Ethics

The week before Thanksgiving break we studied a lot on Ethics within a business. We had a guest speaker who told many cases about ethics and then we had discussions on what we thought was ethical. One case in particular, was the case about a football coach partying with teammates after a win. Ethics is very interesting to learn about, there were so many different viewpoints throughout the class, I found it very interesting. The main thing I learned from our ethics discussion is that it is so important to know where you stand and what decision you will make before you are faced with the situation. Many good people get tied up in bad decisions, and many people are practicing things that aren't exactly good even though they might not be illegal. Illegal or not, it's so important to know the decisions you will make in a business setting. I have to decide now what I will be able to live with my entire life.

Chapters 15 & 14

This week in class we learned about Unions in Chapter 14, and Managing Human Resources Globally in Chapter 15. I thought the discussion about Unions was very interesting because I actually never understood exactly what a Union was up until now. I knew that they went on strike but I didn't really understand why. We also did an activity in class where half of the class consisted of the Union and half were the employer. It was funny to see how we stopped cooperating early on as a class. We did end up, however, getting closest to the number of points received out of any class, which indicates that we cooperated the most. I found this article about Union's especially interesting and thought I would share it with the class.

Kris Rondeau and Janna Malamud Smith

Unions' new role in the workplace

By Kris Rondeau and Janna Malamud Smith August 30, 2008

ON MONDAY, America will applaud the contributions of workers. Some of us will also give a cheer for unions, "the folks who brought you the weekend" - in this case a long weekend.

This year, the Harvard Union of Clerical and Technical Workers, or HUCTW, is celebrating its 20th birthday. In the last 20 years, Harvard University and the union have brought 5,000 jobs solidly into the middle class. They are sustainable jobs with good salaries, great benefits, better working conditions, and access to ongoing training.

That's what unions are for, right? Yes. But it is no longer an adequate way to think about them. Unions are, and need to be, about successfully adapting workplaces to the changing world. Globalization and an economy in flux have increased competition for American employers while threatening a race to the bottom for employee wages and working conditions. Longer working hours put stress on communities and families.

This path is not sustainable, and will not benefit the nation. Long-term survival in the coming "knowledge" economy will require increased flexibility from both workers and management. There will be a need for ongoing adult learning in the workplace to produce more educated workers and a need for better ways to capture knowledge from all levels of the organization.

An independent voice for workers is essential to making workplaces function better. When decisions are made unilaterally from the top down, they are made without crucial information. Forsaking front-line workers' hard-earned experience and perspectives is like walking a tightrope with numb feet. Employees with direct customer, research, student, or patient contact are the nerve endings in institutions. They often perceive crucial market shifts before other instruments can measure them. They are vital to understanding what's working well or badly, and to anticipating what's coming next. Without union support their voices will not be heard on an ongoing basis - as when, during times of intense economic or competitive pressure, it seems inexpedient.

That is where progressive unions come in: They give employees voice in ways that benefit everyone. Research shows that the highest levels of productivity occur in those unionized workplaces where the union and the employer recognize their mutual interests, and create a partnership to achieve organizational goals. Progressive unions emphasize community building among members as a way of creating positive workplaces where information travels up as well as down. And, consequently, where humor, kindness, and respect have opportunity to flourish.

Furthermore, a union that really knows its members brings their experience, skills, creativity, and desire to do high-quality work to the table. These are crucial natural resources that the nation can no longer afford to squander.

This is an ambitious vision. New unions are changing how it feels to come to work, not just how big a paycheck is. Realizing this idea requires rejecting some old union (and management) practices - such as an over-reliance on rules. New unions can lead the country in developing sustainable workplaces. To succeed, unions must embrace change, transform themselves, and demonstrate their worth anew.

Perhaps the biggest cause for celebration on the Harvard union's birthday is that it offers one good model for successful unions of the future. HUCTW and its sister unions do not organize against the boss - they organize around the idea of participation at work. We have never had a strike, and we'd rather solve problems than file grievances. We would rather sign a short, conceptual agreement than a long contract full of rules and regulations. We believe the best solutions to problems come through thoughtful conversation about the needs and perspectives of everyone at the table.

Will this model work elsewhere? Our sister union, SHARE, in Worcester, has had great success in a hospital setting. There, union and management worked together to engage staff in problem solving on inpatient units. The result: They greatly improved patient satisfaction, and have the statistics to prove it. And worker morale soared.

As we celebrate Labor Day this weekend, we'll hear about the decline in union membership. But the United States badly needs progressive unions that offer an alternative vision - a future of collaboration based in conversation and mutual respect; and a road map to a better workplace for all.

Kris Rondeau is a labor organizer and negotiator affiliated with the Harvard Union of Clerical and Technical Workers and AFSCME. Janna Malamud Smith is a writer and a member of the Union of Social Workers.

© Copyright 2008 Globe Newspaper Company.

Also, in Chapter 15 when we talked about "Managing Human Resources Globally." I thought it was really interesting to learn about Human Resources from a global perspective, because I know that much of the world's business is global now. I learned how important it is for Human Resource Employees to know and understand local laws and customs overseas. Also, they need to understand how to operate in foreign facilities. A number of different options are available for Human Resource employees when hiring for international operations and it is important that they choose the best option and the most beneficial person for the company.

Chapter 12 & 13 Thoughts

The past week we talked about chapter 12 and 13. Chapter 12 is about pay and chapter 13 is about benefits within an organization. In chapter 12 it talks about incentive pay and employee performance. Oftentimes companies use incentive pay to energize or control employee's behavior. To be effective incentive pay should encourage behaviors that are most needed. It also talks about the different ways that companies can recognize individual performance. They can use piecework rates, standard hour plans, merit pay, sales commissions, and bonuses. We learned about how companies link pay to their overall performance. This can help bring the company together as they all benefit if the company can hit certain goals.

Chapter 13 talks about benefits within an organization. We learned about how important benefits can be to help attract, retain, and motivate employees. There are many beenfits that employers must contribute to old age, survivors, disability, and health insurance. Social security is a program made possible through a payroll tax shared by employers and employees. Also, there are many categories of paid time off, vacations, and holidays, and sick leave. Medical insurance is one of the most valued employee benefits. Policies usually cover hospital expenses, surgical expenses, and visitis to physicians, with some companies even offering more. I didn't realize how many companies come up with additional benefits to attract employees. I think the different ways of providing benefits can be great ways to motivate employees.

Chapter 11

This week we learned about pay. We learned about all of the different pay stuructures and policies, and the decisions that are invovled in establishing them. Basically Organizations decide relative pay for different jobs within their company (this may vary depending on job functions or responsibility). They decide the average paid for the different jobs and then use this information to put together a pay structure policy. Economic forces can be a big influence on decisions regarding pay. Companies have to juggle meeting the demands of employer markets and product markets. Depending on the companies situation and their business strategy, a decision is made whether to pay employees below, at or above the market rate (each of which can have its consequences). When people are deciding if they are paid fairly the compare their pay/input ratio with other people's pay/input ratio. I know I have done this before when evaluating my pay level. I have asked many people about their jobs and their pay structures. Unfortunately, I feel that being a student and only accepting part time jobs puts you in a position to get paid lower than market value, which is frustrating. Normally, I have felt underpaid and have usually left most jobs hoping for a better opportunity. It's important that Human Resources constantly compares actual pay with pay structures to see and make sure that the practices and policies match. I feel that it is a big responsibility to work with managers in making sure that employees are happy and motivated with their pay structure. I didn't realize how much went into pay structures and found it interesting to learn about.

Funny Experience

We recently took our first test and had a fall break so I'm not sure if I need to post for the past week as most of it was a review and guest speaker. I will post anyway, I wanted to talk about a funny experience I had related to our class. When we talked about discrimination in class I talked about how I didn't know how anyone would be able to sue someone on the basis of discrimination, I just didn't understand how someone would have enough information to be able to prove they were discriminated against. I thought to myself that even if someone was discriminating they would just think it to themselves and that would be that. The point was brought up in class that so many employers are stupid and say things that get them in a mess. I recently was in an interview and the employer said MANY things to me that I could take to court! I was so surprised! And although I wouldn't sue the company I thought it was interesting that I was sitting in an interview and I actually knew what things she could and couldn't ask me and I noticed the things she shouldn't have been saying. At many times throughout the conversation she asked about my family life, my religion, etc. Also, she told me that I wouldn't work for a certain position because she was looking for someone older (although she did say no offense before she said it, ha!). She also told me I would work for a few positions because she was specifically looking for women to do the jobs because of the product market (scrapbooking, home decor, etc.). These are jobs that men could handle, and many men could exceed at, so I knew she shouldn't have been telling me that information either. It was a funny experience and related to class so I thought I'd share. I'm glad I have a background in case I'm the one doing the interviewing one day!

The Importance of Assessing Performance (Ch. 8&9)

We learned this week about the different ways to assess performance and develop employees. I liked learning about the different ways we can asses employees because I feel that employee performance reviews are so important in an organization. My first job was at Discover Card Financial Services. At this job we had quarterly performance reviews. I actually liked these performance reviews and I think my manager had a lot to do with that, she handled them very professionally. I always knew where I stood and what I could improve, and also was rewarded raises every six months if I did the necessary things to deserve them. I thought this was the norm in many businesses and boy was I wrong! I had my job at Discover Card when I was 16. I am now 22 almost 23, and have had many other jobs during the past 6 years, not once have I been given regular performance reviews. This has made me develop a strong opinion about performance reviews. Most people think of them as a burden and I have seen the effects a quarterly performance review can have on my work ethic and motivation. I think it's so important that employees know where they stand and what they can do to improve so that they feel good about their job and what they are contributing to the workplace. I think it's easy to get in a lazy mode after so many months of getting by with no performance reviews and I don't like the way I feel when I get into a "lazy mode," they make me feel unproductive and unsatisfied with what I am contributing to the organization.

Chapters 6&7

This last week throughout class we learned about Chapter 6 (Recruiting) and Chapter 7 (Training).
Also, I conducted my interviews this last week and the topic I chose was recruiting. We also had a guest speaker in class who talked about Training. I definitely got a well rounded knowledge of the topics because I learned about them not only in the book, but also through the interviews and guest speaker. Their is a lot that goes into recruiting, It is so important that employers and HR professionals know how to do a good job at this so that they can lower turnover rates and improve the quality of their company. The HR professionals, or managers, have to become experts on skimming through resumes and finding the best candidates for interviews. In this economy it has become increasingly more difficult to do the pre-screening because of how many resumes companies receive. Also, it's important for employers to call references and past employers along with conducting background checks or other types of tests. Once interviewing, their are many techniques that are beneficial. Open-ended questions were something I though would be very important to employers. These questions give candidates an opportunity to put together well structured answers. When training it is important to do a needs assessment to evaluate the organization and to determine the needs and kinds of training that are necessary. There are also other types of analysis including person and task analysis, these may also be useful. There are also many training methods available that organizations can use, my favorite was reading about the experiential programs because they sounded so fun, and I think if used the right way they could be extremely beneficial team building skills.