The message and the messenger : identifying and communicating a high performance “HRM philosophy”

Purpose The purpose of this paper is to develop understanding of the “HRM process” as defined by Bowen and Ostroff (2004). The authors clarify the construct of “HRM philosophy” and suggest it is communicated to employees through “HRM messages”. Interrelationships between these concepts and other elements of the HRM-performance relationship are explored. The study identifies commonalities in the HRM philosophy and messages underscoring high-performing HRM systems, and highlights the function of a “messenger” in delivering messages to staff. Design/methodology/approach Case study of eight Australian hospitals with top performing HRM systems. Combines primary interview data with independent healthcare accreditor reports. Findings All cases share an HRM philosophy of achieving high-performance outcomes through the HRM system and employees are provided with messages about continuous improvement, best practice and innovation. The philosophy was instilled primarily by executive-level managers, whereby distinctiveness, consensus and consistency of communications were important characteristics. Research limitations/implications The research is limited by: omission of low or average performers; a single industry and country design; and exclusion of employee perspectives. Practical implications The findings reinforce the importance of identifying the HRM philosophy and its key communicators within the organisation, and ensuring it is aligned with strategy, climate and the HRM system, particularly during periods of organisational change. Originality/value The authors expand Bowen and Ostroff’s seminal work and develop the concepts of HRM philosophy and messages, offering the model to clarify key relationships. The findings underscore problems associated with a best practice approach that disregards HRM process elements essential for optimising performance

Sacked! young workers dismissal and the psychological contract

Despite the vulnerability of youth in paid work, little is known of the circumstances surrounding breakdowns of the employment relationship for this cohort. This study utilised over 1,200 cases of employee enquiries to a community advocacy organisation to explore the types and circumstances of workplace dismissal. Results indicate that dismissal is most commonly associated with bullying, harassment and taking personal leave. Many of the circumstances which emerged were concerning and demonstrate a range of poor outcomes in situations where employers capitalise on youths' inexperience, limited representation and relative difficulty in seeking legal redress. The findings expose exploitation within the youth labour market that violates both the psychological and legal contract of employment

Sacked! Workplace dismissals amongst youth employees

Limited academic attention has been afforded to young workers relative to their adult counterparts.\ud \ud This study addresses a phase of the employment relationship for young people that is very infrequently examined - during or around the time when the relationship ends. It examines the relative frequency of different forms of dismissal and the circumstances preceding the dismissals via a content analysis of 1259 cases of employee enquiries to a community advocacy organisation in Australia.\ud \ud Results indicate that dismissal was most commonly associated with bullying, harassment, and taking personal leave. Young men, compared to young women, were disproportionately likely to report allegations of misconduct as preceding dismissal, while females experienced higher rates of sexual harassment and discrimination. The research highlights the types and circumstances of dismissal across a range of employment contexts and reveals the complexities of youth employment relationships which may differ from those of the general workforce.\ud \u

Learning to manage : development experiences of hospital frontline managers

In high performing human resource management (HRM) systems, much responsibility for managing employees and associated processes is typically devolved to frontline managers (FLMs). Research indicates that undeveloped FLM HRM ability can impact performance, particularly in health-care organisations. We present the incidence and characteristics of HRM-oriented learning and development programs for FLMs in hospitals with high performing systems of HRM, and experiences of FLMs directly participating in them. We combine data from 50 Australian hospital accreditation reports with interviews from eight ‘high performance HRM’ cases. We find: almost all high performers develop FLM HRM ability; development programs are extremely diverse between hospitals and succession planning is deficient. While primarily focused on understanding ability, the study contributes to the ability, motivation, opportunity framework, proposing a model and new interrelationships between these variables in the FLM context.18 page(s

Sacked! An investigation of young workers' dismissal

Limited academic attention has been afforded to young workers relative to their adult counterparts. This study addresses a phase of the employment relationship for young people that is very infrequently examined - during or around the time when the relationship ends. It examines the relative frequency of different forms of dismissal and the circumstances preceding the dismissals via a content analysis of 1259 cases of employee enquiries to a community advocacy organisation in Australia. Results indicate that dismissal was most commonly associated with bullying, harassment, and taking personal leave. Young men, compared to young women, were disproportionately likely to report allegations of misconduct as preceding dismissal, while females experienced higher rates of sexual harassment and discrimination. The research highlights the types and circumstances of dismissal across a range of employment contexts and reveals the complexities of youth employment relationships which may differ from those of the general workforce