MB04 – 02 : HUMAN RESOURCE MANAGEMENT

1. What suggestions would you make for improving career management in sin bank?

Ans:

Sin bank is one of the major nationalized banks in the country. It is one of the few major banks in the country having its headquarters in a rural area. Over the last decade, the bank has faced an environment that is increasingly competitive and fast moving. The bank, which hitherto has a monopoly of sorts especially in the rural areas is now facing competition from the foreign banks and newly started private sector banks. The bank has been undergoing a major strategic review structure and activities. A key belief has been that greater responsibility for the development and delivery of activities should be passed to front line bank employees. The recently concluded VRS scheme has made for a relatively young workforce. Hitherto, career development had equated to promotion through a 12-grade structure. Hence prior to the VRS scheme, such promotion could be expected through the grades every 2-to3 years. Fairly simple manpower planning techniques now reveal a slowing down in the number of future promotions .A formal integrated career management framework does not currently exist.

The bank management decided to hold a series of one day workshops in collaboration with Sin Institute Of Bank Management, Manipal in “career management at the bank for selected officers and workmen staff. The officers and workmen were selected at random. One of the key issues highlighted was that career progression was seen as a ‘grandest’ concept due to the number of grades.

This was seen to reduce employees on career management issues- such as:

a. Development job moves;

b. Rewards for on the job development based on knowledge, skill and opportunity;

c. The evolution of a flatter, more flexible organization structures.

It soon becomes that there was little congruence between the fast moving environment which the bank now faced and career management. Perhaps most important of all, Branch managers often did not promote development, seeking it the role of the HR function to develop people and manage careers.

Taking hint from the issues raised from the one day workshops, the bank management conducted a follow up survey of all officers and workmen staff. The key findings were:

1. The bank does not readily promote on the job development

2. The bank does not help its employees to manage their own careers.

3. The bank does not often explain the career options open to its employees.

There is an overall belief among the employees of Sin Bank that allows employees to build their own careers, since this-

4. Encourages personal development.

5. Allows employees to develop their existing competencies and skills.

6. Provides information on career development.

7. Regards career development as important.

Further research about the criteria used for promotions revealed that while individuals wanted promotion decisions to take into account their career development, they believed that they were promoted on the simple basis of suitable vacancies being available.

2. Write short notes on:

a. Application Bank

b. Aptitude Tests

c. Interview

d. Medical Examination

e. Induction

Ans:

a) Application bank:

In a sense the application blank is highly structured interview in which the questions are standardized and determined in advance. An application blank, is a traditional, widely accepted devise for getting information from a prospective applicant. The application blank provides preliminary as well as aid in the interview by indicating areas of interest and discussion. In an application blank, information is generally called as the following items:

1. Biographic data

2. Education and past experience

3. Personal items

4. References

b) Aptitude tests:

Aptitude or potential ability tests are widely used to measure the talent ability of a candidate to learn new job or skill. Aptitude tests measure ability and skills. They enable us to find out whether a candidate, if selected, would be suitable for a job. Specific aptitude tests have been designed for jobs that required clerical, mechanical and manual abilities and skills. Aptitude tests for medicine, law, painting, and other activities are also available. The disadvantage of aptitude test is that they do not measure motivation. On the job motivation is often found to be more important than aptitude for the job. That is why interest test and personality tests supplement the aptitude test

c) Interview:

After putting the candidates to various types of tests, all those passing out of the tests are finally to be called for interview. The interview is perhaps the most intricate and difficult part of selection procedure interviews are conducted to test the capabilities of the candidate to occupy a particular post. It determines his knowledge, experience, skill, intelligence, general, perception, mental and psychological reflexes, capacity to perceive things quickly and capabilities to take quick and immediate decisions. Interview is probably the most widely used selection tool. It is a selection technique, which enables the employer to view the total individual and directly appraise him and his behaviors.

d) Medical examination:

In Government and other quasi government organizations getting medically examined is a must before reporting for duty or at the time of reporting for duty. Medical examination is a part of the selection process for all suitable candidates in many organizations. The main purpose of the medical examination is to see whether the candidate is medically fit to occupy a particular post and has the capabilities to withstand the physical and psychological stresses and strains required of the job. When conducted by in service medical personnel they are more valuable to the applicant than when done by a doctor knowing very less or no knowledge of the working condition under which the job is done.

e) Induction:

After the candidate is finally selected the management will have to sell the job to him. He should be told as to what are his duties, what is required of him and what are his future prospects in the organization. Normally this information is given to the candidate at the time of final selection interview. This is the way in which the candidate is inducted into the job. He is formally appointed by issuing him an appointment letter or by concluding with him a service agreement. The appointment letter contains the terms and conditions of employment, pay scale and other benefits associated with the job. The interviewer can describe the company and its policies, the duties and responsibilities of the applicant as well as the opportunities available to him for future promotion. The interviewer should highlight the favorable aspects of the job.

CASE STUDY

1. As Ivan's Manager, what should your strategy be in handling the performance evaluation interview with Ivan?

Ans:

The strategy behind the performance evaluation interview with Ivan and Ivan's Manager follows 360-degree appraisal.

P 360 degree appraisal:

It is a method of appraisal in which people receive performance feedback from those on all sides of them in the organization - their boss, their colleagues and peers and their own subordinates. Thus, the feedback comes from all around them, 360 degrees. This form of performance evaluation can be very beneficial to managers because it typically gives them a much wider range of performance-related feedback than a traditional evaluation.

P 360 degree feedback:

360-degree feedback is a method and a tool that provides each employee the opportunity to receive performance feedback from his supervisor and four to eight peers, reporting staff members, co-workers and customers. It allows each individual to understand how his effectiveness as an employee, co-worker, of staff member is viewed by others. The feedback provides insight about the skills and behavior desired in the organization to accomplish the mission, vision, and goals and live the values.

2. What remedial measures do you suggest to tackle the situation?

Ans:

Ivan's behavioral attributes are not up to the mark. He creates animosity wherever he goes. But he is an excellent worker and his performance in terms of achievement is significant. Therefore Ivan should be given a change in the nature of job he performs with limited mobility amongst sales and promotion department.

3. As an appraiser do you suggest with holding Ivan's increment? Give reasons.

Ans:

No, Ivan should be given an increment since his performance in terms of achievement is significant. The change in his environment would aid him the use of better behavioral attributes.