number of rather provocative predictions about the future of work. Ask students
whether they think these events will happen, and the impact the changes will have for
organizations and employees.
Influence of Technology on HRM
A human resources information system (HRIS) is a computerized system that provides
current and accurate data for purposes of control and decision making.
Use Highlights in HRM 1.2: Factors to Consider When Evaluating a Human
Resources Information System to show the factors that should be considered when
evaluating an HRIS system.
Think-Pair-Share: Ask students to collaboratively respond to Discussion Question 4:
Will technology eliminate the need for HR managers? At this point, this question may
Copyright © 2020 by Nelson Education Ltd.| 1-7
be best used for experienced students, rather than novice ones. See the recommended
responses in Answers to End-of-Chapter Discussion Questions.
Collaborative Team Project: Put students into groups to compare, contrast, and
evaluate two HRIS systems, using the guidelines presented in Highlights in HRM 1.2.
Information can be sourced from the Internet. Take care to urge students to NOT get
into contact with any provider, as this may have negative consequences for the
university or college.
ISSUE 4: Containing Costs while Retaining Top Talent and Maximizing
Productivity
Stress to students that HRM professionals need to simultaneously focus on retaining top
talent and maximizing productivity. Inform students that virtually every major corporation
has undergone some cycle of downsizing.
Call-Out Question: Do you think it is possible to maintain the morale of your firm’s
employees in the face of shrinking budgets and benefits? How might you do so? The
answers to this question may very well link back to students’ knowledge of
organizational behaviour if this is a prerequisite for this course in Human Resources
Management. Inform students that many of the theories underlying the study of
human resources are rooted in organizational behaviour.
Linking Back to Previous Learning: Refer back to reactive versus proactive change,
and show that downsizing can be a response to both.
Inform students about a study of 750 companies conducted by Watson Wyatt that
showed that organizations with excellent recruitment and retention policies provide a
nearly 8 percent higher return to shareholders compared to those that do not excel in
these areas. Also, share that organizations with a strong commitment to job security
earned an additional 1.4 percent for shareholders. Ask students to generate reasons for
these counterintuitive findings. Advocates of a no-layoff policy often note that layoffs
may backfire after taking into account such hidden costs, including severance and
rehiring costs, accrued vacation and sick day payouts, pension and benefit payoffs,
potential lawsuits from aggrieved workers, loss of institutional memory and trust in
management, lack of staffers when the economy rebounds, and survivors who are risk
averse, paranoid, and political. Companies that avoid downsizing say they get some
important benefits from such policies, such as a fiercely loyal, more productive
workforce, higher customer satisfaction, readiness to snap back with the economy, a
recruiting edge, and workers who are not afraid to innovate, knowing their jobs are
safe.
ISSUE 5: Responding to the Demographic and Diversity Challenges of
the Workforce
Connectivity Question: Think about some of the teams you have been a member of.
Which of them performed better— those that were diverse or those that were not?
What challenges and opportunities did the more diverse teams present? How do you
think they translate to human resources management?
Copyright © 2020 by Nelson Education Ltd.| 1-8
Demographic Changes
To support their companies’ strategies, HR managers must be aware of trends in the
workforce.
The Diversity/Immigration Challenge
Share the Facts: Use Figure 1.2: Composition of the Population of Canada
(Millions) to show the composition of the population of Canada. Ask students whether
they think the composition has changed since 2006. Encourage them to return to class
next time with the answer.
Link It to HRM: To accommodate the shift in demographics, demand, and labour
trends, businesses know it is absolutely vital to increase their efforts to recruit and
train a more diverse workforce. They realize that immigrants are not only critical to
their very survival, but also add to their strength and allow them to better attract and
serve a larger customer base.
Age Distribution of Employees
Share the Facts: Canada’s population was 35.2 million in 2016. Of these, about