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(26, 07, 2013)
The modern business environment is so complex and challenging that only those organizations can survive who have a team of highly competent, educated and committed workforce. The employees must be talented enough to cope with diversified business situations. In addition, they must be capable of meeting challenging deadlines and can alter their behavior and working style according to the requirement of the task at hand. The availability of such talented staff is only possible through highly competitive and fair recruitment and selection system. A part from recruitment and selection, the retention of employees is also a very challenging job for the management. Many traditional organizations fail to retain their staff due to conservative human resource policies and practices. Every organizational behavior study concludes similar reasons that force people to leave their job or engage them in looking for better career opportunities elsewhere. First of all, limited career growth opportunities and lack of recognition and reward for their work is the main constraint for employees in maintaining long term relationship with the organization. The second reason is that their superiors or line managers in the hierarchy do not respect their position and not even offer deserving incentives and other job perks. One more factor is the lack of flexible working schedule, the employees are expected to present in the organization even in idle working hours. The research has indicated that flexible working schedule not only improves employee productivity but also ensures greater control of costs and processes of the organization.
In traditional organizations, employees are not given the opportunity to participate in decision making process and therefore they feel dissatisfied and try to switch their jobs at the earliest. The strategic managers dictate them the goals to be accomplished without taking into the account the operational and ground level realties. To overcome the issue of employee dissatisfaction, the modern day organizations adopt approaches such as goal congruence and management by objectives and employee involvement. These strategies have been successful in eliminating and addressing human resource problems and issues. An effective performance appraisal system can be helpful in enhancing employee satisfaction too some extent. However, the senior managers show strong concerns on 360 degree evaluation criteria. In order to ensure that only those people are hired who can sustain long term relationship is only possible when managers work in collaboration with their subordinates and recognize their contributions in achieving organizational goals. The job specification is the most important thing in hiring the right person for the job. The job description should also be comprehensively defined to all the employees so that they would have a clear idea about their roles and responsibilities and what is expected of them.
During the recruitment process, the prospective employees should be well informed about the human resource policies of the company and their expected attitude to work while working for the organization. The proper job analysis will establish job relatedness and employees will have an idea about the training opportunities, compensation and benefits and other necessary information about the job. The job analysis also put together the individuals into likeminded groups where they work jointly and learn and understand the importance of team work. The employees who would be willing to work after knowing the complete job description and on job responsibilities will not hesitate in joining the organization and those who are not comfortable with the policy will leave at the initial stage without wasting valuable organizational time and resources. The appropriate job specification helps the organization invite application from relevant people and the proper job description ensures the flow of organizational work and then the job analysis helps to retain employees by determining training needs, compensation packages, performance appraisal and productivity of employees. The process of job analysis is actually an organizational commitment towards its employees and it makes them feel confident that organization is perennially engaged in making their life better. It makes them obliged to perform their duties effectively and efficiently and in the best interest of the organization so that organization and employees both attain their goals simultaneously. After hiring the firm must pay adequate attention on the induction process and the new comers should be made familiar with the company culture and expected behavior and working style of the organization so that they will not face any problem from the beginning and can commence their work comfortably.
It is an established fact that managers cannot always follow a policy of idealism. They have to follow the principles of realism to make the work done. There are many employees who meet the characteristics of theory X as defined by McGregor and always avoid work whenever possible. There is a possibility that managers can alter the behavior of Theory X employees to Theory Y through their polite behavior and by engaging employees in an MBO approach. MBO is an acronym for management by objectives; it is an approach through which the management and the workers set performance goals jointly. Having participated in setting their own goals, the employees become more determined, engaged and serious in achieving organizational goals because their personal targets are subject to the attainment of corporate goals. There are various management theories and practices which must be made a part of human resource policy to protect the interests of both, the employee and the employer
The firm must offer attractive packages which at least ensure the minimum criteria of Maslow’s need theory. The managers must follow a strategy based on dual factors as defined by Herzberg. The Henri Fayol’s management principles if properly adopted the relationship between the managers and their subordinates will remain everlasting because proper division of work, unity of command and direction and remuneration will strengthen the organizational hierarchy and ensure cordial working environment. The corporate managers should made divisional managers responsible to encourage general good feelings and harmony among the work force. Most of times, the labour unions and workers representative bodies exploit the loop holes in the policies and legislation and try to influence management in achieving their personal goals. The managers need to adopt an intelligent approach to slim the chances of such aggressive measures by the unions. The job rotation, career development opportunities and diversified roles and responsibilities will play a significant role in retaining employees for the longer period.
Career prospects and chances of promotions are the most important factor in not only retaining existing employees but also in inviting applications from the most competent prospective employees. The attractive compensation packages, bonuses and other fringe benefits will play a decisive role in persuading employees to stick to one organization. The post retirement benefits actually ensures life time financial security so people tend to work for those organizations who provide excellent benefits and pension contribution plans. The important issue is that people value things in monetary terms and money definitely provides a means of acquiring desired stuff to live a better life. Regardless of the position on the hierarchy, the money motivates individuals and enhances their productivity on job.
The good compensation packages foster employee performance and helps the organization to attract and retain skilled and experienced individuals. It actually dramatically changes the culture, values, and structure of the organization. When people get true value of money against rendering their services for the organization their morale is increased and they feel confident about their job which also enables them to live a respectable and prosperous life in the society. The employees’ attire, behavior and attitude design a new culture of the organization that is full of energy, motivation, confidence, and respect for organizational and personal values which results in loyal work force. A good psychological contract between the employer and the employee is essential to corporate success. It requires both, the employers on one hand and the employee on other to build a trustworthy relationship in the organization. To best exploit the skills and expertise of employees, many of the modern organizations follow a policy of gain sharing arrangement and performance related pay. To become entitled to such benefits employees work really hard and in the best interest of the organization. To ensure a successful human resource development program is actually expected from the managers and it also tests their leadership skills.
The successful manager is the one whose subordinates are comfortable while working under him. A manager is obliged to share the contribution of his team members in attaining divisional goals instead of taking full credit on his own for accomplishing organizational objectives. Conflict is an unavoidable feature of the managerial working but it can be addressed properly through mutual understanding. To minimize the chances the conflict it is the responsibility of the manager to ensure open communication between departments and up and down the hierarchy. The managers should ensure a dialogue and negotiation culture in resolving disputes. It would be worthwhile to achieve win win outcome to best achieved organization goals which would eventually ensure the acquisition of envisioned destination
References
Jyothi, P. and Venkatesh, D. (2006). Human resource management. Delhi: Oxford University Press.
Robbins, S. (2005). Organizational behavior. Upper Saddle River, NJ: Pearson Prentice Hall.
