Human resources management principles and practices

Human Resources Management (HRM) is vital to any organization, but it often gets overlooked by others and viewed as not being very important at all. These people do not see the value of HRM, and in some cases they do not even think about the department or acknowledge its existence until they need it for something. This attitude causes many problems for the department and the personnel who work within it. Another serious concern for HRM is that a lot of people forget how global the business world is now. It is important that this is realized, though, so that anyone who works in Human Resources is sensitive to the differences that may come up based on culture, ethnicity, and other, similar issues. The lack of understanding of the value of HRM and the lack of sensitivity displayed by some of the personnel who work in that department are prime examples of the tradeoff between the efficiency and the effectiveness that is taking place in organizations today.

In the first example, HRM is often ignored until there is a problem that requires an employer or employee to visit the Department because of a pay or insurance issue, or some other concern. The HR Department can generally move along very efficiently each day, but the effectiveness of it is called into question when people who work in the organization are not sure as to what it does or where to find it. This happens because the HR people often keep to themselves and are not seen around much in most organizations. In order to rectify this problem, the HRM function should be more visible. It should be more included in the daily workings of the employees, instead of only addressed or contacted when there appears to be a problem. Because HRM is such a behind-the-scenes function, there needs to be a way to bring it more to the forefront. A more open-concept office design could help with this in some companies, so that HRM employees are not tucked away somewhere where they have little interaction with other employees in the organization. This can make them an afterthought for many employees, and it can also make them seem aloof and unapproachable. Neither one of these opinions is good for the organization as a whole or the HR Department itself. The HRM function may be very efficient that way, but it loses its effectiveness.

In the second example, the globalization of the world of business has become a serious issue for workers who deal with customers, but the HRM function also needs to be up-to-date with how to respond to people who have different ethnicities and cultures. Effectiveness is often put on the back burner in lieu of efficiency. The HR Department needs to get things done, so it does things the way it always has -- it knows that way works. Unfortunately, though, that means that it is not always as sensitive to the needs of others as it should be. Employees in other countries or regions are not used to another area's way of doing things. While some things cannot (and should not) be changed just to accommodate another person, the HRM function of any organization should be willing to be flexible and adaptable in the way it responds to people who may be from different areas. A little bit of cultural understanding can go a very long way in the business world, especially when seeking out new employees and clients.