Trends and Challenges in Human Resource Management - Essay Example

Owing to rapid technological advancements, the demand for well trained employees is high. Organizations are now looking to impart necessary skills to their workers using all kinds of innovative strategies and training resources. With respect to this trend, Rothwell, Hohne, & King (2000), state HR practitioners, " must be ready to manage, design, develop or select, and use learning technologies that support learning and development for their organization" (p. 190). Focus has also shifted to employee development, leadership development and performance improvement.

Here again the organization looks to HR practitioners to bring out positive results. Mathis & Jackson(2005) state, "Four major HR challenges faced by managers and organizations now and in the future are the globalization of business, economic and technological changes, workforce demographics and diversity, and organizational cost pressures and restructuring" (p. 28). Nowadays the world is a global - workplace and under these circumstances it is the role of Human Resource Management (HRM) to steer the organization across the choppy waters of international law, cultural issues and the threat of terrorism.

Technological changes have made it imperative that HRM adapt itself to meet the needs of the organization. The workplace has become increasingly diverse in terms of ethnicity, gender and age. Therefore HR practitioners must ensure there is no discrimination or harassment on the basis of ill-conceived stereotypes. They must also work to create an environment of security to enable optimal production while keeping at bay employees' insecurities about losing their jobs.A Complete Performance Management System as Opposed to Annual Performance Appraisals: Performance management seeks to enhance performance, introduce changes as per the need, keep up morale, and keep communication channels opens.

According to Hendry et al., "Despite a revised perspective which treats performance management as a wide-ranging process many line managers still equate performance management with annual appraisals and their negative aspects" (as cited in Price, 2000, p. 193). Annual performance appraisals are dreaded by the employees. They are asked to fill out forms or are interviewed and then judgments are made as to their character by managers who are usually ill-suited for the purpose. This method of evaluation creates a hostile environment where negative attitudes prevail and no discernible improvement in performance is seen.

In the words of Price (2000), "Modern performance management systems emphasize dialogue rather than assessment" (p. 194). Behaviorally anchored rating scales (BARS) and behavioral observation scales (BOS) are popular techniques designed to overcome the shortcomings of performance appraisals. These techniques stay objective, while focusing on employees' performance and potential.Performance management is a key aspect of HRM. It helps bring out the potential of employees as individuals and as team members.

Thus by focusing on performance management the HR department can deal effectively with the trends and challenges of Human resource management.ReferencesFitz - enz, J. (2001). How to measure human resource mana