COURSE: Human Resource Management

DURATION: 10 Weeks

START DATE: 25th September 2019

LOCATION: Chaguanas

DAY/TIME: 5:30 p.m.

LECTURER & QUALIFICATIONS: Mr. Pavel Quamie

Course Overview

This course will provide a foundational understanding of Human Resource Management (HRM) and its importance within
an organization. We live in a world characterized by rapid change, globalization, and diversity. HRM will offer insights into
the importance of the key functional HRM areas to organizational success. It will also provide guidance for potential HR
professionals and managers to create an ethical and healthy work climate.

This course will introduce students to the dynamic and diverse field of HRM so that they may develop a solid understanding
of the main HRM functions – Manpower Planning; Recruitment & Selection; Orientation, Training & Development;
Performance Management; Compensation Management; and Employee Relations.

Aims of the course

This course offers an introduction to the subject of HRM by explaining what the role entails as well as theories that can be
applied in order to improve the overall operations of the organization. The aims are:

• To devise, implement and monitor policies which satisfy both the financial and psychological needs of employees
by motivating and committing them towards achievement of the organization’s goals.
• To balance the needs of the organization with those of the employees.
• To match the skills of the workforce with the ever-changing requirements of the organization.
• To maximize the skills of individual employees.

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Learning Outcomes:

• Identify, describe and explain the importance of the key functions of HRM.
• Explain the strategic and administrative roles that the HR function plays in an organization.
• Describe the current and future challenges facing HR practitioners.
• Explain the policies, theories and strategies, used by practitioners, to address contemporary HR issues.
• Analyze current HR practices in the context of these policies, theories and strategies

Learning Resources:

Textbook: -
Hollenbeck, John & Gehart , Barry & Noe, Raymond 6th Edition, Fundamentals of Human Resource Management ISBN 978-
0-07-771836-7

Journals: -
• Research Gate
• Harvard Business Review

Websites: -

• Society for Human Resource Management www.shrm.org

• TLNT WWW.TLNT.COM

• HR Guide www.hr-guide.com

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Assessment and Grading scheme:

This course will be assessed as follows:

• Attendance & Participation – 10 %
• Coursework Assessment – 90%

Grading Scheme:

PERCENTAGE
GRADE GRADE POINT
RANGE
A+ 90 - 100 4
A 85 - 89 3.7
A- 80 - 84 3.4
B+ 77 - 79 3
B 73 - 76 2.7
B- 70 - 72 2.4
C+ 65 - 69 2
C 55 - 64 1.7
D 50 - 54 1
F 0 - 49 0

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Content Covered:

Session
Topic and Assigned Readings
No.
Orientation
THE HUMAN RESOURCE ENVIRONMENT: Managing the HR Environment
• Definition of HRM and how HRM contributes to an organization’s performance.
• Responsibilities of HR departments.
1
• Types of skills needed for a functional HR Department.
• Role of Supervisors.
• Ethical/Unethical issues in HRM.
• Career Paths and Progression HRM.
THE HUMAN RESOURCE ENVIRONMENT: Analyzing Work & Designing Jobs
• Elements of work flow analysis and how work flow is related to an organization’s structure.
• How to conduct a job analysis.
2
• Elements and trends in job analysis and their significance to HRM.
• Efficient & effective Job Design Methods
• Ergonomics and its effect on High Performance Working.
RECRUITMENT
• HR Planning in achievement of the organization’s strategy.
• Labour demand for workers in various job categories.
• Advantages and disadvantages of ways to eliminate a labor surplus and avoid a labour
3
shortage.
• Recruitment policies utilized by organizations to make job vacancies more attractive.
• Sources of job applicants.
• Recruiter’s role in recruitment process- limits and opportunities.
SELECTION & ORIENTATION
• Elements of the selection process.
• Ways to measure the success of shortlisting/selection criteria.
• Equal Opportunities Act.
4
• Common methods used for selecting HR.
• Major types of employment assessments.
• How to conduct effective interviews.
• How employers make selection decisions.

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Session
Topic and Assigned Readings
No.
TRAINING & DEVELOPMENT
• Linkage of training programs to organizational needs.
• Assess the need for training.
• Assess employees’ readiness for training.
5
• Plan an effective training program.
• Compare widely used training methods.
• Implement and evaluate a successful training program.
• Describe training methods for employee orientation and diversity management.
PERFORMANCE MANAGEMENT
• Activities involved in performance management.
• Purposes and criteria and methods for measuring effectiveness of performance management
6
systems.
• Sources of performance information in terms of their advantages and disadvantages.
• Types of rating errors and how to minimize them.
SUCCESSION PLANNING
• How development is related to training and careers.
• Methods organizations use for employee development.
7
• How organizations use assessment of personality type, work behaviors, and job performance
to plan employee development.
• How job experiences can be used for developing skills.
EMPLOYEE TURNOVER/STAFF RETENTION
• Difference between involuntary and voluntary turnover, and their effects on an organization.
• How employees determine whether the organization treats them fairly.
8 • Disciplinary Procedures.
• Ways to fairly discipline employees.
• How dissatisfaction affects employee behavior.
• How organizations contribute to employees’ job satisfaction and retain key employees.
COMPENSATING HUMAN RESOURCES: Establishing a Pay Structure
• Establishing a pay structure.
• Legal requirements for pay policies – Minimum Wages Act.
• How economic forces influence decisions about pay.
• How employees evaluate the fairness of a pay structure.
9 • How organizations design pay structures related to jobs.
• Types of pay structures (job-based pay, Commission, Salary).
• How to ensure that pay is in line with the pay structure.
• Issues related to paying employees serving on national duty and paying executives.
• Connection between incentive pay and employee performance.
• How organizations recognize individual performance.

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Session
Topic and Assigned Readings
No.
MEETING OTHER HR GOALS: Collective Bargaining & Labour Relations
• Unions and labour relations’ role in organizations.
• Labour relations goals of management, labour unions, and society.
• Laws and regulations that affect labour relations (Employment Act).
10
• Industrial Relations Act/Laws
• How management and unions negotiate Collective Agreements.
• Practice of contract administration.

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