CHARACTERISTICS OF PERSONNEL MANAGEMENT

It is concerned with employees: Personnel Management is concerned with employees both as individuals and also as a group. Personnel Management is function or activity aiding and directing workmen in maximizing their personal contribution and satisfaction in employment, bringing them an equitable, just and humane treatment, and adequate security from employment.

 

It covers all levels of personnel: It refers not only to labor or, what you may call ‘blue collared’ employees, like craftsmen, foremen, operatives and labourers, but also the ‘white collared’ employees, like professional and technical workers, managers, officials, clerical workers, sales workers, etc.

 

The concern for the employees is to help them: The employees are helped to develop their potentialities and capacities to the full so that they can derive the greatest satisfaction from their work.

 

It is inherent in all organisation: It is as useful and effective in government departments and non-profit organizations as in a business organisation. Moreover, it covers all types of functional management such as production management, financial management, marketing management etc.

 

It is of a continuous nature: Personnel management requires constant alertness and awareness of human relations and their importance in everyday operations.

 

It attempts at getting the willing cooperation of the people for the attainment of the desired goals: This is necessary because work cannot be effectively performed in isolation without the promotion and development of an esprit de corps.

ORGANISATIONAL CONTEXT-1

Managing in turbulent times requires organizations to raise basic questions as to their nature and purpose. Strategic management involves consideration of the following aspects:

·         Mission and Strategy

·         Formal Structure

·         Human Resource System

These three aspects are discussed there from the personnel management point of view.

 

Mission and Strategy 

An organization needs a reason for being i.e. mission, and a sense of direction as to how to carry it out i.e. strategy. Most of our organizations, particularly in the public sector, have multiple objectives. The loose definition of objectives and their plurality often provides an excuse to dilute accountability. The paucity of data on human resources often makes it difficult to include it in the process of strategy formulation. 

The macro-objective pf Gross National Product (GNP) an the standard of living and the micro-objective of Return on Investment (ROI) and quality of work life provide enormous opportunities for the personnel function to make significant contributions. Personnel should adopt the language of business and relate its effectiveness in relation to the business objectives concerning output, profit, and contribution to society. Peers in other functions focus on income, assets, liabilities, sales, costs and profits while personnel continue to talk about feelings.

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Demographic and Socio-cultural

Demographic

Today we continue our talk and demographic as a part of environmental aspects and we are going to discuss on another aspects and which is Socio-cultural. The sex composition of workers has also been changing. Earlier, women were recruited mainly as labor in agriculture and related traditional industries like plantations, etc. Now they are increasingly occupying white collar and managerial positions. Etc. Now they are increasingly occupying white collar and managerial positions. Working women, especially in developing countries like ours, are beginning to resist discrimination against them by employers and sexual harassment at work place.

 

Socio-cultural

Hindu religion and culture does not teach people to be idle. It is enjoined that one should do one’s duty not in return or expectation of its fruit but because it is one’s dharma. High quality work without supervision over long hours, almost unrelated to its fruits in monetary terms, is done by the self-employed persons, e.g., craftsmen, fishermen, housewives, and employees of small unorganized units, in towns and villages. On the other hand, the question of lack of work culture or ethics is discussed largely in the context of large scale organized industry primarily in urban areas. Even in urban areas office interior is different than in rural areas. In urban areas offices are having vertical window blinds with roman shades or other shades. Which in rural areas, offices are having curtains.

 

roman shades, vertical blinds

Employee Welfare and Quality of Work Life

Employees at lower levels in the organization usually perform relatively monotonous tasks and have fewer opportunities for promotion or change. This is particularly true in developing countries. In most countries, many employees belong to trade unions. In order to maintain their work commitment and motivation, the organization must provide some welfare benefits such as medical insurance, disability insurance, and holidays and vacations.  

 

Quality-of-work-life programmes generally focus on the environment within the organization and included: basis physical concern such as heating and air conditioning, lighting, and safety precautions; additional physical amenities such as food and beverages facilities, recreation, and aesthetics; and psychological and motivational factors such as flexible work hours, freedom to suggest changes or improvements, challenging work, and varying degrees of autonomy.  

 

HRD systems focus on employee welfare and quality of work life by continually examining employee needs and meeting them to the extent feasible. Job-enrichment programmes, educational subsidies, recreational activities, health and medical benefits, and the like generate a sense of belonging that benefits the organization in the long run.