisor = explains specific nature of the job, introduction of colleagues
o Buddy or mentor = assists with day-to-day items
 Problems with orientation programs
o Too much information in a short time can overwhelm employee
o Too many forms to fill out
o Little or no orientation provided
o HR information can be too broad, supervisor’s information can be too detailed –
a GAP
 Evaluation of orientation programs
o Employee reaction = evaluate usefulness, job performance (how did the
employee feel)
o Socialization effects = assess progress towards understanding norms (fitting in)
o Cost/benefit analysis = compare costs of program (materials, time) to benefits
(fewer errors, rate of productivity)
 The five steps in the training and development process
1. Training needs analysis
- Task analysis (new employees)
o Break down job into tasks and skills
o Determine where each task and skill is best learned
- Performance analysis (current employees)
o Verify any performance deficiencies and determine whether they are best
resolved through training or other means
- Estabish training objectives
o Consifer the tasks they will be performing
o Specify what the trainee should be able to accomplish after completing the
training
o Provide focus for trainee and trainer (a tranining road map)
o Provide a benchmark for evaluation of the training program
2. Intructional design
- Prepare curriculum
- Ensure that training materials support learning objectives
- Ensure the quality and effectiveness of program elements
- Consider issues of delivery – how best to deliver the training
- Traditional training
o Programmed learning
o Informal learning
o On-the-job training
o Apprenticeship training (work under and master and also attend classes)
o Job instruction training (lists of step by step instructions)
o Classroom traning
o Audiovisual techniqures
o Vestibule or simulated training (actual experiences)
- E-learing
o Learning administered via computer, web-based technology
o Flexible, personalized and cost effective
o Types
 Computer based training (CBT)
 Online training
 Electronic performance support systems (EPSS)
3. Validation
- Is the training doing what it is supposed to be doing?
o An often-overlooked step
o Ensures that objectives are accomplised
o Pilot study or run-through using representative audience
o Collect feedback and assess participants
o Make revisions based on results
4. Implementation
- Roll out or schedule delivery by professional trainers
- Train-the-trainer workshops maybe required
- Ensure trainers are familiar with content and presentation methods
- Make it a part of “your” organization -avoid “packaged training”
5. Evaluation of training
- Reaction (learner reaction)
- Leaning (accomplished learning objectives
- Behaviour (are they doing it)
- Result
Chapter 9: Career and Management Development
 Career planning
1. Deliberate process through which someone …
2. Becomes aware of personal skills, interests, knowledge, motivations, and other
characteristic
3. Acquires information about opportunities and choices, identifies career-related goals
4. Establishes action plans to attain speciffic goals
 Career development = the lifelong series of activities (workshops) that contribute to a person’s
career exploration, establishment, success and fulfillment
 Occupational orientation = 6 basic personal orientations that determine the sorts of careers to
which people are drawn
1. Realistic
2. Investigative
3. Artistic
4. Social
5. Enterprising
 Roles in the career development
1. The individual
- Individual must accept responsibility for their career
- Requires: self-motivation, independent learning, effective time and money
management, self-promotion
- Networking is the foundation of effective career management
2. The manager
- Should provide timely and objective performance feedback
- Offer developmental assignments and support
- Participate in career development discussions
- Act as a coach, appraiser, advisor, and referral agent
3. The employer
- Provide career-oriented training and development opportunities
- Offer career information and programs
- Offer a variety of career options
 Importance of management development
 Baby Boomers entering retirement (a lot of managers retiring)
 Increased demand for next generation to assume senior management
 Management development
o Attracts talent
o Helps organization achieve employer-of-choice status (branding)
 Management development process
o Assessing HR needs to achieve strategic objectives
o Creating a talent pool
o Developing managers
 Steps in succession planning
1. Establish strategic direction of organization (where do you want your organization to go_
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2. Identify core skills and competencies needed in critical jobs
3. Identify employees who have, or can acquire, then skills for these critical positions and then
provide developmental opportunities
Management development techniques
o Developmental job rotation (different jobs/functions/departments)
o Coaching/understudy approach
o Action learning perform tasks
o Outside seminars
o College/university-related programs
o In-house development centres
o Behaviour modelling
o Mentoring