Analysis of employees' perceptions of human resources through metaphors: A study with private health institution employees

The aim of this study is to demonstrate the employees' perception regarding human resources management with all its truths. This is an important issue for understanding the effectiveness or ineffectualness of human resources management and learning what has been done well or not from within. This information offers a solution to solve the resent problems and improve good implementations. The objective of the study is to determine the employees' truthful perception in regard to human resources management with the help of metaphors, which are by nature uncensored, free expressions and reflecting the unconscious mind. The data collected by using the phenomenological design were analyzed using the content analysis method. The study was carried out in two different hospitals belonging to a private health institution in Eskişehir. The research data is obtained from 150 employees of both hospitals, which have different levels and were selected randomly. An interview form is used as data collection tool. The data obtained in the form of interview were analyzed and interpreted in five steps (coding, elimination, transferring the data on computer, developing categories and interpreting the data in consideration of the categories). Excel (2013) has been used for the analysis of 148 applicable interview forms. The results show that the participants have used 26 metaphors, of which 13 were plants and 13 animal metaphors. Based on the analysis five main themes such as departments attitude, departments competence, general determination of the department, attitude of the team as well as competence of the team and 116 sub themes were achieved. Keywords: Metaphor, competence, human resources, human resources management, human resource competencies