Dale Henning and French made an interesting observation that “The personnel man is described in the text books and journals is like ‘Abominable Snowman’ much talked bout but seldom seen.” They have classified his functions in to three categories thus:
(a) Area of maximum authority, e.g., direction of payroll calculations, orientation procedure, transfer rules, etc.
(b) Area of combined use of authority and persuasion, e.g., establishment of disciplinary procedure, inter-departmental data gathering, determining the number of participants in a training programmes, etc; and
(c) Area of maximum persuasion, e.g., salary changes under the rules of the plant, employment of individuals recommended by the personnel department in other departments, initiating disciplinary action, etc.
The functions generally classified as
(1) Managerial functions, and
(2) Operative functions.
- Managerial Functions
“Management is a multi-purpose organ which has three jobs, two of which are directly related to personnel managing a business: ‘managing managers and managing workers and the work S Lawrence Appley says that “Management is the accomplishment of results through the efforts of other people”. In the opinion of Harold Koontz, “It is the art of getting things done through people and with informally organized groups.
In their view, management may be thought of as the process of allocating an organisatoins inputs (human and economic resources) by planning, organizing, directing and controlling for the purpose of producing outputs (goods and services) desired by its customers so that organisation job objectives are accomplished in the process, work is performed with and through organisatoin personnel in an ever changing business environment.
(a) Planning is a pre-determined course of action. According to Allen, “it is a trap laid to capture the future” Terry is of the View that “planning is the foundation of most successful actions of any enterprise.” Planning is the determination of the plans, strategies, programmes, policies, procedures, and standards needs to accomplish the desired organisatoin objectives in fact, “planning today avoids crisis tomorrow.”
(b) Organizing: After a course of action has been determined, an organisation should be established to carry it out. According to J.c. Massie, “An organisation is a structure, a framework and a process by which a cooperative group of human beings allocates its tasks among its members, identifies relationships and integrates its activities towards common objectives.” In the words of Drucker: “The right organizational structure is the necessary foundation; without it, the best performance in all other areas of management will be ineffectual and frustrated.”
(c) Directing (motivating, actuating or commanding) the subordinates at any level is a basic function of the managerial personnel. According to McGregor, “many managers would agree that the effectiveness of their organisatoin would be at least doubled if they could discover how to tap the unrealized potential present in their human resources”
(d) Coordinating and Controlling. Coordinating refers to balancing timing and integrating activities in an organisation, so that a unity of action in pursuit of a common purpose is achieved. In the words of Terry, “Co-ordination deals with the task of blending efforts in order to ensure a successful attainment of an objective.”
(e) Controlling is the act of checking, regulating and verifying whether everything occurs in conformity with the plan that has been adopted, the instructions issued and the principles established. It is greatly concerned with actions and remedial actions. “it is not just score-keeping. It is not just plotting the course and getting location reports; but rather it is steering the ship.”
- Operative Functions
The operative functions of personnel management are concerned with the activities specifically dealing with procuring, developing, compensating, and maintaining an efficient work force. These functions are at known as service functions.
(a) The procurement function is concerned with the obtaining of a proper knd and number of personnel necessary to accomplish an organisation’s goals. It deals with specifically with such subjects as the determination of manpower requirements, their recruitment, selection and placement (comprising activities to screen and hire personnel, including application forms psychological tests, interviews, medical check-up, reference calling), induction, follow-up, transfers, lay-offs, discharge and separation, etc.
(b) The development function is concerned with the personnel development of employees by increasing their skill through training so that job performance is properly achieved. Drafting and directing training programmes for all levels of employees, arranging for their on-the-job, office and vestibule-training, holding seminars and conferences, providing for educational and vocational counselling and appraising employee potential and performance are undertaken under this function.
(c) The compensation function is concerned with securing adequate and equitable remuneration to personnel for their contribution to the attainment of organizational objectives. Functions related to wage surveys, establishment of job classifications, job descriptions and job analyses, merit ratings, the establishment of wage rates and wage structure, wage pans and policies, wage systems, incentives and profit-sharing plans etc., fall under this category.
(d) Integration function After the employee has been procured, his skill and ability developed and monetary compensation determined, the most important, yet difficult of the personnel management is to bring about an “integration” of human resources with organisatoin, and to cope with inevitable conflicts that ensue. “Integration” is concerned with the attempt to effect a reasonable reconciliation of individual, societal, and organisation interests.
(e) The maintenance function deals with sustaining and improving the conditions that have been established. Specific problems of maintaining the physical conditions or employees (health and safety measures) and employ service programmes are the responsibility of the personnel department.
Flippo rightly says: “The purpose of all of these activities is to assist in the accomplishment of the organization’s basic objectives. Consequently, the starting point of personnel management as of all management must be a specification of those objectives and a determination of the sub-objectives of the personnel function: The expenditure of all funds in the personnel departments can be justified only in so far as there is a net contribution toward company objectives.”
CLASSIFICATIONS OF PERSONNEL FUNCTIONS
Below are give some important classifications of personnel functions made by experts in the field:
Yoder’s Classification: According to Yoder, in a typical industrial relations and personnel department, the principal activities of manpower management are:
i) Setting general and specific management policy for relationships and establishing and maintaining a suitable organisatoin for leadership and co-operation.
ii) Collective bargaining, contract negotiations, contract administration and grievances.
iii) Staffing the organisation, finding, getting and holding prescribed types and number of workers.
iv) Aiding the Self-development of employees at all levels, providing opportunities for personnel development and growth as well as for requisite skills and experience.
v) Incentivating, developing and maintaining motivation for work.
vi) Reviewing and auditing manpower management in an organisatoin.
vii) Industrial relations research, carrying out studies designed to explain employment behaviour and thereby effecting improvements in manpower management.
Yoder and Nelsons’ Classification: On another occasion, on the basis of an enquiry regarding descriptions of 984 employee-relations jobs conducted in 189 companies. Dale Yoder and Robert J. Nelson classified seven functional categories as follows:
- Departments Administration Programme: Planning, report preparing, policy formulation and general administration.
- Employment and Placement: Recruitment, selection, placement, orientation, personnel rating, job analysis and description.
- Training – Induction, on-the-job training, supervisory training and management development.
- Collective Bargaining: Contract negotiation, contract administration and grievances.
- Wage and Salary Administration, Job evaluation, wage and salary surveys.
- Benefits and Services: Insurance, health, hospitalization, medial care, and retirements plan administration.
- Personnel Research: Continuing studied of all employee relations policies, programmes and practices.
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Northcott’s Classification: After referring to three types of approach to the task, viz., (a the welfare’ approach, (b) the scientific management influence the industrial relations emphasis, Northcott gives the functions of personnel management thus: 1. Employment; 2. Selection and Training; 3. Employee Services, 4. Wages; 5. Industrial Relations; 6. Health and Safety Education; and 7. Education.
Scott, Clothier & Spriegels’ Classification: Scott, Clothier and Spriegel divide the functions of the personnel management into these specific categories, namely: (i) Employment; (ii) Promotion, transfer termination, demotions, and separations; (iii) Formulation and direction of training programmes; (iv) Job analysis and evaluation; (v) Remuneration and incentives; (vi) Health and Sanitation; (vii) Safety and institutional protection; (viii) Financial aids to employees; (ix) Employee service activities; (x) Research, record keeping, reports and follow-up; (xi) Employee-employer and community cooperation; and (xii) Labour union contracts and co-operation.
Kindall’s Classificatoin: A.F. Kindall prescribes the following functions for the personnel management:
(i) To aid in the development of general overall management policies and methods, in the organisation and planning of supervisory control, and in the communication of orders, ideas and inquiries.
(ii) To develop throughout the organisatoin an understanding of, and an enthusiasm for, consultative methods of management with tire objectives of:
a. Improving leadership and supervision; and (b) Obtaining the participation of operating groups and opportunity for creative analysis and initiative in carrying out their assigned tasks at all levels in the development and administration of the company’s personnel programme.
(iii) To aid the executive and supervisory organisation in developing (a) clearly written outlines of functions, authorities, and responsibilities, and (b) simple, workable methods of measurement of their accomplishments.
(iv) To formulate, in collaboration with the supervisory and executive organisation policies for personnel administration and to implement those policies approve by the management in accordance with the best plans and practices of personnel administration.
(v) To make certain, in collaboration with the supervisory and executive personnel, that the company’s approved policies and practices of personnel administration are executed properly.
(vi) To establish and maintain contacts with labour movement, to keep itself informed and, wherever possible, to participate in all collective bargaining activities, and to advise all the departments of the company on the development of sound labor relations.
(vii) To aid in the interpretation of the management’s policies to employees and employees’ point of view and attitude to the management and, in collaboration with the appropriate line personnel to merchandize the company and the jobs to employees.
Carey’s Classification: Carey outlines the common functions of the personnel management as: (1) Organisation for personnel administration; (ii) Administration and supervision; (iii) Employment; (iv) Training employee development; (v) Wage and salary administration; (vi) Force adjustment; (vii) Relation between employees and management; (viii) Hours and conditions of works; (ix) Health and safety; (x) Benefits and employee security matters; (xi) Communication with employees; (xii) Research work; and (xiii) Relations with local business and community organisation.
Straus’s and Sayles’ Classification: (i) Recruitment, Selection c Placement: (a) Contact with and evaluation of advertising media, employment agencies, including State employment services, college and school recruiting; (b) Screening and testing techniques, including physical examination; (c) Assistance for in-company transfer, career development (d) Assistance for lay-offs and plant closing through job searches for redundant personnel; (e) Labour market surveys and projection of potential shortages; and (f) Manpower planning, projecting future company needs.
(ii) Job Analysis, job Description and Job Evaluation: (a) Development of methods that will facilitate personnel placement and assignment of money values to skill and experience, (b) Development of promotional ladders by means of job analysis; and (c) Position guides for organizational planning and information for new placements.
(iii) Compensation and Appraisal Plans: (a) Design and implementation of personnel appraisal plans; (b) Wage administration (c) Control of merit increases; (d) Design and installation of incentive and bonus plan and (e) Administration of deferred compensation plans such as profit sharing and bonus plans.
(iv) Employment Records: (a) Maintenance of job histories, skill inventories and aptitude and education information; and (b) Maintenance of wage and hour records, output records, overtime, vacation payment incentive earning.
(v) Employee Benefit Programmes: (a) Administration of life insurance, pension and health and welfare benefits; (b) Approval of action, disability and compensation payments; (c) Suggestion and saving plans, credit union administration; (d) Recreation and athletic programmes; (e) Cafeteria, employee clubs; (f) Company medical services, first aid, preventive medicine; (g) Community referrals (psychiatric, alcoholic), and (h) Counselling service.
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