Every organization aims to achieve its goals following a particular strategy. Strategic Human Resource Management is the tool of the organization that is instrumental in achieving that aim. This practice supports strategies of Human Resource and the agenda is to incorporate those HR strategies or practices into the overall framework of the business objectives of the organization. According to Mitchell, & Bray, et al,. (2013) the goal of the Strategic Human Resource Management is to harmonize the HR practices with the aim of the organization. As time changes, most of the organizations have realized that, human resource is not just an element but a driving force of the organization that strives to compete others in the market. In such a people centric market, it is pivotal to arrange and maintain the activities such as recruiting, training, employing, paying, and managing the performance of the employees. According to Williams,. (2013), another factor that has gained importance with time is, understanding the needs of the employees. HR managers have started considering human resource as an asset to an organization. Therefore, they are treated properly and nurtured to growth for competitive advantage.
According to Goetsch, & Davis, et al,. (2014), as stated in the introduction, a HR manager is responsible for utilizing the human resource of the organization to achieve the objectives of that organization. As discussed in Welch, & Welch,. (2012), with the evolution of time, the activities that they perform have undergone multiple changes. The perspective of an organization towards its human resource has changed. However, the key function of a HR manager is to organize the lifecycle of the employees. Three main activities of it are as follows:
Employee lifecycle management: Employee lifecycle starts when an organization decides to recruit people in accordance with its business goal. The need to fulfill the vacant space with efficient human resource is the primary factor. The planning is made and recruitment program is coordinated by the HR manager. Selection procedure starts the recruitment process. This phase is called ‘Establishment Phase’ and it includes the following components:
After the Establishment procedure is done, the next planning that an HR manager undertakes is called ‘maintenance phase’. It comprises the following:
The next is the ‘termination phase’. HR manager deals with voluntary termination in which an employee resigns of his own. They plan involuntary termination that asks the employee to leave the job they have been doing. Another aspect of termination process involves providing sick or annual leave.
Leadership Development: Leadership development is a crucial responsibility of an HR manager. Research has found that leadership development improves the economic condition of the organization. Many companies that are beating their competitors in terms of profit making have followed systematic development process. To cite an example, one can look into the Fortune 100 list of economically sound companies and see some names retaining their positions over the decades. The main reason of it is emphasis on leadership management that is part of HR management activities.
As discussed in Day,& McKee, et al,. (2014), the main component of Leadership Development includes the following of ideals and giving value to them, outline the expected results from the results, and incorporate the leaders into the organizational structure for the benefit of both. It inspires the leaders to serve better for their organization and thus, it is resulted into the development of the company.
In these companies, the HR manager works in collaboration with their best possible leaders. Thus, people management becomes a responsibility of both. The senior management along with the HR manager recognizes them who can become efficient leaders in future and give positive outcome. A look into the enlisted companies in Fortune 100 is the best evidence of the importance of leadership development. An organization can achieve World Class position if the HR manager has the insight into leadership development. According to Ulrich,. (2013), they have the urge for sustainable growth and for that; the HR manager of these companies prepares their future leaders. However, this activity is closely associated to recruitment of the right employees at a right time that is also the responsibility of an HR manager. Any wrong step in this phase reduces the possibility of having best leaders for the organization.
Labor Management Relations: According to Khatri, & Varma, et al,. (2016), managing the laborers and maintenance of a healthy relationship with them is, perhaps, one of the most crucial tasks that a HR manager performs. Unhealthy workplace environment increases the possibilities of internal crisis within an organization. Therefore, an HR manager has to take care about the relationship among the employees and an employee’s relation with the leaders of the organization. It is the most problematic set of relations. As discussed in Susaeta, & Pin, et al,.(2013), the focus of the HR managers is on establishing a harmonious environment in which the laborers are the leaders can work together. It helps the organization to develop and sustain itself in a competitive market. The necessity emerges due to some unwanted disturbances that may arise from ethical issues or payment related matters. Any union related conflicts can also hamper the good relationship between the employees and the leaders. The HR manager emphasizes on various components of labor relations in accordance with the organization’s requirements. These are as follows:
Legal issues: An organization that has extended its business at the international level need to follow the labor laws of both the countries. The company can hire HR consulting firms or it may have its own HR management bodies. However, the HR managers maintain all legal requirements following the codes of law. They audit the documents of the organizations, and if necessary, draft new documents and contracts.
Trade or labor union issues: According to Armstrong, & Taylor,. (2014), an HR manager helps to avoid issues like lock out and strikes. They take the position of an intermediary between the management and the labor. Then it tries to solve the problem through cooperative bargaining. They can even exercise the choice of avoiding such unions within the organization. However, labor or employee dissatisfaction is the reason behind the establishment of such unions. It is crucial that the HR manager looks into the matter from the laborer’s perspective because they are the driving force of an organization. To assess the situation the HR manager surveys and finds out vulnerable areas from where the dissatisfaction has spread its branches. After the diagnosis, it tries to fill the gap between the employee’s expectation and the employer’s policies. Thus, the existence of any labor union can be avoided.
Labor relations: The overall productivity of the organization is damaged due to strained relationships within the organization. Because of bad workplace environment, the employees are demotivated. The job of an HR manager is the improvement the environment and prevention of any distrust among them. Therefore, an HR manager promotes a workplace environment of association, cooperation and mutual understanding.
Labor Grievance Management: An HR manager is responsible for reducing grievances through organized methods and builds up a transparent communication system. (“Labor Management Relations”, 2016)
Example: AHG is an Australian motoring group that has 4500 employees working over 100 sites. The HR manager of this company has influenced the dealerships to manage the employees independently. The state offices are not allowed to intervene in the management process. It has improved the condition of the organization. (“Case Studies | enablehr.com.au”, 2016)
In this essay, three main activities of an HR manager are discussed in detail. Strategic Human Resource management is an integral part of an organization. Every organization works in a collaborative model. There are different hierarchies in the structure and they are interdependent. One has to understand the needs and potential of the others; otherwise, there will be no support system. HR manager plays the role of an intermediary who binds the owners or leaders and the human resources of the organization together. They not only recruit the employees but also utilize them for the best results. They understand the organizational structure very well and follows a systematic process too incorporate them into that structure. This essay has focused in the main areas where a HR manager works. Some examples are also cited to justify how major the responsibility is.
Armstrong, M., & Taylor, S. (2014). Armstrong’s handbook of human resource management practice. Kogan Page Publishers.
Case Studies | enablehr.com.au. (2016). Enablehr.com.au. Retrieved 18 August 2016, from https://www.enablehr.com.au/case-studies
Day, D. V., Fleenor, J. W., Atwater, L. E., Sturm, R. E., & McKee, R. A. (2014). Advances in leader and leadership development: A review of 25years of research and theory. The Leadership Quarterly, 25(1), 63-82.
Goetsch, D. L., & Davis, S. B. (2014). Quality management for organizational excellence. pearson.
Khatri, N., Gupta, V., & Varma, A. (2016). The Relationship Between HR Capabilities and Quality of Patient Care: The Mediating Role of Proactive Work Behaviors. Human Resource Management.
Labor Management Relations. (2016). Managementstudyguide.com. Retrieved 18 August 2016, from https://www.managementstudyguide.com/labor-management-relations.htm
Mitchell, R., Obeidat, S., & Bray, M. (2013). The Effect of Strategic Human Resource Management on Organizational Performance: The Mediating Role of Highâ€Performance Human Resource Practices. Human Resource Management, 52(6), 899-921.
Shields, J., Brown, M., Kaine, S., Dolle-Samuel, C., North-Samardzic, A., McLean, P., … & Plimmer, G. (2015). Managing Employee Performance & Reward: Concepts, Practices, Strategies. Cambridge University Press.
Susaeta, L., Suarez, E., & Pin, J. R. (2013). Economic crisis and communication: The role of the HR manager. Business Systems Review,2(2), 278.
Ulrich, D. (2013). Human resource champions: The next agenda for adding value and delivering results. Harvard Business Press.
Welch, C. L., & Welch, D. E. (2012). What Do HR Managers Really Do?.Management international review, 52(4), 597-617.
Williams, C. (2013). Principles of management. South-Western Cengage Learning.
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