Accountability in Human Resource Management

✍ Scribed by Jack J. Phillips PhD in Human Resource Management.

• Publisher: Gulf Publ
• Year: 1996
• Tongue: English
• Leaves: 362
• Series: Improving human performance series
• Category: Library

✦ Synopsis

"During the last decade, the Human Resources (HR) function experienced drastic change in its role, status, and influence". Jack J. Phillips writes, "Some HR executives recognized the change and stepped up to the challenge. A panel of top-level HR executives recently assembled by Personnel Journal agreed that HR is moving away from the transactional, paper-pushing, hiring/firing support function it has been and is becoming a bottom-line business decision maker...Peter Drucker predicted these changes in The Wall Street Journal over ten years ago when he asserted that the personnel department, in addition to changing its name to human resources, must behave quite differently and follow the line mode of behavior rather than the staff mode"(pp.1-5).And hence, he rightly argues that "from recent articles, reports, books, and interviews on the subject, seven trends can be identified that have a significant impact on an organization's bottom-line results and the HR function's role in the process. These trends include the increased importance of the HR function, increased accountability, organizational change and quality programs, improvement in productivity, adoption of HR strategies, growing use of HR's information systems, and reliance on partnership relationships. Collectively these trends enhance or complement the efforts of the HR department to monitor and improve its contribution to organizational performance" (pp.5-6).

Within this context, he divides his book into four parts as follows:

Part I- presents a general framework for evaluating the HR function (Chapters 1-2)

Part II- presents the issues involved in developing a results-based approach to HR (Chapters 3-4)

Part III- focuses on specific ways to measure the contribution of HR (Chapters 5-9)

Part IV- explores data analysis and presentation results.

One of the core concepts of the book, in Chapter 1, he focuses on paradigm shifts from traditional HR approach to a more results-based approach demanded in today's environment, and summarizes these paradigm shifts necessary for a results-based approach as follows:

Traditional Approach:

(1) New programs initiated by request or suggestion of any significant manager or group.

(2) A maltitude of programs in all areas.

(3) Existing programs are rarely, if ever, eliminated or changed.

(4) Count activities, hours of involvement, number of employees involved, etc.

(5) Limited management involvement in the HR process.

(6) HR viewed as cost center.

(7) HR staff unfamiliar with operations issues.

(8) HR staff lack knowledge of finance and business concepts.

Results-Based Approach:

(1) New programs initiated only after a legitimate need is established.

(2) Fewer programs with greater opportunity to make an impact.

(3) Existing programs are regularly reviewed and eliminated when necessary.

(4) Measure the impact of programs on the organization.

(5) Extensive involvement and collaboration with management.

(6) HR is viewed as an investment in employees.

(7) HR staff very knowledgeable about operations issues.

(8) HR staff versed in basic finance and business concepts.

I highly recommend this invaluable study to all HR executives.

✦ Table of Contents

Accountability in Human Resource Management......Page 4
Copyright Page......Page 5
Contents......Page 8
Acknowledgment......Page 12
Preface......Page 14
CHAPTER ONE The Need for a Results-Based Approach......Page 20
Important Trends Related to HR Contribution......Page 24
Challenges......Page 40
Paradigm Shifts......Page 41
Conclusion: Payoff of Measuring the HR Contribution......Page 43
A Self-Assessment Tool......Page 44
References......Page 48
CHAPTER TWO Measuring the HR Contribution: A Survey of Appoaches......Page 52
Surveys......Page 53
HR Reputation......Page 54
Human Resources Accounting......Page 55
HR Auditing......Page 56
HR Case Studies......Page 57
HR Cost Monitoring......Page 58
Key Indicators......Page 59
HR Effectiveness Index......Page 61
HR Profit Centers......Page 64
Summary......Page 65
References......Page 67
CHAPTER THREE Developing a Results-Based Approach and a New Model......Page 70
The Opportunity to Influence Results......Page 71
Purposes of Measurement and Evaluation......Page 72
HR Evaluation Myths......Page 73
Obstacles to Measuring the Contribution......Page 77
Levels of Evaluation......Page 79
Sharing Responsibilities for HR Measurement and Evaluation......Page 81
A Results-Based Model for Program Implementation......Page 82
An Application of the Model......Page 92
References......Page 95
CHAPTER FOUR Management Influence on HR Results......Page 97
Partnership Relationships......Page 99
Top Management Commitment......Page 102
Management Support and Reinforcement......Page 107
Management Involvement......Page 112
Focusing on Results with Managers......Page 119
Roles, Responsibilities, Risks, and Rewards......Page 120
Improving Relationships with Managers......Page 123
Summary......Page 127
References......Page 128
Data Collection Considerations......Page 129
Questionnnaires......Page 140
Surveys......Page 143
Tests......Page 147
Interviews......Page 150
Focus Groups......Page 153
Observations......Page 156
Organizational Performance Data......Page 159
Summary......Page 162
References......Page 164
Evaluation Design Issues......Page 166
Common Evaluation Designs......Page 169
Participant Feedback......Page 175
Feedback from Others......Page 179
Participant Follow-Up......Page 181
Action Planning......Page 185
Performance Contracting......Page 188
Summary......Page 191
References......Page 192
Measurement Issues......Page 193
The HR Contribution Model......Page 195
HR Performance Measures......Page 196
Organizational Effectiveness Measures......Page 202
Developing the Human Resources Effectiveness Index......Page 205
References......Page 220
CHAPTER EIGHT Measuring Specific Human Resources Functions......Page 221
Recruitment and Selection......Page 222
Human Resources Development......Page 228
Compensation......Page 235
Fair Employment Practices......Page 238
Employee and Labor Relations......Page 240
Safety and Health......Page 243
Human Resource Information Systems......Page 245
Conclusion......Page 246
References......Page 247
A Strategic Evaluation Tool......Page 248
Phases of the Benchmarking Process......Page 249
Participating in Existing Benchmarking Projects......Page 264
Conclusion: Marking the Process Work......Page 266
References......Page 268
Developing Costs......Page 269
Employee Costs......Page 274
HR Program Costs......Page 276
Impact Costs......Page 286
References......Page 288
CHAPTER ELEVEN Data Analysis and Interpretation......Page 290
Isolating the Effects of the HR Program......Page 291
Converting Data to Monetary Units......Page 299
Data Analysis Techniques......Page 306
Calculating the Return......Page 317
Additional Methods for Evaluating Investments......Page 321
A Few Words of Caution......Page 323
References......Page 324
CHAPTER TWELVE Communication of HR Program Results......Page 326
The Process of Communicating Results......Page 327
Communicating with Target Audiences......Page 328
Communicating with Top Management......Page 331
Developing the Evaluation Report......Page 333
Management Meetings......Page 335
The General Interest Publication......Page 337
Brochures/Booklets/Pamphlets......Page 340
Success Stories......Page 341
Summary......Page 342
References......Page 343
APPENDIX ONE How Results-Based Are Your Human Resources Programs? Scoring and Interpretation......Page 344
APPENDIX TWO CEO: Check Your Commitment to the Human Resources Function......Page 349
APPENDIX THREE Feedback Questionnaire for HR Program......Page 350
APPENDIX FOUR Performance Improvement Plan......Page 355
Index......Page 357

✦ Subjects

Менеджмент;Управление персоналом;