According to Merriam-Webster, the term human resources started in the 1960s and is defined as “a department within an organization that deals with the people who work for that organization” ("Human Resources," n.d., p. 1). In this assignment I will discuss the evolution of human resource management, workplace trends affecting human resources, strategic positioning of HR, the major objectives of human resource planning, key tools HR managers utilize to improve performance, and the challenges for creating buy-in for support of a strategic human resource function.
When companies began using Human Resource departments (called personnel) before the second World War, they served an administrative function. These departments were responsible
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The next transformation to occur with Human Resource departments in the late 1980s was coined as the “New” HR (Groysberg et al., 2006, p. 2). This new evolution brought HR into a strategic role within the company. The department acted like a business within a business – dealing with “leadership and talent development, promotion of organizational learning, succession planning, and dissemination of knowledge” (Groysberg et al., 2006, p. 2). This new strategic HR strived to deliver actions that could help execute the company’s goals, motivate employees to align with company strategy, and directly help implement goals.
I believe there is a significant difference between the two types of HR. When HR is serving an administrative function, it is dealing with tasks that could potentially be outsourced or done by computer programs. The strategic role for HR enables capable leadership, builds organizational culture, increases productivity, fosters innovation, and builds customer loyalty (Roberts & Hirsch, 2005).
According to the Society for Human Resource Management (SHRM), the current trends affecting HR today are: a more competitive global business landscape, impacts of information and communication technologies, complex legal environments and ever-changing laws, an aging workforce and pending retirement of the Baby Boomer generation, a lack of skilled workers, economic instability,
The role of a Human Resource department is ever changing in today’s volatile business environment. Over the years HR have become strong strategic partners within an organization by providing functions such as recruitment,
The role of a Human Resource department is ever changing in today’s volatile business environment. Over the years HR have become strong strategic partners within an
Human resource departments today have a more distinct, calculated position within organizations, and human resource strategy influences the bottom line. “One of the challenges for HR leaders is convincing executive leadership teams that human capital is one of the most important resources in which the company can invest” (Mayhew, 2014, p.). Subsequently, “this return on investment is an essential part of the argument for including HR as part of an overall business strategy” (Mayhew, 2014, p.). Human resource departments utilize the information given to them from company executives and leaders, coupled with their respective expertise on all things personnel, and they plan and implement staffing concerns for the betterment of the organization. From preparing job analysis, to comparing inventory and forecasting, it is the responsibility of human resources to consider the objectives of an organization and fulfill those goals while operating the specific planning relative to HR.
Bhagria, A. (2010). Roles and Functions of the Human Resource Department; Young HR Manager. Retrieved May 4, 2014, from
Since the early days of the United States, the Founding Fathers and other brilliant minds sought ways to understand and make sense of the inner workings of society and the economic market. Out of the many thinkers and developers of that time period, perhaps none made so great an impact on American society as the Scottish contemporary philosopher and political economist, Adam Smith—who is most known for his influential work, An Inquiry into the Nature and Causes of the Wealth of Nations, By the early nineteenth century, other streams of economic theory emerged from various individuals who were also influenced by the ideas of Smith. Some of these individuals included David Ricardo, Karl Marx and later John Maynard Keynes and Milton Friedman—each of whom contributed their own ideas on economic activity. However, it was Smith’s ideas on capitalism and his laissez-faire approach to free markets that have transcended other economic theories and continue to impact American economic thought to this day.
The roles of Human Resources (HR) professionals are changing. HR managers were previously viewed as the patrolling unit of executive management. Yaduvanshi (n.d.) says that “their role was associated with personnel and administration functions that organization viewed as paperwork. In this role, the HR professional served executive agendas well, but was frequently viewed as a road-block by the rest of the organization. While some need for this role occasionally remains, much of the HR role is transforming itself.”
In answering the opening question, Human Resources (HR) movement in the future will include a focus on strategy and strategic leadership, an advising role (policy advice), data analytics, and a renewed focus on the people within the organization (Cosby, 2014). Impact of future trends on HR will also significantly influence other areas of the organization. Lack of awareness and preparation of HR leaders and Organization to transition with the
HR’s strategic management responsibilities include collaborating with other departments and leadership to plan, incorporate change initiatives, and provide tools which measure the effectiveness of HR in reaching organizational goals (Reed & Bogardus, 2012). As Anca-Ioana (2013) pointed out, it is crucial that HR participate in strategic planning and management processes in order to develop a workforce of employees who possess the competencies needed to achieve organizational objectives.
Human Resource management has a high impact on the overall organization being managed. HR management makes certain that human talent is used successfully and resourcefully to accomplish organizational goals. As an organization core competency, human resources has distinctive competencies that generates high value and sets apart an organization from competitors in areas such as productivity, quality and service, employee skills, and innovative changes. HR management activities can be grouped into categories which include strategic HR management; equal employment opportunity; staffing and talent management; compensation and benefits; and employee and industry relations. This paper will
The history of human resources goes all the way back to the early 1900s. While human resources management was on the rise, new positions in the field were created. Various types of specialists were created during this time.
In an era of organizational flux due to competition and globalization, companies and employees are faced with constant change. Leaders must be able to adapt to change as the environment shifts. HR has been known as the organizational change agent, administrative expert, and employee advocate. More recently they have been regarded as business strategic partners for many organizations. In order to be successful and remain competitive in today’s market, Human Resources (HR) must be considered a strategic partner if an organization wants to flourish. Top executives today commit significant resources to ensure that their company’s functions are capable of rapid change and achieving their
HR functions as a strategic partner by planning and implementing methods that support the objectives of the City. HR works on identifying needs and trends and developing strategies to address them. HR takes direction from the Mayor and Council, CAO and the Director of Corporate Services. HR uses data and knowledge of the City to try to predict future needs and develop plans of attack for different objectives.
The role of the human resources (HR) department can play a significant role in the success and achievements of an organization. The department, which has evolved from the
This article discusses the foundations of the modern human resources department and covers the three historical periods of development to where modern human resources has evolved. There are three main historical periods that are discussed including - pre-industrial, bureaucratic, and high performance. All three of these periods have played a vital role in the field of Human Resources. The pre-industrial period ended with the revolutionary war. This time period saw a lack of human resource management due to “inequality, inflexibility and misalignment that would be unimaginable today.” Slavery and indentured servitude were common throughout the American colonies and the only means to learn a trade were through apprenticeships which
The relationship between an organisation’s strategic management and the management of its human resources is concerned with SHRM (Boxall, 1996). In SHRM, the HR department is more involving in acquiring and creating human capital resource which can ultimately realize the organization strategic goals. HR leaders are required to ensure that its procedures and plans align with the corporate business strategy as a whole. HR leaders should be able to visualize the complete system of HR activities from beginning to end to deliver the expected commercial results. External environments such as government policies, demographic, and labour market influence on the design of SHRM