Human Resource Management Essay

The first stop at the place of employment on the first day of work is human resource management (HRM) office. Known in the past as the personnel department is now HRM; the place where contracts and all necessary documentation is processed before employment begins at the workplace. To some this is a friendly place and to other is threatening. Definition To understand what human resource management means and does, it is necessary to begin with a definition of its terms: Human: of, relating to, or characteristic of humans, consisting of humans (Merriam-Webster). Resource: a source of supply or support; an available means usually used in plural; a natural source of wealth or revenue often used in plural; a natural feature or phenomenon that enhances the quality of human life; a source of information or expertise (Merriam-Webster). Management: the act or art of managing; the conducting or supervising of something (as a business); judicious use of means to accomplish an end; the collective body of those who manage or direct an enterprise (Merriam-Webster). From these definitions an idea of human resource management forms and can be states as: The art of conducting or supervising the source of supply or support of humans. The purpose obviously is to perform tasks assigned in exchange for a wage or salary during a specified period of time or shift. Primary function HRM can be seen as the welcoming door to the company for new employees, but it represents much more than that. As part of the organization, HRM deals with the changes in the world affecting the company and its employees. Preparation is constant in this fast-paced world to cope with the newest changes in globalization, technology, workforce diversity, and labor shortages (DeCenzo 2007 p4). In today’s world, skill requirements are constantly changing and the improvement of the workforce is also continuous. HRM is responsible for overlooking the fulfillment of these needs in the company and all its different locations throughout the world. Globalization expanded the horizons for business and requires a deep understanding of the cultural diversity. Organizations like McDonalds, Exxon, BMW, General Motors, Sears, and many more like these generate their revenue from  different parts of the world. Making a presence in different countries requires knowledge and understanding of their cultures, not only the language and and typical traditions. HRM is responsible for the training of the company representatives asigned to the various countries where the company has operations. The primary function is no longer just the hiring and processing of new employees, but the primary function is now to manage the human resources available and their labor relations for the company’s operations locally or globally. Role of HRM in an Organization’s Strategic Plan The organization’s strategic plan is the core for the entire operation and the goals set to accomplish. HRM plays a very important role in this plan and the success or failure of the strategy starts off by how three of the management principles are applied by HRM. Oganizing, as a management principle, falls under the responsibility of HRM for specifying tasks, establishing departments, establishing channels of authorities, delegation of authorities, and coordination of subordinates activities. Basically this represents the foundation bricks for the strategic plan (Bateman, 2009). Leading is another management principle that falls under the HRM role and it is getting others to get the job done and motivating subordinates. Standard operating procedures, code of ethics, employees benefits, and other tools are used by HRM to accomplish this part of the role in the organization’s strategic plan (Bateman, 2009). Controlling is the management principle used to set standards for expected results and implement corrective actions when not going in the right direction. HR managers measure the efficiency of persons employed for the tasks and maintain turnover to low levels. HRM is responsible for the control of labor practices to keep them within legality, the avoiding of discriminatory actions and potential losses due to lack of training (Bateman, 2009). HRM is the backbone for any organization and is critical that human resource managers keep updated on all the changes affecting business. References Merriam-Webster Dictionary. (2012). http://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/management?show=0&t=1347165029 DeCenzo, D. and Robbins, S. (2007) Fundamentals of Human Resource Management, 9e p4 John Wiley & Sons Management: Leading and Collaborating in a Competitive World, by Bateman and Snell (8th edition, 2009) Retrieved from EBook Collection, https://ecampus.phoenix.edu/classroom/ic/classroom.aspx