Denna studie avser att undersöka användandet av digitala verktyg inom HR samt hur kommunikationen och interaktionen har påverkat HR-personalen och de övriga anställda inom organisationen. För att vidare forska inom studien har kvalitativa intervjuer genomförts med syfte till att samla in information kring de anställdas uppfattningar och åsikter kring användandet av digitala verktyg. Vi har även valt att fokusera på hur relationen mellan HR anställda och resterande av organisationernas medarbetare påverkas vid kommunikation via digitala verktyg. Med forskningsfråga som har inriktning i hur digitala verktyg har påverkat HR avdelningens arbetssätt och hur kommunikationen och interaktionen mellan HR personalen och övriga anställda påverkats. Resulterar det till att digitala verktyg har effektiviserat HR avdelningens arbetssätt. Kommunikationen har inte påverkats negativt och interaktionen mellan HR personalen och övriga anställda har förändrats, men därmed bidragit till nya möjligheter. / This study aims to investigate how digital tools support the HR department and affect thecommunication and interaction between HR managers and other employees within anorganization. To gather information in order to understand the employee's experience andopinions about how digital tools affect their work, have qualitative interviews been conducted. However, we have also focused on the relationship between HR managers and the rest of the organization's employees are affected by the new technology. With our research questions that include both the effects of the digital tools and how new technology changed the relationship and the interactions between HR managers and other employees. Did the results show that the digital tools facilitated the work of HR managers. Also, the communication between HR managers and other employees did not get affected negatively with the use of different digital and the interaction have changed but also gives new opportunities.

In the health and human service industry, employee turnover affects business practices and causes disruption of the lives of vulnerable individuals with intellectual disabilities receiving support. Using a human capital conceptual framework perspective, the purpose of this multiple case study was to explore strategies used to increase employee retention. The criteria for participation included organizational leaders from 3 Pennsylvania human service agencies that supported individuals with intellectual disabilities, tracked employee turnover for at least 2 years, and developed strategies to increase employee retention. Organizational leaders volunteered to participate and the first 3 organizations meeting the criteria were selected. Data collection included semistructured telephone interviews with organizational leaders, in addition to a review of company policies and turnover data. The interviews were transcribed and participants were asked to member check the draft findings. Constant comparison analysis occurred to analyze collected data. The findings included that the human capital theory alone did not inform retention strategies. Reoccurring themes included retention strategies that focused on developing the organization's intellectual capital through development of human capital, structural capital, and relational capital. Organizational leaders could develop intellectual capital to reduce employee turnover costs, increase employee productivity, create a stable life for the individuals in need of support, and develop relationships with the community where integration occurs. The implications for positive social change include the potential to reduce employee turnover to organizational leaders from Pennsylvania agencies supporting individuals with intellectual disabilities.

This dissertation uses the logic embodied in Strategic Fit Theory, the Natural Resource-Based View of the Firm (NRBV), strategic human resource management, and other relevant literature streams to empirically demonstrate how the environmental orientation of a firm's strategy impacts their environmental performance and resultant financial performance through the firm's Information Technology hiring practices. Specifically, it was hypothesized that firms with a strong relationship between the environmental orientation of their strategy and their green computing hiring practices will achieve higher environmental performance, and, as a result, higher levels of financial performance than firms lacking such fit. The organization's environmental orientation was measured via content analysis of the annual report texts (ARTs). Environmental performance was measured using KLD's award-winning environmental performance metrics. I triangulated across efficiency, effectiveness, and market-based metrics to capture a more holistic measure of the firm's financial performance using data from Compustat/Research Insight. The firm's green computing hiring practices were measured utilizing a web content data mining application that pulled job ads for computing graduates and then extracted the environmentally-oriented skills identified in such ads using content analytic techniques. Various control variables were employed to eliminate possible alternative explanations of my research findings. A number of statistical and analytical techniques were used to assess the nature and strength of the relationships in my theoretical model as are articulated in the proposed hypotheses. The sample size of firms is fairly large, thus increasing the statistical power of the empirical tests. Previous empirical testing of the relationship between environmental strategy and financial performance is still in the developmental stages and has produced mixed results, partly because important intervening mechanisms, such as green computing hiring practices, has not received adequate attention in the empirical literature. The combination of using a large sample of real world firms, a powerful combination of qualitative and quantitative methodological techniques to tap into key trace evidence not available through other methodological techniques, and leveraging an award-winning environmental data set has enhanced the robustness of the empirical findings in addressing this important gap in the literature. The results of the analyses show that there is a strong relationship between an organization's environmental posturing and its environmental performance. Additionally, this effect is mediated by the organization's environmental hiring practices, indicating that implementing the organization's environmental strategy through its hiring practices is important in achieving improved environmental performance. The current research also shows that there is a strong and positive relationship between an organization's environmental performance and financial performance. Surprisingly, these relationships are not significantly impacted by the organization's industry affiliation, which broadens the generalizability of the results of this study.

In the aftermath of Hurricane Katrina, Goodman and Mann (2008) found that many locales along the Mississippi Gulf Coast did not have plans that addressed human resources (HR) issues in the aftermath of a disaster, and many vital employees were not included in the emergency planning process. The authors concluded that if involved in planning, HR managers could address typical HR issues such as compensation, retention, recruitment, and task re-orientation that become more difficult following a disaster. The purpose of this study was to examine the level of involvement of HR departments in the emergency planning process as well as the characteristics of cities that include HR personnel in this type of planning. This study highlights some of the common HR issues included in local government emergency plans as well as the characteristics of cities that have addressed these issues. A nationwide study of HR directors revealed that while most local governments include HR departments in emergency planning, the extent of this involvement varies. In addition, many HR professionals stated that some areas, such as compensation, discipline, and termination, need further attention, and that guidelines regarding important human resource issues should be established for local governments nationwide. Because this study is one of the first to examine the role of human resource professionals in local government emergency planning, it serves as a foundation for future research on the impacts of human resource involvement in emergency planning, and also for governments at all levels to consider how areas that are often daily routines may become difficult during times of crisis. Finally, this study provides a starting point for the creation of guidelines for important areas of human resource management that should be considered as local governments continue to build resilient, sustainable communities.

This bachelor’s thesis was made from April 2022 to June 2022 during our Semester in Linköping University (LiU), Sweden. The aim of the thesis was to explore and gather information on a subject of our choice following either Management or Marketing areas. We decided to focus on how the use of artificial intelligence influences decision making in the recruiting process with respect to gender. Therefore, this thesis came to fruitruition thanks to the following people that have brought help to the authors. First, we would like to thank the respondents of all our interviews especially for their time but also for the quality of their responses while sharing their knowledge. All these provided us with information that enabled us to create our qualitative study. As promised, all of our interviewees will appear under different names to remain anonymous and are therefore not mentioned by their real name nor the name of their company. Secondly, we want to thank all the respondents of our survey who made our quantitative study unique and of great contribution to our empirical chapter and analysis. Last but not least, we would also like to send our thankfulness to our supervisor at Linköping University who helped with her feedback and her own experience along with all the people who contributed to their academic knowledge to make this thesis possible. Finally, we want to send good luck to all of our opponents and colleagues on this thesis who brought feedback, their point of view and their process of writing their own thesis.

Bakgrund: Justitieminister Gunnar Strömmer påtalade på en pressträff den 2 november 2022 att Sverige är hårt drabbat av gängvåld, skjutningar, sprängningar och att trygghet har blivit samhällets stora frihetsfråga. Brottsligheten är en enorm kostnad för samhälle, kommuner och företag, idag kostar brottsligheten riktad mot företag i Sverige omkring 90 miljarder kronor om året. Vidare så finns det en mängd forskning på brottsförebyggande åtgärder, dock saknas det forskning på HR’s bidrag i brottsförebyggande åtgärder. HR har en avsevärd roll i organisationers operativa och strategiska arbete, därav blev det relevant att utforska HR’s bidrag i brottsförebyggande åtgärder i en organisatorisk strategi. Syfte: Syftet med studien är att utforska HR’s bidrag i brottsförebyggande åtgärder för att utveckla en organisatorisk strategi för brottsbekämpning. Metod: I studien har en induktiv ansats applicerats, då det inte finns någon tidigare forskning på HR’s bidrag i brottsförebyggande åtgärder utan endast forskning på brottsförebyggande åtgärder och vad det kostar företag. Med hjälp av en induktiv ansats kunde empiri samlas in och analyseras för att framställa teori. Vidare utgörs studien av en kvalitativ strategi i design av en fallstudie för att utforska HR’s bidrag i brottsförebyggande åtgärder. Empirin samlades in via semistrukturerade intervjuer med elva informanter och analyserades sedan genom en tematisk analys för att identifiera studiens huvudteman. Slutsats: Analysen av den insamlade empirin gav oss ett resultat, där vår tolkning är att HR’s bidrag är att skapa och bibehålla strategier i en organisatorisk kontext för brottsförebyggande åtgärder. Detta genom att arbeta aktivt med relationer i och utanför organisationen via samverkan med olika aktörer, att skapa arbetsmöjligheter då anställning reducerar kriminella handlingar samt genom att skapa strategier för organisationer att engagera sig i utbildningar.

Employees are an organisation’s most valuable asset. Their significance to an organisation means that not only the best talent should be attracted but that they should also be retained for the long run. The purpose of this study was to explore the talent retention challenges faced by an HIV/AIDS testing organisation in Lesotho. The study intended to unearth the ideologies behind the high staff turnover in the organisation. The findings of the study indicated that the testing organisation in Lesotho should develop and implement effective policies, systems and strategies that would improve their level of talent retention. These findings can also apply to other non-governmental organisations. An ethnographic qualitative research design and snowball sampling, using semi-structured interviews were utilised to collect data from the testing organisation staff. The study found that field workers in the testing organisation worked extensive hours with limited resources. In terms of decision-making policies, only senior officers were included in the decision-making processes. There was lack of support from management to aid employees to achieve their targets. While the benefits were satisfactory, staff found their salaries low and not competitive in the market. Moreover, management’s lack of implementing training and development policies crippled the employees’ career growth and talent. Most managers did not regard the testing organisation as an employer of choice.Employees are an organisation’s most valuable asset. Their significance to an organisation means that not only the best talent should be attracted but that they should also be retained for the long run. The purpose of this study was to explore the talent retention challenges faced by an HIV/AIDS testing organisation in Lesotho. The study intended to unearth the ideologies behind the high staff turnover in the organisation. The findings of the study indicated that the testing organisation in Lesotho should develop and implement effective policies, systems and strategies that would improve their level of talent retention. These findings can also apply to other non-governmental organisations. An ethnographic qualitative research design and snowball sampling, using semi-structured interviews were utilised to collect data from the testing organisation staff. The study found that field workers in the testing organisation worked extensive hours with limited resources. In terms of decision-making policies, only senior officers were included in the decision-making processes. There was lack of support from management to aid employees to achieve their targets. While the benefits were satisfactory, staff found their salaries low and not competitive in the market. Moreover, management’s lack of implementing training and development policies crippled the employees’ career growth and talent. Most managers did not regard the testing organisation as an employer of choice. / Business Management / M. Com. (Business Management)

Over the past 2 years, numerous empirical studies in the fields of human resource management, organizational behavior, and industrial, work, and organizational psychology have investigated employee experiences and behavior during the COVID-19 pandemic. The goal of this paper is to take a step back and to outline several theoretical and methodological considerations when researching employee experiences and behavior in times of crisis more generally. These insights may be useful when developing conceptual models, designing empirical studies, and managing people in the context of future crises. We first review theoretical approaches that could be applied to explain changes in employee experiences and behavior in times of crisis, including stress theories, theories of adjustment to work-related changes, career construction theory, event system theory, transition-adaptation theories, the crisis management and resilience framework, and the social identity model of identity change. Second, we outline methodological considerations and best practices regarding the research design of quantitative empirical studies, sampling, measurement, and analytic strategies. Throughout, we highlight empirical studies on employee experiences and behavior during the COVID-19 pandemic that have adopted these theoretical approaches and methodological best practices. We conclude with several suggestions for future theory development and empirical studies on employee experiences and behavior as well as human resource management in times of crisis.

Tourism and hospitality play a crucial role in the growth of the Thai economy and hoteliers need to consider how to retain their talented employees. The major output of tourism and hospitality is service and this is most critically driven by the human capital of the organisation and supported by human resource practices. This study examined workforce expectations and experiences of work relationships, job security, WLB, pay and remuneration, PM systems, career promotion, training and development and challenging job roles in luxury five-star hotels in Thailand. It employs a multi-method research design using a pragmatic lens, mixed methods and sequential explanatory design through a survey of 578 respondents, followed by 62 semi-structured interviews, the study shows that national chain hotels are more willing and better able to adapt their HR practices initiatives to local conditions when compared to local and international chain hotels. Thai hotel employees emphasise harmonious social relations and a physical closeness to be taken care of by their supervisors and management team like family members. They are increasingly aware of the need for bundles of HR practices and managers therefore need to understand their workforce and the need to incorporate more flexibility in their working practices as part of a brandconsistent system. Finally, managers need to consider the relational psychological contract of the workforce and understand workforce commitment and how this relates to the broader strategy of the organisation.

Safety is an important concern within the construction industry.  Many different management strategies exist in the literature, but despite ambitious efforts to improve the safety and prevent accidents, the accident incidence is still unacceptably high. This paper examines the employment of a safety manager in the Swedish construction industry as a strategy to foster a better safety culture, and discusses how the safety manager should approach the project based organisation (PBO). The study uses an abductive approach with an iteration of interviews, observations and a literature study to gain deeper knowledge of the subject. The research comprises a cross sectional interview study of semi-structured interviews to narrate the role of the safety manager accompanied with a short survey. The study is limited to three projects of one Swedish construction company, and a new role not yet established in the company. Furthermore, the study uses a human resource management approach with focus on communities of practice and boundary spanning. The findings report that the safety managers take on a role as a boundary spanning link between well-established but unsynchronized communities of practice. The identified communities are the HR department and the PBOs. Furthermore, the safety manager functions as a “double-sided” boundary spanner, to broke knowledge and support employees to achieve a satisfactory safety culture.  However, the narratives express a present ambiguity and a need to clarify the role and its responsibilities regarding safety in the PBO. The thesis contributes with insights of the safety manager’s practice and discusses how safety knowledge should be transferred between communities of practice in the fragmented PBO and its high level of tacit knowledge. / Arbetsmiljö och säkerhet är ett viktigt ämne inom byggbranschen. Många olika strategier och metoder för att förbättra arbetsmiljön finns också tillgängliga. Trots detta inträffar alltför många olycksfall. Denna studie undersöker strategin att anställa en safety manager i den svenska byggbranschen för att främja en bättre säkerhetskultur samt diskuterar hur en safety manager bör utöva sin profession.  Ett kvalitativt abduktivt arbetssätt har tillämpats där intervjuer och observationer har växlats med litteraturstudier för att erhålla förståelse av ämnet. Studien är en multipel tvärsnittsfallstudie med semistrukturerade intervjuer samt en mindre enkätundersökning. Studien omfattar tre projekt i ett svenskt företag. Det teoretiska perspektivet utgår från, samt begränsas av koncepten human resource management (HRM), communities of practice och boundary spanning.  Resultatet visar att safety managern kan fungera som en boundary role som länkar ihop olika osynkroniserade communities. Det identifieras att effektiv boundary spanning kan ske mellan HR-avdelningen och projektorganisationerna samt mellan produktionsledningen och yrkesarbetarna inom projektorganisationerna. Safety managern blir en double-sided boundary spanner som knowledge broker samt en support för anställda för att främja en god säkerhetskultur. Resultatet visar samtidigt att det råder oklarheter kring rollen och att bland annat ansvarsområden behöver förtydligas för att nå full potential. Studien bidrar med insikter i hur safety manager-rollen uppfattas och hur den fungerar, samt hur den kan förbättras. Vidare bidrar studien med förståelse för hur rollen kan främja kunskapsöverföring avseende arbetsmiljö mellan communities där hög grad av tyst kunskap råder.