Human Resources Management: A Guide for Employers

Human Resource Management: A Guide for Employers
by Pat Sheridan
Oak Tree Press (2007)
ISBN: 9781-904887-157

In most larger companies, dealing with HR matters is full time job that, preferably, is filled by a person with good experience of dealing with the complexities of the area. However, in most SMEs, it's the managing director that is trying to handle this kind of thing. But managers usually have competing priorities and often don't dedicate enough time to acquiring the skills and knowledge necessary to deal with the many HR issues that might arise in their company. Which is where Pat Sheridan comes in.

Sheridan has spent nearly thirty years in HR Management in American, French, British and Japanese multinational companies in the engineering, healthcare and chemical manufacturing sectors. Additionally, he has worked as an industrial relations consultant with IBEC, and has operated as a HR management consultant for the last fourteen years serving a wide range of service and manufacturing. Sheridan also runs 1stophr.ie, which provides HR and industrial relations services to businesses. So, if Pat doesn’t know it, nobody does.

1stopHR.ie's service is somewhat unique to the Irish market, although similar practices have gone live in other countries, including the UK. What they have in common is a focus on providing information on, and advising upon, the complexities of human resources for directors of SMEs who have no access to on-site specialist knowledge.

Which, in essence, is what Human Resource Management: A Guide for Employers is all about.  It is 1stopHR.ie in book form; a publication aimed at owners, directors, managers, supervisors, team leaders and anyone else who has responsibility for the work of others, in companies that have no formal human resource expertise.

SMEs usually lack a person trained and experienced in HRM or employment law and this book aims to cover the main areas that an employer should, or, in most cases, must, attend to with regard to the employment and management of employees. It is also suitable for management students, who require an overview of human resource management in an easy-to-read format.

Managers who are not aware of the need for human resource management, or who feel they can ‘take it or leave it’ as it does not really matter, often make errors of judgement that work in opposition to basic business sense and even, sometimes, in contravention of several laws. This attitude inevitably results in a direct and/or indirect cost for the company. The alternative is the proactive approach to human resource management, which balances human behaviour and the legal compliance requirements, and endeavours to develop and install policies, practices and procedures that are most suitable for the company’s business needs and which contribute to employee motivation. This book attempts, largely successfully, to provide a good foundation for a much more proactive approach.

In the book, Sheridan considers important best-practice approaches that contribute to the development of a modern proactive employer/employee relationship. It recognises behavioural facts and legal compliance requirements, and will help you develop and install policies, practices and procedures that combine your business needs with positive employee motivation.

The book summarises key employment legislation and presents it in a readily-accessible format. It is broken into four well laid out and, by and large, easy to read sections:

• HR policy, practice and procedure
• Industrial relations
• Safety, health and welfare: and
• Summaries of key employment legislation

The first two chapters reflect important best practice approaches that contribute to the development of a modern proactive employer/employee relationship. Chapter 2 looks at the industrial relations processes and procedures in common use in Ireland, providing opportunities for employers and employees to resolve issues through investigation and negotiation procedures and involving external third party bodies, such as the Labour Court. Chapter 3 outlines the many health, safety & welfare provisions that can often trip up Sheridan’s target readership. The final chapter explains the legal requirements for employers that arise from the growing raft of employment legislation. The chapter also alerts readers to legislation that, though not yet in force, can be expected soon.

Generally, an excellent addition to the libraries of busy directors and managers in SMEs.

To order a copy of this publication, please visit www.oaktreepress.com


April 2009 Prizedraw

Winners:
Kendra Ryan - HRD Manager in Topaz Energy
Jenny Grant - Office & HR Administrator in AIG Insurance Management Services (Ireland) Ltd
Clodagh Sands - Human Resources Manager in National Pen Limited

Thanks to all who took part and keep an eye on the Book Review section for our next prize giveaway!

Guy Flouch