HRM Best Practices the Primary

¶ … HRM Best Practices The primary purpose of this research paper will be an exploratory analysis of current trend in the field of Human Resources in order to accurately define what exactly the emerging trends are in human resources today, and how those trends will impact the structure of HRM in the future. In the past Human Resources departments have traditionally been looked upon unfavorable. Human Resources has often been viewed as the "principal's office" of an organization.

The primary functions associated with Human Resource departments in the past included managing payroll and providing health insurance. Human Resources is also often seen as the gatekeeper of an organization, the deciding force that enables gainful employment should they deem an individual qualified to participate in an organizations family. However, the nature of the workforce is changing rapidly. Background to the Problem The workforce today is more globalized in nature.

More complex interactions require that today's HR representatives attempt to recruit well educated and diverse employees capable of operating in a rapidly changing environment (Norwood, 1998). Because of the changes that are occurring in the workforce Human Resource departments have had to adapt and expand their roles in order to accommodate the growing needs of evolving employees and organizations.

Whereas in times of old HR departments were concerned with payroll and health insurance, today human resources departments typically consist of several different areas including: labor relations, benefits, payroll, workers compensation and recruitment. Part of this is due to an increasing need for more flexible benefits for employees. More and more there is word of positive changes in organizations as a result of emerging trends and changes in HRM practices.

There are several emerging trends in human resources deserve further investigation including flexible work scheduling, health and wellness programs, on site daycare's and even improved retirement benefits (Norwood, 1998). Thus this paper will seek to answer the following questions: (1) what are the current emerging trends that are impacting the function and role of HRM practices, (2) how are these trends defining organizations, (3) what strategies are being adopted by organizations to address the needs of a rapidly changing and dynamic workforce.

To answer these questions the researcher will engage in a an investigational study that will examine the current trends occurring within the field of HRM. Previous studies will be reviewed for their relevancy and the information gathered from them will be combined with information gathered from the literature review so that the researcher can draw grounded conclusions with respect to the emerging trends in HR.

Significance of Study According to many human resources has in the past been one of the most overlooked key management positions particularly in government entities (Fountaine, 2005). Yet without a solid human resource structure that takes into consideration the needs of employees an organization is not likely to accomplish or meet its work requirements to the fullest extent possible (Fountaine, 2005). Among the priorities for HRM should include developing employees, promoting employees from within and helping employees to realize true success within the confines of the organization (Fountaine, 2005).

Preliminary Literature Review There are many changes that are occurring within the field of human resources that reflect the rapidly changing face of the workforce. To understand how HRM is changing one must first understand HRM. HRM is increasingly being used to define the "philosophy, policies, procedures and practices related to the management of an organization's employees" (Sims, 2002:2). It is particularly concerned with any an all organizational activities that ultimately contribute to attracting, retaining and developing employees in the long-term (Reich, 1998; Sims, 2002).

Sims (2002) attests to recent changes that have occurred within the field of Human Resources, stating that organizations are currently focusing more and more attention on the people that work for them. According to Sims, organizations are beginning to realize that "their likelihood of sustained success is most dependent on learning to get the maximum out of their employees" (p. 1). Thus the practice of human resource management or HRM is evolving to better address the needs of employees.

An organizations overall success does in fact depend on an organizations ability to not only attract but also retain high quality employees that are talented and high performing (Sims, 2002; Reich, 1998). The high performance organization is one that exhibits sustained success in the long-term, in the face of an ever changing business environment that requires commitment and implementation of HRM programs that are geared toward obtaining, developing and retaining employees that meet the needs of a global and dynamic workplace (Reich, 1998).

Bishop & King (1991) find that human resources involvement in strategic planning may contribute to high morale among employees and employee satisfaction. Further they suggest that human resource professionals must find ways to improve quality of work life in order to improve employee productivity. Lipiec (2001) notes that at the turn of the century the world economy and markets are much different than they were just ten years ago.

He further notes that human resource managers have to take up new challenges, and points out that up until the early 90s very little research on the field of HRM was undertaken, thus new research must be conducted to determine what the employees of today need to be successful in today's global marketplace. Perhaps one of the biggest challenges that HR managers face is the ability to retain knowledge within their company (Lipiec, 2001). Such practice requires that employees be well-educated, literate and experienced (Lipiec, 2001).

There are many demographic changes that are occurring in the workplace as well, including a trend of an aging population that is expected to continue through the year 2040, "when 21.9% of the total population will be over 65" (Lipiec, 2001: 137). In addition two thirds of new work positions are being created and taken by women, thus more women are requesting the ability to balance career with family roles and work life (Lipiec, 2001).

Norwood notes that among the latest trends in employee benefits include: child care, maternity leave changes, elder care and retiree benefits (Norwood, 1998). Child care is a benefit that employees have expressed a great interest in however at this point in time the actual number of companies offering child care as a benefit is relatively low (Norwood, 1998). Maternity leave has in the past been difficult to define however as the workforce increasingly employees more women this has become a larger issue in the field of HR (Norwood, 1998).

Elder care is not yet fully defined but may include day care benefits similar to child care benefits and may include paid or unpaid leave for employees that might need time off of work to care for ailing parents (Norwood, 1998). Retiree benefits are not new benefits, but as emerging trends show that the population is aging particularly that represented in the workforce, retiree benefits have gained a new level of prominence for HR managers (Norwood, 1998).

Long-term funding is now a concern for many, as is the availability of health care coverage after retirement (Norwood, 1998). Each of the new benefits being considered "possesses unique characteristics that pose different measurement issues" (Norwood, 1998:3). More complex benefits surveys may be necessary in the future in order to ensure that the surveys are collecting adequate information about the employees rapidly changing environment (Norwood, 1998). Among the needs of employers include the need to "continually balance the need for complete, high-quality data against the time and expertise.