Basic notes on human resource management

Unit I: Modern Human Resources Administration

The ARH constitutes an extension and complement of the functions to direct the personnel that were developed in the “old” area of personnel administration in the companies: selection, training and compensation. In addition to these functions, the ARH has a more comprehensive orientation because it seeks to manage personnel with new tools and principles that take into account a thorough understanding of human behavior and how to apply that knowledge for the greater efficiency of personnel.

We can say that ARH is the dynamic interaction between the functions of the personnel area and the objectives of the organization, that is to say that HR planning must be coordinated with the organizational strategy.

Functions of the ARH

Recruitment and selection of personnel: everything related to the search for personnel and subsequent selection of the right people. Training and development: everything related to improving skills for their work and for their future development. Problems of remuneration and personnel administration: remuneration involves a global aspect, which goes from job descriptions to seeing what is the salary you deserve. The administration involves controls, licenses, payment of salaries, assists, etc. Performance evaluation: it is all the analysis of job performance, whether or not you achieve your goals, what exactly you do. It is a factor that influences remuneration and training.Labor relations: it is everything related to the direct contact of the company with its people.

Strategic HR management

The HR area is not the most important thing in a company; it is a service or support structure for the organization. But if this HR area does not work well, the company may die.

In order to comply with the HR area, 2 things must be taken into account:

Mission and Vision: this is the goal, the objectives set, the reason for the existence of the company. Once these aspects are known, HR adapts to them, supporting and helping to achieve them. It would be good if the employees also knew them, to know why they do such a task. Neither the mission nor the vision should be altered. Objectives and goals: based on these, the HR strategy must be put together. These can be modified depending on the eventual changes that occur.

The first great mission of HR from the perspective of the company is planning the future endowment of the company (in quantity and quality).

The other important issue is preparing staff for the change, as the changes are currently permanent. HR must lessen people's fear of change and make them accept it. The first problem is that those involved resist change.

In gral. the changes are linked to training and here comes the person's attitude, which is the first thing that must be tried to train.

HR is necessary to the extent that it is appropriate to the mission and vision, and to the objectives and goals.

Main objectives of HR

Achievement of higher levels of skills: the tendency is to increase the capacity level of those who work in the organization through training. The benefit will be for the person and for the company. Greater acceptance of change: company members must not only accept change, but also learn to work in a dynamic work environment under their conditions. A new style of leadership: before the leader was responsible, he gave the orders and the others only had to carry them out. Now leadership means that a person achieves consensus with his work style. The leader is the conductor of the orchestra, a coordinator who manages the different characteristics of the individuals to obtain the best results.Greater motivation towards productivity: in HR, productivity means doing more things with the same resources. It must start with the individuals who make up the organization because productivity depends largely on them. More teamwork: it is essential to achieve greater productivity and quality at work. Solving work problems and facing common and consensual objectives is a way of working that has proven to be highly productive, through the exchange of ideas, experiences, interdisciplinarity, etc. which implies the coordination of a work team. Better customer service:traditionally, the company offered its product and the customer took it or left it. Now the company takes into account the requirements and needs of the client in order to improve. When we refer to customer, we speak of the internal and external.

Therefore, we could summarize the main objective of the HR area as follows: choose the right people, for the right job, at the right time.

So, the responsibility of modern ARH is to incorporate people with:

Knowledge, skills and abilities for the position. Skills for the XXI century.

Skills for the year 2,000

The skills that companies are going to require from their personnel in the near future are related to the process of change that we have pointed out as a constant in our reality, and the due adaptation that employees must have to that process. Those skills are:

Interpersonal skills : ability to interact fluently with other members of the organization and with customers. Communication skills : ability to integrate into a company and generate, manage and transmit the information flowing through it smoothly, as a way to achieve greater efficiency. Problem-solving skills : ability of employees to act autonomously in most of their tasks, without the need for direct and permanent supervision, but rather with participatory supervision that gives employees the possibility of increasing responsibility, as a form of motivation (new leadership style). Analytical and quantitative skills:If we want employees to solve problems on their own, we need them to have an adequate profile that allows them to analyze issues and act creatively. Being multilingual: facing globalization, the external environment of companies also integrates it with the rest of the world. Therefore, staff should have a command of another language, in addition to the native one. Ability to learn quickly: skill required in the face of constant change in which we live. If we want our staff to adapt quickly to changes, through a rapid learning capacity that allows them to adapt to each new technological or cultural requirement. Adaptability:necessary skill for the processes we are living. An individual with all the characteristics mentioned above must possess this ability to join a company of the future.

Unit II: Organization of the Post

The work that is done in the company must be divided into units that an individual is capable of performing effectively. The smallest organizational unit, into which work can be divided, is the job.

The nature and function of the posts:

A position is the organizational unit consisting of a group of responsibilities and obligations (in charge of the employee who occupies it) separate and different from those of other positions.

A distinction must be made between position and position. A position consists of the part of a position or the positions assigned to an employee. A position can be made up of one or more positions depending on the number of people required to fill it. Sometimes a position may involve assigning an employee to more than one position. Although each position within an organization may no longer have assigned personnel at a given time, it has been authorized in the budget.

Explanatory remark: an employee can occupy more than one position; And a position can be filled by different employees who have different positions. Then, the position is equivalent to the position, which is impersonal (hierarchy of the employee), while the position is personal, since it refers to the function that the employee performs in that position. At the same time, there cannot be an employee without a position (hierarchy), but a position can be without an employee at any given time.

The position affects the role of the employee within an organization. Your location gives a measure of an employee's relative value compared to their peers. The higher the level of the position and the authority it has, the greater the relative position of the person who holds it. The relative position of a position can be judged in part by the title assigned to it, and sometimes this psychic remuneration is increased to compensate for the lack of increase in the salary assigned to the position.

The modernization of work brought the specialization of positions, allowing the duties of a position to be divided into several separate positions, which is called dilution of the position. This produced some improvement in efficiency, but is somewhat neutralized by the fatigue, boredom, and loss of interest that certain repetitive jobs produce.

For this reason, the amplification of posts began to be used , whereby the obligations of several posts can be combined into one. In weighing the advantages and disadvantages of specialization, it must be recognized that job satisfaction is more about individual satisfaction than about the job itself. Work that is unsatisfactory for one individual can be quite satisfactory for another.

The job analysis program

Job analysis is the process of gathering, analyzing, and recording job information. This information is recorded in the job descriptions and specifications. Although the analysis of positions does not eliminate the influence of prejudices, opinions or personal criteria of the people who collect or provide information, it requires that such opinions be more objective, since they must be reduced to the written form and related to the evidence of the facts. In addition, each position is divided and studied based on the component parts or elements it comprises. This practice can help to avoid that certain elements of the position receive little or too much consideration.

Job analysis should not be confused with the study of times and movements, since the analysis helps to reveal what the employee does and the qualifications he must have. While the results of the job analysis are compiled narratively and descriptively, the results of the study of times and movements are presented quantitatively and graphically, since they are aimed at improving working methods and developing time standards.

For the job analysis to be successful, it is the supervisors and employees of each department who must supply most of the data, and can even prepare drafts of job descriptions and specifications.

The task of analyzing positions and preparing descriptions and specifications can be done through external consultants. In these cases, it is generally included to train some company employees to continue the program once it has started.

Gathering information on positions

The analyst can obtain information by interviewing employees and / or supervisors, having them fill out questionnaires about their positions, observing the positions as they are performed and checking production records. Questionnaires allow you to quickly obtain information about different positions. At the same time, at least to some degree, the interview is also generally used to gather information.

The points of the questionnaires must be clear and their filling should not be too arduous a burden.

The data provided must be accurate. Those responsible for collecting or reviewing data must continually warn themselves against the omission of important facts, the inclusion of imprecise statements, or the tendency of certain personnel to exaggerate the difficulty or importance of their positions, in order to inflate their ego or their salaries. If there is any doubt about the accuracy of the information obtained, the analyst should seek additional information from the employee, or check his statements against those of other people who have the same position. It is common for job information to be checked and approved by one or more of the employee's superiors.

Whenever possible, information regarding each position should indicate the specific expected results of an employee. In this way, an employee and her supervisor better understand what is expected of a position in terms of performance. Any factor that may affect your personality should also be indicated. If, for example, a position requires a certain temperament to work with a particular superior, or to get along with a particular work group, this fact can determine the success or failure of the person holding the position and should not be ignored even when it is delicate in nature.

Initiation and acceptance of the job analysis program

It is important to minimize any resistance from employees. First, the job groups and the order in which they will be analyzed, the information that will be obtained and how it will be done must be determined. Prepare the necessary forms, instructions and explanatory material. A full explanation to all staff about the scope, purposes and benefits of the program is perhaps the most important phase.

Care should be taken that there are no similar positions with different titles.

The program requires effective planning and communication. The purpose of the program, the benefits it will have for employees, and the methods to be used should be communicated well in advance of the introduction.

Firstly, the objectives of the program and the policies and procedures that will be used must be written down. It is also important to familiarize staff with the benefits of the program through educational activities, printed materials, conferences, group meetings, and training classes. It is preferable to direct educational efforts primarily to supervisors, since their cooperation and support in explaining the program to their operating personnel is essential to the success of the program.

Some benefits of the program for employees

Allow the employee to better understand job duties and responsibilities and what is expected of him. There is nothing that frustrates and demoralizes an employee more than not knowing the nature of their duties and their relationships with others. Providing data that can be used to equalize the distribution of workload. The data can serve as an objective basis for determining the salary for each position and for evaluating employee performance. Employees want fair and objective treatment and this requires accurate job information. Information on job requirements can also serve as a guide to self-improvement for employees, in their current job and in future jobs.The data may be a more objective basis for supervisors and employees to resolve some of the complaints that may arise regarding the duties of their positions.

A program should not be started during a period of layoffs or work unease because it will increase the chances that employees will view the program as a threat to their safety.

The analyst should work with employees and supervisors and give them an opportunity to review and offer suggestions regarding the information contained in the job descriptions.

A. Job Description

The duties and responsibilities of the position should be established in writing. This can prevent a position from being gradually changed by its owner; and avoid different opinions between the employee and his boss about the duties of the position.

The "job description" is the written statement of the duties and responsibilities of a job. In general it includes three sections:

The identification of the position: title of the position and other information to distinguish it from other positions. The job summary: to identify and differentiate your obligations from those of other positions. The duties of the position: they are brief statements that indicate

What the worker does How he does it Why he does it

This description of duties should also indicate the tools, equipment and materials used, the procedures followed and the degree of supervision required. It may also include relationships in a position with others to which the worker may be transferred or promoted.

B. Job specification

It includes the qualities that a person must have to perform a position. In general it contains the requirements of abilities and the physical demands.

Skill requirements

They indicate the mental and manual skills, as well as the qualities and personal characteristics necessary to carry out a position. They generally include:

Educational requirements. Experience. Specific knowledge requirements. Characteristics or personal skills. Responsibility. Manual skill requirements.

Physical demands

They tend to be more important in workshop positions than in office positions. They include aspects such as:

Physical effort, working conditions, job risks.

Use of job descriptions and specifications

The specifications are used more as a tool for recruitment and selection of new employees. They are also very useful for job evaluation and determination of salary differences with respect to different jobs.

Homework assessment

To accurately estimate the content of a task and discover the relative value of its characteristics, it is necessary to dispense with an assessment of the individual (this is assessment of tasks).

But it turns out that individuals who perform the same task usually do not have the same value for the employer and this is due to the personal characteristics of the employees. All operators do not produce the same performance, neither in quality nor in quantity. Some are more independent and self-sufficient than others. Some need more vigilance than others; some are hostile and others are characterized by an attitude of cordiality. These personal traits constitute an index of the relative value of a worker with respect to others (this is valuation of merits). Although task assessment initially responded to the need for a method of determining equitable wage differential rates, one should not lose sight of the other benefits it provides.Provided it is applied correctly, it contributes to reducing the number of claims; simplifies wage negotiations; facilitates the selection of employees; serves as a guideline to carry out transfers and promotions; sets the duties, responsibilities and qualifications required by the task; It is useful for assessing the individual merits of employees and also serves for the development of organizational charts.

The fundamental purpose of assessing personal merit is to establish an estimate of an individual's performance on the task assigned to him.

Formal valuation of individual merits reduces the favoritism element; it provides uniform and systematic judgments on the performance and behavior of each employee and provides comparable information for the selection of employees.

Homework assessment methods

A. Nesting method

The positions are ranked, some compared to others, taking into account the general factors of the position (risk, working conditions, etc.)

It is necessary to obtain information about the position, through its analysis. Some positions are taken from different areas and they are ranked (administration, factory, workshop, etc.) and based on this, the rest are ranked. One factor is chosen, which will serve to compare the positions with each other. For example: difficulty of the position. The hierarchy of the positions is made: a group of 4 or 5 evaluators is given a set of cards where all the positions described are. Each of them give them an order of hierarchy according to the previously chosen factor. Then an average is made according to the hierarchies of each evaluator, thus obtaining the final hierarchy.

If there are very marked differences between the rankings of the evaluators, surely they did not understand the factor that was taken or the factor is not correct to rank those positions.

The problem with this system is that it does not allow positions to be compared with one another, it only hierarchizes them. In other words, it does not allow us to establish differences on how much more we are going to pay one with respect to the other.

B. Classification method by grades or by classes

You have to form groups of jobs. For this we can use

The degree system: all the positions that have the same difficulty and the rest of the different factors are grouped. The most difficult positions are placed in one group and the least difficult positions in another group. The class system: all similar positions are grouped, with different degrees of difficulty.

Scoring system for assessing tasks

Definition of job blocks that have the same characteristics. Example: middle management, sector managers, etc. Job Description. If it is already done, information is taken from it. Selection and definition of compensable factors. In other words, those factors that are important from the valuation perspective (supervision, creativity, responsibility, experience, etc.)

The ideal is to choose 3 more or less, since it becomes very complex.

For example: we choose the complexity factor of the task. We define it: "degree of difficulty of the specific task to be performed". Then, we define the different degrees:

Routine: grade 1

Routine: grade 2

Something complex: grade 3

Very complex: grade 4

Highly complex: grade 5

4. Determination of relative values of the factors, that is, the weight assigned to each factor according to the position. In other words, based on the previous example, the task complexity factor does not have the same importance in all positions.

For example: we are going to establish the values of the positions of middle management. We take the complexity, decision-making and experience factors and, according to our criteria, we give a value to each one according to how much we believe that the factor intervenes in that position. Then we add them to obtain a total on which we will base ourselves in the following steps.

Complexity (initial value) 1 00 %

Decision making 85%

Experience 60%

Total 245%

Then, we get the percentage of the value that we gave to each factor involved in the analyzed position, with respect to the total:

Complexity (100/245%) = 40.8%

Decision making (85/245%) = 34.7%

Experience (60/245%) = 24.5%

Complexity

Grade 5: 204 points

Grade 4: 164 points

Grade 3: 123 points

Grade 2: 82 points

Grade 1: 41 points

Decision making

Grade 5: 174 points

Grade 4: 140 points

Grade 3: 105 points

Grade 2: 70 points

Grade 1: 35 points

Experience

Grade 5: 122 points

Grade 4: 96 points

Grade 3: 72 points

Grade 2: 48 points

Grade 1: 24 points

With this we define that the position that is the most complex, requires the highest degree of participation in decision-making and the most experience (within the middle management positions, as we have been analyzing so far as an example), will have 500 points.

Complexity (grade 5) 204 points

Decision making (grade 5) + 174 points

Experience (grade 5) 122 points

Total 500 points

We take the job description and we classify them one by one, according to the different degrees of intervening factors that each position has. Example:

Production manager

Complexity - grade 4 164 points

Decision making - grade 5 + 174 points

Experience - grade 3 72 points

Total 410 points - over 500 points

All the points obtained for the analyzed jobs are translated into money, comparing the wages received by similar workers in the labor market.

Unit III: Selection of Personnel

Recruitment

Sources for recruitment can be:

Internal

Internal publications (notices) Performance evaluation Database (files) Training (evaluation of this)

External

Media notices (must be visually appealing) Head - hunter (espionage) Recruitment at universities Spontaneous presentation Unions (not recommended) Consultants Contacts and / or recommendations Job boards

A good database will help with selection. We will find a background set of individuals who would have a potential profile for the vacant position. The profile will be given to us by the job analysis. A manager or person in charge of an area will request a person to fill the position. This will be authorized by the person in charge of determining the payments. Once the request is accepted, it is sent to RR HH. Before being sent, the manager requesting the employee must make a job description.

Preselection

It is to make a previous selection based on what is written, what the person has written and what this shows.

Steps

Interview: they are carried out from HR and it is a quick interview. It seeks to check the background and obtain the "first approach". It is useful to clarify the doubts that arise after reading the curriculum. They allow us to obtain a lot of information. They must be previously prepared. What is proposed is to have them interview one or more managers with whom the individual will later have contact. Can be:

Structured: all questions are written and addressed to the interviewee. It is prepared in advance. The advantage is that there are no “loose” issues and we can compare the responses of all the candidates. The downside is that it is not very flexible, so it can become tedious. Unstructured: Apart from analyzing the information of the applicant that we have, we can handle the questions at our discretion.

Psychological test: they are carried out on the people who were from the previous step, that is, preselected. They are divided into 2 groups:

Of intelligence: if I need an individual with skills for numerical reasoning, manuals, psychomotor, etc. Of personality: to find out the characteristics of the personality and the behavior of the individual (if he has the ability to relate, if he is creative, a liar, etc.). A final report must be made based on the profile of the individual, which will function as an element of judgment to provoke a kind of "filter". The psychological report is saved.

Proof of employment: are those tests that we can apply to know the ability to do the job that the individual has. They are done with supervisors.

Once we have the preselected, we must perform the following steps:

Medical examination: to verify the degree of capacity - disability and the problems the person has, to avoid future problems for the company. Background check: for example, police. Contract: it is the legal way of incorporating the person. The person begins with his work: previous induction process (setting), to save time and reduce costs. This is done by showing the individual the organization, how it is formed, their coworkers, the work environment, the operation of the telephones, explanation of their work by a tutor on a scheduled basis, etc.

Internal mobility

The organization can make an internal selection, for which 2 paths can be taken:

Rotation or transfer: it is the horizontal movement, that is, it maintains its hierarchy but changes its functions. Promotion or promotion: vertical movement. It occupies a higher position from the hierarchical point of view.

Career plan

Both in the rotation and in the promotion, a career plan is developed, which marks a path in a structured way within the organization's policy according to the subject's professional development.

The career plan aims to objectify the way subjects develop in positions.

Within the organization it is related to staff development, job analysis (description) and task evaluation. It must be written and structured and must also have the support of the management.

Goals must be established within the plan, so that the employees can fulfill them, as a way of "steps to follow", while competing with their peers.

In the case of horizontal mobility, it represents a preliminary step for vertical mobility, since the employee can expand his knowledge and / or perform better.

In the case of the promotion, it can be given by:

By seniority: there is no structured plan, you just wait for the time to pass to get the promotion. For example, in public administration. By merit: good performance, training, personal concern, etc.; There must be a structure, that is, a system that allows the measurement of merit. For this, performance evaluation is fundamental, showing how the subject has evolved.

There is a 3rd way for internal mobility and it is the relocation of laid-off workers: here, the employee no longer belongs to the company but it gives them the ways and facilities that allow them to find new jobs (outplacement).

All those who make up the organization must know what are the possibilities of mobility they have, be it vertical or horizontal; that is, the career plans must be disseminated in advance, known and structured. Everyone must know the parameters with which the organization moves and the courses and training necessary to allow a promotion. They are informed in the induction process. There must also be an advisory service, so that employees know what is the best way to go; for which a good database is necessary, from HR.

Unit IV: Training and Development of Personnel

It is a basic topic within HR. Training is a widespread chapter within the administration. From the point of view of employees, it is often one of the most important goals for their development: it is a very important motivating element.

Why the training?

It is the determining element of the competitive advantage of the company. It is the development of both labor and personal competences of the subjects so that they perform better in their task. The advantage of the training is mutual (it serves the employer and the employee in personal) and that's why it's so salable.

Development and training

Training: it must be fully aligned with the changing objectives of the organization. Therefore, one must be willing to change the training plans. Training involves a lot of programming, planning. Development: is a type of training that seeks to improve the skills of the subjects based on their work, and thus be able to ascend. It is directly related to the career plan.

Why train? Where does the need come from?

To improve performance problems, when they arise. To improve and perfect the individual for his career against the career plan. To improve or perfect the subjects' skills and thus avoid problems.

Why train?

To improve individuals' skills and competencies:
1. Practical skills in specific tasks. Skills to develop processes and procedures within the organization.

This is easily done as they are concrete and specific, plus they can be analyzed.

To improve attitudes: behaviors and styles of conduct.

This is more difficult and that is why the training acts as a support for the subjects to relax some attitudes so that they have another vision of things. It depends on the personality and resistance to change of each individual.

Types of training

There are 4 types. They are different insofar as different ends are pursued, but sometimes the forms can coincide.

Orientation training: it is carried out during the induction process so that the newly started employee in the organization has knowledge of the entire company. Training to acquire skills: it aims to improve the skills of the subject, so that they perform better in the current position or function. Corrective training: to correct performance problems of the subjects based on the errors detected in their work. Training for layoffs: Activities so that the subject has more tools to access another job. It is done when the subject already knows that he is fired.

To take into account:

We are working with adults, who have different perspectives already formed, different schedules, etc. You have to convince them since they do not have as much motivation and willingness to learn.

If the company has a training culture, the reaction of the employees is different, since it is not something new. If there is a history of the item, it is already sold. The problem is greater in companies that do not have training, since it must be sold first to employers and then to employees.

In order to involve employees, motivating training activities must be taken into account :

Meaning of the presentation: it is very important for those who are not soaked in the training on everything (presentation of the material, organization of the topics, logical order, etc.) Reinforcement: it is very important that the instructor is permanently encouraging and reinforcing self-esteem (congratulating, taking into account when responding, etc.) Practical application of knowledge (transfer): the subjects have to observe that what they learn has a direct application according to the work; even for development, where you will apply it later. Knowledge of progress: the subject is aware of how it is developing and improving not only in training but in daily work, that is, realizing their progress. Distributed learning: content must be well distributed over time and, in turn,coordinated with practical activities, that is, balancing the theoretical with the practical. Practice and repetition: the closing of the training activity is one in which the subject can apply the knowledge in their work in order to improve it.

Characteristics of good trainers

Subject knowledge Adaptability Sincerity Sense of humor Interest in what you do Clear instructions Individual help Enthusiasm

Characteristics of adult education

It is ideal to do a survey to see the motivations of the subjects. This helps to know the dispositions of the subjects.

They arrive with a certain fear: especially if they have no previous experiences. Fear of not knowing if it will yield what is expected of it. It is important that the instructor treats them as adults and not as children. Learning difficulties: since they left formal education for a long time. The instructor must put together the classes well to achieve attention and that everyone grasps the concepts. They seek to be given real (useful) teaching: since they have a clear objective of improving their skills and training for work. Surely they will bother if there is a lot of theory, so you have to do a training oriented to what the subject does daily and that can apply it. Less theory and more practice. Having a wrong concept of what training is:since they believe that education is done once and it is not necessary to reinforce. Remember that you have to emphasize to change your idea of training on an ongoing basis. They have an individualistic spirit: regarding training, since they think that only training should be directed at them and they do not take into account their environment. It is essential to work in group activities, especially if they are from different sectors, since it helps them to start thinking in groups. They have inaccurate and partial knowledge of things: they think they know everything and that what they know is correct (especially if they are not used to training). It is necessary to explain new concepts and show that there are things they do not know. Problems that come from the context: they usually come to training tired,with family or work problems that make learning difficult. For this reason, the instructor must take into account that, sometimes, training can solve labor problems.

To take into account:

Always give clear and concrete examples A good technique is to ask them to bring examples from their daily work to solve, and this helps because they can then transfer it. Never give them homework, only in specific exceptions. Everything must be done in training.

Unit V: Administration of Company Training

Training plans

Ideally, plan the training in advance. The training plan has 3 main aspects:

The situational diagnosis, which crystallizes in the detection of needs Development of the training plan Evaluation.

1. Situational diagnosis

To do this we must use some tools that allow us to detect training needs:

Formal tools:

Problems that we detect from the performance evaluation. Through the results of the job analysis. The formally established plans where there is a training detection mechanic, with special tools intended. The purpose is to locate and detect the need for training through interviews or a questionnaire, which is distributed among the staff so that they can tell about the need for training they have and the difficulties they see. This also makes them feel involved and therefore motivates them, by the supervisor, who is interviewed or questioned. It is screened from everything the staff wrote down and what the supervisor said. Drinkpilot groups and hold group meetings (face-to-face, employees and supervisors), where they discuss training needs. This technique achieves the real needs. Training Needs Inventory, consists of a list of all training needs that are sent to employees and supervisors so that they can choose and prioritize the chosen ones. Key informants: These are people who are attentive to discovering training needs (they are easy or they are instructors).

Informal tools:

Customer opinion: from there another interesting point of view arises, since it is an indirect way of receiving training needs (complaints, suggestions, etc.). Internal comments: needs can be detected from a comment that reaches our ears, indirectly.

2. Development of the training plan

Once the needs are identified, a plan is put together that tries to meet these needs. There are 3 steps to this:

Definition of design strategies Definition of training organization Definition of resources

A. Definition of design strategies

There are 2 options:

Do it at home: the company organizes it and dictates it. Buy it: "canned" are bought, third parties are hired to dictate it, etc.

Types of instruction:

Internal or external: if it is carried out within the organization or outside (in some institute, for example) Face-to-face, blended or distance: the face-to-face is the one in which the subject attends the course; the blended, the subject is going to make consultations but studies at home; and at a distance, the subject studies at home and goes to the place. Multimedia tools: conferences from the Internet, interactive programs on CD-ROM, etc.

Evaluation forms:

Final evaluation of the particular activity (for employees). Evaluation of all activities carried out in a given period of time, that is, evaluating the cost-benefit ratio of the training. Evaluation of the material used (if the design was correct, if the materials were attractive, if it was not expensive, etc.)

The forms of evaluation must be laid down from the beginning. The parameters for the evaluation must be established. The cost-benefit of the training must also be demonstrated, that is, it must be demonstrated that the training is not a cost, it is an investment.

B. Definition of the organization of the training

The basic requirements to implement the training must be defined. This goes through:

Organization of the training department: to be able to support the plan, that is, to have the necessary means and human resources (it is administrative). If it cannot be organized, the objectives must be lowered, that is, the training must be adapted to the existing structure. Instructors: that is, who will be in charge of the training. It is good to define at the outset if they are going to be internal instructors, since a previous course to train them is good. It would also be important for the internal instructor to have some kind of benefit or recognition. Define the material and how we will use it:the need for equipment and the physical place where the training will take place must be defined; Find a suitable place, if the organization does not have one.

C. Definition of resources

It must be defined what material and human resources are available to implement the training.

Where to do the training?

On the job: this is what is done by the supervisor to the employees at the same time of the task (traditionally this is lost sight of, since it is believed in training outside the job). The supervisor is the main trainer and must have previous preparation (instructor course, help schedule training on the job). You must not only command, but instruct. Out of work:

Courses: traditional training. Programmed instruction: that mixes the theoretical with the practical. There are simulators, where the working conditions are simulated so the employee can practice. By computer: through interactive programs.

To apply the training, you have to distinguish who it is for:

Managers and supervisors Rest of staff

Techniques to develop, train and train managers and supervisors

Apart from the training itself, other tools can be used:

Job rotation: we rotate the supervisor so that he is outlined with the other tasks of one or more sectors. Replacement: We replace you with another manager to learn what the other does, from a different area. Make him work on projects or committee: so that he understands other topics that are not his specialty. This technique is recommended to apply it first; then, for example, we can apply a replacement.

Techniques for the rest of the staff

More traditional techniques such as lateral transfers can be applied.

3. Evaluation of the training

You have to evaluate the activity itself and the program in its entirety:

Evaluate with a questionnaire as soon as the training on what the employees thought is finished. Evaluate the transfer of the employees to their jobs, doing questionnaires and / or surveys to them to tell us what they think of the training and to know if it really helped them. in their daily work. It is recommended to allow time (3 months) to do the surveys and thus avoid the “hot” effect of the moment. Evaluate the impact of the entire organization, that is, the global numbers that may have been modified, the increase in productivity, etc. Performance evaluation, to see before and after the training Comparison with other companies of results, tools, etc. We can later "import" some of these that we see that may be satisfactory and adapt to the structure of the organization.

Unit VI: Evaluation and Improvement of Performance

goals

Give employees an opportunity to discuss their performance and improve with the boss Give the supervisor a way to identify an employee's strengths and weaknesses Give a format that allows the supervisor to recommend a performance improvement program to the employee Provide a foundation of salary recommendations.It is also widely used for decisions on promotions, transfers or decreases.As a defense for dismissal claims.

Advantage

It is related to compensation, providing objective bases for making decisions. It can generate better performance. Employee feedback for their performance. Design of training and development plans. Validate selection tests.

Evaluators

Managers and supervisors
- Advantages: closeness and understanding of the employee's work. Disadvantages: little time to spend evaluating all subordinates.
Companions
- Advantages: identify leaders, identify interpersonal skills, more accurate and valid information. Disadvantages: preferences for popularity or friendship.
Self appraisal
- Advantages: it gives participation to the employees, it is integrated with the evaluation of the boss. Disadvantages: tendency to be lenient in their own evaluation.
Subordinates
- Advantages: feedback to bosses on their performance, identifying leadership skills, oral communication, delegation, teamwork, etc. Disadvantages: some specific tasks cannot be evaluated (planning, organization, creativity, etc.)

We should always use these combined evaluative methods, never a single one. We must combine them according to the circumstances.

Typical errors

Halo effect: transfer a positive or negative aspect to the rest of the evaluation. For example, when we look at the aspects or factors and suddenly we find someone in which the employee is wrong, then what we usually do is "soak up" the aspects that continue with the same concept that we had of the one we saw wrong. Indulgence or severity error: giving extraordinarily high or low ratings. Central tendency error: give average ratings to everyone to avoid the previous error. Recent Information Error: Assess only for recent employee behavior, whether good or bad. We must remember that the performance evaluation is done since the last one was done or, if it is the first one done, since we know the employee. Qualification for bias:qualify according to personal stereotypes (male / female, black / white, etc.)

Performance standards

It is necessary to clearly define and communicate the standards against which employees will be evaluated. These standards must be related to the position (through the analysis, description and specification of the position), so that they can be established. There are 3 basic points to keep in mind:

Relevance: Standards must relate to the objectives of the position. Freedom from contamination: performance in similar jobs under different conditions (eg equipment differences) should not be compared. Reliability: Stability or consistency of a standard to the extent that people maintain a certain level of performance over time.

Standards must be quantifiable and measurable.

Failure of performance evaluation programs

There are several reasons why a performance evaluation program may fail:

Lack of top management support. Non-job standards. Evaluator bias. Complexity and length of forms. Use of program for conflicting or conflicting purposes. Managers may think of 'too much effort to achieve little benefit' Managers do not want to confront their subordinates. Managers are not trained to do appraisal interviews. Performance appraisal is a source of friction between employees and bosses. Lack of active employee participation, because they believe it is unfair or does not lead Nothing. Managers purposely raise ratings to favor employees with pay increases, or downgrade to get rid of troublesome employees.

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