NOTES
Self-Instructional
Material 23
Approaches
can lead to an increased understanding of and improvement in HRM practices.
Managers make decisions and solve problems. To make decisions about
personnel and to solve human resource problems, managers gather data and
draw conclusions from these data. Research can lead to an increased
understanding of and improvement in HRM practices. In fact, engaging in some
type of research into what is happening in the HRM discipline can be viewed as
necessary for one’s survival as a manager over the long term. Research can
additionally help managers answer questions about the success of programmes
such as those for training and development — for which they may bear
responsibility.
7. Compensation/Benefits
Wages and salaries, the payment received for performing work, is a major
component of the compensation and reward process which is aimed at reimbursing
employees for their work and motivating them to perform to the best of their
abilities. In addition to pay, most employees receive benefits such as ESI, leave
travel concession, and they receive non-financial rewards such as security,
recognition and privileges. Although individual employees vary in the extent to
which they value pay in relation to other work rewards, for most people the pay
received for work is a necessity.
Determining wage and salary payments is one of the most critical aspects of
human resource management because:
(a) The organization’s reward system has a profound effect on the
recruitment, satisfaction and motivation of employees and
(b) Wage and salaries represent a considerable cost to the employer.
A carefully designed wage and salary programme that is administered
according to sound policies and consistently applied rules is essential if human
resources are to be used effectively to achieve organizational objectives.
8. Employee Assistance
Employee assistance focuses on providing mechanism for personal problem solving
and counselling individual employees.
9. Union/Labour Relations
Unions frequently develop because employees are frustrated in achieving
important goals on an individual basis and unionizing is the only countervailing
technique available to achieve these goals. The establishment of good labour
relations depends on constructive attitude on the part of both management and
the union. The constructive attitude in its turn depends on all the basic policies
and procedures laid down in any organization for the promotion of healthy
industrial relations.
