What are the Human Resource Policies and Procedures?

Human Resource Policies and Procedures; They can define as “continuing guidelines on the approach the organization intends to adopt in managing its people”. They exist formal rules adopted by a business that defines how to employ, train, assess, and reward the personnel, forming the philosophies of the organization; which lead to the principles that managers exist supposed to practice when coping with HR matters.

Here is the article to explain, How to define the Human Resource Policies and Procedures?

Consequently, human resource policies and procedures help in the decision-making process concerning staff when HR practices unfold. The assignment looks at an HR policies concept that promises to help organizations to manage various situations in the working environment. The central statement that this part attempted to discuss and debate is:

Introduction;

According to Salinas O. in his Article “Other concepts and tools in Human Resources”. Policies of recruitment, implementation, maintenance, development, and control of Human resources are vital for the proper performance of the workforce in the company.

“In our opinion, the policies set by the company will never be unnecessary, just poorly developed or they have not been designed”.

Advantages and Disadvantages of Human Resource Policies and Procedures;

The main claim made for human resource policies and procedures is that when they exist well-organized; it can eliminate potential misinterpretations between employees and employers defining their rights and obligations within the firm.

Ramey & Sniffen claim that;

“Sound human resource policy is a necessity in the growth of any business or company”.

Authors believe that recognition of this necessity usually appears after the increase in time and money wasted on resolving human resource issues. These resources could exist well spent on production, marketing, and planning for growth.

Effective, consistent, and fair human resource decisions exist often made more time-consuming by a lack of written, standardized policies and procedures. The advantages of written HR policies may sound obvious, but there are also disadvantages.

According to Armstrong, formal policies can be inflexible, constrictive, and platitudinous. Moreover, policies exist often expressed in abstract terms that may lead managers to get confused over abstractions.

It appeared that even though HR experts tend to believe that written policies are a necessity, employees are usually against them; it as written records may become dangerous and can be used against them in a lawsuit and vice versa; the organization can become a subject to similar attacks.

Organizational Analysis;

We can notice examples that show us the relationship between cause and effect of the poorly developed policies; which further lead to organizational problems and low productivity. This can reflect in the following organizational examples analyzed below; however, some of the organizations mentioned have adopted some human resource policies and procedures which brought a positive impact on the organization.

Organizational Examples;

Wright et al. argue that companies start treating people as a human capital of competitive advantage; which can take through the human resource policies and procedures that best leverage HR practices and its performance. Hilton International’s UK hotels perceive this idea as being fundamentally concerned with the deployment of a service culture; throughout the organization by paying special attention to line manager involvement in human resource practice.

HR policy stands also designed to address gender issues with an emphasis on equal opportunities and efficiency concerns. Not taking these issues seriously usually leads to sexual discrimination, particularly among the woman’s workforce sector.

Examples of Human Resource Policies and Procedures Company;

A study conducted by Standing describes the lack of reference to gender issues mostly in developing countries. It is exemplified that in Zimbabwe women’s formal sector employment is mainly in the service sector and women stand at the lower end of the hierarchy and salary grades. It exists also noted that in Uganda, only 3.7% of women are employed in professional, technical, clerical, and managerial occupations.

LG Electronics India Company;

LG Electronics India had come up with a new and improved HR Policy by introducing the Joyful Working 5 (JW5) program. To accelerate and strengthen the Culture at LGEIL as the survey stood conducted within the company; which mainly focused on the monotony employees are facing at work and the boredom they are undergoing. Such policy created the platform for both the employees and employers in a better understanding and pleasant work environment; which not only helped the company create a compelling future; but also build the culture of striving for the number one position in the industry.

NHS Direct or UNISON Company;

NHS Direct was planning to redundant some of their employees in the next few months. With the formal company policies in place; the UNISON union committee had fought back with the statement that NHS Direct has breached policy for reasons; which include failing to consult with UNISON’s collective committee that there were plans to issue an advance notice of redundancies.

As a result, NHS Direct’s director of human resources said;

“If the proposal is accepted, we would, wherever possible, offer staff alternative employment at nearby NHS Direct sites, and redundancies would only take effect as a last resort”.

Blue Cross Company;

This is a case about Blue Cross Company; according to Larson, Susan Baldwin working for Blue Cross Company claimed she existed subjected to various profanities and sexual innuendo from her boss. Blue Cross immediately interviewed Scott Head, the alleged harasser, and three other employees, but no one substantiated Baldwin’s claims. Rather than terminating or disciplining the supervisor, Blue Cross gave him a warning and offered to hire an industrial psychologist to counsel both him and Baldwin. She refused. When Baldwin refused Blue Cross’s subsequent offer to transfer her to another location, she stood terminated. Her lawsuit followed quickly.

The court found that Blue Cross was not liable for discrimination for terminating Baldwin because, “Firing an employee because she will not cooperate with the employer’s reasonable efforts to resolving her complaints is not discrimination based on sex, even if the complaints are about sexual harassment”. The court also found that Blue Cross was not liable for the alleged acts of its supervisor; because it exercised reasonable care to promptly correct harassing behavior; as soon as it existed reported, and Baldwin unreasonably failed to take advantage of the remedial actions Blue Cross offered.

Sharon Coleman a former legal secretary;

A case about Sharon Coleman a former legal secretary in July 2008, won a legal battle in the European Court of Justice against her employers Attridge Law (now called EBR Attridge LLP); whom she accused of discriminating against her at the workplace and of having forced her into accepting voluntary redundancy.

As Coleman had a 4-year-old son who existed disabled, born with a medical condition that led to his having difficulties in breathing and hearing. According to Coleman, she existed treated differently at work from other employees, who had normal children. By the law of Flexibility in the Workplace & Discrimination by Association, Coleman sued the company and won her legal battle.

Eli Lilly & Company;

Eli Lilly & Company (Lilly) world’s leading Pharmaceuticals Company; which claims to have a very good diversity program running at the company and existed also widely regarded as a very good employer, faced a federal lawsuit regarding the company’s human rights policies and practices. On April 20, 2006, a class-action lawsuit stood filed with the US District Court, Southern District of Indiana, by four black employees who had worked at Lilly. The lawsuit charged the company with being hostile and biased against them because of their race. Lilly stood accused of discriminating against the black employees based on race and denying them fair wages, promotions, performance evaluations, and discipline.

General Electric Company;

In terms of renovation, reinvention, transformation, or redesign; General Electric has done emphasis on having a good working relationship and keeping the best atmosphere for their employees. According to Immelt J, people are the most important value in General Electric. Therefore, the ability to recruit the best people in the world is a competitive advantage without comparison. A strategic point in the management of RH is the communication chain, at the same time; the leaders must be able to represent employers and employees. Clear human resource policies and procedures are essential so employees could understand their company and gain a sense of belonging.

Harley Davison Company;

Harley Davison has a human resources system based on formal training and learning management. The result of this is that their employees share a positive attitude that exists associated with the development and competitiveness of this Company.

Harley Davison institutionalizes its commitment to learning and created the University of Harley to develop leaders, translating values into action with an emotional performance in which the value attached to learning applies and, the evaluation of individual performance shapes a new organization in which the learning share and it is the ingredient that binds employees.

IKEA Company;

For the Swede Ingvar Kamprad Founder of IKEA company, who started his idea in 1943, thinking about the necessities of the common people and nowadays his company has branches in 36 countries of Europe, Asia, North America and Oceania with more than 200 stores, the protection, and care of his employees is and will be one of the most important policy, doing of them, a company with high social responsibility.

Currently, IKEA has more than 105.000 employees, for this reason; their greatest concern for them give their employees a good balance between work and personal life; therefore, they have kept flexibility in their tasks and activities, suitable schedules, plans of professional development, support in different studies as college or universities and medical coverage; consequently of their policies in RH and programs for employees, IKEA has received several awards.

Walmart Company;

WALMART is a company that is in the top 5 of the greatest companies in the world. Its success is based mainly on “customers and employees” the policies created around the employees were essential in his goals; Sam Walson founder offered their employees, benefits, and gains, they were part of the excellent results.

In other words, Sam Walson wanted his employees to be members, encouraging cashiers to managers to think about how owners, ideas very successful likewise, for him, was fundamental to have employees with new ideas, clear thoughts, and a positive minds without bad habits from their previous jobs.

Nestlé Company;

Nestlé was a result of the merger in 1905 of the Anglo-Swiss Condensed Milk, founded in 1866, with (Farine Lactea) Nestlé SA.; Founded in 1867 by Henri Nestlé; who invented a product that continues to save the lives of children and newborn – infant formula for babies whose mothers cannot breastfeed; its success is the sum of a long and distinguished history, part of its success is based on the thought; that their partners should achieve a good balance between their careers and their privacy. Not only because it reinforces loyalty, satisfaction and it improves productivity; also it has a positive impact on the reputation of the Company and attracts and motivates employees.

Microsoft Company;

According to the list of Best Workplaces 2007, Microsoft has existed designated; as the company with a better working environment, the study includes credibility, respect, fairness, pride, and camaraderie. According to it, the Microsoft executives are fulfilling their promises in creating career and training opportunities and properly assigning functions (promotions to worthy people); the company involves employees in decision-making takes into account their suggestions, recognizes his work, and allows flexibility.

American Express Company;

Employee networks are a key element of American Express’ success in supporting diversity in the workplace. Currently, American Express has 10 networks open to all employees organized around topics of interest to African-American, Asian, Christian, Gay & Lesbian, Hispanic, Jewish, and Native American employees, as well as for People over 40, People with Disabilities, and Women. These networks provide support to American Express’ business objectives, including enhancing marketing efforts in targeted communities, supporting employee recruitment and retention initiatives, and participating in outreach and volunteer programs.

These networks have also been instrumental in helping to introduce new policies and benefits to employees. For example, GLOBE, the company’s gay and lesbian network, was instrumental in having domestic partner benefits introduced back in 1997. And WIN, the women’s network, worked with management to introduce a customized companywide alternative work arrangements policy; as well as a free backup childcare center in several locations throughout the United States.

ENRON Company;

Mishandling of the resources human policies can lead to failure. Such as is the case of ENRON one of the seven biggest companies in the United States; the problem existed focused on a poor policy of recruitment and selection, due to, the chosen people with high qualifications; but they were not suitable for the position, besides people hired by just friendship, taking wrong decisions in critical situations.

This is the case of Cindy Olson who was HR Vice-President of ENRON. She did not have enough knowledge about United States laws regarding employee benefits, giving wrong advice on investment over stock options. The previous point represents a serious violation of the financial legislation in the United State of America.

Conclusions;

Looking at the evidence provided, it seems that the production and maintenance of formal human resource policies and procedures records exist applied in ways that assure that personnel management policies are in use. Companies typically have to make revisions to established HR policies regularly; otherwise, there is a danger of those policies becoming outdated as the company grows; and as the regulatory and business environments in which it operates evolve.

On the other side, Policies can make today and changed tomorrow who can stop the management from doing that? Most research on human resource (HR) policies in the workplace suggests that formal policies can contribute to variation in discrimination by altering employers’ behaviors. We consider an alternative manner by which HR policies influence formal discrimination complaints; human resource policies and procedures, especially those targeting employees, can raise employees’ rights awareness and encourage them to seek remedies for discrimination at work.