Special Features of Managing Human Resources - Research Paper Example

1. David Guest, a d British scholar in the human resource management debate, devised his normative model of human resource management a few yearsafter Walton's foray into commitment strategies. Guest (1987) defined four outcomes for human resource management - strategic integration, commitment, flexibility and quality. In Guest's view these human resource management outcomes would lead to higher levels of job performance, higher levels of innovation and change whilst lowering turnover, absence and employee grievance rates. This veritable nirvana of human resource management has remained one of the most influential models in discussions about human resource management to this day 2. Human resource management is a distinctive approach to employment management which seeks to achieve competitive advantage through the strategic deployment of a highly committed and capable workforce using an array of cultural, structural and personnel techniques. (Guest, 1999) There are a number of things to notice in Storey's listing. Firstly, human resource management is clearly not simply the province of the human resource manager. Line managers play a critical role in human resource management and, in fact, could be argued to be the main organisational exponents of people management. Secondly, human resource management is firmly embedded in business strategy. Unlike the personnel manager, the HR manager is part of the top level strategic team in the organisation and human resource management plays a key role in the achievement of business success. Thirdly, the shaping of organisational culture is one of the major levers by which effective human resource management can achieve its objectives of a committed workforce. Thus, human resource management is concerned not only with the formal processes of the management of people but also with all the ways in which the organisational culture is established, re-inforced and transmitted. 3. Organizational development and innovation is the systematic application of behavioural science knowledge at various levels to bring about planned change. Its objectives include a higher quality of work life, productivity, adaptability and effectiveness. It seeks to use behavioural knowledge to change beliefs, attitudes, values, strategies, structures and practices so that the organization can better adapt to competitive actions, technological advances, and the fast pace of other changes in the environment. Organization development helps managers recognize that organizations are systems with dynamic interpersonal relationships holding them together. The reasonable next step was to try to change groups, units, and entire organizations so that they would support, not necessarily replace, change efforts. In short, the general objective of organizational development is to change all parts of the organization in order to make it humanly responsive, more effective, and more capable of organizational learning and self-renewal. It relies on systems orientation, causal models, and a set of key assumptions to guide it. 4. The flexible model of working shows the ability of the company to also consider the needs of the employees in terms of time. This model shows how flexibility affects both the employers and the employees. There are advantages and disadvantages with using this model. The term flexible working refers to working practices, mutually agreed between employee and employer, which cover working hours, locations or patterns of work. Such arrangements have to comply with the law on working time, including hours, rest breaks and the working week. 5. As work has become less central to people's lives, vying for time with family and leisure, many have become concerned with what is termed the 'work-life balance'. 'Work-life balance is about people having a measure of control over when, where and how they work. It is achieved when an individual's right to a fulfilled life inside and outside paid work is accepted and respected as the norm, to the mutual benefit of the individual, business and society'. (Guest, 1999) 6. The advantages of flexible working to employers are reduced overheads, increased productivity and improved recruitment and retention. Flexibility makes it easier for employees to cover the essential demands of their home lives, and so encourages people to apply for jobs and to stay in them. Working flexibly and paying attention to work-life balance is unlikely to improve an employee's financial situation in the short term, although there's an argument that balancing work and home eventually improves performance and productivity, which might then be reflected in improved financial rewards. Once employees calculated the cost, they will need to think about it. The disadvantages of flexible working for both employers and employees are possibility of lower wages, possible isolation and estrangement from work colleagues, difficulties of motivation, organising, adapting and planning. In some industries, flexible working could be an obstacle to promotion. 7. Valuing diversity is implicit in some companies' reputation as an advocate of democracy to the extent that they live up to this advocacy and treat each individual fairly, progressively, responsively, and respectfully. Americans help their nation become the country of choice. There are so many dimensions to diversity, both visible and invisible, that makes some companies fundamentally unique, and yet alike, and the employees are different in age, education, ethnicity, family status, gender, gender identity, physical abilities, religion, sexual orientation or veteran status. These are just few examples of the dimensions that Americans differ. Just as many threads create a fabric, many dimensions create diversity. The fabric of diversity in companies has many threads- many dimensions. At the same time, they carry within themselves certain cultural or artistic traditions, experiences, family customs and life lessons that contribute to who they are, what they believe and how they dream. 8. Diversity in the workforce has contributed to the emergence of awareness and acceptance of employees from different races, ages and gender. Women are now more involved in different sectors and has made notable contributions as well. The traditional notion that women should be limited to the four corners of the house with the ultimate position as a housewife is now long gone. Single or married women, with or without kids, are continuously striving to flourish their own career profiles for their self-fulfilment and also to help in the financial capacity of the household. Most companies apply this concept and started providing equal opportunities at work. Gender discrimination can still be an issue but not as progressive as it previously was. However, working women are still subject to stereotypes and biases for some of them may be possible victims of prejudice and bias. Most companies have the tendency to hire and retain working women who are still single and without any kids. Ideally, they believe that these single women have fewer responsibilities to fulfil for they are free from the familial problems that arise from arguments with husbands or kids getting sick. This can be an issue for this notion is somewhat subjective and does not really apply to all for there are still working mothers and wives who are able to do their jobs very well. Being a mother is already a huge responsibility and being a wife in another tedious task. However having multiple roles to perform outside the workplace may hinder or permit these working women to perform and stay at par with the single women in the workforce. 9. Managing diversity deals with the promising approach to overcoming discriminatory practices actually attempts to change the underlying attitudes. Programs aimed at managing diversity build from a key premise: Prejudicial stereotypes develop from unfounded assumptions about others from the overlooked qualities. Differences need to be recognized, acknowledged, appreciated and used to collective advantage. Equal opportunities seek to guarantee equal pay and opportunities for equal work. This approach demands that reward systems be designed so that people in comparable jobs - those of equal value to the employer -receive similar levels of rewards or compensation. 10. Our company's employment practices support the principles of equal opportunity and equal representation. With a strong commitment to the value of diversity, managers actively recruit, hire, train, retain, and promote employees on the basis of their qualifications and without regard to race, color, sex, religion, national or ethnic origin, age, marital status, sexual orientation, or disability. Organization and Staffing is a core Human Resources role. When senior management discusses strategy and corporate goals, they depend on reports that show headcount by division/department, turnover rates, loss trends, and high-level project status. These reports help ensure resources are aligned with the global priorities of the company for better performance management. 11. Whenever an organization expands its operations so that its geographic boundaries span two or more countries, it tends to become multicultural and it will then face the challenge of blending various cultures. Multiculturalism occurs when the employees in two or more cultures interact with each other on a regular basis. Managers and technical employees entering another nation to install an advanced organizational system need to adjust their leadership styles, communication patterns, and other practices to fit the culture of their host country. In some instances these new employees are parent-country nationals from the nation in which the home-office is based, or they may be third-country nationals from some other nation. In either case, they are called expatriates, since they are sent from other nation. Their role is to provide a fusion of cultures in which both parties adjust to the new situation of seeking greater productivity for the benefit of both organization and the citizens of the country in which the organization operates. 12. Diversity has a depth and dimension that surpasses the obvious differences among people. People honour the obvious differences among people. They honour diversity within their own countries, recognizing the unique characteristics and individual contributions of each of their citizens to their state's success and development. They believe that a diverse group of people fosters an environment conducive to creativity, productivity and high performance that affords each individual the opportunity to reach their fullest potential. Proper facilitation and administration provides leverage to the diversity of a company as a competitive advantage in the global aspect that they face and to make the country a better place to live and prosper for immigrants such as the Irish. Companies want to promote the development of growth and diversity by strengthening our existing relationships and building new collaborative relationships between the existing immigrant workforce and the diverse community that they serve. These relationships between immigrants and nationals will position their country as a country of choice as they continuously expand their business and industries and foster an environment where the indifferences of the people are appreciated and utilized to the advantage of the nation as a whole. REFERENCES: Guest, D (1987). Human resource management and industrial relations. Journal of Management Studies, 24:5, 503-521. Guest, D (1999). Human resource management - the workers' verdict. Human Resource Management Journal, 9:4, 5-25. Guest, D.(2001). Industrial relations and human resource management in J. Storey (ed) Human resource management: a critical text (2nd Edn), Thomson, London. Guest, D (2002). Human resource management, corporate performance and employee well-being: building the worker into HRM. The Journal of Industrial Relations, 44:3, 335-358. Read More