Week 8 Information

Week 8 will cover the human element in an organization. 

In essence, the most important asset a company has is its employees. Managing this aspect can be the difference between success and failure. If you have ever had a great boss or a not-so-nice one, you understand how you have been treated impacts how you perform.

Items of interest from the lecture:

  • Human Resource Managment is the activities directed at attracting, developing, and maintaining an effective workforce. Numerous laws and regulations dictate the treatment of employees. Slides 6-14 provide a summary. 
  • Performance appraisals are commonly used to provide feedback to an employee and justify promotions and raises. But, an HR person should be aware of the bias that could affect the outcome, both positively and negatively. See the cartoons on slide 18 for fun versions of the concepts discussed on slide 17. Even so, performance appraisals have benefits, as shown on slide 22.
  • Compensation is one of the most important aspects of managing human capital. It is not just about the pay, many employees expect other elements. For an overview, see slide 25. This is also the topic of this week's discussion, so explore what matters most to you. Watch the video on slide 30 for a comical take on this topic.
  • Another aspect of managing employees is the consideration that multiple generations are now working together. How does this affect the workplace? Does a Baby Boomer truly understand how to manage Gen Z? How can a company best serve this multigenerational workforce? Look at slide 40 for the characteristics of these different generational workers.
  • The lecture ends with pointers on how to handle tough interview questions. This is not part of the chapter, but I wanted to provide for those who would like tips for intervening. 
  • Lastly, look over the two videos in the module. The first is a video on Inclusion & The Power of Diversity (also slide 41). This short video shows people holding up cards that show how inclusion is deeper than you would think. It refers to the assumptions that can be made about people. The second, Unconscious bias: Stereotypical hiring practices, discusses how bias can affect your ability to get hired.  

Remember, your Personal SWOT Analysis is due on Sunday.

Reach out with any questions!

Have a great week!