Mobile Devices and Compensation

Human Resource Technological advancements have increasingly revolutionized HR practice, especially in the area of employee orientation and training. Today, mobile devices such as smartphones and tablets can be used to quicken and enliven the process of orientating and training new employees (Lawson, 2015). Mobile devices now come with powerful features that enable easier and more convenient delivery of information to new employees. The information may relate to aspects such as contacts and images of key employees, organizational values and policies, as well as individual roles and responsibilities.

Instead of organizing training and orientation sessions or workshops at the organization's board room, this information can be sent to one's email for access during their convenient time and place. Today's mobile devices have applications that support virtually all types of documents, from Microsoft Word and Excel to Portable Document Format (PDF). The appropriateness of incorporating mobile devices in employee orientation and training is particularly informed by the fact that nearly every employee today has a smartphone or tablet, or both.

In addition, using mobile devices can significantly improve participation and engagement as well as understanding and application of the information intended to be passed across to new employees (Quickmobile, 2015). Question 2 Compensation systems fall in two general categories: job-based compensation and competency-based compensation. The former is a more conventional pay structure, and encompasses determining compensation based on the requirements of the job. This provides more predictability in the pay structure as well as easiness in budgeting and planning for promotions every year.

In addition, the likelihood of unfairness and discrimination is minimized as compensation is determined by the requirements of the job. Nonetheless, job-based compensation provides little space for pay increase, which may reduce motivation to acquire new skills and knowledge. Moreover, some individuals may perceive unfairness in compensation when they perform higher than others but receive similar compensation. This may contribute to office politics. Competency-based pay, on the other hand, entails determining pay on the basis of one's ability. This provides incentive for improving one's skills and knowledge.

Nonetheless, there could be conflicts between high-performing and less-performing employees when there are differences in compensation for the same job. As an ambitious and self-motivated person, I would prefer the competency-based pay structure. This would give me the drive to focus on building my career. Question 3 Family-friendly and flexible benefits have increasingly become popular in the contemporary workplace. Today, individuals desire jobs that offer a meaningful balance between work and family (Rabinowitz, n.d.). They want jobs that do not threaten the social, economic, and emotional wellbeing of their families.

Accordingly, organizations have paid greater attention to creating a family-friendly work environment. Some of the initiatives employers use to achieve this include offering educational assistance, paid parental leave, onsite child care, family medical cover, temporary switch to part-time work for new parents, as well as family-oriented events. Employers have also paid greater attention to flexible benefits against the backdrop of shifting workforce demographics. The modern workplace now features multiple generations, from baby boomers to millenials, each with unique demands and expectations (Simplyhealth, 2016). It has, therefore, become imperative for employers.