The Impact of Human Resources Management Development in the Learning Structures of Employees - Research Proposal Example

HUMAN RESOURCE MANAGEMENT By Human Resource Management is a critical role in the operations of an organization as it enables the company to get its hands on its most valuable assets, the employees. As such, the HRM department of any organization allows the organization to develop its goals, meet its objectives, as well as, concentrate in achieving its mission and vision, most of which in profitability and wealth maximization. This paper explores the extent to which employees get assistance from their managers in order to develop their skills and professionalism, starting all the way from the training levels at the universities and other learning institutions. Human Resource Management Research Problem or Question This research proposal covers a number of research questions related to the human resource management role of an organization. These are the questions relevant to the growth and development of an employee as an employee. These research questions include the extent to which managers involve themselves in the development of the skills of their employees. Another question is whether the university can become a learning organization, whereby a learning organization is one that undergoes growth and development by learning and adopting new things in the business world. The research proposal will also address what most graduates look for while in their first positions of employment, or the changes being undertaken in the education sector, as well as, how managers manage the new generation of employees. In addition, the research proposal also covers other questions such as whether students have a psychological contract at the university, and if so, with whom, or whether employee engagement is just another fad from the management of the organizations. Other questions are the impact of different forms of employees’ voice and participation at the workplace, the impact of recession on HRM and working conditions within an organization, or the roles of trade unions and non-union employee representative bodies. On the other hand, the research proposal also evaluates how temporary agency work, and its regulations affects the working conditions of employees, and how corporate governance affects the employment relationship in sectors such as banking and finance, as well as, the impact of different country contexts on international HRM and employment relations (Chidambaram & Ramachandran 2012, p. 279). Literature Review Many publications contain relevant information relating to the adoption of HRM issues and attempts to answer most of the questions raised in the above research problem, which evaluates the impact of HRM development in the learning structures of employees. Numerous organizations deal with the adoption and development of HRM and related issues in the development of an organizational structure, as well as, the management of the performance of an organization, such as the Human Resource Gild and try to provide answers to these questions. For instance, the extent to which managers involve themselves in the development of their employees is one of the critical questions that these HRM platforms strive to answer. A manager should play an instrumental role in developing the skills and professionalism of their employees owing to the fact that an employee is the most precious asset of an organization. Having the right workforce empowers the organization to be competitive as well as efficient in undertaking its normal operations. As such, a manager taking his or her time to train and develop the skills of his or her employees is also im proving the efficiencies and productivity of his or her organization owing to the increased output of their employees. Therefore, improving the skills and expertise of their employees should be among the chief role of the manager because the perfection of their employees also doubles up in profit maximization of the organization, and an overall improvement in the productivity and efficiencies of the company. A university can also become a learning institution in the sense it enables the development and training of an employee. The concept of a learning organization is increasing in widespread philosophy in most modern companies beginning with the largest multinational all the way down to the smallest ventures. As such, the level of achievement within this philosophy depends considerably on the interpretation of an individual as well as their commitment to the philosophy. An explanation of the learning organization is one which people at all level of an organization, individual, as well as, collectively continuously increase their capacity to produce results that they really care about, such as improving their life skills and experiences. The learning organization contains five dimensions, which are personal mastery, mental models, shared vision, team learning, and systems thinking (Chowhan, Cooke, Karlene & Zeutinoglu 2008, p.26). Most graduates look for a well paying job in their first employment positions. This is majorly because they want to apply the knowledge that they acquired while at the universities. In fact, most of the students will want a job description that matches their qualification as university graduates, and will not settle for less if offered a job that seems somewhat below their level or standards of performance. However, this discrimination in job positions denies the student in landing some lucrative job opportunities especially if they look down on an opportunity to grow their career simply because the job does not pay enough salary, or does not have an attractive allowance and compensation package. However, higher education is fast changing in the modern world owing to the fast emergence of different concepts affecting the business environment of most organizations, such as globalization and technology. Globalization enables organizations to expand their market spheres from their domestic and local playgrounds to international markets and global platforms. Therefore, higher education is fast changing in order to accommodate the new tides and turns in the global business world in order to prepare student appropriately for their new roles in the employment market. As such, managers in an organization have to be ready to manage the new generation of employees pouring out of learning institutions into the job market. Unlike the earlier days, nowadays, fresh graduates from the university have excessive ambition and initiative to take on new tasks and responsibilities, and as such, want to climb fast through the organizational structure to the top level of management. Most of them are not patient enough to wait for their gradual promotion, and as such, most managers suffer undertaking tasks such as a high rate of workers’ turnover. Research Methods In researching the different aspects of human resource management as outlined in the research proposal, the research undertakes both qualitative as well as quantitative research methods in establishing the facts relating to the topic. In qualitative research, the research explores how various aspects of the human resource management add value to their profession, for instance, whether students have a psychological contract at the university, as well as, whether the employee engagement is just another managerial fad. Employee engagement is an approach at the workplace designed to ensure that employees have total commitment to the goals and values of the organization, and have the right motivation to contribute to the organizational success, as well as, be in a position to enhance their personal sense of well being. Employee engagement creates conditions that enable employees to offer more of their capability and potential (Eduardo & Rebecca 2011, p.16). Differences in the attitude, behavior and outcomes in the terms of engagement enhance the pride and loyalty of the employees in an organization, thereby making these employees the advocates of the company. However, employee engagement is not merely another managerial fad because most managers have to take charge in improving the loyalty and performance of their workforce by ensuring all employees increase their productivity and efficiencies. This research proposal also covers the impact of different forms of employee voice and participation at the workplace. Employees like having the management listen and consider their views and opinions about various aspects concerning the organization, especially in decision making processes that affect their overall performance and working at the organization. This engagement of employees in such critical issues of the organization boosts their morale and enhances them to be more productive and efficient in their performance at the work place. It also covers the impact of recession on HRM, as well as, the working conditions of an organization. The inception of inflation in the economy brought about a perpetual credibility problem, which most HR managers had to struggle with and overcome. In fact, HR managers got criticisms for being ineffective, or playing obstacles towards the adoption of change within the organization, as well as, playing the most ineffective element of a typical organization. However, Hr responded to its critics by trying to become more of a business partner and through trying to add more value to the organization. In addition, the low effectiveness of the HR functions and the broadcast of its problems increase its status and effectiveness. Recession has also had a vast impact in the working conditions of an organization. Recession brought about a crunch in the profitability and return on investment in many organizations. As such, most of these companies had to work hard to maintain cost efficiencies by reducing the level of their wage bill, as well as, maintaining other costs at manageable levels. As such, these organizations had to consider laying off some of its workers in order to control their wage bill, such as through the adoption of the retrenchment strategy of management. On the other hand, these organizations also lobbied for a reduction or a salary cut in the top-level managers in order to contain the escalating wage bill arising through the poor economic conditions in their business environment (Gibb 2003, 291). Implications of Research The implications of this research proposal are phenomenal in the sense that it enables the organization to prepare for various issues relating to HRM that arise from various angles of their operations. As such, various academic readership materials are relevant in the management and execution of various issues in HRM relating to the performance of an organization and individuals. Academic readership is very relevant in the development of serious aspects of HRM that affect the performance and effectiveness of the organization. This also enables the management of various organizations to undertake various business practices as well as public policies in the management of HRM issues. This creates a situation whereby the organization complies with the rules and regulations set to govern the practice of employees and their responsibilities within an organization. For instance, trade unions play a very important role in the management and representation of issues of employees within an organization. They assist the employees to express their views, opinions, as well as grievances while working at the organization. This gives them a voice to suggest the amendments and instrumental changes that they require in the organization that effectively enhance their working conditions while at the organization. On the other hand, it also encourages employees to suggest instrumental changes to the organization that affect the development of their needs and practices while at the workstation. Corporate governance also plays an important role in the development of an employment relationship in certain sectors such as fiancé and banking. This is especially in relation to appropriate employee remuneration packages, as well as, management of the needs and working conditions of employees while at the workplace. Corporate governance enables the organization to undertake strict rules and regulations of appropriate governance in the management of an organization, such as eliminating crimes such as fraud, mismanagement of funds, and embezzlement of funds. This also empowers the organization to have enough funds that will enable it to pay employees salaries at the right time, and in the right quantities without delays or any unfair deductions owing to improper structures of management within the organization, such as unnecessary pay cuts or wage reductions (Jean-Francois 2011, p.86). Different country contexts have different impacts on international HRM and employment relations. This is especially so considering the international labor laws that vary from one country to another, as well as, the domestic labor laws that govern the HRM practices in each country. Some countries have different labor laws depending on the structure and model that they adopt. On the other hand, the international Labor organization comes up with specific universal laws of employment that apply to across the globe and protect the rights and privileges of employees within an organization. Country laws affecting HRM may be pertaining to religion, such as Sharia Laws in most Islamic countries that discriminate against women holding executive positions in an organization, due to their religious cum cultural role in the society, which is procreation and taking care of the family. However, ILO comes up with universal tenets that subdue these laws and give diversity and equality a platform to fight for fair representation within the organization. As such, they influence the roles of HRM in various aspects Reference List Chidambaram, V. & Ramachandran, A., 2012, A Study on Efficiency of Employee Training: Review Of Literature. Business Theory & Practice, 13(3), 275-282. Chowhan, J., Cooke, G., Karlene, H. & Zeutinoglu, I., 2008, Low-Paid Workers and On-The-Job Training in Canada. Relations Industrielles, 63(1), -29. Collings, D. & Wood, G. (2009). Human Resource Management: A Critical Approach. London: Routledge Publishers. Eduardo, S. & Rebecca, G., 2011, The Transfer of Training: What Really Matters. International Journal of Training and Development, 15(2), 103-120. Gibb, S., 2003, “Line Manager Involvement in Learning and Development: Small Beer or Big Deal?” Employee Relations, 25(3), 281-293. Jackson, S., Schuler, R. & Werner, S. (2012). Human Resource Management. Stamford, Connecticut: Cengage Learning. Jean-Francois, C., 2011, Does National Culture Affect Firm Investment in Training and Development? Academy Of Management Perspectives, 25(4), 85-87. Lawler, E., 2010, Working Paper Impact of Recession: What Has Happened To HR? Retrieved From http://ceo.usc.edu/working_paper/impact_of_recession_what_has_h.html Roche, W., Teague, P., Coughlan, A. and Fahy, M., Human resources in the recession: managing and representing people at work in Ireland: Executive summary (838Kb PDF), Dublin, Labour Relations Commission, 2011. Simons, R. (2011). Human Resource Management: Issues Challenges and Opportunities. Boca Raton, FL: CRC Press. Read More