Human Resource Management: Core Functions and Practices

Introduction

Human Resource Management is the practice of managing human skills, capacities, and talents to ensure their effective use in attaining organizational goals, objectives, and overall competitiveness (Youssef, 2012). Every Human Resource manager performs various functions: recruiting, hiring, selecting, and training competent employees. In addition, the manager offers competitive compensation and benefits packages that attract, motivate, and retain qualified employees. It is also the function of the personnel manager to devise ways to increase employee effectiveness in performing their jobs. These ways include training, offering education, and developing employee capacities. As a result, employee contributions toward organizational effectiveness and efficiency improve.

Effective management of employee productivity is a crucial element in attaining organizational success (Youssef, 2012). High levels of productivity enable the organization to offer generous compensation and benefits packages without undermining its competitive position. Effective human resource management practices reduce employee turnover, increase performance, and contribute positively to organizational financial performance. In addition, effective HRM practices enhance employee motivation and morale, aiding in attracting a competent workforce that steers the organization toward the achievement of its goals and objectives. Therefore, the primary function of Human Resource Management is to increase employee effectiveness and thereby contribute to the organization's competitive advantage in the market.

EEO and Affirmative Action

Equal Employment Opportunity (EEO) is an employment practice through which a Human Resource manager ensures non-discrimination in offering employment opportunities within the organization (Kreitner, 2009). Discrimination can occur along lines of race, age, gender, sex, nationality, and physical or mental ability. It is therefore a guiding principle of Equal Employment Opportunity that every person ought to have equal access to employment opportunities. Affirmative Action, on the other hand, is a federal government initiative that ensures equal employment opportunities (Kreitner, 2009). Its main purpose is to ensure fairness and combat discrimination in employment by encouraging outreach efforts to attract minorities and women to apply for job vacancies. Affirmative Action also ensures that Human Resource managers implement EEO laws that forbid discrimination during personnel functions such as hiring, recruitment, selection, training, development, promotion, compensation, and termination.

In order for Human Resource managers to fulfill Equal Employment Opportunity and Affirmative Action (EEOAA) requirements, managers should take the following actions. First, they should carry out a bias-free selection process by forming selection committees, properly evaluating candidates against knowledge and skill requirements, and maintaining proper documentation such as Interview Data Forms. Second, the personnel manager should promote accountability for EEOAA among all managers and supervisors by clearly indicating their responsibilities in job descriptions. Third, the personnel manager should devise strategies for evaluating supervisors' and employees' performance in implementing EEOAA responsibilities (Kreitner, 2007).

Fourth, the manager should offer training and education to supervisors and employees on carrying out EEOAA responsibilities. Fifth, the manager should maintain a work environment that discourages harassment and ethnic jokes. Sixth, the personnel manager should encourage and invest in equal staff development, ensuring all employees have equal access to development opportunities. Finally, the manager should develop and communicate a non-discrimination policy and establish guidelines for resolving discrimination-related complaints. Implementing EEOAA as required by the federal government is essential to ensuring equity in access to employment opportunities.

HR Planning, Recruitment, and Selection

For an organization to attain its goals and objectives, continuity in operations is required, which in turn requires adequate human resources. Therefore, Human Resource Planning is essential. This is the process of forecasting the future human resource requirements of the organization and designing strategies to meet them (Sims, 2007). The organization must employ the right number of employees with the knowledge, skills, and abilities needed to perform their roles effectively. To acquire the right workforce, the Human Resource manager conducts job analysis and job design. Job analysis produces a job description and specification outlining employee responsibilities, while job design outlines the various tasks in a role and the steps an employee should follow in performing them.

After identifying the organization's labor requirements, the Human Resource manager recruits competent workers to fill those needs. Recruitment is the process of attracting, screening, and selecting qualified employees to fill vacancies. Only competent, consistent, and committed employees are given the opportunity to fill positions that steer the organization toward its goals and competitive advantage. Recruitment may be handled in-house or outsourced to recruitment agencies. The process begins with advertising the job vacancy both internally and externally.

Once candidates have applied, the personnel manager carries out a screening process using resumes, application forms, interviews, and tests to identify those who meet the job requirements. Finally, the personnel manager selects the most qualified candidates — those who are competent, consistent, and committed, and who possess the knowledge, skills, and abilities outlined in the job description. This process ensures non-discrimination in employment. Successful recruitment and selection results in employees who drive the organization toward its goals, enabling it to gain a competitive edge in the industry (Youssef, 2012).

Conclusion

Organizational effectiveness and efficiency depend on employees' effectiveness. Employees, however, become effective through organizational efforts aimed at improving their contribution to the attainment of organizational goals, objectives, and competitive advantage. Human Resource Management increases employee effectiveness by adopting EEOAA principles, investing in Human Resource Development, offering competitive compensation and benefits packages, creating safe and healthy working conditions, and fostering good employee and labor relations. These practices attract, motivate, and retain competent, committed, and consistent employees who possess the required knowledge, skills, and abilities (Youssef, 2012). As a result, overall organizational performance improves, enabling the organization to gain a competitive edge in the industry. Therefore, the primary function of Human Resource Management is to increase employee effectiveness and thereby contribute to organizational competitive advantage in the market.