Business of Family Patterns

Explain how employees' needs and expectations may change with age and family patterns.
Answer: The dynamics of a family are always changing; with the addition of children, the single family environment, or the needed care for the family members getting along in years. With these changes, the needs for each one could be drastically different. The needs of the single parent might be the need for daycare during the daily job, having adequate health insurance, needing to work overtime to pay for the rapidly stacking bills, or even to get away from the pressures of being in that situation. Adding more children, brings on more needs and stresses than could be written here at this time. From the added running around to fulfill their needs of dance, football, concerts, and so on and so on, to the monetary needs to be able to cover all of those needs (this is coming from a man with 6 children). Life also changes drastically with the care for the aging parents and grandparents in our lives. "Care-giving can force employees to take time off, pass up promotions or "plum" assignments, retire early or even quit their jobs" (Wells, 2000). Having to run around town to two or three doctor's appointments twice a week and picking up prescriptions makes a person tired enough, let alone, finding the time to have the all needed "family" time. This takes time away from work and can be quite expensive through wages or burning the much valuable family sick and annual leave balances. This can take many hours a week to accomplish these things and sometimes will force one of the two incomes in the family (if applicable) to cut back on hours or to quit their job all together.
Compare the definition of the term "family" used today with that of the 1950s.
Answer: The family units in the fifties seem to more close and had a sort of togetherness about them. The children stayed at home longer with their parents, divorce was a four letter word, and life was simpler. I don't know exactly, but I think of the respect level being much higher in the fifties. Families stuck together and cared for what was going on for the moment and not how they could change the entire world in a weekend. I picture them eating every meal together as a family, for no other fact that it was what is done. Today, life is chaotic at best. Kids are looking to be managers on their first job (because they know better) and expect that the world owes them something. We might see the children a couple times a week and we would have "most" of them at home for Sunday dinner. Money drives most of the conversations which is not helped with the failing economy. Divorce, seems to be a lasting trend for the average home and is as easy obtained as picking up milk from the grocery store. More single parent families are trying to make ends meet because of the "ex" does not feel it is their problem to care for their children anymore. We have tuned into a selfish society with needing more and more to feel satisfied about ourselves (at least that's what our psychologists says).
I hope that I did not offend anyone; this is just my point of view and I certainly apologize if some of this sounds painfully familiar. This unfortunately, is part of the story of my life.
What are the implications of these changes for Human Resource managers?
Answer: HR managers need to be able to be flexible in the many different situations they might run across. These are the new implications for HR. They must be able to think on their feet and come up with new and inventive ideas to cope with these changes. Try having a more flexible work schedule for those that require them or a medical plan that covers the needs of the employees. They must be aware of these changes in employee's family life changes and be able to recognize the changes as they happen. Be alert to changes in both demographics of families and working behaviors. Keep close tabs on those employees with special needs. Come up with some sort of stress relieving activity or group that will help ease employees both physically and mentally. Invent programs and events to accommodate those in need like a day care for both children and adults. Be understanding when faced with changes and challenges that are out of the norm or not familiar with them. Be able to think on a broader plane and "out of the box". Make sure the benefits package include an opportunity for employees to take time off when needed through the addition of earned leave. For higher turnover rates; be sure to provide adequate training for those needing initial or additional help in understanding their position within the firm.
From your personal perspective, describe a discrepancy in pay that would be legitimate?
Answer: The first thing that comes to mind is, of course, education. This is, for the most part, a valid reason for the discrepancy of pay to tilt towards the more educated employee. With this being said; experience in the job or tenure of employment would trump this discussion. There are many people in the work force that have struggled or exerted much energy to better an organization while being loyal to those that gave them a chance. Without experience in the workforce, success cannot be achieved. To pay someone more because of the knowledge and longevity of their employment justifies the word legitimate and certainly should be expected in most organizations. Increased benefits are another way of offsetting the pay differences for those that have been with the firm for a lengthy period of time. This could range from annual performance bonuses, better health care packages, better retirement plans, to stock options and longevity or tenure bonuses. After all, "rank has its privileges". If these programs help in the recruitment and retention of skilled and qualified personnel, then to me, it makes a discrepancy in pay, legitimate.
Jethro
Babcock, P. (April, 2005). Find what workers want: unless you discover what really matters to your employees, you'll never know if your compensation and benefits outlays are really working for you. BNET. Society for Human Resource Management. Retrieved on 5 April 2011 from: http://findarticles.com/p/articles/mi_m3495/is_4_50/ai_n13656554/pg_7/?tag=content;col1
Wells, S. (May, 2000). The Elder Care Gap, BNET, Society for Human Resource Management. Retrieved on 4 April 2011 from: http://findarticles.com/p/articles/mi_m3495/is_5_45/ai_62303387/pg_5/?tag=content;col1