society for human resource management

society for human resource management

The Fundamentals of Human Resource Management

1. Introduction to Human Resource Management

Regardless of its size or structure, all organizations are essentially groups of people. Whether these organizations provide a service, develop a product, or are engaged in other activities, managerial functions must still be performed. Management in some form or another is an essential aspect of living and is essential wherever groups of people work together. Managers are people who work with and through other people. Managers are also responsible for ensuring that the organization achieves the results. However, the results are rarely achieved by managers acting alone. Managers must also ensure that the work of the organization is adequately performed, which means that the people who actually undertake the work must be appropriately managed and controlled. This is where the human resources function plays an important role. Needless to say, in small and medium-sized enterprises, line managers may also contribute procedure responsibilities for the execution of human resource functions, so this function may actually belong to each manager within the organization.

Human Resource Management (HRM) deals with the management of people within organizations and gaining a competitive advantage through the strategic development of employees. In essence, HRM focuses on the following three areas: 1) Recruitment and selection; 2) Employee and/or organizational development; 3) Labour relations.

2. Key Functions and Responsibilities of HRM

Among these six key functions and responsibilities of HRM, three roles are evident: administrative expert, employee champion, and change agent. The administrative expert is responsible for the control of functional building blocks or legal compliance, which must be in place for effective people management. Managers must be able to count on their HR functions to provide a legally sound business administration, allowing managers to focus on the creative decision-making that determines the organization’s future. The employee champion responds to the needs of employees and commits the organization to the mutual success of management and employees. Employee champions provide corporate citizens with the respect and support they need to grow as individual citizens both at and outside of work. The change agent crafts and implements institutional responses to forces requiring adaptive human systems. This situationally driven view of the change agent’s role further defines four strategies that an HR unit can use to develop such a role. The four strategies are: the organization’s ethical legitimacy strategy, the internal consultant strategy, the inside change agent strategy, and the administrative expertise strategy.

1) Providing a work environment that encourages respect for and development of a diverse set of values, beliefs, abilities, and work practices in the workforce. The role includes ensuring civil treatment between different groups, instituting fair employment practices, and opening career opportunities to all groups. 2) Job design and staffing organizational personnel requirements: job analysis, job descriptions, job specifications, and manpower planning. 3) Ensuring that personnel are appropriately used, managed, and developed: training analysis, training, performance appraisal, personnel development, organizational effectiveness, and labor relations. 4) Research, planning, development, and application of all managerial policies and procedures. 5) Management of all employee benefits and services. 6) Administrative functions: record-keeping, budgeting, accounting, and the management of all office and other services.

The HR management process involves all the tasks or activities related to developing, acquiring, and maintaining an organization’s human resources. The six key functions and responsibilities of HRM are:

3. Strategic HRM and its Impact on Organizational Success

In conclusion, although “The Fundamentals of Human Resource Management” can be rightly criticized for its limited capacity to engage the reader and for the excessive ‘easiness’ of its topic development, we have to admit that it is really useful for professionals and practitioners, especially those who are interested in the improvement of organizational performances by the study of human resources management. Due to its straightforward, synthetic but complete explanations, the text can be fruitfully used at the undergraduate and especially at high school levels, providing smooth and reasoned understanding.

In the paper “The Fundamentals of Human Resource Management”, the authors provide an interesting overview of the broader context of human resource management, introducing the debate about the “strategic” function of HR. Notably, the main strengths of “The Fundamentals of Human Resource Management” are to be found in its clear, simple, yet accurate style, and in an efficient trade-off between the delivery of concepts and examples. The text achieves, indeed, an excellent equilibrium between the treatment of the so-called hard aspects of HRM (such as “trends in economic performance”, “competitive strategies”) and the more “human” aspects of human resource management (as internal motivations, groups’ needs, and relations).

4. Emerging Trends and Technologies in HRM

Three emerging trends are having major effects on HRM in U.S. and international companies. First is the simple demographics of the workforce. As we discussed above, for the first time in history, four generations are working side by side. In this environment, singular HR tools or benefits may no longer be effective. As an employer, HR should offer a blended employment package that combines meaningful work with generous benefits. For instance, to recruit and retain employees, some companies are exploring flexible work hours, changing from judicial to discussion-based methods of conflict resolution, and finding ways to balance the requirements of both employees and employers. To get employees to work harder, HR will have to adopt more progressive management and work policies.

1. Major Trends Affecting Human Resource Management

Managers have at their fingertips new technology that enables them to manage their workforces around the globe. Employees now have instant access to training programs and manuals over the internet and can engage in video conferences with coworkers and clients around the world without ever leaving their desks. The speed of change is faster than ever, further complicating an already complex business environment. This chapter looks at several of these emerging trends and technologies and discusses why HR professionals need to be aware of (and manage) them.