1. © 2016 SkimaTalk, Inc.
SkimaTalk Official Course
Strategic Human Resource Management
Lesson 4: Becoming an Employee Champion

2. Key Vocabulary / Concepts
2
Become familiar with the following words
before this lesson’s case study
motivation
Internal and external factors that stimulate desire and
energy in people to be continually interested and
committed to a job, role, or subject.
commitment Engagement / involvement.
values
Important and lasting beliefs or ideals that are shared by
members of a culture about what is good or bad.

3. Case Study: GE’s Workout
3
In the late 1980s, GE developed a process called “Workout”
that focused on eliminating non-valued work. For example,
many of the bureaucratic processes such as reports,
approvals, procedures, measures, and meetings that were
no longer useful were discarded.
“Workout” helped GE become a more lean, efficient, and
responsive organization. This process provided employees
with more time for activities that added value.
Today, more and more demanding work is assigned to
employees, sometimes with even fewer resources. The
efforts by HR professionals to reduce the demands placed
on employees can enhance employees’ motivation and
commitment to an organization.
Please describe some examples of non-valued work in your organization.Q

4. Case Study: Southwest Airlines’ Fun Culture
4
In 2014, Southwest was named one of the “Best Places to Work” by
Glassdoor, an award determined by current and previous employees.
Southwest’s corporate culture makes the airline unique. The flight
attendants are famous for dancing, singing, and doing whatever
works to entertain their passengers during a flight. The fun culture
works as a resource that helps every employee be motivated and
accomplish their work in a unique way.
Southwest continues to succeed in motivating their employees’
contributions and commitment. The efforts of the company’s HR
professionals to increase “resources”* engage not only their
employees’ bodies and time, but also minds and souls.
*e.g. culture, values, any actions / practices that enable employees
to accomplish their work.
Please describe some examples of the resources (culture, values, actions /
practices) that your organization creates for its employees.Q

5. Discussion: Becoming an Employee Champion
5
HR guru David Ulrich stated:
“When demands and resources are
appropriately balanced, employees are
able to contribute; they can commit
themselves to improvement and can be
competent enough to make the right
improvements.
HR professionals who guarantee
employee contribution should be the
observers, champions, and sponsors of
balanced resources and demands.” *
* Source: David Ulrich “Human Resource Champions”
Please share any ideas you have to reduce demands or increase resources for
employees.Q

6. Takeaways From This Lesson
6
ü The efforts made by HR professionals to reduce
demands or increase resources for employees
can enhance employees’ motivation and
commitment to an organization.
ü To become employee champions, HR
professionals must find the right balance
between demands and resources for employees.

7. 7
End of Lesson
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