HR Management

Course Notes Table of Contents

Objectives

  1. Define the types of recruitment that are most appealing to the current generation, and why.
  2. Identify and describe different types of selection devices; be prepared to explain which of these would be most applicable, and what pitfalls are associated with your respective choice
  3. Describe alternative selection and the countries in which it is most likely to be used
  4. Explain the concept of validity, and its importance for testing
  5. Explain the components and importance of a "structured interview"
  6. Be able to differentiate between graphic rating scale, forced ranking, and BARS, and explain which types of appraisal are most likely to result in political game playing and why
  7. Explain the concepts of negligent appraisal and defamation, and when these phenomenon are most likely to result
  8. Define "politics" at work, and instances in which a manager may be likely to either inflate or deflate an appraisal rating
  9. Describe the halo effect, horn effect, recency effect, contrast error, and central tendency error
  10. Describe what are the benefits (and downfalls) of electronic appraisal
  11. Describe several ways in which employees can engage in impression management, and its impact on LMX and associated employment outcomes
  12. Define the "slime factor"

Net Generation:  Those who grew up with cell phones, tv, and computers.  The eldest of this generation turns 27 in 2006.  Digital interaction is a daily part of their lives. 
(Source: Growing Up Digital, 1998). 

Netters expect that:

    • the classroom experience will be enhanced through technology, including video,
          PowerPoint, or other forms of presentation
    • Technology will be used to facilitate communication between students and professors
    • All aspects of their coursework - including syllabi, lectures, handouts, grading, and
          homework - will be available online in one form or another
    • Differing learning styles will be accommodated, most through use of technology
    • Professors will be proficient in e-learning
    • The university will provide educational and technical support

Source:  Higher Education Leaders Symposium - The Next Generation Student

Changes in Recruiting http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=6ZqgXrlSEA8&mode=related&search=  Second Life:

  1. Movie trailer
  2. Avatar slideshow
  3. Second Life & facebook
  4. Interviewing
  5. Ohio University Second Life campus
  6. Educational uses of Second Life
  7. Also, see the website  and description below:
    The class created an automated tour that will take you through the castle scenes they constructed as you listen to students narrating the horrific story of what happened to Prince Prospero and company. To experience this production, please visit: http://slurl.com/secondlife/TELRport/59/94/22
  8. You may also wander the castle at your leisure to learn more about Poe and Masque of the Red Death.
  9. You are invited to tour and experience a production of Edgar Allan Poe's Masque of the Red Death on TELRport. This production was created by Prof. Beth Kattelman's Autumn 08 Theatre 693 students at Ohio State in order to explore performance possibilities and processes in virtual worlds.

What types of technology do you use on a daily basis?

Recruitment

PricewaterhouseCoopers has its corporate website with the under age 22 market in mind: www.pwcglobal.com/lookhere
IBM:  http://www-03.ibm.com/employment

Selection

Once I have the candidates' attention, how do I as an employer choose the person who is best suited for the job?
 

Tests

  • Written
  • Simulation
  • Interviews (however, these can suffer from the same bias that exists in appraisal;
        for example, research has found that some recruiters make an initial impression
        within the first four or five minutes of the interview  
  • Personality, psychological tests, and brain teasers
    • "Although some job applicants and existing workers have resisted testing initially, some employees say they learned so much about themselves that they have asked Quest to test their family members, too." [HRMagazine, 2002, describing Quest Corporation].

MetLife

Personality tests can measure things like integrity, intelligence, assertiveness, and management aptitude. 

Brain Teasers: exercises designed to test your creativity, and your ability to "think outside the box."

Worst interview questions:  http://blog.nerdguru.net/2007/09/how-about-you-worst-interview-question.html; http://enwikipedia.org/wiki/Manhole_cover

Microsoft  

Caveat:  as with any selection device, there should be validity, or a proven demonstration of positive association between it and actual job performance. "The law prohibits managers from using a test score as a selection device unless there is clear evidence that, once on the job, individuals with high scores on this test outperform individuals with low test scores.  The burden is on managers to support that any selection device they use to differentiate applicants is related to job performance." (Robbins & Coulter, 2005, p. 289).

Target, Rent-A-Center

  • Insist that any test recommended by a consultant or vendor be scientifically validated; ask for research
  • Ask if assessment is fair or biased against any racial or ethnic group
  • Educate staff as to proper test administration

Source: HR Magazine, 2002

Can you refuse to take a personality test?

Alternative Selection Devices

 Graphology: handwriting analysis: http://www.handwritingpro.com/examples.html
BloodType:
O:___________
B:___________
A:___________
AB:__________
 http://webcenters.netscape.compuserve.com/love/package.jsp?name=fet/bloodtype/bloodtype

For those who go the traditional interview route:

  • Structured Interview
  • Once I have the candidates' attention, how do I as an employer choose the person who is best suited for the job?
  • Interview questions are created from Job Analysis
  • Ask same questions in the same order
  • Use an interview panel
  • Administer interview to all applicants Situational Interview
    role play for a prospective position

Performance Appraisal

Most common types:

Graphic rating scale:  provides a numerical and descriptive anchor for behavioral dimensions.  Example:  on the dimension of "collegiality," anchor points may be

1                         2                      3                      4                       5

grossly              Poor                  Average            Good              Superior
inadequate

What are the downfalls of this type of system?

Forced ranking

Employees are chronologically ordered by their "achievements." 

"Critics say the practice can be arbitrary, unfair, illegal, a morale killer and death to teamwork...people fear they will be judged unfairly while mediocre workers hunker down or play political games to survive.  Forced ranking is subject to favoritism, trading, and other forms of gamesmanship."   

Source:  HRMagazine, June 2003

Behaviorally anchored rating scale

BARS combines elements of graphic rating scale with descriptions of actual employee behaviors to provide a more comprehensive view of job elements. 

Behavioral dimensions and anchor points, and corresponding descriptions should be predetermined: 

On the dimension of oral communication skills (fictitious example): 

    Is inarticulate; becomes extremely nervous and tongue-tied when asked to give a
        presentation or speak to a group of workers; refuses to volunteer for speaking
        engagements
    Is able to give a presentation, but displays several distracting mannerisms and
        always does the bare minimum in terms of information coverage
    Volunteers to research issues and report back to the group; can do so in a manner
        that is engaging
    Is a good speaker; is frequently volunteers to give reports, and makes valuable
        contributions within meetings
    Is an excellent speaker; serves as a role model for junior employees, and often
        coaches them on how to be an effective contributor within team meetings

    Subsequently, managers would have to provide an actual behavioral description of that employee's behavior to support the actual rating chosen.   

    Ideally, appraisals should be developmental in nature, focusing on how to leverage on an individual's strengths and enhance their career progression.  However, little time is typically devoted to employee development, or to appraisals themselves.  Appraisals that are done in a haphazard or lackadaisical manner may be subject to charges of negligent appraisal (failure to conduct appraisals with due care), or defamation (false appraisal information that could potentially be career damaging).  As in interviews, dimensions on which employees are rated should be developed from a job analysis.  Optimally, these should be communicated pre-appraisal in a performance plan.

    Appraisal systems should include:

    job analysis
    a formal rating instrument that is applied to everyone
    supervisor training
    counseling for poor performance, preferably with a plan for improvement devised
        by both the supervisor and employee

   

Electronic appraisals

    Performance NOW:  managers rate employees on a scale of 1-5 on various dimensions, then the program generates descriptions for each anchor

    Review Writer:  A type of artificial intelligence in which descriptors are selected, and the manager either agrees or disagrees with computer generated statements

    Employee Appraiser:  tutorial software geared to help managers give better appraisals

    The Software Says You're Just Average - Businessweek Online

Politics

    Appraisal in general (and in particular, forced ranking and graphic rating scale) are subject to politics, or activities outside an employee's designated job duties.  In Behind the Mask:  The Politics of Employee Appraisal, authors Longenecker, Sims, and Gioia state that managers may inflate appraisals for the following reasons:
     

    Maximize the merit increase
    Desire to "protect" an employee whose performance is temporarily faltering
    Unwillingness to air "dirty laundry"
    To recognize effort
    Avoid confrontation
    To remove a problem employee

    Ratings may be deflated for the following reasons:
     

    to "jolt" a subordinate when coaching fails
    to squelch rebellion
    as part of a pretermination procedure

   

Other political considerations:

    Recency effect:  greater weight is given to events that have occurred directly preceding the appraisal

    Contrast error:  the phenomenon in which individuals are judged in relation to their peers, even though the evaluation is of individual performance

    Halo effect:  ratings are high on all dimensions because of one overriding positive characteristic

    Horn effect:  ratings are low on all dimensions because of one overriding negative characteristic

    Central tendency error:  some managers (to avoid having to explain rating variability) will rate all employees average, or a variation thereof

Politics Test

    Employees may exert their own influence in an attempt to sway subsequent evaluations in their favor.  The attempt to manipulate others' perceptions of you is termed impression management.  Can consist of:

    "Dress for Success:"  "Wardrobe Wisdom for Men and Women"

    Association:  creating a positive linkage between what someone else likes and your
                       own preferences

    Managing the relationship with your boss (from www.fortune.com/fortune/annie/0,15704,699917,00.html):

    Show loyalty: take their side on issues, show gratitude, follow their advice;
        showing discretion

    "Make me look good:"  [Stay in the background, give them credit]

    "I expect perfection:"  mirror your boss's work ethic; "work the same hours as
         your boss does, and never whine;" pay attention to detail

    Soft skills have major importance on the job:

    Starting a New Job?  Don't Blow it
    Brownnosing Beats Boasting in Job Interviews
    Like it or not, Golf can Drive Careers

    The dual career ladder is an option for those individuals who do not wish to manage people.  Specifically, employees may advance along a path that allows them to practice and enhance their technical skills.

    Sycophancy

    Political maneuvering can be carried too far...as in the case of a sycophant, or "one who approaches greatness on his belly so that he may not be commanded to turn and be kicked."  A sycophant is a pleaser, and a servile flatter.

    How will a sycophant behave toward the boss?

    The "slime effect" (Vonk & Roos, 1998) refers to a peer who is friendly and supportive of the boss, but who reacts in a reverse manner with peers, and with those who are lower in the organizational hierarchy.

    Training

    Those who are effective at managing their relationships at work are more likely to be included (according to Leader/Member Exchange theory) in the boss's "ingroup."  Ingroup members are prime candidates for specialized training, high level exposure, and opportunities for advancement.

    Benefits

    SAS:     http://www.sas.com/jobs/USjobs/benefits.html
    Google: http://www.google.com/support/jobs/bin/static.py?page=benefits.html
        Cafeteria:  http://wistechnology.com/article.php?id=2190

International HR

 

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