Ch08

Fundamentals of Human Resource Management 9e, DeCenzo and Robbins

Chapter 8Socializing, Orienting, and Developing Employees

Fundamentals of Human Resource ManagementNinth Edition

DeCenzo and Robbins


Introduction

Socialization, training and development are all used to help new employees adapt to their new organizations and become fully productive.

Ideally, employees will understand and accept the behaviors desired by the organization, and will be able to attain their own goals by exhibiting these behaviors.

Fundamentals of Human Resource Management 9e, DeCenzo and Robbins`

The Insider-Outsider Passage

Socialization A process of adaptation to a new work

role. Adjustments must be made whenever

individuals change jobs The most profound adjustment occurs

when an individual first enters an organization.



The assumptions of employee socialization: Socialization strongly influences employee

performance and organizational stability Provides information on how to do the job and

ensuring organizational fit. New members suffer from anxiety, which

motivates them to learn the values and norms of the organization.



The assumptions of employee socialization: Socialization is influenced by subtle and

less subtle statements and behaviors exhibited by colleagues, management, employees, clients and others.

Individuals adjust to new situations in remarkably similar ways.

All new employees go through a settling-in period.



The Socialization Process Prearrival stage: Individuals

arrive with a set of values, attitudes and expectations which they have developed from previous experience and the selection process.



The Socialization Process Encounter stage: Individuals discover

how well their expectations match realities within the organization.

Where differences exist, socialization occurs to imbue the employee with the organization’s standards.



The Socialization Process Metamorphosis stage: Individuals have adapted

to the organization, feel accepted and know what is expected of them.



A Socialization Process


The Purpose of New-Employee Orientation

Orientation may be done by the supervisor, the HRM staff or some combination.

Formal or informal, depending on the size of the organization.

Covers such things as: The organization’s objectives History Philosophy Procedures Rules HRM policies and benefits Fellow employees



Learning the Organization’s Culture Culture includes long-standing, often unwritten

rules about what is appropriate behavior. Socialized employees know how things are done,

what matters, and which behaviors and perspectives are acceptable.



The CEO’s Role in Orientation Senior management are often visible during

the new employee orientation process. CEOs can:

Welcome employees. Provide a vision for the company. Introduce company culture -- what matters. Convey that the company cares about employees. Allay some new employee anxieties and help them

to feel good about their job choice.



HRM’s Role in Orientation Coordinating Role: HRM instructs new

employees when and where to report; provides information about benefits choices.

Participant Role: HRM offers its assistance for future employee needs (career guidance, training, etc.).


Employee Training

Definitions Employee training

a learning experience designed to achieve a relatively permanent change in an individual that will improve the ability to perform on the job.

Employee development future-oriented training, focusing on the personal growth of the employee.


Employee Training

Determining training needs Specific training goals should be based on:

organization’s needs type of work to be done skills necessary to complete the work

Indicators of need for more training: drops in productivity increased rejects inadequate job performance rise in the number of accidents


Employee Training

Determining training needs The value added by training must

be considered versus the cost. Training goals should be

established that are tangible, verifiable, timely, and measurable.


Employee Training

Determining Training Needs


Employee Training

On-the-job training methods Job Rotation Understudy Assignments

Off-the-job training methods Classroom lectures Films and videos Simulation exercises Vestibule training


Employee Development

This future-oriented set of activities is predominantly an educational process.

All employees, regardless of level, can benefit from the methods previously used to develop managerial personnel.



Employee development methods Job rotation involves moving employees

to various positions in the organization to expand their skills, knowledge and abilities.

Assistant-to positions allow employees with potential to work under and be coached by successful managers.


Employee DevelopmentEmployee development methods

Committee assignments provide opportunities for: decision-making learning by watching others becoming more familiar with organizational

members and problems Lecture courses and seminars benefit from

today’s technology and are often offered in a distance learning format.



Employee development methods Simulations include case studies, decision games

and role plays and are intended to improve decision-making.

Outdoor training typically involves challenges which teach trainees the importance of teamwork.


Organization Development

What is change? OD efforts support changes that are usually

made in four areas: The organization’s systems Technology Processes People



Two metaphors clarify the change process. The calm waters metaphor describes unfreezing

the status quo, change to a new state, and refreezing to ensure that the change is permanent.

The white-water rapids metaphor recognizes today’s business environment which is less stable and not as predictable.



OD Methods Organizational development facilitates long-

term organization-wide changes. OD techniques include:

survey feedback process consultation team building intergroup development



Survey feedback assesses organizational members’ perceptions and attitudes.

The summarized data are used to identify problems and clarify issues so that commitments to action can be made.



Process consultation uses outside consultants to help organizational members perceive, understand, and act upon process events.



Team building may include: goal setting development of interpersonal relationships clarification of roles team process analysis

Team building attempts to increase trust, openness, and team functioning.



The Learning Organization Values continued learning and believes a

competitive advantage can be gained from it. Characterized by:

capacity to continuously adapt employees continually acquire and share new knowledge collaboration across functional specialties teams are an important feature


Evaluating Training and Development Effectiveness

Evaluating Training Programs: Typically, employee and manager opinions are

used, These opinions or reactions are not necessarily valid

measures Influenced by things like difficulty, entertainment value or

personality of the instructor.

Performance-based measures (benefits gained) are better indicators of training’s cost-effectiveness.



Performance-Based Evaluation Measures Post-training performance method. Employees’

on-the-job performance is assessed after training. Pre-post-training performance method .

Employee’s job performance is assessed both before and after training, to determine whether a change has taken place.



Performance-Based Evaluation Measures Pre-post-training performance with

control group method. Compares the pre-post-training results of the

trained group with the concurrent job performance of a control group, which does not undergo instruction.

Used to control for factors other than training which may affect job performance.


International Training and Development Issues

Cross-Cultural Training Necessary for expatriate managers and

their families: before assignments (to learn language and

culture) during, and after foreign assignments (to

adjust to changes back home).



Cross-cultural training is more than language training

Involves learning about the culture’s: History Politics Economy Religion Social climate Business practices

May involve role playing, simulations and immersion in the culture.



Development Often, organizations do not do a good job of

planning for the return of overseas managers.

Leads to the managers’ being frustrated Returning expatriates can:

be assigned a domestic position prepare for a new overseas assignment retire or be terminated