Human Resource Management - Essay Example

Analysis of the journey to understand the importance of the HRM is long, but worthwhile as it presents some very interesting facts about organizations. This paper covers my reflections of the functions of the HRM department in any organizational set up. The roles of the HRM department are the most vital in an organization, ranging from planning, staffing, and leading, organizing, and controlling the organization’s work force (Mathis & Jackson, 2010). The process of HRM includes testing, training, planning, compensating, and appraising employees.

The employees’ safety and health, and equality are also major concerns of the department. Given the facts above, one would be quick to question the bad image painted on the department. Why do some people consider the department as a psychotherapist clinic of a company or as a mere recruiting office? I think the performance of those HRM departments under criticism did not meet the employees’ expectations and thus the lamentation. HRM departments are supposed to carry their duties indiscriminately.

Equal Employment Opportunity (EEO) and Affirmative actions should be the core of the department’s moral principles. These two guiding principles are the stepping-stones to enhancing positive diversity in an organization. The identification of differences enhances development of an environment that promotes respect. The HRM department should nurtures these differences and use them for the benefits of both the organization and the individual. The government, through reports requirement, has enforced the two policies in both federal and public organizations (Mathis & Jackson, 2010).

Federal organizations are required to submit their reports to the Equal Employment Opportunity Commission (EEOC) and the Office of Personnel Management (OPM). Nevertheless, these requirements are fragmented and irregularities with the records often emerge. It is imperative that HRM professionals observe the EEO and Affirmative actions policies, from their lifestyles to places of work. A diverse work force will provide creative and innovative workers to drive an organization towards achievement of its strategic goals.

In the planning, recruitment and selection, enforcement of EEO and affirmative actions should remain on focus. Potential employees have the right to equal opportunities of employment without prejudice of race, color or religion (Ivancevich, 2006). The recruitment of the employees should be clear of discrimination, and the vacancies assigned to qualified applicants with occasional reference to the diversity ratio. The issue that arises during the planning is the decision to determine candidacy of employees based on qualification or equality.

In some situations, the best-qualified candidates are qualified, but represent only a margin of the population. The conflict of equal employment opportunity and affirmative, and the desired employee characteristics arises here. The case scenario is evident, as it has occurred in one of my classes. Majority of the students who passed on the course subjects were male. Now, presenting awards to only male students would portray the idea of male chauvinism.