Human resources audit survey methodology and implementation

Business Management -- Human Resource Audit

Audit Result Summary and Strengths/Development Areas Highlighted

According to the results of the audit survey instrument, the employees of the organization think its human resource functions are highly effective. Specifically, they responded positively on measures of: 1. Training and Development of Employees, 2. Recruiting/Selection/Hiring, 3. Performance Review Process, 6. Job Descriptions, 11. Payroll System, and 12. Internal Communication/Mission and Goals. Areas where employees expressed neither particularly positive nor negative opinions were: 4. Legal Compliance (EEO, ADA, FMLA, etc.), 5. Policies/Policy Manuals, and 7. Employee Relations.

The audit survey results indicated that employees had the most criticisms of other areas, but their additional comments indicated that these generally reflected isolated issues and typical attitudes of employees (such as feeling that they are underpaid) that are not necessarily particular to this organization. Specifically, the most negative responses suggested that the following areas might be the appropriate targets of improvement: 8. Discipline and Terminations, 9. Compensation/Salary, 10. Benefit Package, and 13.Workers' Compensation.

Perception and Reality

Before the audit survey, I would not necessarily have expected to find that organizational personnel held such positive opinions of some of the most important core functions of human resources. There was a nearly universal positive response in relation to all of the primary major human resources that most directly influence the manner in which human resources decisions affect the quality of organizations. The functions through which the department makes hiring decisions and ensures that job descriptions and employee training and development functions are conducive to organizational success are well respected. To the extent the respondents expressed their perceived need for improvement, the areas implicated relate to functions that reflect executive decisions and operational management decisions rather than human resources decisions, notwithstanding the fact that those functions might be administrated by the human resource department. .

Two Appropriate Human Resource Evaluation Methods

Two appropriate human resource evaluation methods that are applicable to the organization are (1) the proportion of new hires that remain in the organization's employ for at least five years, and (2) rate at which junior employees earn promotion to higher positions including management positions (Noe, Hollenbeck, & Gerhart, 2009; Robbins & Judge, 2009). In this organization, those measures would indicate that the principal human resource functions are operating effectively. There is a low rate of attrition among new employees and there is always competition among multiple qualified candidates for promotion to supervisory positions.