Internship Report: HR Management Internship at Elkem Bremanger

This internship report details a student's experience in the Human Resource Management (HRM) department at Elkem Bremanger, a silicon-producing industry. The report begins with an executive summary highlighting the importance of HRM in organizational development and revenue generation. It then provides an overview of Elkem Bremanger, including its organizational background, structure, and the student's roles and responsibilities during the internship. The student's tasks included analyzing employee survey results, developing strategies to reduce sick days, and participating in the hiring process. The report also includes personal reflections on the impact of values, beliefs, and assumptions on the student's work, along with an examination of political, cultural, and social realities within the organization. Key lessons learned and recommendations for future work-integrated learning programs are presented, concluding with a summary of the internship's key takeaways. The report emphasizes the practical application of HRM principles and the challenges and rewards of working in a multinational organization.

Running head: INTERNSHIP REPORT
Internship report
Name of the Student:
Name of the University:
Author note:

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Executive Summary
Human Resource Management help in the development of the plans and schemes that
an organisation has to follow to increase the revenue of the organisation. I was placed in
Elkem Bremanger, which is a silicon producing industry that has been producing a large
number of products ensuring sustainable development of the environment. From the paper, it
was clear that HR is the most significant part of an organisation. There were some pros and
cons that I had faced during my internship in Elkem Bremanger that has been jotted in the
paper.

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Table of Contents
1.0. Introduction.....................................................................................................................3
2.0. Overview of Elkem Bremanger and Internship Placement.............................................3
2.1. Organisational Background.........................................................................................5
2.1.1. Organisations structure.........................................................................................6
2.2. Roles and Responsibilities during Internship Placement............................................7
3.0. Personal Impact and Reflection......................................................................................8
3.1. The Role of Values, Beliefs and Assumptions............................................................8
3.2. Examining Political, Cultural and Social Realities.....................................................9
3.3. My Most Valuable Lessons.......................................................................................10
3.4. Recommendations for Whole Degree and Work Integrated Learning program.......11
4.0. Conclusion.....................................................................................................................11
References................................................................................................................................13

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1.0. Introduction
Human Resource Management is an important aspect of an organisation that helps the
management of the entire operation of the organisation. In an organisation, the HRM looks
after the production as well as on the work progress of the organisation to ensure meeting
demands of the market and have a check on the revenue of the organisation. They are the one
who is responsible for looking after the employees of the organisation (Sparrow, Brewster
and Chung 2016). Hence, the HRM is obe of the most significant and powerful department of
the organisation that holds the entire work of the organisation. I have been placed in Elkem
Bremanger, which is one of the significant smelting organisation that has been spread across
the world and is famous for producing silicon products (DeCenzo, Robbins and Verhulst
2016). Hence, there have been various kinds of experiences that I have gathered from the
organisation during the time of the internship.
The paper has been developed for understanding the relationship between the HRM as
well as the organisation and it helps in the resolving of the issues that are being faced by the
employees. The HR is the mediator between the employees and the management (Anderson,
Fontinha and Robson 2019). This paper is an understanding of my experience about an
intership that has been done by me in Elkem Bremanger as HR. The paper will help me to
reflect on the experiences that I have gathered during the internship. Various responsibilities
are being performed by HRs, which have a crucial aspect in the organisation that will be
illustrated in the paper below.
2.0.Overview of Elkem Bremanger and Internship Placement
Elkem Bremanger is an organisation that has been famous for producing silicones,
silicon, alloys, micro silica and carbon. It has been serving various companies such as
engineering, aluminium, electronic, chemical, packaging, transport and construction

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industries (Ceccaroli and Tronstad 2016). It has its factories spread across the world in Asia,
South America, North America, Europe and Africa. It has been founded in the year 1904 with
its headquarter in Norway. The number of employees working in the organisation is 6,100.
The organisation wants to develop and spread its business around the world with the highest
number of customers. It has been producing a large number of products ensuring that there
will be no harm caused to the environment with the use of their products (Polovnikova 2019).
Moreover, the products that have been developed by the organisation ensures quality along
with the sustainability. Sam Eyde has founded Elkem Bremanger in the year 1904. The
organisation was initially named as Det Norske Aktieselskap for Elektrokemisk Industri
(Elektrokemisk). However, they realised that the name would be difficult for people to
remember. Hence, they decided to change the name to Elkem Bremanger. It would be easy
for customers to find them easily on the internet. People can relate to the organisation easily
with the name of the organisation. The goal of the organisation was to provide people with
innovative products that will make their life easier. Hence, the products that have been
developed by the organisation are easy to use and multi-purpose.
The organisation wherein I have started my internship has been located in Bermanger,
Norway. The organisation has been established in the year 1928 (Fitzgerald 2018). It has an
employee of 250 working successfully in the organisation for a long time. It is a smelter that
has been producing silicons and ferrosilicon along with other various by-products. They have
a mission, vision as well as values that are strictly followed by the organisation (Gentile et al.
2017). The employees are well knowledged and have a good understanding of the working
of the organisation. They are aware of the mission, vision, as well as the values of the
organisation. Understanding of the mission, vision and values helps in better and quality
production. The organisation ensures that the employees are provided with the right training
and good communication is being developed among the employees, stakeholder, leasders and

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organisation. The leaders of the organisation ensure that every employee is aware of the task
that is being allotted to them.
I have been placed in the organisation in the HR department, wherein I have to
understand the working process of the organisation along with the hiring method of the
organisation. In the organisation, I have gathered the knowledge that the organisation must
develop a good relationship with the employees and its internal stakeholders as that will help
in the development of the working of the organisation (Yen and Liang 2018). Working in the
organisation, I have gathered knowledge that will help me to work efficiently in an
organisation as a Human Resource Manager. Running such a multi-national organisation is a
difficult task that requires efficient employees. The organisation also ensures that the
employees who are being selected for the organisation have good knowledge about the
working of the organisation along with their mission, vision and values of the organisation
(Armstrong and Taylor 2020). It helps the employees achieve their targets along with
maintaining the revenue in the organisation. Hence, to run such a large organisation
successfully, there is a requirement of great HRM that will help in the management of the
employees working and help them improve their working quality (Noe, Hollenbeck, Gerhart
and Wright 2017). The HRM department ensures to keep a check on the working of every
employee in the organisation. They ensure every employee is being aware of the policies
existing in the organisation along with the changes that are being brought in the organisation.
2.1. Organisational Background
I started my internship November 25 at Elkem Bremanger, a smelter located in
Bremanger in Norway, and has around 250 employees. The company started in 1928 and
continuously produces mainly ferrosilicon and silicon, plus other by-products.
Mission: Elkem's mission is to contribute to a sustainable future by developing advanced
silicon and carbon-based solutions that create value for our customers, employees and the

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community.
Vision: Advanced materials shaping the future. One should elucidate the improvements the
projects have on the work so that others can learn from it for the next projects. The corporate
organizational culture can be characterized as trusting and strict. They allow you to control
yourself as long as you show that you are showing results, but at the same time very strict and
clear on the attitudes to quality and HSE. It is a relatively small workplace and thus it is
natural for employees to be more easily noticed - for good and for bad.
Value: Respect, involvement, precision and continuous improvement.
2.1.1. Organisations structure
Elkem is a company located in a small place far away from everything, where
everyone knows everyone. The organisation is divided into two main divisions and has
departments within each of them. Here, one's own cultures can quickly arise. Both challenges
associated with a function-oriented division are related to this, namely that the participants in
the given department only socialise with each other, and not with other departments. Thus,
subcultures can be created. The fact that communication problems arise between the
departments is also related to the lack of interaction between the departments. Similarly,
several of the other ways of allocating and coordinating tasks, and allocating decision-making
authority, may have links to organisational structure. I recommend that the divisions merge
into one, which has been talked about for a long time. In a flatter organisational structure, the
need for a personal authority as a leader may arise. It can be argued that the personal qualities
of a leader will be an important source of authority when there is less structure and
framework around the leadership role and within the organisation. It will also mean that
managers should get employees to perform and achieve the goals of the organisation,
facilitate work and inspire employees. They will be treated with the same respect as those
with a higher position, which has a good impact on everyone feeling equal.

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Good relationships and recognition give motivation to the employees, who show positive in
other areas.
2.2. Roles and Responsibilities during Internship Placement
During my internship period, I have worked with various tasks but mainly worked
in the Human Resources department with the HR manager. I was first given the
responsibility for the Employee Survey 2019 where I had to physically go to
departments to encourage them to participate in the survey and send it out on email.
When it was finished, I had to make a presentation to present the results and come up
with changes or measures to improve any poor results.
We also made something called A3 which is documents we fill out if there is
something we want to improve. I made one called “Decrease the sick days of the
employees” and another one called “make the employees aware of cost”. In these to
documents I must explain the challenges, current situation, future situation, action
planned and make a measurement on a graph to show improvements. I have gained new
knowledge about where and what we spend our money on in the organisation and how
to reduce it. I also worked closely with the HR manager in order to reduce the sick days
in the organisation, which was quite interesting. I had to be critical in order to find out
reasons why our employees are away from work. Also, it is easier not to go to work
when you are not aware of what it costs the organisation to have someone step in for
them and pay for them while not there.
Lastly, I have learned much in the hiring process, because before the process
started, I had to research the current laws and regulations and find resources to help
implement during the process. When the new employee joined the company, I had to go

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through the necessary paperwork information, contracts, payroll and verification of
identification.
3.0. Personal Impact and Reflection
3.1. The Role of Values, Beliefs and Assumptions
Working as HR is a difficult task, as various responsibilities are to be handled by the HRs.
HR has to look into various aspects of the employees for the development of the organisation.
HR plays a vital role in the development of the organisation. It helps in the increasing of the
revenue with the selection of candidates who will help in the production of the employees.
Being HR is a difficult task. The entire responsibility of the organisation is on HR
management (Berman, Bowman, West and Van Wart 2019). They have to create the policies
and ensure that the employees are following the policies. For the implementation of the rules,
the HR needs to develop the rules and ensure they are following them. HR has to ensure that
they are strictly following the rules as it will become ethical to impose the rule or policies on
them. The values must be practised by the HR that will help it to be developed by the
employees of the organisation (Shah 2019). I have understood that values play a significant
role in the organisation to maintain organisational cultures. Hence, HR must ensure that every
employee of the organisation is strictly following the values.
I am not a person who is very particular about rules and laws while working under an
organisation. However, I have to bring changes in my behaviour when working as an HRM
as there will be rules that have to follow while working under the organisation strictly. There
are policies in the organisation regarding dress code and ethics (Armstrong and Taylor 2020).
These are the basic policies in an organisation that must be followed by the HRs. The
organisation has various beliefs that help the organisation to be a leading organisation. HR
must ensure that the employees are being treated well and are provided with equal

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opportunities and task in the organisation. Being HR it will be my responsibility to ensure
that the employees are being provided with equal responsibilities and duties (Shah 2019).
Hence, I have to ensure that I do not create any situation wherein the employee may feel
disrespected or biased. These are some of the aspects that have to be followed by me as HR.
3.2. Examining Political, Cultural and Social Realities
HRM is a duty that is difficult and requires a lot of hard work and dedication towards that
task that is being performed by the HR (May and Ledgerwood 2017). I have witnessed that
HR is one of the powerful posts in the organisation. Herein, the duties are to ensure that the
employees are the responsibilities of the HR. The power that is being allotted to the HRM is
very important that will have an impact on the working culture of the organisation
(Chelladurai and Kerwin 2018). The task that is being done the HRM is a difficult as the HR
have to ensure that the employees those who are being selected must be well qualified that
will help in the development of the country. HR has to take the initiative to develop the
culture of the organisation. They have to ensure that the entire working of the organisation is
maintained. However, it may be easy to say or produce theoretically but while the execution
of the policies based on culture there will be issues that will be faced by the organisation
(Analoui 2018). The is an impact on the cultural diversity of the organisation with the
changes in the HR department.
The changes in the policies that are being developed by HR will be directly impacting
the culture of the organisation. The HR must ensure that the decision that is being taken by
the HR will have an impact on the culture. Hence, any decision taken based on the power that
is being provided to the HR, they have to face a penalty (Al Ariss and Sidani 2016). Apart
from that, the HR department of the organisation must also ensure that the policies or changes
that will be brought in the organisation will be based on the social understanding of the
organisation. There must not be any policy developed that will have an impact on the

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environment of the organisation. The policies must follow the laws of the country and
implement them (Armstrong and Taylor 2020). These are the factors that every Human
Resource management must take care of while working under an organisation. These are the
factors that have an immense impact on working. Often people impose strict action against
the employees for the power that they are holding; however, the consequence have to be
faced by them.
3.3. My Most Valuable Lessons
While working in the organisation, I have gathered various knowledge that will be of great
help to me in the future. Various aspects are being analysed during the performance of the
duty of HRM (Bratton and Gold 2017). Working in an assignment or theory regarding HRM
is an easy job; however, working as HR is a difficult task. Several duties and responsibilities
are being performed by the HR that has to be completed following the policies of the
organisation. In case of any issues in hiring or faced by the employees during the job role, it
has to be resolved by the HRM. Apart from that, the HRM is the one who looks after the
entire work of the organisation (Chelladurai and Kerwin 2018). I have experienced that the
job must be done with responsibility and great knowledge. In the interaction session with the
employees who will be hired for the organisation must be interacted with confidence and
handled with smartness. HR must be presentable that will help them to communicate freely
with the employees in the organisation. They are being provided with great power and
responsibilities (Al Ariss and Sidani 2016). The HR must ensure that the powers are not
misused by them that may have an impact on the work that is performed by the employees.
The people those who will be in charge of hiring must ensure that the candidates who are
being selected must be well knowledged about the work they are being employed for
(Brewster 2017). Apart from that, HRs are also responsible for making-decision for the
organisation as well as policy creating, wherein the HRM has to be very careful and ensure

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that every need of the employees are being protected and employees are satisfied on the
policies of the decisions that are made. Moreover, the HRM must also include the advice or
suggestions of the employees while the implementation of new policies or rules in the
organisation (Mondy and Martocchio 2016). These are a few aspects that I have witnessed
during the internship. I got to know about the ways of handling problems in an organisation
as well as maintain the relationship with the employees to ensure the right production of the
employees.
3.4. Recommendations for Whole Degree and Work Integrated Learning
program
While working as an HRM in an organisation, there are various things that we learn
initially during the course. However, there must be various sessions wherein the students
must be provided with that will help in the development of the handling of the task. As
described earlier, the theory in HRM is easy to perform whereas the practical task is quite
difficult. Hence, the students must be provided with sessions that will help in the
understanding of the working of the HRM. The HRM in an organisation needs to develop
forms that have to be filled by the employees. Hence, the course must include ways of
creating forms that will be provided with the necessary information of the candidate that will
help better and easier hiring of the candidates. In the course, the students must be taught of
the ways of creation of the policies in an organisation as it will be easier for the students
while working as an intern or in the job.
The course must also include personal development plan. HR must be presentable and
have great confidence that will help them handle various situations in the organisation.
Hence, the inclusion of the personal development plan in the course will help the students
understand their weakness as well as their strengths that they can use in their career. It will
help the students to be confident and smart. Often, it is observed that in an organisation there