bodyType

customContents

entityId

entityUuid

articlePageQuery

filter

article

articleBaseAdvertisingInfoArticle

articleListArticle

articleSeoArticle

helpersCheckIsPostiesArticle

hooksArticleAcknowledgementGateOverlayArticle

hooksTrackPageViewArticle

hooksContentInterestArticle

articleLinkingDataContent

articleSchemaContent

liveArticle

advertZone

sentiment

contentLock

topics

types

sections

moreOnThisArticles

urlAlias

commentCount

sponsorType

authorLocations

authors

paywallTypes

corrections

displaySlideShow

multimediaEmbed

printHeadline

seriesContainer

socialHeadline

headline

flag

firstTopic

glossary

flattenTypeIds

publishedDate

additionalInfoBoxes

images

image

relatedLinks

relatedNewsletters

__typename

createdDate

sponsor

factSheets

series

disableOffPlatformContent

published

updatedDate

summary

subHeadline

body

keywords

copyrighted

customTimezone

liveContents

Elaine Yau

Human Resources Management

Name: Emily Lau Wai-lam

Age: 22

Course: Bachelor of Business Administration (Honours) (Human Resources Management)

School: Lingnan University

Year of Study: Year Three

Duration of Programme: Three years

Young Post: What courses have you studied?

Lau: I have studied  staff training and development, interview and screening techniques and staff performance and compensation management.

We  also  learned how to  create tailor-made courses,  such as English enhancement classes and Outward Bound wilderness training, to enhance the potential of staff.

YP:  Of all the human resources principles you have  learned, which   is the most interesting?

L: We  have been taught that the staff are the most valuable asset of a company.

While material benefits  such as salary  increases and perks can help retain quality staff, the key to keeping employees in good spirits is giving them a sense of satisfaction.

Good  promotion prospects and a motivating company culture will not only drive staff to work harder, they also give them a  sense of achievement, as they  will realise that their efforts will not go unnoticed.

YP:  Of all the case studies you looked at, which were the most interesting?

L: We  looked at how different companies boost staff morale.

Believing that courtesy is the key to creating a positive atmosphere, Vitasoy International Holdings Limited  launched  a programme to nurture politeness inside the company.

Reminders to be polite were posted on bulletin boards,  and this created a harmonious working atmosphere.

In another case,  a renowned restaurant chain, Tao Heung Seafood Hotpot Restaurants, asked employees to chant motivating slogans every morning to raise  their spirits.

YP: What practical training do you have?

L: We  attend  practical training workshops  and participate in mock interviews  which familiarise us with the procedures of staff recruitment.

We also learn interview etiquette, and  how to respond to interviewers' questions and impress our prospective employers.

CV-writing workshops are another major component of the course.

From how to compile a portfolio  of previous work experience, to the skills  needed to write a good cover letter,  the workshops cover everything we need to know about job-hunting.

YP: Have you done any interesting projects?

L: In Year Two, we did a group project for a course called 'Performance and Compensation Management'. We had to make cold calls to over 30 Japanese restaurants and ask them to provide us with  human resources data  such as company hierarchy, staff salaries and promotion pathways.

At first, I thought that we would be snubbed by the companies, as internal human resources information is mostly confidential.

But most of them were very friendly and willing to help once they learned that we were students doing a school project.

After getting the data, we had to analyse it and write a report to present findings.

Admission

Applicants must obtain a Grade E or above in two AL subjects, or a Grade E or above in one AL subject and two AS subjects. A Grade D in AS Use of English and AS Chinese Language and Culture  are also needed. Passes in AL and AS subjects can be obtained at one or more sittings.

Career prospects

Graduates can work in the human resources departments  of multinational companies.  Their familiarity with staff training techniques puts them in huge demand  from companies  with large  numbers of staff to manage.

They can also work as business consultants or human resources analysts  to help companies come up with business solutions and applications.



Degree Talk