Introduction
Human Resource Management, or HRM for short, is one of the most critical factors in running a successful company, though it isn’t always handled with the time and focus that it deserves. To fully understand what HRM is and its impact on the success or failure of a business, we first need to know what it means. The following is a satisfactory definition:
The function of Human Resource Management is to recruit, develop and use the personnel within an organisation in the manner in which is most suitable to accomplishing the aims and objectives of the organisation.
This effectively translates to “using people in the company in the best way possible” though that would be an over-simplified statement that does not echo the true nature and range of HRM. HRM describes all of the methods and procedures that are involved in making certain that all members of staff in a company are pulling in the same direction, and much more importantly, in the right direction.
At its core, HRM combines three primary elements that are fundamental to the productive output of the workforce. These elements include motivation, management and leadership, and organisational structures. As a result, HRM can be applied to all levels of management in your business, not just the shop floor staff, and it could even be used to adjust the framework of those levels of management as well.
Why is it Necessary?
Put simply, businesses don’t work without employees. As a result, some level of human resource management is necessary for any organisation to operate at all, let alone in an efficient and profitable manner.
Human Resource Management has an effect on every level of your corporate activities with varying degrees of visibility. The most apparent HRM tasks include the hiring and firing of staff as well as monetary systems such as payroll. It can also impact on motivation and communication within your business, which are far more intangible aspects but are crucial nonetheless.
It also goes without saying that each company is different and will have a specific set of challenges to face and opportunities to take advantage of. HRM can work as a versatile tool that converts workforce potential into financial gains and can adapt to fully utilise the talents of your company. Without it, your rivals may be afforded the chance to prosper where you missed out.
We employ Human Resource Management to ensure our own workforce offers IBC creation efficiently for maximum profitability.
Impact on Business
Whilst this all appears very interesting and significant, how does it actually influence the daily functions of your company, and more importantly, how will it help to enhance the performance and success of your firm?
Recruitment & Training
This is probably the area of a business that is most affiliated with human resources – recruitment. Nearly every business in the world, and especially businesses that are growing, must recruit people to work for them. Either current employees have left, or new opportunities have arisen which mean there are jobs that have to be filled. HRM can ensure your recruitment process gets the right people into the right roles at an affordable price.
It’s also important to keep your staff training procedures up-to-date to make sure that your staff is fully capable of doing the job they are there to do. Whether it is a new piece of legislation or a new bit of technology that alters the marketplace, there is an on-going requirement to keep your business up-to-date and prepared to take advantage of any opportunity. There is a phrase that states that “if you are not moving forward you are going backwards” which can be applied to business.
You may also find that the costly process of external recruitment can be averted if your company has adequate training facilities in place. It is much easier to teach an existing staff member to a higher level and then use outside recruitment to fill the gap left at the lower level than it is to hire directly to a higher level. This technique can be applied at almost every level of management within your company.
Employee Relations
When you have the right people working for you it is important to keep them working for you, and to make sure they are doing a good job. This can be accomplished via good employee relations. The most obvious employee relations exercise is the art of motivation – a broad topic itself – but other employee relations issues may include disciplinary and grievance management.
Finances
You can’t keep employees at your company by good motivational methods only. They’ll want to be paid a fair sum and on time. Payroll should be one of the very first systems that is developed when you start a company, but they still need to be taken care of and updated when personnel join, leave or change pay grade. Incorrect management of your payroll program can quickly lead to disaster in terms of your staff.
Industrial Relations
Several firms will have to deal with trade union or other workers rights establishments which can be very forceful when protecting the interests of their own members. When interacting with such bodies it is advantageous to have people within your company who can communicate effectively with them whilst keeping the interests of your own company in mind at the same time. The need for good industrial relations is significantly more prevalent in public sector firms.
Human resource management is required by every shelf company no matter how big or little your workforce might be.
Workforce Planning
We have seen the influence that human resource management can have on a business and generally it seems like good HRM will have a beneficial effect on any organisation. As a rule, this is the case, but good HRM does not just occur overnight.
One way to apply HRM concepts to your company is through workforce planning – a process that has the goal of making sure your staff can finish the upcoming tasks required for your company to be successful.
Definition
Workforce planning is the process of anticipating ahead of time the human resource needs of any enterprise, both in terms of the number of employees required and the proper skill mix. Recruitment and training policies are devised with a long term focus in order to make sure that the company is able to function without being limited by a shortage of appropriate labour.
Requirements
Evaluating your workforce demands is essential to the proper planning of your workforce in the short-term and long-term future. If your company is subject to seasonal changes in demand, such as in the tourism industry, or is prone to seasonal fluctuations in staff levels then your workforce planning has to take these variables into consideration. Also bear in mind any future retirements or periods of maternity/paternity leave or you could experience a shortage of qualified personnel.
Recruitment
Whether you are hiring people externally or from within your existing workforce you still need to find the right individual to fill the role. As part of your workforce planning you should draw up a job description that describes the role that will be carried out as well as a person specification which will give an indication of the sort of individual that would be a perfect fit for the job and your company.
Selection
The selection process can be as involved or as simple as you deem necessary. Outside of standard job selection interviews there are a number of ways you can learn about about applicants for your jobs, including aptitude tests, group interviews or even psychometric testing. These advanced techniques may not be relevant to all workforce planning assignments but are an alternative to employers.
Training & Development
The primary goal of staff training and development is to produce a better standard of worker in your company. Workforce planning can use training to plug upcoming gaps in the skill set of your workforce and is usually quicker and more economical than external recruitment. Training and development can also go some way towards motivating your staff.
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Workforce Motivation
It almost goes without saying that properly motivated workers are going to deliver a better standard of output and have a greater quantity of output than unhappy workers. This improved work rate will undoubtedly lead to an increase in the profitability of a company. Yet motivation is still a bit of taboo subject among some managers.
Essentially, all motivational practices can be separated into two models that are often called the “carrot and stick” approach to motivation. The analogy relates to the two ways to make a donkey carry your possessions, either by tempting it with a carrot, or threatening it with a hit from a stick! It is a relatively old idea but the basic principle is still relevant to businesses today.
Whether you use the carrot approach or the stick strategy will generally depend on your own management approach, as well as the business you work in and the type of people that you hire.
Financial
The most common financial motivators are payment schemes. You can pay staff in numerous different ways, either a fixed amount for a fixed service, by an hourly or daily rate, or a rate linked to production, such as a commission scheme. Whatever method is used, the workforce is motivated to work because they will get money for doing so.
Another financial motivation technique involves what are called incentive schemes, where by additional financial rewards are handed out for good performance. This may include commission above a fixed salary, performance-related pay grades or even offering a share of company profits. Once again, the motivating aspect here is the money alone.
Non-financial
Several human resource theorists have their own thoughts about the other elements that motivate people to do the job, although these are often seen as an added bonus to a worker. It is broadly acknowledged that money is the key motivational factor for the majority of people. If you would like to learn more about these theories I would recommend looking up the work of Elton Mayo, Abraham Maslow as well as Fredrick Herzberg.
The Changing Face of HRM
As previously stated, HRM is a versatile application that is there to match the characteristics of your workforce to the objectives of your business. As a result, it has had to keep adapting to a business climate that is continuously changing for one reason or another.
Perhaps there is a new piece of government law that will have an effect of how your business can carry out its trading, or maybe a new manufacturing technology will come along that can revolutionise your sector. Either way, if you want to make sure that your workforce is performing to its highest level then your HRM system should be flexible enough to cope with an ever-changing economy. After all, what might seem like a risk to many will often appear as an opportunity to a shrewd entrepreneur.