You may have heard or read something about human resource management
(HRM). If you are not in HR or at least in Personnel, you may not be too familiar with this terminology. Even some of those in HR may not know
what human resource management is. For example, there was this clerk in the HR department in a company where I had worked previously who admitted that she did not really know what HR was all about.
The terminology started to become popular more than two decades ago. Even now the terminology "Personnel" is still very much in use, such as in the United Kingdom. There, some personnel managers are wary of it and try to prevent its use.
The strange thing is that although a lot had been said about HR, the number of organizations who had implemented HR management is still very low. Indeed, some large corporations had adopted human resource management. Some HR proponents lament the slow acceptance of HR principles.
But what is human resource management?
Some are of the opinion that the former system under personnel management leans too much on maintenance and very little on aligning what employees do to achieve the objectives of the organization. Some make fun of personnel management, stating that the personnel department only performs administrative things and looks after staff recreation. Of course, this is not really true. Personnel departments also do other things that are important for the well-being of employees.
In England, the term 'personnel management' is still preferred. But it does not mean that there are no HR practitioners there. But there is a certain wariness about human resource management by some. It may turn out that it is just a matter of "terminology" at the end of the day.
Proponents of HR management insist that the new way of managing the workforce uses strategies. Administrative tasks still form part of the responsibilities but less time and effort are spent doing these. The business success of the organization becomes the main focus. It is mainly due to this that the terminology "Strategic Human Resource Management" (SHRM) came into use.
Is Human Resource development part of HR?
In some organizations, HR development is put under HR management. Here, the human resource development manager reports to the HR Manager.
However, there are organizations that separate HR development from HR management. Some other organizations concentrate on HR development (HRD) and less on HRM. They put emphasis on soft HR which focus on employees' skills and abilities. They believe that it is easier to change employee behaviour through training.
Difficult to say what HRM is NOT
It is misleading to say that HRM is not this or is not that. It can involve a long list of duties and responsibilities. It can include tasks which personnel management practitioners say fall under personnel.
At the end of the day, these are only words. What is important are the actual tasks carried out by department entrusted with the tasks of effectively managing people. You can give the department any name as long as what people do there helps the organization to successfully achieve its overall corporate objectives.
The terminology started to become popular more than two decades ago. Even now the terminology "Personnel" is still very much in use, such as in the United Kingdom. There, some personnel managers are wary of it and try to prevent its use.
The strange thing is that although a lot had been said about HR, the number of organizations who had implemented HR management is still very low. Indeed, some large corporations had adopted human resource management. Some HR proponents lament the slow acceptance of HR principles.
But what is human resource management?
Some are of the opinion that the former system under personnel management leans too much on maintenance and very little on aligning what employees do to achieve the objectives of the organization. Some make fun of personnel management, stating that the personnel department only performs administrative things and looks after staff recreation. Of course, this is not really true. Personnel departments also do other things that are important for the well-being of employees.
In England, the term 'personnel management' is still preferred. But it does not mean that there are no HR practitioners there. But there is a certain wariness about human resource management by some. It may turn out that it is just a matter of "terminology" at the end of the day.
Proponents of HR management insist that the new way of managing the workforce uses strategies. Administrative tasks still form part of the responsibilities but less time and effort are spent doing these. The business success of the organization becomes the main focus. It is mainly due to this that the terminology "Strategic Human Resource Management" (SHRM) came into use.
Is Human Resource development part of HR?
In some organizations, HR development is put under HR management. Here, the human resource development manager reports to the HR Manager.
However, there are organizations that separate HR development from HR management. Some other organizations concentrate on HR development (HRD) and less on HRM. They put emphasis on soft HR which focus on employees' skills and abilities. They believe that it is easier to change employee behaviour through training.
Difficult to say what HRM is NOT
It is misleading to say that HRM is not this or is not that. It can involve a long list of duties and responsibilities. It can include tasks which personnel management practitioners say fall under personnel.
At the end of the day, these are only words. What is important are the actual tasks carried out by department entrusted with the tasks of effectively managing people. You can give the department any name as long as what people do there helps the organization to successfully achieve its overall corporate objectives.
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