Small Businee Management - week # 5 - chapters 17, 18

* This posting covers chapters 17 & 18*

Chapter 17 - Human Resource Management

On this chapter we have -

* Discussed the importance of hiring the right employees. *Defined the job analysis process and the functioning of job descriptions and job

specifications. *Evaluated the advantages and disadvantages of six sources of employee

recruitment. *Described the three steps of employee selection. *Discussed the need for employee training and the seven methods of doing so. *Explained the two components of a compensation plan and the variable

elements of a benefits system. *Profiled an effective sequence for disciplining and terminating an employee.

People, workplaces, and how they work together...

They say people are the most valuable asset of a business. Choosing the right employees should be done carefully and correctly. Human capital can either drive your business to success or sabotage its chances to become one.

Can small businesses afford NOT to spend resources on hiring people ? the answer is no. Small business, more than any other business, relys on the quality of human resources , quality of service provided by human capital, and the way human capital functions will have a great effect on the existance of a business.

Some "personals" on the matter :

I used to work for a very well known tourism company in Israel. It was my second job in the tourism field and when I first came for an interview, the manager who interviewed me made a point that this company emphasizes customer service over anything else. The policy was that the customer is always right, no matter what.

At first, I thought this was a great policy. Great concern for the customer's satisfaction always seemed right. But what about standing behind your employees and backing them up ? I did not give it alot of thought then.I was inexperienced and naive. But time showed me that when looking for an employer - one should check what is the attitude towards employees. What kind of benefits does the employer offer ? are all benefits related to money ? or does he offer other benefits that are more important to ME than money: mental support, encouragement, freedom to make your own decisions, and the anknowledgement that you have someone behind you who will back you up when necessary...

After I quit that job, I was so much more experienced... I knew what to look for and found it. My new employer, and my last one in Israel since relocating to the States , was everything I was looking for ; supportive, loyal, honest, and knows how to express gratitude.

I think gratitude that is expressed in ways other than money are more important to me and more motivating (altough money is good too... ;-) ) - I appreciate having an aesthetic surrounding in my workplace ,comfortable work-zone, a good atmosphere, a sense of self actualization, the freedom to make my own decisions and knowing that my employers count on me to do the right job.

Checkout the following article about Recruiting and Hiring Top-Quality Employees http://www.entrepreneur.com/partners/msnbc?story=/article/0,4621,319988,00.html

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Chapter 18 - Operations management

On this chapter, we have -

-Described the elements of an operating system. -Explained how manufacturers and service providers use operations management. -Described how to measure productivity. -Recounted the four methods of scheduling operations. -Explained the role of quality in operations management. -Identified the three ways to control operations.

Control systems include the following components:

- Inputs (everything you put into a product - materials, money, skills etc')

- Transformation process (basically the business itself, turning inputs into outputs).

- Outputs (Goods, services).

Feedback is a tool used to control your business, without feedback - how will you know if your business functions well.

Some personals ...

What interested me the most on this chapter, is the tie between Ergonomics, motivation and productivity.

Ergonimics is the interaction between a person and machinery. If a person is granted with a good comfortable working zone and equipment, motivation to work increases and as a result so does productivity.

An example from my past work-experience:

When I started to work for Eshet Incoming tourism company, our department was part of Eshet tours travel agency, and was located on the 2nd floor of a 3 story building. The offices were crowded, busy, noisy and basically - not every employees dream. When Eshet Incoming separated from Eshet tours, we moved to a new building adjacent to the old one. The offices were completely renovated, custom made for our department. Each employee got a cubic that had a brand new desk,ergonomic chair, storage area, PC, and best lighting. The working zone was highly improved comparing to the old one. New rules forbiddened the use of cell phones in the office. Guests needed to schedule appointments in advance go through the reception area before entering the office. The atmosphere was highly improved, working conditions were excellent. Personally, I could feel my motivation was rising and so was my productivity: I managed to complete more tasks within a given time, I made much less errors, and my personal mood improved and I could enjoy my work alot more.

This is a simple example of the influence of ergonomics on productivity and motivation.

Here's a link to an article about the uses of Ergonomics for job designs and more...

http://www.ergonomics.org.uk/ergonomics/uses.htm