EXECUTIVE SUMMARY

Human Resources Managers, and Directors, depending on the size of the organizati
on, may have overlapping responsibilities. In larger organizations, the Human Re
sources Generalist, the Manager, and the Director have clearly defined, separate
d roles in HR management with progressively more authority and responsibility in
the hands of the Manager, the Director, and ultimately, the Vice President who
may lead several departments including administration.
HR directors, and occasionally HR managers, may head up several different depart
ments that are each led by functional or specialized HR staff such as the traini
ng manager, the compensation manager, or the recruiting manager.
Human Resources staff members are advocates for both the company and the people
who work in the company. Consequently, a good HR professional performs a constan
t balancing act to meet both needs successfully.
TABLE OF CONTENT
1.0 INTRODUCTION
1.1.0 PURPOSE OF HRM
1.2.0 SCOPE OF HRM
1.3.0 WHY IS HRM IMPORTANT TO THE ORGANISATION
2.0 MAIN BODY
2.1.0 ROLE OF HR MANAGER
2.1.1 INCREASE EMPLOYEE’S PRODUCTIVITY
2.1.2 PRODUCTIVITY IMPROVEMENT
2.2.0 FACTORS THAT CAN BRING ABOUT THE EFFECTIVENESS, QUALITY AND RESPONSIVENESS
OF EMPLOYEES AT THE WORK PLACE
2.2.1 QUALITY OF WORK LIFE
2.2.2 WORK FORCE DIVERSITY
2.30 IMPROVE EMPLOYEE MORALE AND REDUCE WORK PLACE NEGATIVITY
2.3.1 EMPLOYEE MORALE
2.3.2 WORK PLACE NEGATIVITY
3.0 CONCLUSION
4.0 REFERENCES

1.0 INTRODUCTION
The Human Resources (HR) function provides significant support and advice to lin
e management. The attraction, preservation and development of high ability peopl
e are a source of competitive advantage for our business, and are the responsibi
lity of HR.
Organisations are managed and staffed by people. Without people, organisations
cannot exist. Indeed, the challenge, the opportunity and also the frustration o
f creating and managing organisations frequently stem from the people-related pr
oblems that arise within them. People related problems in turn, frequently stem
from the mistaken belief that people are all alike, that they can be treated id
entically. Nothing could be further from the truth.
1.1.0 PURPOSE OF HRM
Now a days organisations are become more complex and this the period of competit
ion and every organisation want the right skilful workers who can complete their
works according to the requirements of this work. HRM specialists are trained
in psychology, sociology, organisation and work design and law. That is why the
y have the skills and abilities to paste a right person at the right place of wo
rk. So the organisation fulfil their goals. HRM done different works like plan
ning company picnics, scheduling vocations, enrolling workers for the health car
e coverage and planning retirement, recruitment and selection of the new employe
es. That is why HRM is become important in the organisations.
1.2.0 SCOPE OF HRMANAGEMENT IN AN ORGANIZATION.
- Establish , direct, administer and coordinate the overall HR PROGRAMS fo
r all the departments of the company.
- Strategically plan for, develop and efficiently/effectively operate the
services and capabilities of the company , in alignment with the corporate objec
tives / strategies. These activities include…
o studying economic indicators
o tracking changes in supply and demand of labour
o identifying departments and their current and future needs
monitoring the HR performance.
1.3.0 WHY IS HRM IMPORTANT TO THE ORGANIZATION
It costs approximately three times more to recruit and train a new employee than
it does to retain and develop an existing employee. And this doesn t even take
into account the hidden costs associated with misdirected management time spent
on recruiting activities rather than effectively managing existing staff.
The fact is, employees are the lifeblood of every organization. The better they
are—the better qualified, trained, and managed—the more effective and profitable
your organization will be. HRM management solutions can help you manage your e
mployees for greater profit with processes that help ensure:
-HRM can align itself with the organization objectives/strategies.
-HRM can make contribution to the organization s effectiveness
-HRM can make contribution to the organization s efficiency
-HRM can make contribution to the organization s productivity improvements
-HRM can help to set up/ manage the succession planning program.
-HRM can help to set up/ manage the talent management program.
-HRM can help to set up/ manage the career planning/ development program.
-HRM can manage the organization development programs
-HRM can manage the organization change management programs.
-HRM can a vital role in mergers/acquisitions programs of the company.
-HRM can offer a market oriented compensation advice.
-HRM can develop the organization s core competencies.
-HRM can help to set up/ manage the organization s performance management progra
ms
-HRM can lead the way in changing the organization culture
-HRM can help to set up / manage the organizations training/ management developm
ent
Programs.
2.0 MAIN BODY
ROLE OF HR MANAGER:
The role of the HR professional is changing. In the past, HR managers were often
viewed as the systematizing, policing arm of executive management. Their role w
as more closely aligned with personnel and administration functions that were vi
ewed by the organization as paperwork.
When you consider that the initial HR function, in many companies, comes out of
the administration or finance department because hiring employees, paying employ
ees, and dealing with benefits were the organization s first HR needs, this is n
ot surprising.
In this role, the HR professional served executive agendas well, but was frequen
tly viewed as a road block by much of the rest of the organization. While some n
eed for this role occasionally remains — you wouldn’t want every manager putting
his own spin on a sexual harassment policy, as an example — much of the HR role
is transforming itself.
New HR Role
The role of the HR manager must parallel the needs of his or her changing organi
zation. Successful organizations are becoming more adaptable, resilient, quick t
o change direction, and customer-centered.
Within this environment, the HR professional, who is considered necessary by lin
e managers, is a strategic partner, an employee sponsor or advocate and a change
mentor. At the same time, especially the HR Generalist, still has responsibilit
y for employee benefits administration, often payroll, and employee paperwork, e
specially in the absence of an HR Assistant.
Depending on the size of the organization, the HR manager has responsibility for
all of the functions that deal with the needs and activities of the organizatio
n s people including these areas of responsibility.
• Recruiting.
• Hiring.
• Training.
• Organization Development.
• Communication.
• Performance Management.
• Coaching.
• Policy Recommendation.
• Salary and Benefits.
• Team Building.
• Employee Relations.
• Leadership.
With all of this in mind, in Human Resource Champions, Dave Ulrich, one of the b
est thinkers and writers in the HR field today, and a professor at the Universit
y of Michigan, recommends three additional roles for the HR manager.
HR Role: Business and Strategic Partner
In today’s organizations, to guarantee their viability and ability to contribute
, HR managers need to think of themselves as strategic partners. In this role, t
he HR person contributes to the development of and the accomplishment of the org
anization-wide business plan and objectives.
The HR business objectives are established to support the attainment of the over
all strategic business plan and objectives. The tactical HR representative is de
eply knowledgeable about the design of work systems in which people succeed and
contribute. This strategic partnership impacts HR services such as the design of
work positions; hiring; reward, recognition and strategic pay; performance deve
lopment and appraisal systems; career and succession planning; and employee deve
lopment.
To be successful business partners, the HR staff members have to think like busi
ness people, know finance and accounting, and be accountable and responsible for
cost reductions and the measurement of all HR programs and processes. It s not
enough to ask for a seat at the executive table; HR people will have to prove th
ey have the business savvy necessary to sit there.
HR Role: Employee Advocate
As an employee sponsor or advocate, the HR manager plays an integral role in org
anizational success via his knowledge about and advocacy of people. This advocac
y includes expertise in how to create a work environment in which people will ch
oose to be motivated, contributing, and happy.
Fostering effective methods of goal setting, communication and empowerment throu
gh responsibility, builds employee ownership of the organization. The HR profess
ional helps establish the organizational culture and climate in which people hav
e the competency, concern and commitment to serve customers well.
In this role, the HR manager provides employee development opportunities, employ
ee assistance programs, gain sharing and profit-sharing strategies, organization
development interventions, due process approaches to problem solving and regula
rly scheduled communication opportunities.
HR Role: Change Champion
The constant evaluation of the effectiveness of the organization results in the
need for the HR professional to frequently champion change. Both knowledge about
and the ability to execute successful change strategies make the HR professiona
l exceptionally valued.
Knowing how to link change to the strategic needs of the organization will minim
ize employee dissatisfaction and resistance to change.
The HR professional contributes to the organization by constantly assessing the
effectiveness of the HR function. He also sponsors change in other departments a
nd in work practices. To promote the overall success of his organization, he cha
mpions the identification of the organizational mission, vision, values, goals a
nd action plans. Finally, he helps determine the measures that will tell his org
anization how well it is succeeding in all of this.
2.1.1 INCREASE EMPLOYEE’S PRODUCTIVITY :
In general, productivity is a measure of the output of goods and services relati
ve to the input of labour, capital and equipment. The more productive an indust
ry, the better its competitive position because its unit costs are lower. When
productivity increases, businesses can pay higher wages without boosting inflati
on.
COMPANY EXAMPLE:
One truck a minute at ford’s kansas city plant
Ford’s Kansas City automobile platn is one of the largetst in the United States,
turning out more than 490,000 F-150 pickup trucks, Ford Escapes and Mazda Tribu
tes each year. The plant is “flexible”, meaning that with just a little tweakin
g it can produce any kind of car that Ford makes. Mostly it produces F-150s, th
e best-selling vehicle of any kind in the United States for the past 22 years.
The new model has so many options, including a paint called Screaming Yellow, th
at there are more than one million possible combinations.
In a flexible plant, each vehicle is assigned a metal pallet on which it will be
built. The pallet has a reprogrammable ID card that contains data on the vehic
le to be. Parts arrive four to six hours before they are installed, in the sequ
ence in which they will be used. Assembly is synchronized by computers down to
the last rear-view mirror.
Ford is making a companywide shift to flexible manufacturing. Doing so will ena
ble it to save $2 billion over the next 10 years. When Dave Savhetz said for Wh
at’s changed over the years: “We did not have robots and computers 30 years ago”
. As a manager, the basic concepts have not changed and the magnitude of the op
eration still overwhelms him.
2.1.2 PRODUCTIVITY IMPROVEMENT: STEPS MANAGERS CAN TAKE
While information technology clearly drives improvements in productivity, so als
o does effective management. Some steps mangers can take include the following:
Efforts to rebuild employee loyalty that has been tough by downsizing, r
estructuring and mergers. Firms such as Xeorx, Monsanto and United Technologies
are doing it by boosting training budgets for survivors and overhauling pay pla
ns to give survivors a bigger stake in the company’s success.
Helping to make both unionized and nonunionized workers aware that their
rewards depend ultimately on production.
Recognizing that there is no “quick fix” approach. Worker training, wor
k redesign, product reengineering – all must be linked to the priorities of the
business plan and integrated into a comprehensive productivity – improvement str
ategy.
Recognition of the crucial importance of continuous improvements in qual
ity through prevention of errors. Doing so requires a reshaping of attitudes fr
om the boardroom to the loading dock so that quality becomes more important than
simply getting a product out the door.
2.2.0 FACTORS THAT CAN BRING ABOUT THE EFFECTIVENESS, QUALITY AND RESPONSIVENESS
OF EMPLOYEES AT THE WORKPLACE
2.2.1 Quality of work life:
There are two ways of looking at what quality of work life (QWL) means. One way
equates QWL with a set of objective organisational conditions and practices (e.
g., promotion-from-within policies, democratic supervision, employee involvement
, safe working conditions). The other way equates QWL with employees’ perceptio
ns that they are safe, relatively well satisfied, they have reasonable work life
balance, and they are able to grow and develop as human beings. This way relat
es QWL to the degree to which the full range of human needs is met.
QWL involves giving workers the opportunity to make decisions about their jobs,
the design of their workplaces, and what they need to make products or to delive
r services most effectively. It requires managers to treat workers with dignity
. It focus is on employees and management operating the business together.
With human nature being what it is, employees will test limits and act "creative
ly" in workplace situations, so you need a strategy for developing, communicatin
g and enforcing a set of policies and practices that reflect your standards of a
cceptable behavior.
But a successful policies and practices strategy does more than draw boundaries;
it also recognizes and addresses people s needs.
There are many different types of people, and not surprisingly, they react diffe
rently to the need for policies and practices based on those differences. For ex
ample, some people prefer there be a written policy for everything, while others
favor having no policies at all and would leave everything open to interpretati
on as situations arise. Neither of these extremes contributes to a work environm
ent that s conducive to high productivity levels. The answer is found in between
, with the right number and types of policies and practices that are focused on
a primary goal--improving individual performance in the workplace.
When you get to the heart of the matter, performance improvement is really about
the process of setting expectations and meeting them. The focus in business is
not just about meeting specific goals, but also about how you achieve them. And
the "how" affects the liabilities you create in the process.
So how can you make sure your employees have clear expectations and are treated
fairly as they work to help build your company? The answer is found in the way y
ou address four key elements related to the development and deployment of your p
olicies and practices: roles, rules, consequences and tools.
Roles
People like to have a clear understanding of their role in a company as well as
the roles of others. Every successful team has well-defined positions for its me
mbers: Everyone knows what he or she is to do, how to do it and how their perfor
mance can impact those around them. In business, this means you need to have cle
ar reporting structures that spell out who s in charge and how tasks are to be a
ccomplished in the organization.
This approach applies not only to intradepartmental structures, but also to comp
any-wide or interdepartmental projects. In addition, role definition is a founda
tional part of establishing clear performance expectations for each employee.
Rules
Managers and employees need to share a clear understanding of what is and what i
s not acceptable behavior within the company. Unfortunately, in today s workplac
e, an employer can be held liable for the bad behavior of an employee, especiall
y when that bad behavior affects other employees, clients or individuals. Having
a clear set of behavioral expectations is critical to establishing that you re
not contributing to that bad behavior as an employer.
Setting clear and specific behavioral standards in the form of rules establishes
a framework for spotting and addressing violations of those standards. If you r
ely on loosely defined general standards that aren t properly documented, then v
iolations become subjective and open to interpretation. The result of such ambig
uousness is often litigation.
Here are some of the best HR practices that help in the creation of a highly sat
isfied and motivated work force.
Work Environment
A safe and happy workplace makes the employees feel good about being there. Each
one is given importance and provided the security that gives them the motivatio
n and incentive to stay. This is usually achieved through internal surveys to fi
nd out whether they are satisfied and if not what they think needs to be changed
.
Open Management
Employees don’t like the feeling of being kept in the dark about what is happeni
ng in the company. They feel motivated and develop enthusiasm only when the mana
gement opens up to them and discusses the company policies, sales, clients, cont
racts, goals and objectives. This encourages participative management. Asking th
em for ideas on how to improve will get their creative juices flowing. Being ope
n about everything related to the company will help in building trust and motiva
ting the employees. This open management policy can be practiced using several t
ools.
Performance Incentives
Every good performance is appreciated in the form of a pat on the back, bonuses
or giving some other compensation for a job well done. Organizations that strugg
le to keep up with the attrition rate are mostly those that think employees are
“just” doing their job. Even if it is the employee’s job, completion in an appre
ciable manner calls for an incentive, and this goes a long way in boosting the s
taff morale. These incentives can be implemented at the individual as well as th
e team level and it has been seen that this works wonders in getting the best ou
t of the employees. But it is important to keep in mind that these bonuses shoul
d not be given without a reason, unless it is a commitment for annual bonuses or
some such thing. Doing so will only reduce the perceived value of the bonuses.
Performance Feedback
This is one the methods that is being followed by many organizations. Feedback i
s not only taken from the boss, but also from other seniors and subordinates. Pr
eviously, appreciation was only sought from the immediate boss or the management
, but now organizations understand the importance of collecting performance feed
back from several quarters. The opinion of everyone matters, especially for some
one who is in a leadership role at any level. Each person in the team is respons
ible for giving constructive feedback. This kind of system helps in identifying
people who can perform well as leaders at higher levels in the organization. Eve
n the senior level managers can use this system to their advantage, as a tool to
improve themselves.
Employee Evaluation
Every company has an employee evaluation system in place but a good system links
individual performance to the goals and priorities of the organization. This wo
rks well when achievements are tracked over an year. For a fair review of each e
mployee, the evaluation, apart from being done by the boss, should be done by an
other person at a higher level, for whom the employee’s contribution is importan
t. Ratings can also be obtained by other employees. This ensures a fair and accu
rate rating of each and every employee.
Sharing of Knowledge
Knowledge sharing is a wonderful strategy that helps in the betterment of the em
ployees and their work. Keep all the knowledgeable information in central databa
ses that can be accessed by each and every employee. For example, if an employee
is sent on some training, the knowledge that is acquired by that employee can b
e stored in these databases for others to learn from it. Even innovative ideas t
hat the management deems fit for employees to see, can be stored here for all to
see.
Publicize Good Performances
Every company has some employees who outperform others. Such performances should
be highlighted and displayed where other employees can look at them; such as on
the display boards and intranet etc. This will encourage others to give their b
est. A proper system should be set up to make a list of high performances at spe
cific times in a year.
Discussions
Successful organizations nurture ideas and they understand that employees who ar
e actually working and know the business can provide the best ideas. The managem
ent should have discussions with employees to get these ideas out of them. There
 can also be suggestion boxes to capture these ideas. Through this system, manag
ers can find talented employees and develop them.
Rewards
While recognition of talent is highly important, this recognition has to be made
public and what better way than holding ceremonies and announcing to the whole
world (the employees), the achievements of a fellow employee. There can be nothi
ng better for an employee than the heady feeling from a resounding applause.
2.2.2 WORKFORCE DIVERSITY
To celebrate diversity is to appreciate and value individual differences. Manag
ing Diversity means establishing a heterogeneous workforce to perform to its pot
ential in an equitable work environment where no member or group of members has
an advantage or a disadvantage.
Managing diversity means encouraging a mixed workforce, which includes white men
, to perform to its potential in an equitable work environment in which no one g
roup enjoys an advantage or suffers a disadvantage. At least five factors accou
nt for the increasing attention companies are paying to diversity: (1) the shif
t from a manufacturing to a service economy (2) the globalization of markets (3)
new business strategies that require more teamwork (4) mergers and alliances th
at require different corporate cultures to work together and (5) the changing la
bour market. Each of these factors can represent opportunities for firms whose
managers and employees understand what culture is and who appreciate cultural di
fferences among other employees and managers and especially the firm’s market.
To attract and retain women, as well as persons with disabilities, companies are
making available to them alternative career paths, extended leaves, flexible sc
heduling, flex time, job sharing, and opportunities to timework. In addition ma
ny companies now offer the same benefits to same sex couples as to heterosexual
couples. A different aspect of diversity is generational diversity important di
fferences in values, aspirations, and beliefs that characterize the swing genera
tion, the silent generation, the baby boomers Generation X and Generation Y. To
manage older workers effectively, mangers should develop an age profile of the
workforce, monitor job performance requirements for the kinds of characteristics
people need to do their job well, develop safeguards against age bias in perfor
mance management, conduct workforce interest surveys, provide education and coun
selling and consider modifying the structure of jobs.
To manage diversity effectively: focus on bring in the best talent not on meetin
g numerical goals; establish mentoring programs among employees of same and diff
erent races; hold managers accountable for meeting diversity goals; develop care
er plans for employees as part of performance reviews; promote women and minorit
ies to decision-making positions not just to staff jobs; and diversify the compa
ny’s board of directors.

2.3.0 IMPROVE EMPLOYEE MORALE AND REDUCE WORKPLACE NEGATIVITY WORK PLACE NEGATI
VITY
Nothing affects employee morale more insidiously than persistent workplace negat
ivity. It saps the energy of your organization and diverts critical attention fr
om work and performance. Negativity occurs in the attitude, outlook, and talk of
one department member, or in a crescendo of voices responding to a workplace de
cision or event.
2.3.1 EMPLOYEE MORALE
The Merriam-Webster Collegiate Dictionary defines morale as “the mental and emot
ional condition (as of enthusiasm, confidence, or loyalty) of an individual or g
roup with regard to the function or tasks at hand.” In their article examining
the importance of employee-management relationship closeness, McKnight, Ahmad, a
nd Schroeder (2001) define morale, in the context of the workplace, as “the degr
ee to which an employee feels good about his or her work and work environment.”
 The authors say morale serves as a broad term that encompasses smaller concepts
including intrinsic motivation, job satisfaction, experienced work meaningfulne
ss, organizational commitment, and pride in one’s work.
2.3.2 WORKPLACE NEGATIVITY
As a manager or human resources professional, you are closely in touch with empl
oyees throughout the company. This allows you to keep your fingers on the pulse
of the organization to sense workplace negativity. It enables you to establish a
nd heed early warning signals that all is not well. You receive employee complai
nts, do exit interviews with employees who leave, and know the reputation of you
r organization in your community.
You watch the discussions on employee Intranets, manage the appraisal and 360-de
gree feedback process, and coach managers in appropriate staff treatment. This i
nformation will help you learn to identify the symptoms of negativity before its
morale-busting consequences damage your workplace. It will also assist you in p
reventing and curing workplace negativity.
Diagnose Workplace Negativity
Negativity is an increasing problem in the workplace, according to Gary S. Topch
ik, the author of Managing Workplace Negativity. He states, in a Management Revi
ew article, that negativity is often the result of a loss of confidence, control
, or community. Knowing what people are negative about is the first step in solv
ing the problem.
In my experience, when rumblings and negativity are beginning in your organizati
on, talking with employees will help you understand the exact problems and the d
egree to which the problems are impacting your workplace. You will want to ident
ify the exact employee groups who are experiencing the negativity, and the natur
e of the issues that sparked their unhappiness.
Perhaps the organization made a decision that adversely affected staff. Perhaps
the executive manager held a staff meeting and was perceived to threaten or igno
re people asking legitimate questions. Maybe staff members feel insecure because
concern exists over losing a product line.
Perhaps underground rumors are circulating about an impending layoff. People may
feel that they give the organization more than they receive in return. They may
feel that a coworker was mistreated or denied a deserved promotion.
Whatever the cause of the workplace negativity, you must address the issues. Or
like a seemingly dormant volcano, they will boil beneath the surface, and period
ically bubble up and overflow to cause fresh damage.
The best way to combat workplace negativity is to keep it from occurring in the
first place. These seven tips will help you minimize workplace negativity.
• Provide opportunities for people to make decisions about and control and
/or influence their own job. The single most frequent cause of workplace negativ
ity I encounter is traceable to a manager or the organization making a decision
about a person’s work without her input. Almost any decision that excludes the i
nput of the person doing the work is perceived as negative.
• Make opportunities available for people to express their opinion about w
orkplace policies and procedures. Recognize the impact of changes in such areas
as work hours, pay, benefits, assignment of overtime hours, comp pay, dress code
s, office location, job requirements, and working conditions.
These factors are closest to the mind, heart and physical presence of each indiv
idual. Changes to these can cause serious negative responses. Provide timely, pr
oactive responses to questions and concerns.
• Treat people as adults with fairness and consistency. Develop and public
ize workplace policies and procedures that organize work effectively. Apply them
consistently. As an example, each employee has the opportunity to apply for lea
ve time. In granting his request, apply the same factors to his application as y
ou would to any other individual’s.
• Do not create “rules” for all employees, when just a few people are viol
ating the norms. You want to minimize the number of rules directing the behavior
of adult people at work. Treat people as adults; they will usually live up to y
our expectations, and their own expectations.
• Help people feel like members of the in-crowd; each person wants to have
the same information as quickly as everyone else. Provide the context for decis
ions, and communicate effectively and constantly.
If several avenues or directions are under consideration, communicate all that y
ou know, as soon as you know it. Reserve the right to change your mind later, wi
thout consequence, when additional factors affect the direction of ultimate deci
sions.
• Afford people the opportunity to grow and develop. Training, perceived o
pportunities for promotions, lateral moves for development, and cross-training a
re visible signs of an organization’s commitment to staff.
• Provide appropriate leadership and a strategic framework, including miss
ion, vision, values, and goals. People want to feel as if they are part of somet
hing bigger than themselves. If they understand the direction, and their part in
making the desired outcomes happen, they can effectively contribute more.
• Provide appropriate rewards and recognition so people feel their contrib
ution is valued. The power of appropriate rewards and recognition for a positive
workplace is remarkable. Suffice to say, reward and recognition is one of the m
ost powerful tools an organization can use to buoy staff morale.
3.0 CONCLUSION
People are a major component of any business, and the management of people (or h
uman resource management HRM) is a major part of every manager’s job. It is als
o the specialized responsibility of the HR department. HRM involves five major
areas: staffing, retention, development, adjustment and managing change. Togeth
er they compose the HRM system for they describe a network of interrelated compo
nents. The HRM function is responsible for maximizing productivity, quality of
work life, and profits through better management of people.
The competitive business environment of the 21st century reflects factors such a
s an ageing and changing workforce in a high tech workplace that demands and rew
ards ever increasing skill and increasing global competition in almost every sec
tor of the economy. In response new organisation forms, such as the virtual cor
poration, the virtual workplace and the modular corporation are appearing. The
new forms imply a redistribution of power, greater participation by workers and
more teamwork. Firms are also restructuring, reengineering, implementing qualit
y improvement programs and building flexibility into worker schedules in order t
o support their competitive strategies. The challenge of attracting, retaining
and motivating people has never been greater.
One of the most pressing demands we face today is for productivity improvement g
etting more out of what is put in, doing better with what we have and working sm
arter not harder. Nevertheless, increased productivity does not preclude a high
quality of work life (QWL). QWL refers to employees’ perceptions of their phys
ical and psychological well-being at work. It involves giving workers the oppor
tunity to make decisions about their jobs, the design of their workplaces and en
suring work life balance. Its focus is on employees and management operating a
business together. HR professionals can help by serving as strategic partners w
ith operating managers by demonstrating business and HR literacy and by having t
he courage to raise difficult issues with senior managers.
Improving employee morale benefits everyone involved in a work place. Boosting e
mployee morale means that people will take more pride in their work, call in sic
k less often and be more productive. Happier employees mean happier employers, s
ince the employer will not lose money due to inefficiency and lost time. Improvi
ng employee morale can be accomplished fairly easily.
Most people thrive on feeling appreciated. You can improve employee morale by sh
owing your appreciation in simple ways, such as rewarding an employee by saying,
"job well done," or, "thank you for the good work." It is a grave mistake on th
e part of employers to only interact with their workers when there is a problem.
Another way to show appreciation and boost employee morale is by being friendly
and interested in your employees. A warm smile and a sincere query about how one
is doing will in turn motivate employees. Knowing people’s names and personaliz
ing the work environment inspires employees to want to help you.
Encouraging social interaction between employees and immediately resolving confl
ict is another way to improve employee morale. Social events such as office picn
ics and softball games create a sense of camaraderie between employees. Social i
nteraction positively influences cooperation and a general enthusiasm about comi
ng to work everyday. Isolation, on the other hand, causes depression and a lack
of motivation.
Another way to improve employee morale is by offering reward incentives. A job w
ell done might be rewarded with a gift card or a cash bonus. This reward can com
e as a surprise to the employees who earn it, or it can be announced as a sort o
f game or contest. Having a goal to work towards that directly benefits the empl
oyee can help create enthusiasm, which tends to be contagious.
A very important factor in improving employee morale is the work environment. Ps
ychological research shows that atmosphere greatly and directly affects the moti
vation level and feeling of well being of the employees in a workplace. When pos
sible, providing comfortable and aesthetically pleasing furniture is one way tha
t researchers suggest to motivate people. Lighting, flowers and artwork can also
help improve employee morale.

4.0 REFERENCES
1. www.opm.gov/studies/title5.pdf
2. http://www.yale.edu/hronline/PersPracWeb/
3. www.answers.com/topic/human-resource-management
4. http://en.allexperts.com/q/Human-Resources-2866/2008/4/HRM-22.htm
5. www. iirme.com/hrbusiness
BOOKS
1. Boston, Massachusetts., 2006. Performance management, Harvard Business S
chool Press.
2. John J. Shea, L.Segil. The performance Appraisal questions and answer. A
MACOM, NEWYORK.
3. Luis R. Gomez Mejia, David B. Balkin, Managing Human Resources 3rd ed. N
ew Jersey: Prentice Hall
4. John Stredwick, An Introduction to Human Resource Management 2nd ed. Oxf
ord: Elsevier Butter worth
5. Derek Torrington and Laura Hall Personnel Management 3rd ed. Europe: Pre
ntice Hall
6. Edwin B. Flippo,Personnel management 6th ed. Singapore: Mc.Graw Hill Int
ernational Editions.
7. Kevin R. Murphy, Jeanette N. Cleveland, 1995. Understanding Performance
Appraisal,USA: Sage Publication
8. Human Resource Management in Developing Countries, By Pawan S. Budhwar,
Yaw A. Debrah, Published by Routledge, 2004