How HRM policies applied to employees with cancer?
1.0 Abstract
This paper proposes to search HRM policies as applied to employees with disability, more specifically employees with cancer. The purpose of this exploratory study is to investigate how HRM policies are applied to employees with cancer by means of evaluating the efficacy of such policies. The rationale behind this is the alarming findings of survey conducted by CIPD where 90, 000 of people working are diagnosed with cancer but majority of the companies (70%) do not have a formal policy in place. A significant number of employers are not aware that cancer is now considered as a disability. By investigating how and why HRM policies must cover employees with cancer, the study may be able to establish practices and recommend additional policies, which may lead to more effective HRM policies. Semi-structured interviews will be conducted in two sets. The first set will be for HR managers and policymakers and the second set will be for employees with cancer.
2.0 Introduction
Cancer in the workplace is now a pressing issue in the global business context. Cancer is now considered as a disability, requiring employers to provide adequate and most appropriate support to the employees with cancer. Several disability discrimination provisions set forth that employers are hemmed in making reasonable policy adjustments to cater to the needs of the employees with cancer particularly the human resource management (HRM) policy. This paper presents a proposal to research and explore how HRM policies are applied to employees with cancer. The basic purpose of this research is to analyse the fit between the standing provisions of HRM policies with the conduct of those employees suffering from cancer, and be able to determine if the policies are well-designed to promote the quality of life of these while in the workplace. It is hoped that the study will be able to establish business prudence specifically in human resource (HR) division in relation to policy-making intended for employees with cancer.
3.0 Background
According to the Personnel Today (2007), one in three people will develop cancer and, and that 90, 000 of people of working age are diagnosed with cancer annually. Although many of those who will acquire such illness can be cured or can control the cancer for months or years, cancer, however, might influence the functionality of an individual, affecting their physical and/or mental abilities as well as the emotional state in many different means thereby making them vulnerable to discrimination and unfair treatment in the workplace. As the condition of the employees change, the necessity for employers to consider their responsibilities to employees under such situation increases. Employers are required to take into consideration a diverse means by which they could accommodate the needs of the employees (Connor 2007).
In reality however, 82% of employees with cancer are unfairly treated at work following diagnosis. The employers are evidently failing to make the reasonable adjustments. The Chartered Institute of Personnel Development (CIPD) also noted that an information gap exists on the part of the employers. More than 20% of the employers are not aware that the Disability Discrimination Act (DDA) already classified cancer as a disability. Aside from this, 70% of employers do not have formal policy for managing employees who are affected by cancer and that just 14% of the organisations formally track the incidence of cancer in the workplace.
In November 2006, CIPD, along with Cancerbackup and the Working with Cancer (WwC) group, released a guideline for employers, HR and line managers. The guideline states that any policy should act as a framework for all concerned and must reflect the following key principles: respect for the employee’s dignity and privacy; maintain the employee involvement and engagement; ensure that the employee will not suffer financial detriment; continue to be provided with employee benefits; adopt a flexible approach; continuously provided access to development opportunities; provide the employee with information and support and support the team affected by the employee’s situation. Anyhow, under the DDA, no employer should act to discriminate against a person because of their disability. Since cancer is now classified as a disability, employees with cancer are protected by the Act.
Further, policies are perceived to be an important instrument in every organisation. The process of implementing such guidelines through effective policy-making in HRM division purporting the proper management of cancer in the workplace is then necessary. The more pressing issue, however, is, in cases that HRM policies are in place, how companies adapt, employ and put into action these policies for the protection and defence of employees with cancer. How do firms especially the HR policymakers take commitment for guaranteeing a safer and secure workplace as well as the quality of work life for employees with cancer is unclear. Whether the practices, systems and processes which lead to the efficient and effective implementation of policies and procedures are adequate enough to ensure that the employees with cancer are given the priority to must be also examined.
4.0 The objectives of the project
The main purpose of the research is to investigate how HRM policies are applied to employees with cancer. In lieu with this, the project will specifically aim to:
- Analyse the implementation of HRM policies to employees with cancer as well as the issues, problems and challenges in achieving effective utilisation of HRM policies
- Evaluate the effectiveness of the application of HRM policies for employees with cancer as well as the processes, systems and instruments in implementing them and recommend other suitable policies if necessary
- Establish HR practices and processes in applying HRM policies to employees with cancer and determine how policies impact the employees with cancer
- Increase the overall understanding of HRM policies as applied to employees with cancer and contribute to the current HRM and health in the workplace literatures
5.0 The justification for the project
The results that will be gathered from this study will be beneficial to the all the employees and their families who are experiencing discrimination in the workplace because of their disability as well as the persistent dearth from the employers’ side to address the issue of cancer in the workplace. By assessing the effectiveness of HRM policies as a tool for to combat unfair labor treatment for employees with cancer, it can formulate plausible recommendations directed towards its importance. These recommendations will eventually be applied and help resolve the problems in order for the employees to know their rights and know when to act. This study will also be significant not only for the employees with cancer but also for the rest of the world through its emphasis on the issue. Furthermore, the study is also significant to MBA and HRM and Medical students as this study can serve as a useful material for future studies and research workplace disability and the proper conduct of companies. It can also help in discovering new issues that can be explored in future research. Finally, this study is significant because it will become one of the few studies that will link HR policies and employees with cancer.
6.0 The primary research question
The research will attempt to answer the following queries:
1) How and to what extent do the HRM policies reflect the provisions in DDA and the CIPD guidelines?
2) Under what circumstances do these HRM policies warrant the safer, secure and indiscriminating workplace? How do HRM policies contribute in the quality of work life of employees with cancer?
3) How do HRM managers and policymakers perceived their roles in making the workplace conducive for employees with cancer?
4) Are there any problems encountered in implementing HRM policies for employees with cancer? What are those?
5) What are the perceptions of employees with cancer regarding the HRM policies inexistence?
7.0 An overview of appropriate literature
The study will review a document and present related literatures. As discovered, studies about HRM policy implementation for employees with cancer are limited. Nevertheless, this will include literatures from Michael Armstrong, Helen Collins, John Bratton and Jeffrey Gold and Randall S. Schuler and Susan E, Jackson. These authors are in arguing that HRM policies are the blood of organisations as they intend to effectively manage their people. They also noted that the importance of HRM policies lies on ensuring that in dealing on the matters of the people, the approach chosen is in line with corporate values. HRM policies, which are also regarded as a strategy and a source of competitive advantage, are implemented to support the chosen initiatives or course of actions in a given situation. Literatures about health in the workplace particularly disability laws, regulations, acts and provisions will be also reviewed, as well as the literatures that cover management and promotion of health at work, cancer in the workplace, risk factors for cancer in the workplace and strategies in the workplace for employees with cancer.
8.0 Research design
The research will operate within the cross-sectional design, as I will be collecting data using questionnaires, semi-structured interviews, structured observation, and document analysis. The benefit of this would be that Ì would be able to focus on the breath of the research. Exploratory research will enable the study to look at the problem in both descriptive and exploratory manner. This approach is a preferred mean of finding out “what is happening to seek new insights” or “to ask questions or to assess phenomena in a new light” (Saunders et al, 2003; Robson, 2002). This study will use the principal ways of conducting an exploratory research, which include: literature search; talking to experts about the subject; participative observation and conducting survey and interview.
The research will utilise both primary and secondary research. In primary research, a semi-structured questionnaire will be used as the survey tool for the study. Accordingly, semi-structured interview questions will be developed to provide the researcher the opportunity to ‘probe’ answers, which can be done in instances where there is a need or want for the interviewees to explain further or build on their responses. It is planned that the questionnaire will have open-ended, probing, hypothetical and reflective questions aside from the 5-point Likert scale ranking questions. The researcher plans to conduct two separate survey and interview: one for the HR managers and policymakers and the other for employees with cancer. A secondary research will also be conducted in the study. Sources in secondary research will include previous research reports, newspaper, magazine and journal content. Existing findings on journals and existing knowledge on books will be used as secondary research. The interpretation will be conducted which can account as qualitative in nature.
Data gathered using these instruments will be collated for analysis. Data analysis will primarily be characterized by statistical approach. Initially, after gathering empirical data, contextual or thematic content analysis of the literatures will be adopted. Contextual analysis refers to the method of analysing the contents of literature and research and identifies how the themes relate to the study. Qualitative data analysis will be used to collect relevant themes from the survey and interview responses and categorize them accordingly. From those themes, the study will develop insights regarding the subject. The researcher will use statistical formula of weighted mean and percentage.
9.0 Practical and ethical issues
Access to different documents and reports that are otherwise undisclosed for external people would be a challenge as well as access to target respondents. Because project purports on having document analysis, this particular initiative is deemed important. In order for the management to entrust with me the documents needed and allow me to conduct survey and interview, I will ensure them the contents will be subjected to commercial confidentiality. Negotiating skills will be thoroughly applied. To uphold ethics within the entire process, written consent will be secured, outlining the obligations and liabilities
The respondents of the questionnaires will be able to choose whether to identify them or stay anonymous. I will establish with the data providers the use of my data and will ask their permission in case of publishing data. Before sending out the questionnaires and doing interviews, I will check them with my supervisor. Participation consent forms and interview consent forms will be also accomplished (examples are provided in 12.0). And before getting interviews recorded, I will ensure if it is acceptable by person interviewed. I will ensure that the data will be kept confidentially. All the data collected by the researcher will be computed and saved into Thumb drive for future retrieval, which is accessible only to the researcher involved in this study.
10.0 Timetable
TASK
1st
2nd
3rd
4th
5th
6th
7th
8th
9th
10th
11th
12th
Read Literature
Finalize Objectives
Draft Literature Review
Devise Research Approach
Review Secondary Data
Organize Interviews
Develop Interview questions
Conduct Interviews
Analyze secondary & primary data
Evaluate data
Draft Findings Chapter
Complete remaining chapters
Submit to tutor and await feedback
Revise draft and format for submission
Print, Bind
Submit
11.0 References
Cancer and Working: Guidelines for Employers, HR and Line Managers 2006, CIPD, Cancerbackup and WwC Group.
Connor, C 2007, Handle with care: how to look after employees with cancer, Personnel Today.
Robson, C 2002, Real World Research, 2nd ed., Blackwell, Oxford.
Saunders, M, Lewis, P and Thornhill, A 2003, Research Methods for Business Students, 3rd ed, Prentice Hall Financial Times, London.
12.0 Appendix
A) Sample Signature Page for Research Involving the Employees with Cancer
You are making a decision whether or not to have _____________(Name of the Respondent)_______________ participate in this study. Your signature indicates that you have read (or been read) the information provided above and decided to allow him/her to participate.
You will receive a copy of this signed informed consent document.
Signature of a Relative or Legally Authorised Representative Date
Or Legally Authorized Representative
Signature of Investigator Date
Signature of Witness
Assent of the Employee
[Name of the Employee] (name of the employee) has agreed to participate in research titled [Title of Project] .
Signature of the Employee Date
Waiver of Assent
The assent of ______________________________ (name of the employee) was waived because of:
Age _________
Maturity ________
Psychological state of the employee________
Signature of a Relative or Legally Authorised Representative
Date
B) Interview Consent Form
Title of Research __________________________________________
1. I agree to be interviewed for the purposes of the student research named above.
2. The purpose and nature of the interview has been explained to me, and I have read the assignment and/or information sheet as provided by the student.
3. I agree that the interview may be electronically recorded.
4. Any questions that I asked about the purpose and nature of the interview and research have been answered to my satisfaction.
5. Choose a), b) or c):
a) I agree that my name may be used for the purposes of the research only and not for publication.
OR
b) I understand that the student may wish to pursue publication at a later date and my name may be used.
OR
c) I do not wish my name to be used or cited, or my identity otherwise disclosed, in the research.
Name of interviewee_______________________________________
Signature of interviewee____________________________________
Date______________________
6. I have explained the project and the implications of being interviewed to the interviewee and I believe that the consent is informed and that he/she understands the implications of participation.
Name of interviewer________________________________________
Signature of interviewer_____________________________________
Date_____________________
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