Q.5. What are the objectives of human relations?

---- As per Assignment set -1 Objectives of Human Relations : The following are the objectives of human relations : 1. A human Relations Programme thereby attempts at enhancing employee motivation and workplace morale through an improved three-way communications and through employee participation in the decision making processes. 2. Human relations seek to emphasise employee aspects of work rather than technical or economic aspects. For example while it might be in the best interest of an organization to have a employee skilled and completely proficient in one job/ set or responsibilities, todays organization provides opportunities for employees to multi-skill and acquire knowledge of new yet related jobs/responsibilities. 3. These acts as a motivator for employees as they benefit by learning new skills / jobs and given an opportunity can perform and excel in another job. 4. It also seeks to make employment and working conditions less impersonal. 5. The human relations approach emphasises policies and techniques designed to improve employee morale and job satisfaction. For example it is common place in organizations to provide for / encourage employee empowerment where-in the team brings about creative measures to reduce cost/ improve customer satisfaction. 6. Such teams design and implement self-driven initiatives to bring about the business result. It is believed that this is accompanied by increased employee efficiency and reduction in employee dissatisfaction. 7. To strengthen and appreciate the human assets continuously by providing training and development programs. 8. To establish and maintain organizational structure and desirable working relationships among all the members of the organization. 9. To provide fair, acceptable and efficient leadership. 10. To provide an opportunity for expression and voice management. 11. To secure the integration of individual or groups within the organization by coordination of the individual and group goals with those of the organization. 12. To identify and satisfy individual and group needs by providing adequate and

equitable wages, incentives, employee benefits and social security and measures for challenging work, prestige, recognition, security, status.

aspects of work rather than technical or economic aspects. For example while it might be in the best interest of an organization to have a employee skilled and completely proficient in one job/set or responsibilities, todays organization provides opportunities for employees to multi-skilland acquire knowledge of new yet related jobs/responsibilities. These acts as a motivator for employees as they benefit by learning new skills / jobs and given an opportunity can perform andexcel in another job. It also seeks to make employment and working conditions less impersonal.The human relations approach emphasises policies and techniques designed to improveemployee morale and job satisfaction. For example it is common place in organizations to provide for / encourage employee empowerment where-in the team brings about creativemeasures to reduce cost/ improve customer satisfaction. Such teams design and implement self-driven initiatives to bring about the business result. It is believed that this is accompanied byincreased employee efficiency and reduction in employee dissatisfaction.An understanding of emerging workplace human behaviour can be summarised as:i) Assist the manager to develop a better realization of how his own attitudes and behaviour playa part in everyday affairs of the team and its morale;ii) Assist the manager to develop a keener sensitivity towards the team members andinterpersonal dynamicsiii) Partner with the managers in helping him drive the business goals and take part ownership of work challenges and how best to resolve themiv) Enable him to anticipate and prevent problems, or at least to resolve more effectively thosethat he cannot avoid; andv) Network with other teams with related dependencies and help resolve inter-team businessimpacting challengesThis Scope of Human Relations springs up from the problems which have many different causesand perspectives. Halloran has stated these as: Every person brings a unique set of talents, ambitions and work experience to a job. These personal attributes change over time, often as a result of the degree of success or failure the person experiences in the work world. Matching so many unique sets of personal qualities to astandardized technology can create problems. The organizational aspects of a company, such as its size, geographic location, economichealth, and degree of automation, define the scope of work and the activity in each work division. These frequently arbitrary, structural definitions often cause difficulties in humanrelations. Innovations in technology and production methods generally require the restructuring of jobroles and responsibilities. Radical changes in basic organizational structure can cause severestrains between employees and management and create intense problems in human relations. Promotion of individuals to positions of greater responsibility and authority generally creates aneed for changed behaviour patterns between the new supervisors and their former peers, whichin time, can create human relations problems. Inexperienced employees may not be able to perform their roles or tasks in work groups in acompetent manner. The time they take to adjust can not only create problems with productionschedules, but can also create particular kinds of human relations problems between them andtheir co-employees and supervisors.The variety of causes of human relations problems lead to the conclusion that no one programmeor single approach can create conditions for good human relations. Therefore, as shared earlier itin common for organizations

and individuals in organization to constantly innovate and resolvechallenges that will benefit both the organization as well as the employee.This helps understand the key HR objectives which can be best illustrated by understanding thefunctions that HR attempts to fulfil in any organization:i) Human Resource Planning estimating the need for resources in order achieve the desired business results. HR plans can be both short term/immediate as well as long term / strategic. TheHR team partners with the line managers to understand the business goals and targets for the year and then together plan the HR needs in order to meet the goals.ii) Acquisition of human resources staffing the organizations with the right mix of skills andcompetencies at the right time. It also includes HR initiatives like promotions and internal job posting to fulfil this requirement for human resources. Staffing teams in organizations are usuallya separate group of specialists who work closely with the line managers to understand the skillsand competencies needed for the job and engage together to select the best talent for the open positions.iii) Training and employee development focuses on managing training activities to upgradeskills and knowledge as well as soft skills like team building and leadership. The training team isagain a group of HR specialists who propose the training program and consult with the linemanagers to ensure that the program achieves the desired outcomes.iv) Building performance management systems focuses on the right processes to set goalsfor performance as individuals/teams and related measurement methods. This is a core HR activity and is supported by the HR generalist.v) Reward systems establishing appropriate compensation systems and reward mechanismsthat would reward the desired outcome and results in accordance with the corporate values. Thisagain forms a part of the HR generalists tasks. How employees progress in a organization howthey are paid w.r.t. internal and external market factors, what employee benefits are offered, aresome aspect that this function redresses.vi) Human Resources Information Systems that would take care of the operational transactionsfrom the time an employee joins till the time the employee exits, like personnel files, compensation administration, payroll, benefits administration and issuing letters andtestimonials. This task is supported by as separate HR operations team who act as a HR helpdesk and provide information to the employees/managers Why is it important to handle grievances carefully? What might happen if an organization does not provide some method by which a employee can voice his complaints and obtain a explanation? The employee will be unhappy, his productivity is impacted, he openly begins to share his discontent with not just his colleagues but also outsiders, friends, relatives, maybe even customers and vendors. Just as the employee has all the right to voice a grievance, as employer (or the management) owes it to the employee to respond suitably to the grievance. It is but commonsense that the resolution of a problem rests on management. The earliest and clearest opportunity for issue resolution is found at the first stage, before the grievance has left the jurisdiction of the manager. For this reason, many firms have specifically trained their managers on

how to handle a grievance or complaint properly. If the dispute or grievance constitutes a managerial problem it can often be resolved by the manager himself with the help of the HR team. The following steps discuss how a grievance can be redressed: 1. Receiving the grievance: The manner and attitude with which the manager receives the complaint of grievance is important. The basic premise is that the manager should at the outset assume that the employee is fair in presenting his/her opinion/complaint. The complaint should not be prejudged on the basis of past experience with this or other employees. When a employee approaches the manager with a issue the manager needs to make himself available to listen it all out and provide him/her the undivided attention. Research confirms that managers who were more task-oriented, as contrasted with managers who were more people-oriented, tended to experience a significantly higher number of grievances being filed in their units. 2. Reviewing the grievance: Once a complaint is received all facts supporting the issue needs to be gathered. Proper record keeping such as performance ratings, job ratings, attending records, and suggestions are reviewed. In addition, with the increasingly legal implications of modern labour-management relations, the manager should keep records on each particular grievance. All action taken, discussions with the employee, summary and what is agreed to all of it needs to be recorded. 3. Analysis and decision: With the problem defined and the facts in hand, the manager must now analyze and evaluate them, and come to some decision. It is important for the manager to involve others in the process to ensure that it is fair and is the best solution. The manager must include the views of his own manager as he might not be aware of all the implications of the problem and its resolution. Involving HR too is a recommended process in all organizations. HR can then seek finance or legal counsel if required, before any decision is taken. All involved in the decision making process need to be aware that the decision may create an undesirable precedence within the department as well as the company. 4. Response: Often it might not be possible to provide a positive resolution to the problem. If the solution decided is adverse to the employees views, attention needs to be given to the method of communication. Employees dislike managers who will take no stand, good or bad. Clearly communicating the message and sharing as much information as possible about the decision making process helps in establishing credibility to the process used to make the decision. The manager can also invite HR or his manager to sit-in on the conversation with the employee. As far as possible this should happen in a face-to-face meeting. In the event an employee wishes to take the appeal beyond to the next stage of the procedure he must be allowed to do so. The manager must have the opportunity to explain his decision to the other members so they can take a well-informed decision. 5. Follow up: The objective of the grievance procedure is to resolve a disagreement between an employee and the organization. Open communication is important for this process. The purpose of phase is to determine whether the

employee feels that the problem has been sufficiently redressed. If follow up reveals that the case has been handled unsatisfactorily, then redefinition of the problem, further fact-finding, analysis, solution and follow up are required. At this stage the manager can step aside and allow someone else in a position of authority like the HR or the managers manager to lead the process and close it.

How can we evaluate the effectiveness of training programs conducted in organizations? Answer: An objective of training evaluation is to determine the payoff from the training investment. Itfocuses on the improvement of the participant in the training programme to perform jobs forwhich they were trained, what was effective and what was not, whether the trainees required anyadditional on the job training, and the extent of training not needed for the participants to meet job requirements.There are various approaches to training evaluation. To get a valid measure of trainingeffectiveness, the manager should accurately assess trainees job performance two to fourmonths after completion of training. However this focus is not easy to establish and track in mostorganizations.Per Kirkpatricks study, training effectiveness of outcome can be measured: 1. Reaction: Evaluate the trainees reaction to the programme. Did he like the programme? Didhe think it worthwhile? 2. Learning: Did the trainee learn the principles, skills and fact that the supervisor or the trainerworked them to learn? 3. Behaviour: Whether the trainees behavior on the job changed because of the trainingprogramme. 4. Result: What final results have been achieved? Did he learn how to work on machine? Didscrap page costs decrease? Was turnover reduced? Are production quotas now being met? etc., Structured interviews with the immediate supervisor of the trainees are acceptable methods forobtaining feedback in training. The supervisor is asked to rate the former trainee on jobproficiency directly related to the training objectives. Another approach is to involve the use of experimental and control groups. Each groups is randomly selected, one to receive training(experimental) and the other not to receive training (control). The random selection helps toassure the formation of groups quite similar to each other. Measures are taken of relevantindicators of success (e.g. words typed per minute, units of work produced per hour etc.) beforeand after training for both groups. If the results shown by the experimental group are 4

significantly greater than those of the control group, the training can be considered as successful.Another common method is the longitudinal or time series analysis. A series of measurementsare taken before the programme begins and continues during and post completion of theprogramme. The results are then plotted on a graph to ascertain changes if any, have occurredand continue to remain as a result of the training investment that was made. In addition, pre-andpost tests are administered to the training groups. Prior to the training, a test related to thetraining material is applied, and the results of this pre-test are compared with results on the sameor similar test administered after the programme has been completed.

Answer:

Evaluation of Training Effectiveness An objective of training evaluation is to determine the payoff from the training investment. It focuses on the improvement of the participant in the training programme to perform jobs for which they were trained, what was effective and what was not, whether the trainees required any additional on the job training, and the extent of training not needed for the participants to meet job requirements. There are various approaches to training evaluation. To get a valid measure of training effectiveness, the manager should accurately assess trainees job performance two to four months after completion of training. However this focus is not easy to establish and track in most organizations. Per Kirkpatricks study, training effectiveness of outcomes can be measured:

Reaction: Evaluate the trainees reaction to the programme. Did he like the programme? Did he think it worthwhile? Learning: Did the trainee learn the principles, skills and fact that the supervisor or the trainer worked them to learn? Behaviour: Whether the trainees behaviour on the job changed because of the training programme. Results: What final results have been achieved? Did he learn how to work on machine? Did scrap page costs decrease? Was turnover reduced? Are production quotas now being met? etc.,

Structured interviews with the immediate supervisor of the trainees are acceptable methods for obtaining feedback in training. The supervisor is asked to rate the former trainee on job proficiency directly related to the training objectives. Another approach is to involve the use of experimental and control groups. Each group is randomly selected, one to receive training (experimental) and the other not to receive training (control). The random selection helps to assure the formation of groups quite similar to each other. Measures are taken of relevant indicators of success (e.g. words typed per minute, units of work produced per hour etc.) before and after training for both groups. If the results shown by the experimental group are

significantly greater than those of the control group, the training can be considered as successful. Another common method is the longitudinal or time series analysis. A series of measurements are taken before the programme begins and continues during and post completion of the programme. The results are then plotted on a graph to ascertain changes if any, have occurred and continue to remain as a result of the training investment that was made. In addition, preand-post tests are administered to the training groups. Prior to the training, a test related to the training material is applied, and the results of this pre-test are compared with results on the same or similar test administered after the programme has been completed. An objective of training evaluation is to determine the payoff from the training investment. It focuses on the improvement of the participant in the training programme to perform jobs for which they were trained, what was effective and what was not, whether the trainees required any additional on the job training, and the extent of training not needed for the participants to meet job requirements. In 1975, Donald Kirkpatrick, who was known for creating the training evaluation model, first presented a four-level model of evaluation that has become a classic in the industry: Level I: Reaction How did the student feel and what did they think about the training? Level II: Learning How much did the student learn? Level III: Behavior What is the extent of behavior and capability improvement and implementation/application? Level IV: Results What impact on the business did the training have as a result of the learners performance? By using Kirkpatricks 4 levels of evaluation, you can effectively determine if training goals were met.

The Kirkpatrick Model for Summative Evaluation

Reaction Distribute an evaluation or feedback form. This is often called a smilesheet and can be administered in either paper format or online format. This type of evaluation is usually inexpensive and used by most organizations. Be sure to distribute evaluations immediately after training ends. You can include questions to evaluate the instructor, material covered, training materials and audio visual equipment. Learning To assess the amount of learning, consider using pre-tests and post-tests. The tests attempts to determine how students have advanced with regards to skills, knowledge and attitude. Pre-tests should be administered before the class begins, and post-tests would be given at the completion of the training class. You can administer pre-tests and post-tests on paper or online. You can include multiple choice/fill-in the blank type questions, and/or may include work-related hands-on exercises for the learner to complete online. Behavior To determine the extent of behavior and capability improvement, consider observing learners for an extended period of time after training is completed. This can be measured via post training interviews, monitoring progress and meeting with managers of the learners to determine if the training has allowed the learner to excel in his/her job.

Results To determine the business impact of the training program, measure key performance indicators including return on investment, staff turnover, employee retention, quality ratings and other types of quantifiable aspects of the performance of the organization.

Q. Explain the general procedures followed in the case of a disciplinary action.

Answer:

Though there is no specific procedure to be followed. Different organizations use a variety of formal and informal methods to resolve these matters. The following steps are recommended a) An accurate statement of the disciplinary problem. b) Collection of data or facts supporting the report of the offence. c) Review policy and past similar incidents. d) Identify corrective action to implement; take legal counsel to ensure that the local laws of the land are not in conflict e) Apply the action f) Follow-up on the disciplinary action.

(A) Accurate Statement of the Problem: The first step is to ascertain the problem by seeking answers to the following questions: 1. 2. 3. 4. 5. Does this case call for a disciplinary action? What, exactly, is the nature of the violation or offence? Under what-conditions did it occur? Which individual or individuals were involved in it? When, or how often, did the violation occur?

In other words, an executive must first find out that a violation has occurred and that is entirely the fault, or at least partially the fault, of one or more subordinates. The next step is to determine and state the nature of the alleged violation of a rule, a regulation, a policy; to determine whether a request or order has been ignored or broken, and assess the seriousness of the specific offence which has been committed. It is also necessary to know exactly who and what was involved in the violation-whether a particular individual or group. Finally, it is desirable to know when and/or how often the violation occurred. (B) Collection of data or facts support the report of the offence: Before any action is taken in a case, it is essential to gather all the facts about it. A thorough examination of the case

should be made within the stipulated time limit. The facts gathered should be such as can be produced before a higher authority, if and when needed. (C) Review policy and past similar incidents: The kind of penalty to be imposed for an offence should be determined beforehand. Should it be simple reprimand, a financial or nonfinancial penalty? Or should it be demotion, temporary lay-off or outright discharge? (D) Identify corrective action to implement; take legal counsel to ensure that the local laws of the land are not in conflict: When a decision has been taken to impose a penalty, the punishment to be awarded should be such as would prevent a recurrence of the offence. If the punishment is lighter than it should be, it may encourage the violation of the same rule or another; if it is greater than it should be, it may lead to a grievance. (E) Apply the action: The application of the penalty involves a positive and assured attitude on the part of the management. If the disciplinary action is a simple reprimand, the executive should calmly and quickly dispose of the matter. But when severe action is called for, a fortnight, serious and determined attitude is highly desirable. (F) Follow-up on Disciplinary Action: The ultimate purpose of a disciplinary action is to maintain discipline, to ensure productivity, and avoid a repetition of the offence. A disciplinary action should, therefore, be evaluated in terms of its effectiveness after it has been taken. In other words, there should be a more careful supervision of the persons against whom a disciplinary action has been taken. Discipline: Counseling or other employment action (including imposition of sanctions) undertaken to correct or modify unacceptable job performance or behavior to acceptable standards. Disciplinary measures authorized to be imposed upon staff employees including an oral or written reprimand, suspension without pay (not to exceed 10% of the gross amount payable for any payroll period) or dismissal from employment. Process of Disciplinary Disciplinary action generally begins with the witnessing by a Public Safety officer, a University Housing staff member, another student, or a faculty/staff member of conduct which appears to violate the standards expected of Central students. In such cases, a report is prepared describing pertinent facts and the names of persons involved. An individual wishing to report an incident should contact an official in either the Department of University Housing, Public Safety, or the Student Affairs Office, depending on whether the incident occurred in the University Housing system or elsewhere on campus. If the incident is deemed sufficiently serious and a representative of the appropriate office considers the report to indicate probable violation of University regulations, a decision is made to initiate the disciplinary process. In such cases, a written charge is sent to the student(s) involved. The charge requests the student(s) to appear at a hearing in order to hear the evidence against him/her (them) and to offer explanatory and clarifying information as is considered appropriate. The hearing officer or body will then render a prompt decision, including the action taken, in cases where violations have been found to occur. A clear and effective disciplinary policy offers many benefits, including: Clear guidelines for employee behavior. A straightforward, easy to understand disciplinary

policy will tell your employees what you expect of them and what conduct you will not tolerate. Enforcing the policy in a uniform manner will show your employees that you take these rules seriously. Employee morale. It's true that the employee you discipline is not likely to enjoy a morale boost, but the rest of your workforce will. Other employees do not like to see a co-worker getting away with poor, unproductive behavior while they work thanklessly at their jobs. And if a problem employee is allowed to misbehave without suffering any consequences, others in the workforce will soon realize that they can get away with slacking off too. Protection against employee lawsuits. If you clearly inform your employees of the consequences of poor behavior and enforce your policy fairly, you will buy yourself some insurance in future disputes. It will be more difficult for an employee to argue that his or her termination was unjustified if you can show that you told your employees what conduct would result in discipline, and that this particular employee had been subject to prior disciplinary action. Writing a Disciplinary Policy The trick to writing an effective disciplinary policy is to give your employees clear notice of the consequences of poor behavior without locking yourself into following one course of action in every situation. For example, even though you may generally follow a policy of progressive discipline (in which a first offense is met with a verbal warning, a second offense with a written warning, and so on), you want to reserve the right to immediately fire an employee who really acts badly. And you will also want to avoid any hint of a promise that employees will not be fired unless they engage in specified misconduct - you may find that your employees dream up bad acts you never considered, or that you have to fire employees for reasons entirely separate from their performance (an economic downturn or plant closing, for example). Once you know that an employee has violated a company rule, you will have to dispense some of that discipline promised in your policy. Here are some guidelines to follow: Don't procrastinate. Once you have determined that discipline is in order, set up a meeting with the employee right away. The sooner you place the employee on notice, the sooner he or she will be able to improve. Keep it private. Schedule a meeting with your employee to discuss the problem, one on one. Make sure you can meet in a private place, away from eavesdropping co-workers and office gossip. Be honest. Your natural tendency may be to accentuate the positive, but now is not the time to indulge it. The purpose of this meeting is to notice and improve poor behavior. You must tell the employee precisely what the problem is, what steps he or she must take to correct it, and the consequences of failing to do so. Be respectful. Even bad news is best delivered with respect. Let your employee know that you want him or her to improve, and that you will help if you can. Set aside enough time for the meeting so that the employee will have an opportunity to respond. Make sure to listen to your employee's concerns; it may be that a performance problem is the result of a misunderstanding, or could be easily corrected if you work together. Write it down. Document every disciplinary meeting, action or discussion with each of your employees, and place that record in the employee's personnel file. In the case of a written warning, give the employee a copy of the warning and ask him or her to sign it to acknowledge receipt. These records will help you later, if that employee decides to file a lawsuit. Follow up. If you tell your employee that you must see improvement by a certain date,

make sure to follow up. Check with your employee periodically to make sure everything is proceeding smoothly. It is essential that all employees accept personal responsibility for maintaining high standards of conduct and job performance, including observance of WPI rules and policies. Violations of these standards will result in disciplinary action. Disciplinary action is considered a dimension of performance evaluation. It is a corrective process to help employees overcome work-related shortcomings, strengthen work performance and achieve success. Supervisors are encouraged to discuss what is the appropriate course of action in a particular case with the Human Resources staff prior to taking any disciplinary action. The penalty may vary due to extenuating circumstances or prior violations and each case should be evaluated on its own set of circumstances. In dealing with deficiencies in conduct and work performance, the University tries to be fair and consistent in its treatment of employees. Many factors are taken into consideration if it becomes necessary to discipline an employee, including the nature and seriousness of the offense, the employee's past record, the total impact on the employee's department and on the University, and any mitigating or aggravating circumstances. In general, discipline for employees is applied in progressive steps as follows: 1. Oral warning 2. Written warning 3. Final written warning, suspension and/or disciplinary probation 4. Termination of employment This policy is not contractual in nature and does not constitute an agreement that any particular procedure or rule will apply. The nature of the offense and the particular circumstances determine whether or not all or any of the steps in the above sequence are followed. Disciplinary steps may be omitted, accelerated, or repeated as the University determines appropriate. The purpose of disciplinary measures short of termination is corrective, to encourage employees to improve their conduct or performance so that they may continue their employment with the University. The University expects all employees to behave in a mature and responsible manner and to perform their jobs conscientiously, without the need of disciplinary action. These corrective disciplinary measures will not apply in the event of any offense that the University determines to warrant immediate termination of employment or in other circumstances when the University determines that corrective measures would be ineffectual or otherwise inappropriate. Oral Warnings: If an employee is given an oral warning the employee is informed of the warning by his/her manager. The warning is also recorded by the manager in writing and the record is placed in the employee's personnel file. Written Warnings: If an employee is issued a written warning or a final written warning, the manager will meet with the employee to discuss the disciplinary action and the employee will be asked to sign the warning. The employee's signature is only an acknowledgment that the employee has been informed of the warning; it does not indicate agreement with the warning. All written warnings are retained in the employee's file. Disciplinary Probation: An employee may be placed on disciplinary probation for

unsatisfactory performance or conduct. An employee placed on disciplinary probation will be given a written notice of probation, which generally provides an explanation of the reason for the action, the length of the probationary period and a plan of corrective action to be successfully completed during the period. The employee's manager will meet with the employee to discuss the terms of the disciplinary probation, and the employee will be asked to sign the notice of probation as an acknowledgement that the employee has been informed of the action. A copy of the notice is retained in the employee's personnel file. At the conclusion of the probationary period, and from time to time during the period, as appropriate, the employee's manager will meet with the employee to review his/her progress. An employee on disciplinary probation who does not show satisfactory improvement is subject to further disciplinary action at any time, up to and including termination of employment. Investigative Suspension: A suspension from work may be appropriate when circumstances require an investigation and it does not appear practical or desirable or in the best interests of the University or of the employee for the employee to remain at work during that investigation. An investigative suspension is not itself a disciplinary measure. If, at the conclusion of the investigation, the investigative suspension is not converted to a disciplinary suspension or discharge, the employee will be reinstated and will be paid at his/her normal straight-time rate for all regularly scheduled work missed during the suspension. Disciplinary Suspension: A disciplinary suspension is a suspension from work without pay for one or more days for a repeated or serious infraction of University rules or policies. A record of the suspension is retained in the employee's personnel file. Misconduct During the Probation Period: The disciplinary action policy is not normally applied to new employees during the probationary period. Unsatisfactory performance or any infraction of University rules or policies or other misconduct during this period may result in immediate termination of employment. Probationary employees are not eligible to use the grievance procedure.

Q. Trace out the growth of Human Resource Management in India.

Answer:

Evolution of the Human Resource Management The historical background to the management techniques of human resources are in vogue since ancient times. Its only in the past 100 odd years that the techniques and study of human behaviour at work has become formal and structured with certain basic practices established as core and a host of other practices left to each organization to design and implement as per their individual business driven practices. As per Fisher, Schonfeldt and Shaw, in their book titled Human Resources Management, they have characterised the history of HRM as having evolved

through four broad phases, the Craft system, the scientific system, the human relations approach and the prevalent organizational science-human resources approach. The Craft system refers to early trends noticed in Egypt and Babylon, where skills based training was provided to people to ensure a steady flow of craftsmen required to build huge monuments. By the 13th century, subsequently the trend was noticed in Europe and later craft guilds evolved to ensure not only the skill acquisition but regulate the conditions of employment, level of skill and improved production techniques. Most relevant in the domestic industry where generations of skilled workers trained and became experts in a particular skill. The Scientific Management approach was a key part of the industrial revolution typical of the nineteenth and early twentieth century. It was instilled in the principles of mass production and organization of work simple work skills and supervisory/managerial skills. This rapidly emerged as the assembly line approach to managing workflow, which later Fredrick Taylor (1856-1915) pioneered based on the philosophy that employees wanted to be used efficiently and money being the primary motivator. Over a period of time this was proved wrong as employee dissent grew and union issues surfaced. It was during this phase that employee welfare as a key HR practice emerged which redressed employee issues like recreational facilities, medical program and employee grievance systems. The Human Relations approach was an outcome of the famous studies undertaken by US social scientist Elton Mayo and Fritz Roethlisberger at the Western Electrics Hawthorne plant in Chicago. The Hawthorne Studies: As described in virtually every book written about management, the human relations or behavioral school of management began in 1927 with a group of studies conducted at the Hawthorne plant of Western Electric, an AT&T subsidiary. Curiously, these studies were prompted by an experiment carried out by the companys engineers between 1924 and 1932. Following the scientific management tradition, these engineers were applying research methods to answer job-related problems. Two groups were studied to determine the effects of different levels of illumination on worker performance. One group received increased illumination, while the other did not. A preliminary finding was that, when illumination was increased, the level of performance also increased. Surprisingly to the engineers, productivity also increased when the level of illumination was decreased almost to moonlight levels. One interpretation made of these results was that the employees involved in the experiment enjoyed being the centre of attention; they reacted positively because management cared about them. The reason for the increase in the production was not the physical but the psychological impact of the employees attitude towards the job and towards the company. Such a phenomenon taking place in any research setting is now called the Hawthorne effect. Leadership Style and Practices: As a consequence of the Hawthorne Studies, worker attitudes, morale, and group influences became a concern of researchers. A notable development of the nature occurred shortly after World War II at the University of Michigan. A group of social scientists formed an organization, later to be called the Institute for Social Research, to study those principles of leadership that were associated with highest productivity. Concurrent with the growth of human relations in work organizations, has been the burgeoning of techniques and programmes to foster human growth off the job. In the last two decades,

millions of people seeking personal growth (or sometimes simply emotional arousal) have participated in programmes such as encounter groups, marriage enrichment groups, seminar training, couples groups, and transactional analysis. Career development programmes in industry are more prevalent today than at any time in the past. Although varying widely in content, all these programmes are designed to help the individual make career decisions that will move him or her toward self-fulfillment. In the process, it is assumed that the person will make a better contribution to the organization. Finally the Organizational Sciences approach to human resources management has brought the focus to the scientific process within organizations that can impact employee experience, and less on just the individual. Todays organizations focus on building their processes and policies and compete to emerge as preferred employers (best employer). It is not uncommon for competing organizations to woo the employees through advertising more and better employeefriendly initiatives like work-from-home jobs, careers for married couples, global work assignments and internal job postings and world class workplace infrastructures from incampus cricket grounds to gymnasiums for employee wellbeing. This is the HR that we now see around us.

Kautilya provides a systematic treatment of management of human resources as early as 4th century B.C. in his titled "Artha-Shastra". Kautilya provides an excellent discussion on staffing and personnel management embracing job descriptions, qualifications for jobs, selection procedure, executive development, incentive systems and performance evaluation. In Kautilya period, the guild system was followed by co-operative sector consisting of craftsman and traders, and purporting to promote their professional interest. The concept of "Varnashram" or "Caste System" based on these principles. The individual who used to earn their livelihood by engaging themselves in activities such as:

Teaching, sacrifice or state management was designated as Brahmins. Those in fighting were termed as Kshatriyas. Individual engaged in areas of trade, business, and agriculture were called Vaishyas Those devoting themselves in manual work were known as Shudras Numerous professions based on such specialized transfer of skills became hereditary including goldsmiths, weavers, potters, blacksmiths, carpenters, hunters, charioteers, snake charmers, architects, sculptors, armourers and turned out to be separate communities by themselves

Indian economy in Medieval India, although there was a lull because of numerous foreign aggressions for around 700 years. During Mughal rules, the Indian trade and commerce is revised. Even the Plantation Act of 1863 makes provisions that if the workers failed to complete their period of contract, they should be imprisoned for a period not exceeding 3 months.

According to the Factory Act of 1881, the workers employed in the factories were allowed a week-off and provisions were also made for inspection as well as limiting the hours of work for women workers to eleven per day. In 1890, the first labour organization designated as Bombay Mill Hands Association were established. Subsequently, in 1905, the printer's union at Calcutta and in 1907, the Postal Union at Bombay were established. In 1981,the Madras Labour Union In 1922, the Indentured Labour System and Central Labour Board and All Trade Union Congress In 1926, the Indian Trade Union Act( a landmark in history of industrial relations) During Second World War, rapid growth in Trade Unionism Between 1939-40 and 1944-45 the no of registered trade unions increased from 666 to 865 After second world war especially after the independence large scale of expansion of the trade union movement During 1947-1960, employment rose by 2.8 times times During 1960, 45 percent of the total industrial workforce was claimed to be unionized Explicitly, during post-independence period, the activities of Personnel Department in different public and private sectors have multiplied According to the provisions of section 49 of the Factories Act 1948,it become obligatory for the-employers to employee a Welfare Officer in a factory employing 500 or more workers

Q. Assume yourself as an HR Manager of a publishing house. You find that the morale of the employees is generally low. What steps would you take to improve employee morale?

Answer:

There are a number of measures which can be used to control the warning signals of low morale. The following are the positive measures to be taken to bring job satisfaction to the employees and reconcile individual interests with the interests of the organization. I take following steps to improve employee morale: 1. Creation of whole jobs: Under this method, complete jobs are assigned to the employees. The complexity of a job should be increased so that it may appeal to their higher needs. 2. Job enrichment: Job enrichment tries to deal with dissatisfaction by increasing job depth. Under this, individual employees may be given responsibility for setting their own work pace, for concerning their own errors, and/or for deciding on the best way to perform a particular task

3. Building responsibility into a job: Employees should be encouraged to participate and if possible be held responsible for taking decisions. Some delegation of responsibility from the manager to the employee could be useful in improving employee ownership 4. Managerial effectiveness: This can be achieved by:

Developing work groups; Improving the social contacts of the employees- time away from work in team building and fun activities; Managerial coaching discussed above Employee stress management activities

5. Flexing working hours: Flex time / work from home provisions allow employees to arrange their work hours to suit their personal needs and life-styles. This is particularly suited to situations with fluctuating workloads. Flex time employees are responsible for co-ordinating their functions with other employees and thereby have more responsibility and autonomy. 6. Rotation of jobs: This reduces employees boredom which arises out of the monotonous nature of his work. 7. Incentive and Profit-sharing plans: Morale can be improved by effective incentive and profit-sharing schemes. Incentive schemes are effective in improving workplace morale. They need to carefully designed (preferably by experts) well communicated and implemented to be effective. In addition to its economic aspects, profit-sharing has also psychological aspects relating to friendly move by the management in providing the employees an opportunity to participate in the profits. Morale can also be improved by adapting several other measures such as employee contest, special recognition and awards to long service employees and training the managers in how to manage people.