In an era of organizational flux due to competition and globalization, companies and employees are faced with constant change. Leaders must be able to adapt to change as the environment shifts. HR has been known as the organizational change agent, administrative expert, and employee advocate. More recently they have been regarded as business strategic partners for many organizations. In order to be successful and remain competitive in today’s market, Human Resources (HR) must be considered a strategic partner if an organization wants to flourish. Top executives today commit significant resources to ensure that their company’s functions are capable of rapid change and achieving their goals. Far too often, the Human Resources (HR) function is nominal thus they are not as quick to respond to the rapid rate of change. When “this occurs, companies may be perpetuating or even creating barriers to fully leveraging their human capital. Organizations can begin the process of removing these barriers by assessing the Human Resources function and its alignment with business objectives” (Wert & Liwanag , 2002). This paper will make a case for having HR report to the CEO. In order to do so the author will describe the relationship between HR strategies and business strategies. Examples of HR strategies that can be effective will be discussed. In addition, the author will examine the benefits and consequence of having HR as a strategic partner and well as the key business competencies that they must retain. Furthermore, she will discuss an optimal career path for a senior HR executive.
In the past HR job responsibilities consisted of a basic role of dealing with employees and administrative assignments. For example, human resource managers primarily concentrated on calculating personal and sick days of workers and payroll. However, times have changed many HR specialists have various roles to perform and departments to operate. Usually, these individuals must balance their enthusiasm for the workforce as well as the organization who is their employer. Nevertheless, when fresh challenges arise and organizations must implement new programs or procedures the HR manager is the first to usher in the tide of change.
Human Resource Management is defined as the management of activities undertaken to attract, develop, motivate, and maintain a high performing work force in an organization. There are a lot of myths about the HR department, for example people just view HR as a “hiring department” and believe it has no major role in growth of an organization. Traditionally, HR function has been viewed as primarily administrative which was focused on the level of the individual employee, the individual job, and the individual practice (Becker, Huselid, and Ulrich 2001), with the assumption that improvements in individual employee performance would undoubtedly enhance performance of the organization. But in the 1990s, an emphasis on strategy and the importance of HR systems emerged with HR emerging today as a strategic paradigm in which individual HR functions, such as recruitment, selection, training, compensation, and performance appraisal, are aligned with each other and also with the overall strategy of the organization (Khatri et al, 2006).For making a successful transformation the HR department has to shed its traditional administrative, compliance, and service role and adopt a new strategic role concerned with developing the organization and the capabilities of its managers (Beer, 1997). Competition, globalization, and continuously changing market and technology are the principal reasons for the transformation of human resource management today (Beer, 1997). According to Beer (1997) following areas are needed to be improved in higher levels for a strategic approach towards Human Resource Management.
HRM has been identified as one of three crucial elements a firm must have to be effective. According to the text the other two are: (1) mission and strategy, and (2) organizational structure. Organizations rely on HR managers seek out and hire individuals who will fit into the plan outlined in the other two elements. These people must fit well in the organizational structure and be able to achieve the goals set forth by top managers. For as stated in the lesson text even the most capitol-intensive, best structured organizations ...
There are many functions of Human Resource Management, one of the most integral parts revolves around the process of acquiring human capital and the methods used to retain, motivate, and compensate employees. There are many factors involved in the overall process, to include the following: a job analysis, recruitment and selection, hiring the best candidate, evaluating and compensating them appropriately. Each part of the process affects the other, from ensuring that you have an accurate job description to determining the appropriate level of compensation.
Human resource management can be viewed as the spider web that entangles a company’s workforce. HR departments are involved in employee’s work lives from the recruitment and selection process, to the training and development, performance reviews, and the compensation
Human resources drive the company to do the best by using finance, knowledge and other available resources. These human talents must be managed and cared for to ensure the organisational goals are attained. The function that enables this task is called Human Resource Management (HRM) (Bohlander, G. & Snell, S., 2007). HRM ensures that the Human talent is effectively utilised by doing the following basic functions such i.e manpower planning, recruiting, managing performances, training, development, salaries, benefits and industrial relations (Dowling, J. P., Festing, M., & Engle, D. A., Sr., 2008).
HRM (Human Resource Management) deals with a wide range of issues, it is difficult to determine the exact definition as it varies from organization to organization. Storey (2007, p. 3) describes it as "two main forms of existence. One is in the form of academic discourse and activity. The other is in the form of practice in organizations". Training and Development and Managing Teams are important concepts of HRM, this essay will be exploring how these two concepts of HRM contribute to the effectiveness in organization.
Nowadays, human resource professionals are expected to contribute to the planning and strategy of the organization. HR is responsible for helping to turn future plans into workforce capabilities and management practices to achieve successful results. HR has the shared responsibility to deliver business distinction. “HR professionals who have the business acumen to contribute to business strategy at the highest organizational levels are leading the shift in the HR profession from administrators to strategic advisors” (Management,
Talent management has been used more narrowly either as a new term for an existing HR function or to focus on a select group of employees. The term talent management could include a long list of HR processes and components and cover only some, most, or all employees. Varied definitions are being used. Some definitions are very narrow and focus only on a single process or employee group—the “pivotal talent”, while other definitions are so broad and all inclusive that it is difficult to know what they intend to include.An
The Human Resources department contributes to an organization’s competitive performance through: recruitment and selection, globalization and technology.
Human resource management and the organizations in which it takes place are facing challenges from a changing environment. Hiring the proper people with the appropriate skills is an essential part of maintaining the workplace. Economic issues which include downsizing, organizational culture, productivity, ethics, demographics, and diversity plays a significant role when redesigning a company 's Human Resource Department. Success in the field of Human Resource requires an update of knowledge continually. Training, certifications, hands-on experience, and tactic knowledge helps to perform a difficult redesigning task with speed and sensitivity. Human Resource actions are comprised of but not limited to equal employment, staffing, compensation, benefits, labor relations, and safety. Ethical issues are
Human resources departments have existed for approximately 100 years. Previously known as personnel departments, organizations' departments specializing in the management of people assets have evolved through the years to address many issues. Change in labor laws, introduction and advancement in technology, and the way humankind has evolved has forced many trend changes in human resources management (HRM). In today's organizations, HRM has many functions and roles (Brannen, 2000). According to Dalton E. Brannen, Professor of Management in the college of business administration at Augusta State University, human resources management departments include the administrative role of processing benefits keeping employee records (Brannen, 2000). HRM also " is required to develop and operate training, recruitment and safety programs." (Brannen, 2000, pp. 1-3). With the many changes that have occurred throughout the years, HRM challenges for effectiveness and efficiency have also multiplied. This study will address four important topics HRM departments face in today's organizations: how a complete performance management system is differs from an annual performance appraisals; advantages of managing turnover in companies; contemporary safety and health management issues, and future trends and challenges in the workplace will be discussed.
Whether an organization consists of five or 25,000 employees, human resources management is vital to the success of the organization. HR is important to all managers because it provides managers with the resources – the employees – necessary to produce the work for the managers and the organization. Beyond this role, HR is capable of becoming a strong strategic partner when it comes to “establishing the overall direction and objectives of key areas of human resource management in order to ensure that they not only are consistent with but also support the achievement of business goals.” (Massey, 1994, p. 27)
Changing Roles. Traditionally, HR has been an administrative position-processing paperwork, benefits, hiring and firing, and compensation. However, recently HRM has moved from a traditional to a strategic role, the emphasis is on catering to the needs of consumers and workers. Before, HR was seen as the enemy and employees believed that HR’s main purpose was to protect management. Now, the position requires HRM to be more people oriented and protect their human capitol, the staff. In addition, human resource management has to be business savvy and think of themselves as strategic partners in the 21st century.