Benefits of Effective Human Resource Management - Essay Example

? Benefits of Effective Human Resource Management Introduction Human resource management essentially entails managing of people in an organization where focus is on people as the key resource. The process of human resource management includes acquisition, development, motivation then maintenance. Zakaria, Zainal and Nasurdin define human resource management as “a philosophy, policy, system and practices that can affect the behavior, attitudes and performance of employees” (2011, p.77). Durkovic (2009) acknowledges the importance of human resource management noting that organizational success significantly depends on the manner in which human potentials are managed. This implies that managers of human resources have to be equipped with the necessary skills in order to produce the best from the employees despite the challenges involved in managing people. The concept of human resource management Human resource management has undergone significant change in theory, practice and research over the previous decades. The pressure from both the internal and external environments has caused HRM to deviate from its administrative tasks as personnel management to adopting its new role as a root of sustainable competitive advantage in organizations (Durkovic, 2009). Previously, the functions of HRM as a key driver of success in an organization were ignored. However, in the modern economic environment, its potential role in enhancing the performance of organizations has been appreciated with its practice improving performance through customer and employee satisfaction, productivity, innovation and developing good reputation in an organization’s community. As such, a human resource manager would be expected to be a motivator, educator, discriminator of right and wrong, leader, visionary and an intellectual. The functions involved in HRM could either be managerial or operative (Jackson, Schuler & Werner, 2012). Importance of human resource management In essence, the importance of human resource management refers to the importance of labor functions pegged on the management. Its practice considerably influences the performance of an organization (Zakaria, Zainal & Nasurdin, 2011). Human resource management plays a key role in preparing, adopting and continued evolution of programs and policies of personnel. Through scientific selection process, it supplies an organization with skilled workers. Similarly, human resource management prepares workers so that they fit within the changing environment through training and development. It encourages experimentation and innovation so that costs would be reduced and productivity increased. This shows that human resource management plays a key role in an organization and should therefore not be undermined. It relates to all organizational activities including production, marketing and finance among others. Jackson, Schuler and Werner (2012) further observe the importance of human resource management in satisfying various stakeholders in an organization including investors, owners, employees, other organizations and the society at large. The concern in this would be in people as resources and not as factors of production. It encompasses the cycle starting from recruitment to selection, hiring and training so as to develop human assets. Required skills Effective human resource management requires one to possess the required skills for appropriate management to ensure that organizational objectives are achieved. The basic skills cited by Jackson, Schuler and Werner (2012) include listening, presentation, communication and leadership skills. Negotiation skills would also be critical in ensuring that these managers recruit the best skills in the market at competitive rates. Due to group dynamics in an organization, human resource management calls for skills in group problem solving so as to ensure harmony among the employees. This would be coupled with the demand for team building skills to ensure that the organization works as a team towards a common goal. Planning and facilitation skills also comprise the necessary skills in HRM. Effective human resource managers should be risk taking, creative and sensitive to diversity. Due to the current constant changes in technology, Johnson, Gueutal and Marler (2012) discuss some key skills needed for a modern human resource manager collected through an interview with human resource managers from various modern organizations. Among these include change management, social networking and human resource metrics and analytics skills. However, Ekankumo, Kemebaradikumo and Braye (2011) observe that the uncertainties surrounding human behavior sometimes make it difficult to determine the exact skills required in a specific organization. Challenges In spite of the increased interest in understanding how to manage organizations and the involved people, there are various happenings indicating that managers still face challenges in human resource management. The increasing workforce size has been cited as a major challenge especially among multinational organizations. The management of a larger group requires consciousness to the needs of the workers as they become more aware of their rights and get influenced considerably due to group dynamics. This challenge has been coupled with increased levels of education following the effort put forth by various governments to eradicate illiteracy. Educated workers and consumers make management of people a challenging task. With advanced technology and its rapid changes, many jobs become redundant as new ones get created (Johnson, Gueutal & Marler, 2012). More so, workers would need training to ensure their efficiency at work due to the changes in psychosocial system. As such, human resources managers face the constant challenge of having to assess manpower needs to be accompanied by appropriate training. Managing human relations has been cited as a common challenge among human resource managers as industrial relations keep dwindling in most companies every day. Despite there being various reasons that could cause industrial unrest in an organisation, a significant portion could be attributed to difference in political affiliations and growth of multi-union membership. Conclusion Human resource management is a deviation from the traditional personnel management that focused on administrative tasks to a more people sensitive approach, appreciating its role as a driver of success in an organization. The various research studies on human resource management continue to point out on the need for appropriate skills in the field so as to ensure that employees effectively aid the organization in attaining its business goals and business results. Other than the inherent skills for managing humans, changes in technology call for additional skills that would see managers operate efficiently in the current environment. Even so, challenges in the field keep emerging from various dimensions and managers should find appropriate ways to handle them whenever they arise. References Durkovic, J. V. (2009). Development of human resources as strategic factors of the companies’ competitive advantage. Economics and Organization, 6 (1), 59 – 67. Ekankumo, B., Kemebaradikumo, N. & Braye, K. (2011). Human resources management skills required of tertiary institution administrators in the Niger Delta States of Nigeria. Research Journal of Social Sciences, 3 (6), 432 – 444. Jackson, S. E., Schuler, R. S. & Werner, S. (2012). Managing human resources. (11th ed.). Mason, OH: South-Western Cengage Learning. Johnson, R. D., Gueutal, H. G. & Marler, J. H. (2012). Developing HR technology skills for the 21st century: The importance of HRIS education. Workforce Solutions Review. 14 – 17. Zakaria, N., Zainal, S. R. M. & Nasurdin, A. M. (2011). Investigating the role of human resource management practices on the performance of SME: a conceptual framework. Journal of Global Management, 3 (1), 74 – 92. Read More