1. Do NowWhat do you remember fromOperational Strategies . Test
what youve learned!
2. Understanding HR Objectives and Strategies
3. Learning ObjectivesBy the end of the lesson you should be
able to:1. Identify the range of HR objectives typically set by
larger businesses.2. Explain how internal and external factors can
influence the setting of HR objectives.3. Understand the difference
between hard and soft approaches to HR.4. Evaluate the relative
strengths and weaknesses of hard and soft HR strategies.
4. Human Resource Management (HRM) What is HRM?Making the best
use of all employees to achieve corporate goals. Can you identify
HR objectives? Decide True or False
5. HR Objective?Maintaining good use of employer- employee
relations? TRUE
6. HR Objective?Making full use of the workforces potential.
TRUE
7. HR Objective?Ensuring trade unions have control of employees
rights. FALSE
8. HR Objective?Ensuring that employees receive full fringe
benefits. FALSE
9. HR Objective?Minimising labour costs. TRUE
10. HR Objective?Matching workforce location to business needs.
TRUE
11. HR Objective?Matching workforce size to business needs.
TRUE
12. HR Objective?Ensuring that employees work for the maximum
number of hours. FALSE
13. HR Objective?Matching workforce skills to business needs.
TRUE
14. Matching workforce sizeto business needsInnovation, changes
in production techniques, technologicalchange or expansion all lead
to a change in the size of theworkforce a company needs.Rolls Royce
1. Why do you think that Rolls-Royce created jobIn Jan 2008,
Rolls-Royce announced plans loses confined to theto cut its global
workforce of nearly 40,000 managerial, professionalby just under 6%
to boost and efficiency and and clerical staff?competitiveness. The
2,300 job losses wereconfined to the companies managerial, 2. What
are the benefits andprofessional and clerical staff. Rolls-Royce
downsides to this?said that it would continue to recruitgraduates,
apprentices and those required 3. What other functionaldirectly to
deliver growth. area does this link to?
15. Making full use of the workforces potentialIt is
inefficient for a business to under-utilise the skills of
itsemployees, in just the same way that it should make full use
ofits productive capacity. 1. Do you think that this employee
potential is being used? 2. What issues can be caused through not
making full use of an employees potential?
16. Maintaining good employer-employee relationsWhen the
relationship between workers and managementbreaks down, there is
often press coverage which causes badpublicity for a
business.Abercrombie & Fitch AppleRead the case study and Read
the case study andhighlight the key points. highlight the key
points.What were the issues? What were the issues?How was the
affect on the How was the affect on thebusiness? business?
17. Internal and External Influences on HR objectivesObjectives
selected by the HR function cannot be chosen inisolation and must
take into account influences from within andoutside the
organisation. Group 1 List any internal influences on 2 minutes HR
Objectives. Group 2 List any external influences on HR
objectives.
18. Internal and External Influences on HR objectivesObjtives
selected by the HR function cannot be chosen in isolationand must
take into account influences from within and outsidethe
organisation.Internal influences on HR objectives External
influences on HR objectives1. Group 1 List any Corporate objectives
overall goal will 1. Market growth if in a growth market then
determine the HR goals/ strategies. may have to focus on expanding
internal influences on 2 minutes recruitment or training.2. HR
Objectives. Corporate finance determine whether business will
expand or economise. 2. Changes in employment law changes in the
minimum wage.3. Operational objectives is there scope for factory
automation as redundancies or 3. Changes in competition new fierce
Group 2 List any redeployment necessary. competitor may force a
business to cut4. external influences on Marketing plans If launch
in China, HR R&T costs sharply. HR objectives. may have to
change. 4. Technological change can have a big impact on the skills
required by employees.
19. Soft and Hard HR Management Which one? Features: Fixed-term
contracts. External recruitment. Features: Judgemental appraisal
systems. Training and development Limited delegation of
opportunities. authority. Internal promotion. Tall organisational
structure. Developmental appraisal systems. Minimum wage levels.
Consultation and empowerment. Flat organisational structure.
20. Soft and Hard HR Management Where is this used? What
approach do you think is best? Soft or Hard?
21. Test Yourself.1. Explain why matching workforce skills,
size and location are important HR objectives in a large
organisation.2. Distinguish between soft and hard HR management.3.
It is claimed that more and more businesses are spying on employees
who claim to be sick. The aim is to reduce absenteeism which costs
firms in the UK millions of pounds every year. What are the
benefits and drawbacks of a firm such as Next using this strategy
as its stores?
22. Finally.Write down 3 externalfactors influencing
objectives.Write down 2 advantages ofsoft HR Management.Write down
1 definition forHRM
23. Re-cap Learning ObjectivesYou should now be able to:1.
Identify the range of HR objectives typically set by larger
businesses.2. Explain how internal and external factors can
influence the setting of HR objectives.3. Understand the difference
between hard and soft approaches to HR.4. Evaluate the relative
strengths and weaknesses of hard and soft HR strategies.