HR Management Theory
Human resources management is challenging in the best of work environments. People whose job it is to manage HR encounter unexplored territory on a daily basis. Scholars in the human resources field have researched numerous areas of management strategies, including organizational theories, leadership theories and communication theories. Implementing these theories can help managers better understand the dynamics of human interaction while increasing morale and productivity.
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Kaizen Theory
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Kaizen is a Japanese management philosophy first introduced in the United States by Edward Deming. The foundations of Kaizen are in the acronym PDAC: plan, do, check, act. Kaizen strategies are aimed at getting management involved in the production process. Involvement is highly interactive and requires a great deal of "Genbutsu Genba," the philosophy of addressing problems where they lie. In other words, Kaizen-subscribing managers interact with their employees at the most fundamental levels; observing the work process and working to improve it with constant employee feedback.
Attribution Theory
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According to Fritz Heider, founder of attribution theory, people interpret behavior of themselves and others on numerous levels. Heider divides these into categories; internal, external, or situational and dispositional. Why is this important in human resources? Managers continually encounter human behavior and situations in which behavior has been interpreted and acted upon. For example, a manager who is initially hostile to a new member of the accounting team may be using internal attribution or a disagreeable relationship with a past member of the accounting team. The employee thinks, "You are an accountant, therefore, I will have a difficult time getting along with you." External forces may cause an employee to think that forces are out of his or her control; "That's what corporate management does, I can't change that.". Dispositional force is generally defined as a person's own intelligence. Attribution theory is often used in self and peer appraisals.
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Hierarchy of Needs
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The hierarchy of needs was developed by Abraham Maslow. Understanding the hierarchy of needs can help HR managers with employee incentives. Maslow's hierarchy of needs is a pyramid with the most basic needs at the bottom, leading to needs at the top that are more ethereal. Made up of five parts, the hierarchy begins with basic physiological needs of food, water and shelter. The next level of need is safety and security. Following that are belonging, love and self-actualization, the highest levels of need. Knowing where your employees are in the spectrum can help you in serving them. Minimum wage employees are most likely concerned with the two lower levels of need. Purchasing employee incentives might involve a $50 coupon to the local grocery store or a $50 gas card. At the upper end, managers would appreciate these too, but would also appreciate a free month at the gym or a self-improvement class.
Seven Habits
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Leadership guru Steven Covey introduced the "Seven Habits of Highly Effective People" in 1989. Managers around the world have implemented his theory in order to improve productivity and morale. The seven habits are as follows: be proactive, begin with the end in mind, put first things first, think win-win, seek to understand and then be understood, synergize, and sharpen the saw. These tips deal with the utilization of effective communication skills, such as listening and the implementation of effective teamwork and leadership strategies. Learning how to listen before speaking, effective prioritization of tasks dealing with employees and facilitative leadership offer a plethora of good management techniques for the HR professional
Considerations
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All of the aforementioned boil down to being able to effectively communicate and understand employees. This effective communication begins with listening to your employees whether it is a production problem or a family matter, employee input and your action toward that input is key to your success as a human resources manager.
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