Research Paper on HRM issues
Anthony L. Williams
Human Resource Management
Professor Stephen R. Ball, Ph.D.
Research Paper
February 25, 2015
Research Paper on HRM issues:
The story of Bartleby is an interesting book written in 1853 by Melville. The events that take place are well before HRM was established. In today’s time and era the Bartleby story would not have taken place because of the laws and polices HRM has in place. I believe more so than ever that HRM is the glue that holds many organizations together. Bartleby applied for a copyist job at a small law firm, after the lawyer asked Bartleby a few questions he hired him on the spot. This was a mistake, because the lawyer did not have a proper interview with Bartleby to see if he was fully qualified for the job. In the Dias book it clearly states how to perform a professional interview. Before I go any further, I want to touch on the hiring process as a whole. When companies decide to hire new employees, they have to go through a few steps before they begin the interview process. Recruitment is a critical step in the hiring process (Dias, 54), this was one area where I felt the lawyer made a mistake when he hired Bartleby.
When you read the Bartleby story it states the lawyer advertised for a copyist position. I don’t know what form of advertisement he used. Bartleby was the first person to show up and he immediately got the job. It’s just like going to a car dealership and buying the first car you see. When companies are looking for new employees, they should at least interview multiple people before they make their final decision.
When hiring someone new a person needs to have a good attitude, be reliable, and have the skills to carry out the task at hand (Dias, 53). This is something the lawyer did not do when he hired Bartleby, which is why he had so much trouble with him. If the lawyer had asked him some simple questions about his past work experiences, or how would he have handled certain work situations, Bartleby’s weaknesses would have come to the surface. In other words the lawyer should have asked more personal questions during the interview. Companies should want the most qualified candidate when it comes to hiring a new employee. Bartleby was not properly trained either.
This is another topic the (Dias) talks about; new employees need to be trained in three different areas (Dias, 55). These three areas are company culture,( the way the company handles certain procedures), skill training, and human relation skills. Bartleby had difficulty in the human relation skills, because he was a man of few words. Even at my job where I rarely come into contact with customers, I still need to have communication skills.
One of the ways my company prepares us for properly communicating with customers is by having communication workshops. These workshops basically go over the dos and don’ts when interacting with customers. After the workshop is over each employee has to sign a piece of paper stating that they understood the communication process with our clients. The main thing that I got out of this workshop is that the customer is always right and to never argue with the customer. If I can’t meet the customer’s needs, then I will refer him or her to someone who can.
I think all companies should have programs like this, because I feel it cuts down on confusion when dealing with the public. The lawyer should have written an employee handbook and issued it to all his employees. When a company have written rules in place and you go over them with your subordinates, it’s pretty much cut and dry. This is something I think would have helped Bartleby if he knew what was expected of him, maybe he would have performed his duties better.
We all need some structure and guidance at times, whether it’s written or verbal. In the case of working for a company these rules need to be written and verbally clarified. After he made sure that Bartleby understood the rules, he should have asked for Bartleby’s signature. That way if you have any problems with your employees you will be covered legally.
Also the book mentions how to properly train employees, and the benefits of having a mentoring program in place. If a company wants a new employee to succeed, they must be properly trained. Case and point, I drive trucks for a living and I have plenty of experience with heavy equipment. When I was recently hired by the city of Ann Arbor to drive trucks, they gave me training first. The managers made sure I was ready before they sent me out on my own. I worked with a mentor for three months and he showed me how to navigate through the city. I was also introduced to the culture of Ann Arbor, it was a lot different from the city of Detroit were I had worked for seventeen years.
In conclusion while HRM is not perfect, it’s a vital department for any organization. HRM keeps companies balanced and stable, for employers and employees. With the decline in union enrollment across the nation, HRM is more important than ever. Also organizations like the EEOC and other federal and local organizations help keep the playing field level. Could Bartleby be saved in today’s time, that’s the million dollar question?
References
Baumeyer, K. K (2003) http://education-portal.com/academy/lesson/the-hiring-process-types-of-recruiting-strategies.html
Isaac, L. Steps in the recruitment process Retrieved from http://www.leoisaac.com/hrm/hrm055.htm
Melville, H. (2011). Bartleby the Scrivener, A Tale of Wall Street. Enotes.com Inc. Retrieved from http://www.enotes.com/bartleby-scrivener-text
Price, A (1997) The Employee Resourcing Process Human Resource Management Retrieved from http://www.hrmguide.co.uk/employee_resourcing/
Anthony L. Williams
Human Resource Management
Professor Stephen R. Ball, Ph.D.
Research Paper
February 25, 2015
Research Paper on HRM issues:
The story of Bartleby is an interesting book written in 1853 by Melville. The events that take place are well before HRM was established. In today’s time and era the Bartleby story would not have taken place because of the laws and polices HRM has in place. I believe more so than ever that HRM is the glue that holds many organizations together. Bartleby applied for a copyist job at a small law firm, after the lawyer asked Bartleby a few questions he hired him on the spot. This was a mistake, because the lawyer did not have a proper interview with Bartleby to see if he was fully qualified for the job. In the Dias book it clearly states how to perform a professional interview. Before I go any further, I want to touch on the hiring process as a whole. When companies decide to hire new employees, they have to go through a few steps before they begin the interview process. Recruitment is a critical step in the hiring process (Dias, 54), this was one area where I felt the lawyer made a mistake when he hired Bartleby.
When you read the Bartleby story it states the lawyer advertised for a copyist position. I don’t know what form of advertisement he used. Bartleby was the first person to show up and he immediately got the job. It’s just like going to a car dealership and buying the first car you see. When companies are looking for new employees, they should at least interview multiple people before they make their final decision.
When hiring someone new a person needs to have a good attitude, be reliable, and have the skills to carry out the task at hand (Dias, 53). This is something the lawyer did not do when he hired Bartleby, which is why he had so much trouble with him. If the lawyer had asked him some simple questions about his past work experiences, or how would he have handled certain work situations, Bartleby’s weaknesses would have come to the surface. In other words the lawyer should have asked more personal questions during the interview. Companies should want the most qualified candidate when it comes to hiring a new employee. Bartleby was not properly trained either.
This is another topic the (Dias) talks about; new employees need to be trained in three different areas (Dias, 55). These three areas are company culture,( the way the company handles certain procedures), skill training, and human relation skills. Bartleby had difficulty in the human relation skills, because he was a man of few words. Even at my job where I rarely come into contact with customers, I still need to have communication skills.
One of the ways my company prepares us for properly communicating with customers is by having communication workshops. These workshops basically go over the dos and don’ts when interacting with customers. After the workshop is over each employee has to sign a piece of paper stating that they understood the communication process with our clients. The main thing that I got out of this workshop is that the customer is always right and to never argue with the customer. If I can’t meet the customer’s needs, then I will refer him or her to someone who can.
I think all companies should have programs like this, because I feel it cuts down on confusion when dealing with the public. The lawyer should have written an employee handbook and issued it to all his employees. When a company have written rules in place and you go over them with your subordinates, it’s pretty much cut and dry. This is something I think would have helped Bartleby if he knew what was expected of him, maybe he would have performed his duties better.
We all need some structure and guidance at times, whether it’s written or verbal. In the case of working for a company these rules need to be written and verbally clarified. After he made sure that Bartleby understood the rules, he should have asked for Bartleby’s signature. That way if you have any problems with your employees you will be covered legally.
Also the book mentions how to properly train employees, and the benefits of having a mentoring program in place. If a company wants a new employee to succeed, they must be properly trained. Case and point, I drive trucks for a living and I have plenty of experience with heavy equipment. When I was recently hired by the city of Ann Arbor to drive trucks, they gave me training first. The managers made sure I was ready before they sent me out on my own. I worked with a mentor for three months and he showed me how to navigate through the city. I was also introduced to the culture of Ann Arbor, it was a lot different from the city of Detroit were I had worked for seventeen years.
In conclusion while HRM is not perfect, it’s a vital department for any organization. HRM keeps companies balanced and stable, for employers and employees. With the decline in union enrollment across the nation, HRM is more important than ever. Also organizations like the EEOC and other federal and local organizations help keep the playing field level. Could Bartleby be saved in today’s time, that’s the million dollar question?
References
Baumeyer, K. K (2003) http://education-portal.com/academy/lesson/the-hiring-process-types-of-recruiting-strategies.html
Isaac, L. Steps in the recruitment process Retrieved from http://www.leoisaac.com/hrm/hrm055.htm
Melville, H. (2011). Bartleby the Scrivener, A Tale of Wall Street. Enotes.com Inc. Retrieved from http://www.enotes.com/bartleby-scrivener-text
Price, A (1997) The Employee Resourcing Process Human Resource Management Retrieved from http://www.hrmguide.co.uk/employee_resourcing/