The objectives of the course are to understand the principles of Human Resource Management in the Public Sector and explore the various employee situations and management skills needed to run a successful organization.  Human Capital is the most important commodity, especially in public service, and having the knowledge to manage the humans that make up an organization is essential.   The course covers legal issues, recruiting and management skills, and other relevant HR issues that any organization would face.  

This course applies directly to the objective of leading and managing effectively in a public space.  Knowledge of Human Resource management is critical for any leader in public administration.  This course gives plenty of opportunities to apply the knowledge and principles to real life, current job scenarios, and employee issues.  The use of memo format to address city leadership is a skill every employee needs to communicate effectively in the real world.  

Administrative Law plays a huge role in Human Resource Management.  Understanding the legal issues is key to best practices and creating a safe and inclusive work environment.  Critical Thinking and Ethics also related directly to Human Resource Management as we studied cases on how to apply the skills we were learning and how to look at situations critically in order to find the best solution for employees and the organization as a whole. 

Employee Motivation was the most interesting principle to me.  Much of what I do in prevention science relates to the study of human behavior and how to help youth make healthy choices and thrive. Maslow’s hierarchy of needs plays a huge role in youth and it was exciting to make the jump to the workforce with these psychological principles.  I feel like employee motivation corresponds directly to my job and how to be a better leader, which is so important when it comes to managing employees, and in my case, a large group of coalition volunteers. When it comes to public administration, we have to look beyond monetary rewards (especially with community volunteers) and help them find relevance, progression, meaning, and other rewards in the service they are providing.  Being able to motivate employees or volunteers will help us get the best efforts, which is a huge piece of reaching the goals of public administration, especially when it comes to efficiency.    I also feel like this equation of motivation can be applied to any situation, whether it be at work, at home, or in other situations where we are trying to help people reach our expectations.   I will be trying out some of the motivational principles and techniques with my kids, my students, my volunteers, and my employees.