Introduction: Importance of Employee Records
Human Resource Management (HRM) and Employee Relations (ER) are interdependent components, which ensure that the firm has a well-developed pool of employees with the right competencies to reach organizational goals (Phillips & Gully, 2013). Paying substantial attention to these aspects allows the company to create its distinct competitive advantage and maintain its market share. Consequently, discovering the vitality of these matters is the primary goal of this essay.
In the first place, keeping employee records is highly important for HR practice. For instance, accurate information about the employees assists in providing the rationale for the termination of the contract (Buzkan, 2016). At the same time, it could be used as a source of data on employees’ performance and their ability to reach organizational goals (Buzkan, 2016). Furthermore, keeping records in an organized manner can help avoid lawsuits concerning the compensation system and unreasonable layoff (Buzkan, 2016).
Nonetheless, some of the employers disregard the importance of record-keeping and have to face adverse consequences. For instance, the absence of employee records can be a potential cause of insufficient decision-making and unreasonable hiring or firing of staff. Subsequently, it could adversely affect employees’ satisfaction and commitment leading to the low quality of the services and low retention among consumers. Simultaneously, as it was mentioned earlier, the employees are definers of organizational success, and their ineffective distribution can lead to the loss of a distinct competitive advantage.
Formal and Informal Documentation
The records can be maintained in formal and informal forms. In this case, the formal one usually refers to the files and agreements required by the legal authorities (McConnell, 2011). In this case, the documents are represented by payroll records and employment and compensation agreements (McConnell, 2011). As it was mentioned earlier, the employers rely on this data during the decision-making process. Nonetheless, this type of documents also serves an additional purpose and protects the employees. For instance, the workforce can refer to the employment contract in case of the illegal actions of the management and its unlawful termination.
Despite the importance of formal registers, one cannot underestimate that informal documentation is also significant. Informal records can be presented in the plethora of forms including the “manager’s anecdotal notes” and KPIs related to one’s performance (McConnell, 2011). In this case, the employees can take advantage of these notes when facing controversies and prejudice. For example, referring to performance excellence and effective relationship with other team members might be one of the approaches to affect the managerial decisions regarding the layoff.
Effective Legal Termination
In turn, it is critical to discuss the issues associated with the downsizing and layoff, as any organization might experience it during the recession stage. Consequently, paying attention to the legal matters of the employment termination is critical, as they minimize the risks of prejudice. Documentation is the main factor that ensures the effective legal ending of the contract (McConnell, 2011). It helps avoid legal suits and offers a rationale for particular decisions. It could be concluded that employers cannot underrate a pivotal role of documentation in the process of downsizing since it ensures compliance with legal practices.
Despite the significance of the employer’s decision, the employees can refer to formal and informal records to protect their position against downsizing. In this case, the workers can rely on the employment contract and determine whether the actions of management are reasonable. Simultaneously, paying critical attention to meeting organizational goals and performance excellence can protect the employees during the layoff. It could be said that following the corporate rules will help build an image of an essential part of the firm. Meanwhile, maintaining KPIs at a high level will ensure the employee’s contribution to shaping the company’s competitive edge (Phillips & Gully, 2013).
Ethics and Healthcare Managers
Furthermore, ethics is one of the critical elements of HR to assure the effectiveness of decision-making within the organization (Arulrajah, 2015). One of the major challenges is the presence of social media in the everyday activities of the employees. This technological phenomenon can be regarded as a potential source of data leakage (Sevignani, 2015). In this case, trusting the employees is critical, but posting information about the patient on social media might question the ethical principles of the organization. In this case, the leader has to ensure that all online actions of the employees comply with the corporate culture and do not violate the laws.
In turn, another challenge is the changes in the financing of healthcare institutions in the United States of America. Nowadays, the country is required to reduce its spending, and this aspect affects the functioning of the hospitals (Weisbart, 2012). Downsizing and decrease in wages might be viewed as necessities. In this case, the leader has to explain the need for change to the employees and ensure that the employment termination is supported by the legal documentation.
An Outline of Effective Succession Planning Process
Based on the factors provided above, being a manager requires having a substantial blend of knowledge and practical experience. In this case, it is vital to propose a plan to ensure the smooth transition between old and new managers in the organization. Firstly, using the performance KPIs can identify employees, which can be considered for advancement (Bohlander & Snell, 2010). In this case, the performance with the rates above average will indicate the necessity to continue training to become a manager.
The next stage will be half a year of training and development programs. The primary goal of the session will be discussing situations such as ethical issues, downsizing, working with the HR department as a strategic partner, and discovering advantages of unionization and documentation. The sessions will be divided into units and conducted twice a week. It will help future leaders to understand the insights of managerial practice and prepare them for future challenges.
As for the mentorship, each potential leader will be assigned a mentor from senior management. In this case, new employees can ask questions about different situations. The senior managers will help leaders during the program. However, a young leader will be able to consult the manager after completion. Based on the outline of the program described above, Figure 1 provides a summary of all stages.
Unionization: Employer and Employees
One cannot underestimate the significance of unionization, but it has different influences on employer’s and employees’ satisfaction. It remains apparent that the unions were created to protect the rights, freedoms, and benefits of the workers (Bohlander & Snell, 2010). At the same, the establishment of labor unions has a positive impact on the employees’ satisfaction and commitment, as the workforce feels like a substantial contributor to the firm’s success and decision-making (Bohlander & Snell, 2010). A combination of these aspects highlights that unionization is a critical part of the employees’ corporate culture.
The organization has to take advantage of the labor unions, as they not only support the employees but also enhance the overall performance. One of the benefits is the fact that having these entities eases the negotiation process, as both parties have well-defined views and opinions (Bohlander & Snell, 2010).
It helps enhance the financial performance of the firm, as the membership in unions pertains to employees’ satisfaction and motivation. Labor unions have a positive impact on the workforce and employers simultaneously. The workers have their rights and freedoms recognized while management can express their views clearly and focus on organizational performance.
HR as an Effective Strategic Partner
Despite various debates associated with HR functions, the HR department continues to be one of the definers of the organizational success and strategic partner. In this case, the HR should view the employees as a major contributor to the firm’s profitability and ensure the compliance of HRM practices with the mission statement (Jacobson, Sowa, & Lambright, 2014). In the first place, the HR department has to focus on the training of the employees to comply with organizational needs.
Highlighting this aspect will assist in meeting corporate goals and enhance the overall profitability. Simultaneously, the firm should not underestimate the essence of unions and working conditions and take advantage of their existence. Finding compromises with the labor unions will assist in aligning their objectives with the company’s mission statement. A combination of these factors depicts that the alignment is an essential goal of the HR department as a strategic partner, as it improves profitability, increases satisfaction and motivation, and ensures that employees have a required set of skills to shape a competitive edge.
References
Arulrajah, A. (2015). Contribution of human resource management in creating and sustaining ethical climate in the organizations. Sri Lanka Journal of Human Resource Management, 5(1), 31-44.
Bohlander, G., & Snell, S. (2010). Managing human resources. Mason, OH: South-Western Cengage Learning.
Buzkan, H. (2016). The role of human resource information system (HRIS) in organizations: A review of literature. Academic Journal of Interdisciplinary Studies, 5(1), 133-138.
Jacobson, W., Sowa, J., & Lambright, K. (2014). Do human resource departments act as strategic partners? Strategic human resource management adoption by county governments. Review of Public Personnel Administration, 34(3), 289-301.
McConnell, C. (2011). The health care manager’s legal guide. Sudbury, MA: Jones & Bartlett Learning.
Phillips, J., & Gully, S. (2013). Human resource management. Mason, OH: South-Western Cengage Learning.
Sevignani, S. (2015). Privacy and capitalism in the age of social media. New York, NY: Routledge.
Weisbart, E. (2012). A single-payer system would reduce U.S. health care costs. Virtual Mentor, 14(11), 897-903.