Assignment 1: Trends in the Workplace

Assignment 1: Trends in the Workplace

Due Week 3 and worth 200 points

According to the text, there are a number of key trends in the workplace that have significant influences on organizations. HR professionals play a key role in helping organizations respond to evolving trends, comply with federal and state regulations, and manage workplace flexibility.  As an HR professional it is important for you to demonstrate your understanding of the ever changing global environment. 

Write a five to seven (5-7) page paper in which you:

1.      Specify the key functional areas of Human Resources Management. Explore the manner in which each function contributes to the overall performance of an organization. Support your response with specific examples of the activities for which HRM is typically responsible. (Dr. Vic’s Tips: the entirety of Ch. 1 will be useful for your response to this question. Look at Fig. 1.1 on p. 3 and also, Table 1.1 on p. 7 for example of the functional areas of HRM. Select at least five areas and discuss them with regard to how your selected five areas contribute to overall performance.  Please provide specific examples. Plan to spend at least one whole page on this question.

2.      Examine three (4) federal equal employment opportunity laws. Suggest the primary manner in which each law influences fair employment practices within the organization where you currently work or an organization for which you have worked in the past. Support your response with specific examples of the chosen organization’s employment practices. (Dr. Vic’s Tips: in Ch. 3 p. 65 Table 3.1 lists several important EEO Laws and Regulations – please select from among this list – you may want to also provide a brief description of each of the three laws you selected – your definition/descriptions will offer a good opportunity to use external information. Then, based on your experience from an organization where you current work or have previously worked please describe how each of the four laws you selected was practiced. Also add if you agreed with the method these laws were practiced or disagreed. Please provide specific examples. Plan to spend at least one whole page on this question.

3.      According to the text, there are three (3) significant trends affecting organizations today: the aging workforce, diversity, and skills deficiencies in the workplace. Analyze the primary manner in which each of these three (3) trends has impacted the organization where you currently work or one (1) where you have worked in the past. Support your response with specific examples of said impact. (Dr. Vic’s Tips: the three trends identified in the question are located within p.p. 30-35, please re-read that section of Ch. 2. Then based on your experiences, observations and insights from the workplaces you have been at and are currently working, please describe how these trends have impacted HRM and overall management and performance at your work places. What changes have you observed, what is being accomplished to address these trends and what is not being done based on your observation? How have these trends and your employer’s response to them impacted you or a close co-worker? Please provide examples and insight. Plan to spend at least one whole page on this question.

4.      According to the text, workplace flexibility is essential for organizational success in the rapidly changing world. Explore two (2) ways that the organization where you currently work, or one (1) where you have worked in the past, might respond to the need to be flexible. Provide a rationale for your response. (Dr. Vic’s Tips: please review again, Ch. 2, p.p. 52-54 on Flexibility, then respond to this question based on your experiences, observations and insights from the places you have worked at before or currently work with regard to how these pleases have responded to flexibility demands and realities of employees. Please provide specific examples and insight. Plan to spend at least one whole page on this question.

Use at least four (4) quality academic resources in this assignment. Note: Wikipedia and other Websites do not qualify as academic resources.

Your assignment must follow these formatting requirements:

Be typed, double spaced, using Times New Roman font (size 12), with one-inch margins on all sides; citations and references must follow APA or school-specific format. Check with your professor for any additional instructions.

Include a cover page containing the title of the assignment, the student’s name, the professor’s name, the course title, and the date. The cover page and the reference page are not included in the required assignment page length.