HRM, just like many other aspect of business, has continued to change with time. Such changes are occasioned by various business environmental factors which include changes in technology and the effect of globalization. For a business to survive and realize its objectives, it has to keep checking its strategies. A comprehensive analysis of a given market goes a long way in informing what business strategies should be formulated; including human resource management strategies. The advances in technology as well as the effects of globalization have contributed to the HRM in the past ten years. These changes comprise of the need for continuous development of the human resources as well as sourcing for specific skills and competencies (Pfau & Kay, 2002).
Some of the issues that have emerged in the world of HRM include the global economy and E-enabled technologies. This has raised questions on organizational effectiveness, organizational capability as well as human capital. As a result, the last ten years have seen the outsourcing of transactional parts of various organizations aimed at cutting costs and ensuring relevance in operations. Organizations have also shifted their focus to talent culture and capability and being an efficient internal consulting entity (Bear, 2005). This talent will be vital in the ever dynamic business world. Without that, the organization’s ability to remain relevant and competitive with time may become challenged.
HRM strategic partnership to senior leadership
In the leadership of a given company, HR professionals play a key role in ensuring that the objectives of the company are met. Indeed, the most valuable resource that an organization can possess is its human resource. This is because the organization’s employees are the ones responsible in using the organization’s resources to realize its objectives. It is for this reason that any organization’s leadership needs to put measures in place to ensure it recruits, develops and retains the best workforce. This responsibility is carried out by the HRM.
A given organization’s senior leadership is responsible for the formulation and implementation of business strategies. These strategies determine the organization’s ability to survive and prosper in its industry. The organization’s corporate level comes up with strategies which are then implemented by its business and functional units. This shows that for a given strategy to succeed, the human resource in all the levels of the organization need to play an active role. The HR professionals help in determining the required skills and manpower for implementing a given strategy. They then help source, develop and retain these skills and manpower. Without the HR professionals’ strategic partnership, a given business strategy may not succeed in realizing its objectives.
Specialty areas in HRM
Various specialty areas deal with specific segments of an organization’s human resource. This specialization is aimed at concentrating on specific needs of each segment hence fostering effectiveness in HRM. The Employee Relations focuses on addressing issues of employees in a given organization. Specialists in Employee Relations advise the employees and managers on principles, laws, regulations and practices related to performance management and employee relations.
Employee Development HR professionals are concerned with planning, developing, administering and evaluating programs meant for learning and development. These programs are meant to foster the employees’ skills and competencies. Recruitment and Placement professionals are concerned with the recruitment, selection, examination and placement of employees. They are required to be well-versed with principles, laws, regulations, policies and practices related with the recruitment and placement of employees.
HR generalist versus HR specialist
An HR generalist is someone who has a mastery of knowledge in all the HR functions. Such a person is trained to handle all specialties of HR. On the other hand, an HR specialist is someone who is trained on a particular specialty of HRM. Such a person chooses to leave the other specialties of HR and focuses on one specific area. HR generalists have wider responsibilities compared to specialist HR professionals.
HR as a profession
In determining whether or not one should pursue a career in HR, one has to look at their personal interests. HR, as a career, requires an interest in business matters, psychology, union relations, labor law, communication and collective bargaining. It also requires continuous learning so as to be in touch with trends in human resource management. The ability to listen, to be patient and to handle personal matters objectively will be needed in the daily work of HR professionals. Therefore, any individual that wants to consider a career in HR has to ask himself/herself if they have an interest in these essentials.
References
Bear, D. J. (2005). The Evolving HR Function. An HRI Highlight Report, St. Petersburg, FL: The University of Tampa Human Resource Institute.
Pfau, B. & Kay, I. (2002). The human capital edge: 21 people management practices your company must implement (or avoid) to maximize shareholder value. New York: McGraw-Hill.
