Unit 1:
Introduction to
Human Resource Management
MOS 1021: Introduction to Consumer Behaviour and Human Resources
This Week in the Course…
Textbook readings: Chapter 1 (pp. 1-24); Chapter 2 (pp. 25-49)
• introduction to human resource management
• evidence-based human resource management
• legal issues in human resource management
Introduction to Human Resource Management
Organizations & Resources
organizations
a system in
which people
work together
in pursuit of a
common goal
Human Resources & Capital
human resources
people who
make up the
workforce of an
organization
knowledge, education, etc
Human Resource Management (HRM)
management of people in organizations
oversee day-to-day
operations
(largely administrative)
align employee efforts
with organization’s
strategic goals
Strategic Goals and HRM
specific results an organization aims to achieve
in order to maintain a competitive advantage
increase
employee
retention
increase
revenue
improve
customer
satisfaction
improve
sustainability
Systems in HRM
Don’t memorize these, will do a deeper dive into a few specific ones later on
employee & labour relations
job analysis
compensation & rewards
workforce plannings
HRM
performance management
training & development
recruitment
selection
•
selection
(slower pace, assess
characteristics and fit)
•
ongoing training
•
continuous
performance
feedback
•
competitive
compensation and
benefit structure
(salary, travel stipend,
tuition reimbursement)
HRM and Corporate Culture
a.k.a. organizational culture
• identity of the organization
• core values and beliefs shared by members
• stable and deep-rooted
• developed intentionally
(in part through HR systems)
clarifies standards of behaviour (ex: norms)
• performance-driven
and results-oriented
• emphasis on
freedom and
creativity
no set schedule and
HRM and Corporate Climate
a.k.a. organizational climate
• prevailing mood within an organization
• employees’ perceptions of organization’s working environment
• changeable and fluid
impacted by leadership style, communication, HR policies
Customers asked how it’s going today
and I said “same piss, different pants”
for some reason
Benefits of Effective HRM
• better HR systems
• greater retention
• lower labour cost
• emotional
commitment to
organizational
goals
• different from job
satisfaction
• better employee
performance
• better products
• increased profits
Evidence-Based Human Resource Management
Evidence-Based HR: What Is It?
• evaluating human resources practices against available research
ensures that implemented practices are likely to have desired outcomes
• results in greater efficiency by avoiding trial-and-error learning
Evidence-Based HR: What Is It?
Seems
obvious
but…
• discrepancies exist between researchrecommended HR practices and HR practices
implemented in organizations
• findings account for thousands of HR practitioners
suggested explanations: lack of awareness, lack of trust
e.g., Rynes et al. (2002); Kaufman (2012); Gill (2018)
Research Methods: Types of Research
•
generate new information
regarding a research question
•
collecting data, analyzing
data, drawing conclusions
•
involves compiling existing
findings and conclusions to
formulate new ideas
•
reviewing primary sources
Research Methods: Variables
• characteristics or features that researchers aim to study
Independent Variable
Dependent Variable
•
•
changed by
researcher
measured by
researcher
Research Methods: Research Designs
True Experiments
Does the independent variable (IV) have an effect on the dependent
variable (DV)?
conducted in controlled settings (ex: lab)
•
participants are randomly assigned to groups
(represents the IV)
•
all participants are measured on the same outcome variable
(represents the DV)
Research Methods: Research Designs
True Experiments: Example
Does access to social media (IV) have an effect on productivity (DV)?
Group 1
(unlimited
access)
instructed to
write a report
Lab
Group 2
(no access)
reports
assessed by
researcher as
indicator of
productivity
Research Methods: Research Designs
True Experiments: Evaluation
causal conclusions
possible
results may not apply
well to the ”real world”
ex: IV causes DV
ex: may not be
generalizable
Research Methods: Research Designs
Quasi-Experiments
Does the independent variable (IV) have an effect on the dependent
variable (DV)?
conducted in field/natural settings (ex: in the workplace)
•
participants are randomly selected from existing groups
(represents the IV)
•
all participants are measured on the same outcome variable
(represents the DV)
Research Methods: Research Designs
Quasi-Experiments: Example
Does access to social media (IV) have an effect on productivity (DV)?
Organization 1
(policy allowing
unlimited
access)
instructed to
write a report
Organization 2
(policy
indicating no
access)
reports
assessed by
researcher as
indicator of
productivity
Research Methods: Research Designs
Quasi-Experiments: Evaluation
causal conclusions
not recommended
results are more
applicable to the ”real
world”
results are more applicable to the “real world”
(Ex: easily generalized)
casual conclusions not recommended
(too many variables not controlled by researches)
Research Methods: Research Designs
Survey Research
Are two variables related?
•
conducted in controlled or natural settings
•
surveys measuring each variable are administered to participants
•
analyses determine whether a relationship exists between survey scores
Research Methods: Research Designs
Survey Research: Example
Is access to social media related to productivity?
Survey 1
(assessing daily
social media
access)
Survey 2
(assessing daily
productivity)
both surveys
administered to group
of participants
scores on
surveys
analyzed to
determine
relationship
between
variables
Correlation
•
provides information about the direction of a relationship between two variables
Greater social media use is related to higher
productivity.
positive relationship
Correlation
•
provides information about the direction of a relationship between two variables
Greater social media use is related to lower
productivity.
negative relationship
Correlation
•
provides information about the strength of a relationship between two variables
1
correlation coefficient
0
Correlation
Correlation and Causation
• avoid making causal conclusions based on correlational data
ü variable 1 may cause change in variable 2
ü variable 2 may cause change in variable 1
ü relationship between variable 1 and variable 2 may be spurious
two variables appear to be related but are not
(coincidence, third variable)
Correlation and Causation
—> actually there was a third variable: more wealthy people
drank wine regularly, and wealthier people had better health
(better access to healthcare, exercise, etc)
People who drank red wine had healthier hearts
Legal Issues in Human Resource Management
Canadian Charter of Rights and Freedoms
• federal law enacted in 1982
• guarantees fundamental right and freedoms to all Canadians
applies to government action
• supreme law (all legislation must meet Charter standards)
Canadian Charter of Rights and Freedoms
Freedoms
Rights
•
conscience and religion
•
democratic
•
thought, belief, opinion,
expression
•
mobility
•
legal
•
equality
•
•
peaceful assembly
association
Canadian Charter of Rights and Freedoms
Every individual is equal before
and under the law and has the
right to the equal protection and
equal benefit of the law without
discrimination and, in particular,
without discrimination based on
race, national or ethnic origin,
colour, religion, sex, age or mental
or physical disability.
Rights
•
democratic
•
mobility
•
legal
• equality
(Section 15)
Human Rights Legislation
• prohibits discrimination in the public and private sector
Discrimination occurs when: Unequal or unfair treatment of a person based upon some personal
• applicable:
(1) in the context of employment
(2) in the provision of goods and services
Human Rights Legislation: Jurisdiction
Canadian Human Rights Act
• federal government
• First Nations government
• federally regulated organizations
Human Rights Legislation: Jurisdiction
provincial & territorial laws
• organizations that fall under provincial and
territorial jurisdiction
Human Rights Legislation: Prohibited Grounds
Ontario Human Rights Code
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ethnic origin
place of origin
ancestry, colour, race
citizenship
creed
age
sex
sexual orientation
gender identity/expression
marital status
family status
disability
record of offenses
Human Rights Legislation: Prohibited Grounds
Ontario Human Rights Code
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ethnic origin
place of origin
ancestry, colour, race
citizenship
creed
age
sex
sexual orientation
gender identity/expression
marital status
family status
disability
record of offenses
anatomical classification
as male, female, intersex
Human Rights Legislation: Prohibited Grounds
Ontario Human Rights Code
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ethnic origin
place of origin
ancestry, colour, race
citizenship
creed
age
sex
sexual orientation
gender identity/expression
marital status
family status
disability
record of offenses
limited ability to function
(physical, psychological,
developmental)
Human Rights Legislation: Prohibited Grounds
Ontario Human Rights Code
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ethnic origin
place of origin
ancestry, colour, race
citizenship
creed
age
sex
sexual orientation
gender identity/expression
marital status
family status
disability
record of offenses
having provincial offence
conviction or pardoned
criminal conviction
Types of Discrimination
direct
(intentional)
discrimination
deliberate unequal
treatment of an individual
on the basis of a
protected characteristic
Types of Discrimination
discrimination
indirect
(unintentional)
seemingly neutral policy
or practice has an
unintended negative
effect on members of a
protected group
ex: requiring employees at a retail outlet to
work at least two Saturdays each month
Bona Fide Occupational Requirements (BFOR)
• attributes on which hiring, promotion, retention decisions can justifiably
be made, which would otherwise be seen as discriminatory
• deemed necessary to fulfill the job safely and effectively
ex: acceptable vision required for a person
working as a driver (acceptable vision is the
BFOR)
Bona Fide Occupational Requirements (BFOR)
The Meiorin Test (Supreme Court of Canada, 1999)
characteristic is
rationally
connected to
successful job
performance
employer adopted
the characteristic
in good faith
the characteristic
cannot be
accommodated
without imposing
undue hardship
Bona Fide Occupational Requirements (BFOR)
The Meiorin Test: Duty to Accommodate
• employers required to adjust policies/practices to ensure that individuals
with protected characteristics are not prevented from working
• remove barriers to allow for full participation
• e.g., adjust environment, provide resources, modify policies
employees must demonstrate maximum effort in
exploring accommodation options
Bona Fide Occupational Requirements (BFOR)
The Meiorin Test: Undue Hardship
• point up to which employers are expected to accommodate employees
• beyond this point:
o accommodation is too financially taxing
• determined on a case-by-case basis