Assignment - 3 Developing Human Resources at ABC Manufacturing

Assignment - 3 (Individual)
Developing Human Resources at ABC Manufacturing

1. Why did Sue feel unhappy on her first day? What could have been done
to improve the situation?
Sue was not happy on her first day because she did not know anything
about the nature of job that she is up to. As there was no induction training
program, she did not get to know her colleagues much and she did not have a
clear picture on how well to play her part in the organization. In short, what
Sue experienced on her first day was the fear of the unknown. On the other
hand, Fred made her to worry even more by saying that she had had an
enormous filing backlog to clear once she starts her work.
Instead, she could have been given the departmental induction program
on her first day where she could have been introduced to all the other
employees both old and new. She could have been given a briefing about the
company’s vision and mission, its customers and competitors. She should
have been explained on the know-how of the product being manufactured in
the company. A small briefing could have been given on how to use the
telephone system that was installed a few months ago.

2. Do you think a six-monthly induction program such as that conducted

by ABC Manufacturing is effective? Provide a detailed justification,
including recommended changes / additions to the program, if any.
Yes, I think a six-monthly induction program such as that conducted by
ABC Manufacturing will be effective.
Justification
Companies usually consider training as an expense for the organization. It
must be noted that, in the longer term, it will be imperative that it becomes an
investment. This happens in the end because training improves the skill-level
of the employees, they get to know each other well, improves teamwork and
increases efficiency in the end. Eventually, the performance gains and the

HRM 6010 1 Dr. Alfred Chee

Assignment - 3 Developing Human Resources at ABC Manufacturing

eventual increase in profitability of the organization will far outweigh the costs
incurred by the way of training.
Recommended Changes/ Additions
The training must be more like on-the-job-training (OJT) rather than only
training. In that, the employees must be made aware that their performance
during the six-month training period will also be taken into account during
appraisal. This will stimulate the employees to start giving good performance
from the beginning itself. It is proven that the morale, productivity, and
professionalism will normally be high in those organizations that employ a
sound OJT program.
(Source: http://www.doi.gov/hrm/pmanager/ed6b.html)

Using i) job requirements, ii) related knowledge, iii) skills, and iv)
abilities as the basis, an Effective OJT plan can be formulated that includes
the following:

(Source: http://www.doi.gov/hrm/pmanager/ed6b.html)

3. Comment on the two different types of appraisal meeting Helen had with
her staff. Is there room for improvement? Justify your answer.
Appraisal 1 - In the first appraisal, Helen was the one who did the appraisal
for Sue. Here, the appraisal did not start well since there was interruption by
Fred during the course of the appraisal. It ended with a sour note because
Helen started commenting Fred’s way of working and his behaviour.

HRM 6010 2 Dr. Alfred Chee

Assignment - 3 Developing Human Resources at ABC Manufacturing

Appraisal 2 - In the second appraisal, Helen was at the receiving end and
Fred did the appraisal to her. In this second appraisal, Fred felt Helen was so
experienced enough that there was no need for any appraisal for her and
therefore it proved to be a disappointment to Sue.

Yes, there was plenty of room for improvement that, in both the
appraisals, the desired outcome was not achieved. This was because, in the
first appraisal, there was interruption by Fred which should have been
avoided. Apart from that, Helen’s comment about Fred was unnecessary.
Since Helen was conducting Sue’s performance appraisal, she should have
rather focused more about Sue’s performance than Fred’s behaviour and
character. In the second appraisal, Fred must have given a full appraisal to
Helen. He should not have felt that the appraisal was not necessary.
Justification
The main motive of performance appraisal is Employee Progress
Tracking. This enables employees where they stand in the career growth
which is very important since career planning must be made central both for
the growth of the company as well as the growth of the employee in an
organization. When employees don’t come to know their present status and
performance level in the company, it is very difficult for them to plan further
growth in the company’s hierarchical ladder.

4. What training would be of benefit to Fred? Provide an outline of a

relevant program for Fred and describe the training methods you would
apply. How would you measure the success of the program?
For Fred, first and foremost, I would suggest a counselling on anger
management. I agree that considering the position he holds, it is imperative
that he must have a high Intelligent Quotient (IQ). I would also suggest a
continuous learning session on how to train and improve his Emotional
Quotient (EQ). This would equip him with all the necessary skills and

HRM 6010 3 Dr. Alfred Chee

Assignment - 3 Developing Human Resources at ABC Manufacturing

attributes on how to control and manage one’s emotions, get along well with
fellow employees and have a harmonious workplace.

(Source: Daniel Goleman, Emotional Intelligence – Why It Can Matter More

Than IQ?, Bantam Books: 1995)
Next, I would have a small conversation with him and ask him to practice
company’s policies equally among all the employees. Performance appraisal
is a policy that must be practised for all employees at any circumstances. No
bias or complacency in implementing company policies and procedures must
be condoned.
The success of training can be measured using Key Performance
Indicators (KPI) on Emotional Quotient (EQ) namely:
1. Intrapersonal Development
2. Interpersonal Development
3. Stress Management
4. Adaptability
5. General Mood
6. Subordinate Feedback

HRM 6010 4 Dr. Alfred Chee

Assignment - 3 Developing Human Resources at ABC Manufacturing

5. Using Kirkpatrick’s model of training evaluation, how could the

effectiveness of Helen’s performance management training be
measured?
Kirkpatrick’s model of training evaluation has four components namely

Reaction
Kirkpatrick’
Learning s model of
Behaviour Training
Results
Evaluation

• Reaction - what they thought and felt about the training

 Helen must find out did the employees like the training, was the
training stimulating and motivating? It must be measured, what is the
degree of influence that the training has exerted on the employees.
Guidelines
 Written comments and suggestions must be encouraged
 100% immediate response must be sought
 Honest responses must be received
• Learning - the resulting increase in knowledge or capability
 Here, it must be measured if the employee really learns something
new so that it can be formed as the base for future skill acquisition. To
make sure that employees really learn what they are taught, they must
be informed that, at the end of the training, the employees will be given
a test and interview.
Guidelines
 A test must be devised to measure knowledge and attitudes
 If it is practical, a control group must be used

• Behaviour - extent of behaviour and capability improvement and

implementation/application

HRM 6010 5 Dr. Alfred Chee

Assignment - 3 Developing Human Resources at ABC Manufacturing

 In this stage, the motive is to figure out did the employees really use
what they learned. Employees must be observed well to unravel
whether they really apply what they were taught and what was taught
was practical or not.
Guidelines
 For behaviour change, enough time must be given
 Trainees and Supervisors must be interviewed, surveys must be
conducted on how well observations are made

• Results - the effects on the business or environment resulting from

the trainee’s performance
 This stage is to analyze and work out the impact of all the above
processes. Did it impact the bottom line? If so, then it must be
measured exactly how much is the actual improvement in the profit
and productivity.
Guidelines
 Costs versus benefits must be measured
 Measurement must be repeated for accuracy

• Return on Investment (ROI) - return on learning investment

 The final stage is the accurate measurement of the Return of
Investment for the training process.
Guidelines
 Use Key Performance Indicators (KPI) like average gain per man-hour
with average investment per man-hour
(Source: http://www.knowledgeadvisors.com/site/epage/61496_736.htm)

6. Consider the $10,000 training budget. What would be your approach to

utilising this budget?
My approach to utilizing this $10,000 budget is by the following ways:

HRM 6010 6 Dr. Alfred Chee

Assignment - 3 Developing Human Resources at ABC Manufacturing

 First do a thorough Training Need Analysis and get to know the type
of training needed, the areas in which majority of employees are weak.
 Choose in-house training since the budget allocated is limited
 Apart from that, selected employees, who are willing as well, must be
given training for upgrading computer skills
 Free Motivation Seminars must be conducted and participation must
be made compulsory
 Instrumental Design - Right training methods ideal for both young as
well as older adult employees must be tailored accordingly
 Career Counselling can be provided to impart and improve goal-setting
and evoking passion in what they do among employees
 Extra-corporate activities that stimulate the “creative side” employees
like acting, role-playing, and singing can be encouraged
 Skills imparted must be of three broad ranges namely: Conceptual
skills training (problem solving, contingency planning and proactive
measures) , Human skills training (interpersonal, tactful approaches
and information skills) and Technical skills training (continuous
learning, skill upgrading)

Based on the workload and employees’ stress levels, the following

work time-table can be implemented. In this way, the $10,000 will be
utilized in the most appropriate and productive way.

7. What advice would you give to Helen about managing her own career?

HRM 6010 7 Dr. Alfred Chee

Assignment - 3 Developing Human Resources at ABC Manufacturing

To manage her career, I would give the following advices to Helen:

 Advise her not to be complacent after achieving short-term goals.
Support her to set higher and long-term career goals.
 Encourage her to use the creative side of her mind to find new ideas in
the work that she does by thinking “outside of the box”
 Personal goals must be in lieu with career goals - growth must be on
both sides
 Ask her to take up training in improving your Emotional Quotient (EQ) -
so that she would get along well with even persons who are difficult to
deal with (like Fred)
 Make sure that she does not just wait for Performance Appraisals, do
self-analyzing as well to track one’s own progress
 Encourage her to be frank about her own level of job satisfaction and
do a thorough introspection on those areas that she does not like and
the reasons
 Make sure that her own goals and aspirations are in tune with the
organization’s culture and fit
 Motivate her to develop a personality that suits the way of work in the
organization
 Make sure every part of her resources (core skill-set, soft skills and
technical skills) are in harmony in her pursuit towards achieving her
career goals and that no part is discordant

8. What HR strategies could ABC Manufacturing apply to ensure effective

career planning?
ABC Manufacturing can ensure an effective career planning by the following
ways:
• Motivate employees to set tangible, worthwhile, personal and
desirable long-term goals. Break these long-term goals into small
chunks of short-term goals to be achieved within a deadline
• Make sure that these goals are crystal clear for the employees

HRM 6010 8 Dr. Alfred Chee

Assignment - 3 Developing Human Resources at ABC Manufacturing

• Encourage employees to have career planning on a yearly basis

• Make employees choose career milestones on the calendar that
are connected to their personal goals (in the longer term) and make
sure that they read them repeatedly and visualize them
• Make sure that career planning is recorded permanently so that
employees can go through past career pursuits and milestones and
how they achieved them that will boost employee confidence and their
morale. It also shows the obstacles that they faced and how they
overcame them
• If some goals did not turn up as the way planned, encourage them
to change course and set a new goal
• List out the necessary training, skill-sets and other means required
to achieve the goals
• Allocate time prudently to learn these skills and get training
• Encourage employees to approach for free counselling and support
them throughout their stint of achieving their career goals. Counselling
and support should include training employees’ qualities of
perseverance and will power as well

Bibliography
1. James N. Baron & David M. Kreps, Strategic Human Resources –
Framework for General Managers, John Wiley & Sons, Inc: 1999
2. Daniel Goleman, Emotional Intelligence – Why It Can Matter More Than
IQ?, Bantam Books: 1995

References
1. http://www.doi.gov/hrm/pmanager/ed6b.html
2. http://www.knowledgeadvisors.com/site/epage/61496_736.htm
3. http://contentdig.com/career/make-an-effective-career-planning-
program.html

HRM 6010 9 Dr. Alfred Chee