PREPAREPM: Project HR Management

HR Management Processes
Process Project Phase Key Deliverables

Human Resource Planning Planning Organization Chart,
Roles and responsibilities,
Staffing Management Plan

Acquire Project Team Execution Project Staff assignments

Develop Project Team Execution Team performance assessment

Manage Project Team Control Requested changes

The table below gives the inputs, and tools and techniques for the Human Resource Planning process -

Human Resource Planning Process
Inputs Tools and Techniques

Enterprise environmental factors Organization charts and
position descriptions

Organizational process assets Organizational Theory

Project Management Plan -
Activity resource requirements Networking

Responsibility Assignment Matrix (RAM) defines who does what. The Staffing Management Plan defines when will people get added and removed from the project.

A Project Manager may yield authority over the project team in one of the following ways -
- Referent - project team knows the PM
- Formal Power - Power due to Project Managers position
- Technical Power - Project Manager has strong technical skills in the projects domain.
- Coercive Power - The project team is afraid of the power the Project Manager holds.

Conflicts in the team are caused due to the following reasons in decreasing order of occurrences.
- Schedules
- Project Priorities
- Resources
- Technical Opinions
So the most common cause of conflicts in projects are issues related to schedules.

Conflicts are best resolved by those in the team.

There are standard conflict resolution techniques available to resolve conflicts. These are (from best to worst) -
- Problem Solving or Confrontation (look at the facts, analyze them and find a solution). This is an example of win-win situation.
- Compromising (Find the middle route). This is an example of loose-loose situation.
- Withdrawal or Avoidance
- Smoothing (Emphasize the agreements)
- Forcing (Do it my way). This is an example of win-loose situation.

The process of problem solving has these steps -
- Define the cause of the problem
- Analyze the problem
- Identify solution
- Implement a decision
- Review the decision, and confirm that the problem is solved.

War room is a technique for team building. As part of this the project team meets in one room. It helps to create a project identity.

Halo Effect is the assumption that because the person is good at a technology, he will be good as a project manager.

There are many organizational theories. Some of the main ones are - Expectancy Theory, McGregory Theory, Herzberg Theory, Maslow's Hierarchy of needs.

Expectancy Theory - People accept to be rewarded for their efforts. This is a motivation factor. People put in more efforts because they accept to be rewarded for their efforts.

McGregory Theory of X and Y - There are two type of employees. Employees of type X need to be always watched. They cannot be trusted and need to be micro managed. Employees of type Y, on the other hand, are self-motivated. They can work independently.

Herzberg Theory - Hygiene factors (salary, cleanliness etc.) if not present can destroy motivation. However good hygiene alone does not improve motivation. What motivates people is the work itself. The motivation factors for employees include responsibility, self-actualization, growth, recognition etc.

Maslow's Hierarchy of needs - there are various levels of needs for an employee. When a lower level is met, employee attempts to reach the next higher level. The maximum satisfaction is achieved when the employee reaches the highest level of satisfaction - self-fulfillment. These level of needs from the highest to lowest are -
- Self-fulfillment
- Esteem
- Social
- Safety
- Physiology

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