Introduction
People are our most valued resource
‘New’ emphasis on achieving organisational success through management of people
HRM as the ‘organisation’s conscience’ – where workers can expect to be treated with fairness
HR ‘Process’ – recruitment, selection, training and development, performance management, reward and motivation, redundancy
‘Hard’ – ‘military’ model – management as commander – dictates strategy, then HRM follows – quantitative emphasis on the numbers
‘Soft’ – HR managers may have influence on strategy
Conscience of the firm or a strategic partner
Issues of HRM
Often the benefits of HRM oversold
Employers may not be able to deliver on the promise of HRM - often the quest for ‘success’ (profits and survival) can necessitate cutting employee’s conditions
The best HRM techniques and high commitment workplaces will not necessarily ensure success – they can’t protect the organisation against pressures from international competition and the global financial system
Researchers have sought unsuccessfully to find direct links between HRM practices and organisational success
IR regulation and unions have not disappeared
Globalisation and offshoring
Academic Disciplinary Contributors to HRM – management, sociology, psychology, social psychology, economics, employment relations and organisational behaviour
HRM Functions
Job Design
Recruitment and selection
Training (learning) and Development
Performance management
Career Development and succession
Employment Relations
Ethics
Quality of work/life – employers try to give employees a balance of work and life
Ethics – relationship between the firm and the environment
Chapter 1
The focus of HRM is on the managing people within the employer employee relationship. Specifically, it involves the productive use of people in achieving the organisation’s strategic business objectives and the