Principles of human resource
management
Introduction
Practical
• Lectures and WPO’s will not be recorded!!
o 2 WPO’s
• Syllabus online in pdf → print it out!!
• Each chapter contains a number of test questions
• Video clips on canvas aren’t necessary, they are leftovers from the covid period, but you can use
them if you rather listen than read the syllabus
• Written exam (90%)
o Multiple choice
o 40 questions → see sample question in ppt HOC1 slide 30!
o With standard setting (25/40)
• Assignment (10%)
o Self- and other-ratings + reflection
o No group projects but an assignment alone = new!
o = Multisource feedback
o More information during the WPO’s and on canvas
o It’s about asking feedback from 4 persons who know you well (parents, best friends,
family member, another student)
o We will try to write a self-portrait from this information and feedback = take the
perspective of a future employer
o Main goal = Thinking about your strengths (more about strengths than your negative
side) and how can you develop them
Getting started with Human Resources
In this lecture we’ll see what’s HR today about.
1
,What do you know about human resources?
1. HR’s main objective is to serve the interests of employees
a. No, also to motivate and assign them. This by keeping productivity performance in mind.
2. The job interview is the best method for hiring new employees
a. Not entirely correct, important is that there are different ways for assessing different
kinds of jobs.
b. The more structure there is, the more value the hiring method!
3. Teambuilding leads to better work performance
a. The term teambuilding is kind of an empty construct (it can be a city trip, sport activity,
…)
b. If you organize a teambuilding, you really need to think about what your goal is!!
c. It depends on what you want to achieve with your workgroup
4. Salary increases lead employees to perform better
a. We know from research is that the salary increase needs to be quite high to see à better
performance (= 10% increase and we see a difference but how long will that last?)
b. It also works because the employee knows the company thinks about them.
c. Psychologist say that if you pay them more, they will not perform better, because they
feel less pressure = crowding-out effect
How can HR help?
• Why don’t we find suitable candidates for the vacancy?
• How to choose the best candidate from the applicant pool?
• What feedback should we give employees during the performance review process?
• Which training should I offer my employees?
• How much should I pay my employees?
• How can I increase the well-being of my employees?
• How can we reduce personnel turnover in our organisation?
o Turnover is about employees leaving the company = a big problem for the company
because it was expensive to hire, train and follow them in their work
o People want change, so as a company you need to think about what you can offer them,
so they get the difference in jobs which is what they looking for.
o Therefore, companies work together so they can exchange employees and they don’t
have to lose them.
• How can I ensure that my employees are fully committed to the goals of the organisation?
o Everyone has a sort of individuality and competitivity → some positions are more
important and get more recognition, so it’s important to know that there is a difference!
2
,Does it matter?
KSAO’s = knowledge, skills, abilities and other characteristics
Intangible resources = immaterieële middelen
The main message
• Human resources are one of the primary means of creating ‘sustained competitive advantage’
for the organisation.
• To do so, the human resource architecture needs to be aligned with the business strategy and
needs to be internally consistent.
• Good human resources management takes into account the context in which the company
operates (culture, legislation, industry, etc.).
• These aligned practices will ensure a continuous influx of skilled and motivated personnel, who,
when given the opportunity, will exert efforts that benefit the business strategy.
• Certain positions hold more significance than others in achieving the organisation's strategy,
justifying the need for a differentiated HR policy.
• HR is seen as an integral component of business operations, thus students in this course are
expected to acquire proficiency in the language of business.
• We position ourselves in the role of HR professionals; consequently, this course does not offer
optimal recommendations for prospective or current employees (e.g., advice on job applications
or salary negotiations).
• The course's central focus lies in the connection between HR and value creation. In each chapter,
we explore how HR can contribute to the organisation's strategy. Therefore, this course does not
revolve around 'soft' HRM (e.g., organising team-building activities or corporate picnics); rather, it
concentrates on how well-considered HRM can enhance overall firm performance.
3
, What about well-being?
→ Well-being is important, even if it will not lead to better performance!!
We argue that organisations hold a significant societal role and bear at least partial responsibility for
the well-being of their employees. Their duty is to safeguard the well-being of their workforce, not
solely because a healthy workplace leads to superior outcomes (which is, indeed, the case), but also
because well-being possesses intrinsic importance. Full stop.
Learning goals
At the end of the course students should be able to:
• Identify and describe the key concepts and frameworks for HRM
• Describe the fundamentals and functionality of the different HR functions
• Understand and explain how the HR functions separately and in combination contribute to
sustainable competitive advantage
• Critically analyse factors that influence the strategic management of human resources in today’s
international environment
• Evaluate the extent to which an organisation’s HR architecture is in accordance with the most
recent scientific evidence
• Identify causes of HR-related problems and formulate recommendations based on the best
available evidence.
Do not just memorise → It’s about understanding, and case based questioning examination =
applying
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