The Changing Profile of Personnel Management: A Survey of IPMA Members

Transcription

1 A quantitative measure of what is actually taking place in the personnel management field from the standpoint of the practitioner. The authors breathe life into the statistical bones of this survey report. The Changing Profile of Personnel Management: A Survey of IPMA Members RHONDA DREDGE and ANNE SMYTH The area of personnel management has undergone significant expansion and sophistication in recent years. A valuable measure ofjust how the role of the personnel practitioner is changing can be made by comparing the current IPMA membership with past memberships. Introduction Three surveys of members have been undertaken by the IPMA in collaboration with the Human Relations Section of the Department of Science and Technology. Carried out in 1967, 1974 and 1980, the surveys trace the development of personnel work from the traditional employment officer concerned with personnel records towards a greater emphasis on relating human resources to overall corporate planning. The personnel manager of today, in a parallel evolution, is likely to be better educated, younger and enjoy a higher managerial status. This article gives detailed results of the latest survey and where appropriate, makes comparisons with the previously conducted surveys. It provides information on members occupations, their opinions on personnel management, their career expectations and their views on the Institute. The Membership Questionnaires were sent to all IPMA members and 1,163 were returned, representing 42 per cent of the Australian membership. State The response rate varied according to State. It ranged from 75 per cent in South Australia, 42 per cent in New South Wales, 39 per cent in Victoria, 36 per cent in Queensland and Tasmania to 33 per cent in Western Australia. Table I shows the number of respondents from each State and their age and sex distribution. Table 1 _ pistributiar~ of State Membership by Sex and Age. State Nc~. csf Respondents % 4Vlale % Female Median Age (years) ~.~: W Vic Qid. f S.A. 1 B f W.A t.6 36 Tas Total t;16~ Victoria has an age and sex distribution which is fairly representative of the total Australian membership. As the 1974 survey included only Victorian members, this finding does justify some comparisons. Age and Sex The age and sex distribution of respondents is shown in Table 2. Female members in the sample tended to be younger than male members - the median female age was 32 and the male median age, 37. When compared with the 1974 and 1967 surveys, the results confirm a trend towards a younger membership with a greater proportion of women. Whereas the median age was 4 in 1967 and 39 in 1974, in 1980 it was 36. The percentage of female members has doubled since 1974 with 16.7 per cent in 1980, 8.7 per cent in 1974 and 6.5 per cent in 1967, indicating that personnel management is a growth area for female employment. 29

2 Table 2 - Distribution of Respondents by Age and Sex. Qualifications Members were asked to specify the educational level which they had reached and the nature of any tertiary qualifications. Post-graduate level had been attained by 15 per cent of respondents, tertiary level by 61 per cent and secondary level by 23 per cent. The most significant change since 1974 is the increase in post-graduate clualifications-in 1974, 8 per cent held post-graduate qualifications, 57 per cent had reached tertiary level and 34 per cent secondary. The nature of courses which have been completed and were commenced in 1980 is shown in Table 3. A Certificate of Personnel Administration was the most widely held qualification (29.3 per cent). Although, 31.0 per cent of members held a range of other qualifications predominantly in the Commercial and Social Science areas. Table 3 - Nature of Tertiary Courses Undertaken A total of 37.7 per cent of respondents (36.0 per cent in Victoria) were undertaking further study in 1980, indicating a slight growth since 1974 when 30.9 per cent were undertaking courses. Membership Status and Length of Membership The most common status of respondents was Member (66.7 per cent), followed by Associate (28.0 per cent), Fellow (2.9 per cent) and Student (2.4 per cent). The distribution of membership length has not changed significantly since the median length of membership was 4.2 years in both surveys. There was however, a larger percentage of new members in 1980 (13.2 per cent) than in 1974 (~.5 per cent), indicating a growth situation for the IPMA. Membership c~f Professional Organisations A total of 61.7 per cent of respondents belonged to professional organisations other than the IPMA per cent to one other organisation, 17.3 per cent to two, 4.4 per cent to three, and 0.4 per cent to four other organisations. The distribution of membership is shown in Table 4. rable 4. - fv9~ntbership flt Professional Organisations ~ -~- - ~ ~ ---- Table 4 indicates a lessening of support for the Australian Institute of Management and an increase for the Australian Institute of Training and Development since Size, Location and ~C3r~ner~hi~ of Workplace Members were asked to specify the size of their organisations (measured by the number of employees) both Australia-wide and at the establishment in which they worked. 30

3 . Table 5 - Size of Organisation and Establishment A high proportion of respondents (56 per cent) were employed in organisations with more than 1,000 employees Australia-wide-a slightly lower proportion than 1974 (62 per cent). The median number of employees Australia-wide was 1;47t? in However, establishment size appears to have reduced dramatically. The median establishment size in the 1974 (Victorian) survey was 550 employees whereas in 1980 it was 380 employees (390 employees in Victoria). A likely explanation for this change would be an increased incidence of personnel functions in smaller establishments. Seventy-two per cent of organisations were Australian-owned and 64 per cent of establishments were located within five miles of the city G.P.O. South Australian establishments were the most centralised with 76 per cent within the five mile radius of the G.P.O. Industry Group The industry groups represented by State are shown in Table 6. The majority of members (68.5 per cent) worked in the non-manufacturing sector with the largest number from government employment and education. In South Australia and Tasmania, over half the respondents were in government employment. In Victoria, there was a small increase in non-manufacturing representation, from 48.6 per cent in 1974 to 53.4 per cent in Table 6 - Pereentacte of Respondents from Industry Groups tty State, The largest proportional employers of women in the personnel field were Finance and Property where 31.4 per cent of the representatives in the survey were women, Textiles, Clothing and Footwear with 30.4 per cent and Retail/Wholesale with 23.0 per cent. Position in Organisation Respondents perceptions of the status level of their own position within the organisation s management hierarchy are shown in Table 7. It can be seen that over twice as many male respondents as female perceived themselves as occupying top management positions. Female members were more highly represented in lower and non-managerial positions. Table 7 - F~esperrrr3ents Perceived Status within the Organisation 31

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5 The percentage of male top management has increased significantly since the 1974 Victorian survey. In Victoria in 1980, 34.8 per cent of the mate respondents perceived themselves as top management compared with 18.7 per cent in There was no parallel upgrading of female respondents positions (10.0 per cent in 1980 compared with 10.3 per cent in 1974). As most respondents (92 per cent) had direct responsibility for personnel management, this would indicate an upgrading of the status of the personnel function. Salary The median salary of respondents was ~2 i, l ~~ with a sizable pay differential between the median salaries of male ~~2~;1~~) and female respondents ($17,100). Table 8 shows the distribution of salaries. Table 8 - Salary Levels of Male and Female Respondents Median salaries were determined for the various management levels (see Table 9). They clearly indicate that it is not only female respondents over-presentation in non-managerial positions which lowers the average female wage but that female members earned less at all levels. This pay differential is less, the higher up the managerial scale. In top management, female respondents earned on average 88 per cent of the median male wage whereas in non-managerial positions the median female salary was only 73 per cent of the male. Table 9 - Salary Level ~ay llttanageriat Status The median salaries of respondents according to the industry group in which they were employed is shown in Table 10. Table 10 - Median Salary of Respondents by Industry Group The industry group with the highest paid respondents was Other non-manufacturing followed by Finance & Property. In the manufacturing sector the Chemicals & Oils industry had the greatest proportion of high salary earners. 33

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7 . Aspects of Personnel Work A number of aspects of members work were considered- their employment history, job content, current position, accountability and career expectations. The Work Itself The majority of respondents (91.7 per cent) had some direct responsibility for personnel management. They were in turn responsible to the Chief Executive (30.4 per cent), the Head of the Personnel Department (25.5 per cent), non-personnel top management (24.2 per cent) and non-personnel middle management (7.2 per cent~ : Members were asked if they had responsibility for planning or executing different aspects of personnel work. The results are shown in Table 11. Table Responsibility for Planning and Executing Personnel Duties. The major areas of respondents involvement were recruitment, selection and personnel records. The most significant change in the distribution of personnel responsibilities was the increase from 41.3 per cent in 1974 to 52.6 per cent of respondents in 1980 with executing responsibility for organisational/manpower planning. A parallel increase in planning responsibility for manpower planning was found-from 46.2 per cent in 1974 to 53.3 per cent in Respondents were asked to rank the functional areas in order of importance in their current job and in their anticipated importance in five years. Table 12 shows that manpower planning, recruitment and selection are considered to be of prime importance at present. However in the future, respondents felt that organisation review and analysis would increase in importance. Table 12 - importance of Functional Areas Over the period of time covered by the surveys, a significant change in managementthinking about the personnel role and responsibilities has emerged. The emphasis of personnel work has moved away from the traditional role of employment officer and personnel administrator to encompass manpower planning and organisational review and analysis functions. Clearly personnel practitioners perceive themselves as playing an increasingly important role in relating human resources issues to overall corporate management and planning.. Personnel Practices in Operation &dquo;~&dquo; ~ ~~~./ Respondents were also asked if the following personnel practices were in operation within their organisa- ~. tion. ; Table 13 - Personnel Practices in Operation...,. ~.../;-....-~.~. &dquo;&dquo; ;:,.~,~.. ~.:.- Approximately half of the organisations represented used computerised personnel records and over half used selection tests and colleicted absence statistics, &dquo;... 35

8 Size of Personnel Area The median number of people working in the personnel area in respondents organisations throughout Australia was fourteen with seven at the place of work. Table 14 compares the personnel areas for different size organisations. Unfortunately, no figures are available for comparison from the 1974 survey. Table 14 - Median Size c~f Personnel Area 3~y Size of ~iespa~adenx s Place of Work Career Path Only 2.2 per cent of respondents had not worked in the personnel area within the last ten years. Almost half (48 per cent) had worked exclusively in the personnel area and a further 31.6 per cent over half the time in personnel during the past ten years. The majority (56.7 per cent) had worked in the personnel field for more than one enterprise during this period. This differs little from 1974 when 53 per cent had changed enterprises and indicates that mobility between organisations does not appear to have increased significantly. The median time in the present position has reduced however by 18 per cent, from 3.8 years in 1974 to 3.l years in This may indicate a more upwardly mobile membership. Generally the higher up the management ladder, the shorter the time spent in the present position-the median position time for nonmanagement was 4.4 years, 3.0 years for lower management, 2.1 years for middle management and 1.9 years for top management. Members were questioned about their future career expectations. Over three-quarters (81.5 per cent) expected to remain in personnel, 59.8 per cent at a higher level of responsibility and 21.7 per cent at the same level. Relatively few (10.8 per cent) intended to move outside the personnel area. Those in mid-career (between 3 5 and 44 years) were more likely (14.1 per cent) than other age groups to consider moving outside personnel. Table 15 compares the career expectations of respondents with differing educational levels and perceived positions in the organisation. Table 15 - Gareer Expectation According to Education and Position Those respondents with post-graduate qualifications were less likely to anticipate that their future career would be in the personnel area-24.3 per cent expected to move out of or remain outside the personnel area compared to 15.0 per cent with tertiary qualifications and 11.4 per cent with only secondary qualifications. A significantly larger number (21.2 per cent) of non-managerial members than managerial members (6.6 per cent) were currently employed outside the personnel area. Two-thirds of those respondents in nonmanagement positions were aspiring to move into the personnel area. There was a clear trend that as respondents moved up the managerial ladder they were less likely to consider moving into the personnel area. Views on Personnel Management Members were asked to comment on the status of personnel management, desirable qualifications and trends in the status of those working in the area. 36

9 Essential Qualifications A degree in personnel administration was most highly favoured (20.9 per cent) for a career in the personnel area. This differs from the 1974 survey when a majority (53.4 per cent) of respondents considered a relevant diploma to be the most appropriate qualification. Table 16 shows the preferred type of qualifications according to the sex, qualifications and position of respondents. Table 1~ --~ ~ss~ntial Qualifications by Sex, Educational Level and Managerial Positions Respondents with a higher educational level tended to prefer higher qualifications, and those in higher management positions favoured a degree rather than a. certificate. Female respondents (40.9 per cent) were more likely than male respondents (29.0 per cent) to consider a degree of some kind essential to a career in personnel, particularly a degree in personnel administration. Male respondents were more likely to give ;other responses, the majority of which stressed the importance of practical experience and personal qualities above formal qualifications. In the actual careers of those who had reached top and middle management positions there was no evidence that women were more likely to have formal qualifications. In fact more women (29 per cent) than men (21 per cent) held only secondary qualifications, yet had risen to middle and top management positions. The Status of Personnel Management Members were asked their views on the extent that the importance of the personnel function was recognised by differing organisational levels in Australian industry and commerce and in their own companies. The majority of respondents believed that the importance of personnel management was at least adequately recognised at all levels, more so within their organisation than generally. Members views on current trends in the status of those working in the personnel area are presented in Table 17. Table 17 - Perceived Trends in the Status of Personnel! Work According to Respondent s Position The majority of respondents viewed the status of personnel work as improving-top management having the most optimistic evaluation. However, compared to the 1974 survey when 5?.4 per cent of top management saw the status of personnel work improving significantly, optimism appears to have reduced. 37

10 Views on the IPMA Attendance rates at meetings and seminars were found to be not high. In the past two years only 8.9 per cent of respondents attended all or most of the monthly meetings and 4.8 per cent, seminars. The major limits on members participation were individual time constraints (54 per cent) and lack of practical relevance (26 per cent). These members in top and middle management positions gave the greatest support. Twice as many members at these levels than those in lower management attended at least some meetings. Support for the journal Human Resource A1anagement was more encouraging. The majority of respondents (64.4 per cent) found it frequently of interest, and 24.2 per cent found it frequently of use, with a further 61.6 per cent occasionally of use. Desirable Changes It is interesting to note how members believe the usefulness of the IPMA can be improved. (See Table 18.) Again the emphasis was on publications, with ~6.1 per cent favouring increased publications on specific personnel topics. Generally, they are a more popular form of communication than meetings, although there was some support (39.7 per cent) for the development of small group meetings to cover one topic in depth. Table 18 - Desired Changes to the 1PMA Conclusion The survey has revealed a number of trends in the profile of IPMA membership in particular, and personnel practitioners in general. Results point towards personnel management as a growth area evidenced by a younger membership, a growing number of new members, and an increased status attached to personnel work. Members are likely to have higher educational qualifications and are more likely to regard a degree as an appropriate qualification for a career in personnel. There has been a large increase in the number of women involved in personnel work since This involvement has not led however to an increase in managerial status, and salary levels of women remain well below those of men with similar status. The personnel function has evolved, in terms of direct responsibility for personnel management and in perception of the personnel role. Personnel practitioners today see themselves and are seen by management as an important component in overall human resource and corporate planning. This is a far cry from the traditional concept of personnel administrator. Most respondents believed that the personnel management function was adequately recognised today and that its status was improving. The survey clearly showed that members favoured the journal rather than monthly meetings and seminars as the most interesting and useful of the Institute s activities. Consequently, they choose an increase in publications on specific personnel topics as the most favoured change to the IPMA. Many comments are made and beliefs held about the changing role of the personnel manager. Whilst not demonstrating any dramatic changes of direction, the 1980 survey has provided a quantitative measure of what is actually taking place in the personnel management field from the standpoint of the practitioner. 38

11 ABOUT THE AUTHORS Rhonda Dredge, B.Sc. (Melbourne) is Research Officer, Human Relations Section, Working Environment Division, Department of Science and Technology. Rhonda s career in the personnel field commenced in London on the staff of C. W. Walker Training Consultants, her position involving the production of tape/slide training programmes for use in industry, and preparation of a monthly industrial relations newspaper. In 1977, back in Australia, she spent a year at Monash University in the Psychology Department as a research assistant carrying out experimental work and statistical analyses, being in control of a large data base. Following a year as consultant in various social research projects, Rhonda joined Human the Relations Branch, Department of Science and Technology as Research Officer where, in addition to individual research, she was involved in the co-ordination of a national research programme of large scale surveys and case studies in this field. A Member of the Australian Journalists Association Rhonda Dredge was for a period Editor of the Journal Work and People and has contributed a number of articles, newspoints and book reviews to that publication. Anne Smyth obtained her B.A. Degree from La Trobe University in 1974 and immediately joined the Department of Employment and Youth Affairs for on-job training as a Graduate Clerk. At the conclusion of the training period she joined the Special Employment Categories Section, becoming responsible for a variety of research projects into the employment needs of special groups such as handicapped persons. In 1976 Anne was promoted Senior Training Officer Grade 1 and joined the Personnel Department Unit, Management Services Section, where for the next three years she was responsible for the design, development, conduct and evaluation of training and staff development programmes. After twelve months leave, during which she travelled overseas and worked for a time with the Department of Employment in London, Anne Smyth transferred to the Department of Science and Technology where she is presently employed in the Working Environment and Management Development Branch of the Human Relations Section. 39