Human resources management (hrm)

1. General Definition. Human resources management is a set of planning activities. They include the acquisition, mainte­nance, and development of an organization's human resources. In general, human resources planning consists of forecasting the hu­man resources that the firm will need in the future.

Acquisition includes planning that leads to hiring new person­nel.

Maintenance of human resources consists of motivating em­ployees to remain within the firms and to work effectively. Moti­vation includes the following aspects:

• Rewarding an employee through monetary payments.

• Providing benefits and promotions to ensure an employee's well being.

Candidates for open positions may be recruited from within or outside the firm. In the selection process applications, resumes, interviews and references may be used to obtain information about candidates.

2. Employment Applications. Everyone who applies for a job (an applicant) must submit an application. An employment application is useful in collecting factual information on a candi­date's education, work experience, and personal history. The data obtained from applications are usually used for two purposes: to identify candidates who are worthy of further scrutiny and to fa­miliarize interviewers with applicants' backgrounds.

3. Resumes. Many job candidates submit resumes to employ­ers, and some firms require them. A resume is a short summary of the candidate's background and qualifications. It includes a de­scription of the type of job the applicant is seeking. A resume may be submitted along with an employment application.

4. Interviews. The employment interview is the most widely used selection technique. Job candidates are usually interviewed by at least one member of the HRM staff and by the person for whom they will be working. Interviews provide an opportunity for the firm and the applicants learn more about each other. Interview­ers can ask different questions to learn something about the candi­date's attitude to the job and motivation.

5. References. A job candidate is generally asked to indicate the names of references — people who can verify background in­formation and provide personal evaluation of the candidate. Per­sonal evaluations obtained from references may not be of much value because applicants list only the references who say good things about them.

6. Orientation. All the information collected during the selec­tion process is then used to select the most appropriate candidates for the job. Newly hired employees should go through a firm's ori­entation program. Orientation is the process of acquainting new employees with the organization.

7. Feedback. Feedback is talking of a manager to subordi­nates to let them know how well they are doing and how they can work better in the future. In other words, it is performance ap­praisal. These appraisals may be positive or negative. Feedback must help eliminate job-related weaknesses. For a good job em­ployees get rewards such as pay raises and promotions.

III. Find the English equivalents:

прогнозирование, принятие на работу новых служащих, оставаться работать в организации, работать эффективно, вознаграждение служащих, денежные выплаты, содействовать продвижению по службе, открытая вакансия, нанимать с или вне фирмы, в процессе отбора заявлений, получить информацию о кандидате, предоставить заявление о приеме на работу, опыт работы, биография, широко используемая техника отбора, интервьюировать кого-либо, по крайней мере, давать возможность, узнать больше друг о друге, отношение к работе, называть поручителя, давать свою оценку, цениться очень сильно, обязанности на предыдущем месте работы, оставить прежнее место работы, самые подходящие, ознакомительная программа, разговор менеджера с подчиненными, оценка деятельности, избежать недостатков в работе, получать вознаграждение, повышение зарплаты и продвижение по службе.

IV. Complete the sentences.

1. In general, human resources ...

2. Maintenance of human resources consists …

3. Candidates for open positions may be …

4. An employment application is useful …

5. A resume is a short summary of …

6. Job candidates are usually interviewed by at least …

7. Personal evaluations obtained from …

8. Newly hired employees should go through …

V. Agree or disagree to the following.

1. In general, human resources planning (HRM) consists of forecasting the sums of money that the firm will need in the future.

2. Acquisition includes planning that leads to motivating employees.

3. Candidates for open position can be recruited only outside the firm.

4. Everyone who applies for a job must submit an application.

5. An employment application is not very useful.

6. A resume is a short summary of a candidate’s background and qualifications.

7. Personal evaluations obtained from references are of great value.

8. All the information is used to select the most appropriate candidates for the job.

9. Newly hired employees should go through a firm’s orientation program.

10. For a good job employees get rewards such as pay raises and promotions.

VI. Continue the chain.

1) acquisition, maintenance, …

2) monetary, payments, …, promotion

3) …, resumes, …, references

VII. Say it in one word:

• to make people interested in smth (to m…)

• to hire a person (to r…)

• a short summary of candidate’s background and qualifications (r…)

• a person, from HRM staff, who asks a candidate different questions (i…)

• a person, who can verify background information and provide personal evaluations of the candidate (r…)

• a synonym for possibility (o…)

• smb’s opinion about the candidate (e…)

• every leader has such people (s…)

VIII. Consider some opinions below.

• To find a good job nowadays is not easy. I was lucky to get a well-paid job. I had no references, but the manager interviewed me and selected for this position. I’ve just graduated from the Financing Academy and was full of enthusiasm and energy. I think it made the manager choose me.

Anne, 28, an accountant.

• I constantly get into troubles, looking for a job. Either I can’t find a proper position with a good salary or I can’t find a common language with subordinates. I changed several places of work for 2 years.

Ivan, a foreman, 34.

• I live in a small town, that’s why I haven’t a choice at all. They pay little, but require much. With my qualification in some city I would get 4 or 5 times more. But I have no opportunity to move somewhere. I should take care of my old parents.

Nickolay, a doctor, 46.

IX. Answer the questions.

1. What does HRM planning consist of?

2. What does acquisition include?

3. How many aspects does motivation include? What are they?

4. Where can a firm recruit candidates for open position?

5. What is used to obtain information about candidates?

6. What must every applicant submit?

7. How can the data obtained from applications be used?

8. What is the most widely used selection technique?

9. What is a reference?

10. Why should newly hired employees go through a firm’s orientation program?

11. What is feedback?

12. What does it help to eliminate?

X. Speak to the following.

1. Imagine you are a human resources manager in a computer firm. You need to hire new personnel. Decide what the main criteria to select the applicants are.

2. Imagine you are looking for a new job. You’re already submitted an application and the HR manager invited you for an interview. What rules should you follow to be a success? Think about your clothes, hair-style, nails, manner of speech, etc.

3. Imagine you are a newly hired employee and you should go through a firm’s orientation program. Tell what is included in this process?

Lesson XV

I. Read and translate the following international words without using a dictionary:

motivation, personal, organizational, to motivate, to activate, process, general, organization, theory, model, person, to produce, system, social, alternative, idea, to base, firm, productivity, effective, complex, dynamic, factor.

II. Remember the following words:

to soldier – разг. увиливать от работы, «сачковать»

piece-rate – сдельный

to be in evidence – наблюдать

dedication – преданность

to be committed – быть преданным