Armstrong. ( 2006 ) defined Human Resource policies as go oning guidelines on the attack the organisation intends to follow in pull offing its people. In add-on. it can besides be defined as the doctrines and values of the organisation on how people should be treated. and from these are derived the rules upon which directors are expected to move when covering with Human Resource affairs. Human Resource policies hence serve as mention points when employment patterns are being developed. and when determinations are being made about people.
Mullins. ( 2005 ) highlighted that Human Resource Management must be committed to making a working environment free from favoritism and where all employees are treated every bit with self-respect. courtesy and regard. This can be done by seting into topographic point Human Resource policies that shows how people should be treated. and from these are derived the rules upon which directors are expected to move when covering with Human Resource affairs. The most common countries in which specific Human Resource policies exist are HIV and AIDS. subject. employee development. employee dealingss. enlisting and choice. equal chance. grudges. wellness and safety. pull offing diverseness. publicity. redundancy. wages. sexual torment. substance maltreatment and work life balance and electronic mails and the cyberspace.
Cole ( 1997 ) argued that this employment equity policy helps in forestalling favoritism and advancing equality in the workplace. The equal chance policy should spell out the organization’s finding to give equal chances to all. irrespective of sex. race. credo. disablement. age or matrimonial position. The policy should besides cover with the extent to which the organisation wants to take affirmatory action to right instabilities between Numberss employed harmonizing to sex or race. or to differences in the degrees of makings and accomplishments they have achieved. Harmonizing to the Labour Act ( Chapter 28:01 ) . Section 5 provinces that no employer shall know apart any employee or prospective employee on evidences of race. folk. topographic point of beginning. political sentiment. coloring material. credo. gender. gestation. HIV/AIDS position or topic to the Disabled Persons Act ( Chapter 17:01 ) .
Every director must take stairss to advance equal chance in the workplace by extinguishing unjust favoritism in any employment policy or pattern within their domain of authorization. All signifiers of unjust favoritism. whether direct or indirect. are prohibited and it is the duty of all employees to inform themselves about and forbear from commiting unjust favoritism. The sexual torment policy is another policy which aims at forestalling and pull offing sexual torment in the workplace. Sexual torment is unwanted and unwelcome sexual progresss. petitions for sexual favor. and other verbal or physical behavior of a sexual nature that is made either explicitly or implicitly a term or status of employment ; or is used as the footing for employment determinations impacting such an person. The company must forbid inappropriate behavior that is sexual in nature at work. on company concern. or at company sponsored events.
This can be done by forbiding remarks. gags. or degrading linguistic communication or behaviour that is sexual in nature. sexually implicative objects. books. magazines. exposure. sketchs. images. calendars. postings or electronic communications and unwelcome sexual progresss. petitions for sexual favor. or any sexual touching this is harmonizing to Armstrong ( 2006 ) . Sexual torment is prohibited whether it’s between members of the opposite sex or members of the same sex. All directors have a cardinal duty in set uping and keeping a workplace free from personal torment and they are straight responsible for the behavior of their staff. Sexual torment is regarded as gross industrial misconduct and if proved makes the single liable for instant dismissal. Less terrible punishments may be reserved for minor instances but there will ever be a warning that repeat will ensue in dismissal. Therefore all employees are expected to follow with this policy and that it is the personal duty of each employee to guarantee that inappropriate behavior does non happen. as stated by Armstrong ( 2010 ) .
Safety policies should reflect the employers commitment to safety and wellness at work and should bespeak what criterions of behaviour are to be aimed for in safety and wellness public assistance affairs. The policy statement should be drawn to the attending of all employees. In pattern this is achieved by publishing a safety policy papers to all employees via their wage packages. or by publishing company handbooks which include inside informations of the policy. The of import point is that the employer should be able to demo that he has done more than merely trap up a notice in assorted parts of his premises. this is postulated by Mullins ( 2005 ) . The HIV/Aids policy is besides used and its intent is to supply counsel on pull offing departmental responses to HIV/AIDS in a mode that complies with the National Aids Policy and applicable Torahs. eliminates unjust favoritism and enables the harnessing of each person’s full potency.
Employees who know that they are infected with HIV will non be obliged to unwrap the fact to the company. but if they do. the fact will stay wholly confidential. There must be no favoritism against anyone with or at hazard of geting AIDS. In add-on. employees infected by HIV or enduring from AIDS must be treated no otherwise from anyone else enduring a terrible unwellness. All human resources procedures and patterns should advance an confirming non-discriminatory environment that Fosters respect for the self-respect of all while guaranting the maximal productiveness of each employee regardless of HIV/AIDS position.
This will be done through a regular reappraisal of all human resources patterns and processes to extinguish bing or possible direct and indirect favoritism on the land of HIV/AIDS. A prospective employee will non be required to unwrap his or her HIV/AIDS position. there shall be no pre-employment HIV/AIDS testing in regard of a prospective employee and both lasting and contract employees are non obliged to unwrap their HIV/AIDS position. as capable to Labour Relations Act ( chapter 28:01 ) .
Recruitment and choice policies are besides used to guarantee a work environment that is anti discriminatory. democratic. respectful of rights. mindful of self-respect and lawfully sound or legitimate. The Human resource section must be committed to use enlisting and choice patterns that are based on virtue. equity. objectiveness. equity and the demand to right the instabilities of the yesteryear so as to accomplish a section that is loosely representative. Harmonizing to Storey ( 1995 ) . the enlisting procedure should reflect the department’s employment equity values and ends. Furthermore. all stages of the enlisting procedure must back up the enlisting of appropriately qualified work forces and adult females from diverse racial and other backgrounds with a position to giving them an chance to function all the people with excellence and reactivity. Considerations of affirmatory action will inform the full enlisting procedure.
The policy on age and employment should take into history that age is a hapless forecaster of occupation public presentation. It is misdirecting to compare physical and mental ability with age. More of the population are populating active. healthy lives as they get older. Therefore the policy should specify the attack the organisation adopts to prosecuting. advancing and developing older employees. It should stress that the lone standard for choice or publicity should be ability to make the occupation ; and for preparation. the belief that the employee will profit. irrespective of age. The policy should besides province that age demands should non be set out in external or internal occupation advertizements. Armstrong ( 2006 ) .
Diversity direction policy is a construct that recognizes the benefits to be gained from differences. A policy on pull offing diverseness recognizes that there are differences among employees and that these differences. if decently managed. will enable work to be done more expeditiously and efficaciously. This construct does non concentrate entirely on issues of favoritism but alternatively dressed ores on acknowledging the differences between people. Maund ( 2001 ) express it. the construct of pull offing diverseness is founded on the premiss that tackling these differences will make a productive environment in which everyone will experience valued. where their endowments are to the full utilised and in which organisational ends are met. The diverseness direction policy must admit cultural and single differences in the workplace. province that the organisation values the different qualities that people bring to their occupations. stress the demand to extinguish prejudices in such countries as choice. publicity. public presentation appraisal. wage and acquisition chances and concentrate attending on single differences instead than group differences.
Mathis. ( 2003 ) is of the position that the disciplinary policy should province that employees have the right to cognize what is expected of them and what could go on if they infringe the organization’s regulations. It would besides do the point that. in managing disciplinary instances. the organisation will handle employees in conformity with the rules of natural justness. It must be the policy of the company that employees should be given a just hearing by their immediate supervisor or director refering any grudges they may wish to raise. hold the right to appeal to a more senior director against a determination made by their immediate supervisor or director and have the right to be accompanied by a representative of their ain pick when raising a grudge or appealing against a determination.
Cole. ( 1997 ) highlighted that the wages policy must cover affairs as supplying an just wage system. equal wage for work of equal value. paying for public presentation. competency. accomplishment or part. sharing in the success of the organisation and the relationship between degrees of wage in the organisation and market rates. There must non be favoritism of employees in wage degrees. This will promote the optimal productiveness from employees and ensures high degree of quality end product. A public presentation direction system must be put in topographic point so as to pay employees harmonizing to their public presentation and attempts. Armstrong ( 2006 ) is of the sentiment that occupation rating must besides be done in a reasonably and just mode so as to hold a free work environment.
In decision. companies must be committed to supplying a work environment free of favoritism and torment. Human Resource policies must forbid favoritism and torment in the workplace. whether committed by or against directors. colleagues. clients. sellers. or visitants. Employees must work and develop in an environment that is anti-discriminatory. democratic. respectful of rights. mindful of self-respect. lawfully sound and productive. Workplace favoritism or torment based on an employee’s race. coloring material. faith. sex. national beginning. citizenship. age position. sexual orientation. disablement. matrimonial position. or any other footing prohibited by jurisprudence. must non be tolerated.
Mentions
Armstrong. M. ( 2006 ) Strategic Human Resource Management. ( 3rd Ed ) . London: Kogan.
Armstrong. M. ( 2006 ) A Handbook of Human Resource Management Practice. ( tenth Ed ) . London: Kogan.
Cole G. A. ( 1997 ) . Personnel Management. Theory and Practice. London: Continuum.
Labour Relations Act Regulations ( 1998 ) . HIV and AIDS. Government Printers: Zimbabwe.
Maund. L. ( 2001 ) . An Introduction to Human Resource Management Theory And Practice. New York: Palgrave.
Mullins. L. J. ( 2005 ) . Management and Organizational Behavior. England: Prentice Hall.
Storey. J. ( 1995 ) . Human Resource Management: A critical text. London: Routledge.
