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 You have recently been hired as the HR manager of a small furniture manufacturing company that has 63 employees. These employees include everyone from line workers to upper management. You are the first HR person the company has had. One of your first assignments was to evaluate the fairness of the company’s current compensation system.

Based on your evaluation, you have discovered a number of inconsistencies:

• Some line workers earn more than managers.
• Some managers earn twice as much as other managers even though the work is similar.
• Some line workers are making significantly more money than others even though they are performing the same work.

What recommendations would you make to improve the consistency of the company’s compensation system?

• Be sure to provide the rationale for your recommendations.

Learning by Doing

Conaty & Charan write that, “Developing talent through experiences expands capability and capacity… This is learning by doing, and no book or classroom teaching can substitute for it.”

• Describe an example of “learning by doing” that has helped you or a colleague to grow professionally.
• What did this experience teach that could not be taught through formal training?
• What part of the experience could have been learned through formal training? 
• Should your organization create formal training to complement its hands-on learning activities? Why or why not?

Post your initial response by Wednesday, midnight of your time zone, and reply to at least 2 of your classmates’ initial posts by Sunday, midnight of your time zone.​​

1st Response to this classmate

 RE: Week 4 DiscussionCOLLAPSE

Hello Class and Professor, 

In most organizations, formal training is an essential component of keeping up with new trends and technologies in the industry. However, training may not solve all performance and behavioral problems. Hence, an organization should conduct a training needs assessment before introducing training programs to assess whether training may solve a performance problem. Other than training, learning by experience may be an option. As such, evaluation of learning by doing or experience is essential in informing its effectiveness in complementing formal training. 

Describe an example of “learning by doing” that has helped you or a colleague to grow professionally.

After graduating from university with a bachelor in Statistics, Kelvin joined our local animal feeds manufacturing company as a data analyst. His university training was majorly mathematical and had nothing to do with animal health and nutrition. However, his new role required him to have insights into animal nutrition. He quickly got in touch with the production manager and was occasionally involved in the production team while formulating the food rations. With time, Kelvin developed the skills of accurately preparing feeds’ components such as proteins and minerals while retaining acceptable profit margins. Soon, Kelvin became an essential component of both the production and analytics teams. 

What did this experience teach that could not be taught through formal training?

Although the training was an option in learning animal nutrition, it would take time to cover all aspects. Still, the organization does not use all aspects of animal nutrition modules. Learning by doing was the most suitable learning method as it incorporates relevant theoretical and practical elements of animal nutrition. Nevertheless, training modules hardly existed at the organization to enhance the incorporation of animal health and data analytics. 

What part of the experience could have been learned through formal training? 

Animal health and nutrition training is available at the organization. Employees within the production team regularly participate in formal training relating to trends and new technologies in line with animal feed production. However, Kelvin’s case stood out, as it required integrating skills in feeds formulation, production, and data analytics. 

Should your organization create formal training to complement its hands-on learning activities? Why or why not?

Kelvin’s case depicts a situation where learning through experience may yield significant outcomes. However, it is rational to analyze such a situation in the context of the problem at hand. Organizations should also adopt formal training to complement learning by experience. Learning through experience enhances personal growth and competence aligning with new roles (Fernández-Aráoz et al. 4). Formal training improves collective responsibility for success among current employees and new teammates by sharing experiences, challenges, and insights (Stibitz 3). A blend of learning through experience and formal training enhances performance and employee outcomes.

Fernández-Aráoz, Claudio, Andrew Roscoe, and Kentaro Aramaki. “Turning potential into success: The missing link in leadership development.” Harvard Business Review, vol. 95, no. 6, 2017, pp. 1-9.

Stibitz, Sara. “How to get a new employee up to speed.” Harvard Business Review, 2015, pp. 1‑5.

2nd response to this classmate

Dear Professor Dibenedetto and Class

1. Describe an example of “learning by doing” that has helped you or a colleague grow professionally.

I am a long-life learner in all aspects of my life. I have developed a growth mindset. I have improved my life quality and work as observe people doing things that I will not ordinarily do well. One example that stands out in my pursuit of learning by doing is how to do proper workforce planning, which is a combination of HR concepts such as organization design, budgeting, and job pricing. These are competencies that involve knowledge in HR, finance and remuneration, and data analytics. I realized that I do not have a budget to hire an employee who is an expert in workforce planning, as it is a critical skill in the insurance business. Most actuaries do not want to work in HR but were keen to design a workforce tool. I approached our CEO, who agreed that he would second an actuary into HR to develop the tool. I used to watch him with the design and play with the tool until it was executed.

2. What part of the experience could have been learned through formal training?

There is no part in the learning process that I would say required formal training. I am already a seasoned excel spreadsheet practitioner; otherwise, I would have preferred formal training as a beginner. I still believe that 70/20/10 learning is still relevant, where 10% is about formal learning.

3. What did this experience teach that could not be taught through formal training?

I currently do all my annual workforce planning and reporting using the tool, and I have trained others in the team through action learning and are using the tool in all our 33 countries. We used the same tool during COVID-19 to schedule the workforce and understand who can work from home indefinitely (and only come as required), hybrid model, and tracking those on sick leave due to the pandemic. We are also using it to plan for the workforce plan during the recovery phase caused by the pandemic as we want headcount growth not to increase by 2% over the past three years. I would not gain a portfolio of diverse skills in reward, budgeting, and data analytics at the same time if it were not through action learning.

4. Should your organization create formal training to complement its hands-on learning activities? Why or why not? My organization has formal training programs supported by a learning management system. Our main challenge is that learning it is isolated from the day to day work requirements of employees. I believe learning on the job through the 70/20/10 action learning process should be the norm. Learning can be powerful if it is integrated into the daily workflow. As scholar Josh coined, “there is a new paradigm of learning in the flow of work.” The fourth industrial revolution tools such as AI, automation, podcasts, youtube has enabled an environment where lifelong learning is part of the economic imperative. For employees, research now shows that development opportunities have become the second most crucial factor in workplace satisfaction (after the nature of the work itself). In my view, the traditional corporate learning portal (the learning management system) is rarely used (other than for mandatory compliance training), and it often takes many clicks to find what you need. Learning, therefore, ends up being reduced to important-but-not-urgent matters.

References

Dr. John. E. Di Benedetto, H.R.M. ANNUAL, Executive On-Boarding… Successfully Assimilating New Leaders, Week 4 JWI 521. 2020 JWI 521, Week 4 Lecture Notes, 2020

Good evening,

I have attached a copy of the instructions & rubric for the assignment. Also, I have attached a couple of examples of some of my friends that have taken this class before me. Will you be able to assist me with this assignment? Thank you

You were introduced to the concept of accountability in Chapter 15. The Balanced Score Card was introduced in Chapter 17.  The Balanced Scorecard is a business tool that has grown in popularity.  It provides a quick overview of the several performance measures in several areas of the organization.  Some managers feel that whatever gets measured will get improved simply because it is getting additional attention.  As you will see in Chapter 17, however, not everyone agrees that the scorecard is an effective performance management tool.

Emma is on the fence as well.  She would like you to research the Balanced Scorecard concept and share your recommendations as to whether or not CM Tech should adopt the tool.

Your research paper for Emma should include the following key elements: 

1. Provide an overview of the balanced scorecard that describes what the scorecard is and what a management team would hope to accomplish by using one. 
2. Debate the tool:  Explain the advantages and disadvantages of using a Balanced Scorecard.
3. Develop your recommendation to Emma as to whether or not CM Tech should adopt the Balanced Scorecard.  Be sure to fully support your recommendation with reasoning, examples, and research.

Your report should outline the key concepts in each area listed above and provide examples as appropriate.  Be sure your report is a minimum of 5 pages, includes an introduction and conclusion paragraph, title page, and references page.  The title and references pages do not count toward the total page count.  

Jot down your ideas and reactions to what you read. What you write should demonstrate critical thinking of what you know about HRM today as compared to future projections of HRM. Draw on the relevant issues in Lawler’s book.

Because the emphasis in this first module is to finish reading Reinventing Talent Management, you do not need to conduct library or Web research for your Case 1 Assignment.

Submit your 3- to 4-page assignment 

from the youtubevideo below:

  From the discussion preparation, evaluate the fairness of the compensation packages for two CEOs for a specific period, based on their organizations’ performance during that period. 

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=KpNKofRvDO8#t=59 

HR and Global Ethics

Examine two (2) of the major HR ethical issues multinational corporations face when operating globally. Recommend two (2) preventative actions that HR departments can take in order to lessen the occurrence of these ethical issues. Be sure to provide a rationale for your response.

Primary Task Response: Within the Discussion Board area, write 350–500 words that respond to the following questions with your thoughts, ideas, and comments. This will be the foundation for future discussions by your classmates. Be substantive and clear and use examples to reinforce your ideas.

Steven Sample states “One must always keep in mind that leadership is an art, not a science. Effective management may be a science…but effective leadership is purely an art” (Sample, 2003).

Discuss the following:

• Develop your interpretation of this quote. 
• Defend or  justify your agreement or disagreement with Sample.

In addition to addressing all requirements of the assignments, model answer includes the following:

• In chapter 1, Sample describes effective leadership as thinking “gray” not being confined to one way of thinking (Sample, 2003).  Think about the leadership traits that may justify and / or  challenge the statement
• The agreement to this statement may vary.
• Is being visionary a science or an art?
• Properly cite required reading material.

Professor Response. Reflecting on your statement “Thinking that is confined to one way is drastic to the organizational setting and individuals as it limits the potentials of the people in giving out their best for operational excellence”, I ask: Is there a specific example to illustrate the point that you are making 

Instructions: Create a handbook for a new Human Resource (HR) Specialist employee. She or he will be place within the customer service, recruitment and staffing (CSRS) division within the Federal Government. Please create 6 pages of instructions and guidelines on what to except their first few weeks within their new role.

The handbook will be a guide as to how and what to expect as an HR Specialist. This document will be a reference to-go-to when their co-workers are unavailable to assist them.

Assignment 4 Suggested Length: 1400 to 2000 words Ethical Theories to Apply: Utilitarianism, Universal Ethics, Golden Rule, Virtue Ethics Task You work in the Ethics Department for ABC Company (ABC). Your department is dedicated to advising its employees about their ethical obligations in the corporate setting. You are an internal consultant who provides advice and most importantly, recommendations for action to employees of the firm. All communications you receive in this capacity are confidential. Luke, an employee of ABC, comes to you with the following scenario and asks for your advice. He wants to fully consider the situation. Your task is to advise and recommend a course of action based on the specified ethical lenses and facts as given. Below are the facts that Luke provides to you. ***** Luke has been asked to work on a project that involves developing land recently purchased by ABC to build an adult entertainment retail store. According to the plan, the land is located on the corner of the neighborhood where Owen, Luke’s brother, lives. Luke knows that as soon as the plans for the store are made public, property values for the surrounding neighborhood will decrease significantly. ABC plans to publicly announce the project one month from today. Luke is concerned about his obligations of confidentiality to his company. However, Luke is also very close to Owen, who recently told Luke that he received an offer to sell his house at an “okay” price given the current real estate market. Owen is considering selling but hasn’t made any final decision yet. He wonders if he might get a better offer a few years from now when the real estate market improves. What is the ethical issue, why is this an issue, and what should Luke do about it? ***** For assignment 4, prepare a memo, setting out your analysis and recommendations, that considers ONLY the following ethical lenses: Utilitarianism, Universal Ethics (i.e., Kant’s categorical imperative), The Golden Rule and Virtue Ethics. Remember that Assignments 2 and 3 are considered “drafts” for Assignment 4. In other words, you may revise and reuse parts of Assignments 2 and 3 (facts, issues, description of the ethical lenses) for Assignment 4, but please make sure that you make improvements where indicated.