Managing Human Resources free essay sample

Managing human resources in any organisation is both interesting and challenging. Humans are social beings, whether, consciously or unconsciously, we are always in interaction with one another rather than in completely isolation. However, dealing with people in the organisation is probably the most difficult thing we will ever encounter in life. Yet, people are the most important asset in any organisation. The success of an organisation depends on the management of its human resources. Managing human resources is all about getting the right people, giving them the right training and placing them in the right place at the right time. It is also about getting and retaining the best people so that the organisational objectives and goals are attained. Throughout the course, you will be introduced to various topics on managing human resources, from the coordination to the management of work in organisations. This course begins by outlining the various approaches to human resource management and the evolution of the discipline to its present orientation. The course will attempt to introduce a holistic approach to human resource management practices that includes: job analysis, recruitment and placement, training and development, compensation, labour relations and employee security. At the end of the course, some emerging contemporary issues in human resources and the use of various approaches to organisational development will be discussed. The course emphasises application in the actual working environment rather than a mere memorisation of presented facts. Throughout the course, you will be introduced to various self-assessment activities that enable you to apply the principles that you have learned. 2 WAWASAN OPEN UNIVERSITY BMG 511 Managing Human Resources UNIT 1 3 Human resource management in perspective Unit Overview Unit 1 consists of 4 sections: Section 1.1: Introduction to Human Resource Management (HRM) introduces you to human resource management (HRM)  describing its various functions as well as defining its nature and characteristics. Section 1.2: A Brief History of HRM and Its Origins presents a brief history of HRM  giving an account of the evolution of its roles and the changing perspectives on HRM jobs. In addition to having a clear understanding of the significance of HRM in both the industrial and commercial sectors, you will also learn the part played by personnel specialists in the management of HR. Section 1.3: Strategic HRM discusses what strategic HRM is and consequently why SHRM is needed to provide direction to organisations. You will also discover why managers want to integrate the three areas of strategic management, human resource management and organisational outcomes. Section 1.4: Malaysian Laws Related to HRM discusses Malaysian law as related to HRM practices in Malaysia. This section will facilitate in helping you to relate the contents of sections 1 – 3 in the Malaysian context. At the end of Unit 1 are appendices on various Acts, the Wages Council Act 1947 (The Labour Department) and the Code of Practice for the Prevention and Eradication of Sexual Harassment in the Workplace (1999). Unit Objectives By the end of Unit 1, you should be able to: 1. Using examples, describe the various functions of HRM and explain the vital role it plays in today’s highly competitive modern organisations. 2. Trace the evolution of HRM as a discipline and distinguish between personnel management, industrial relations (IR) and HRM practices. 3. Review and evaluate the main models, frameworks and theories of human resource management. 4. Amalgamate and make appropriate applications of the contributions of HRM to the total strategic management process of an organisation. 5. Interpret and apply various Malaysian laws related to HRM and comment on the philosophy for the formulation of these laws to protect the employer, the employee and the society at large. 4 WAWASAN OPEN UNIVERSITY BMG 511 Managing Human Resources UNIT 1 5 Human resource management in perspective 1.1 Introduction to Human Resource Management (HRM) Objectives By the end of this section, you should be able to: 1. Describe the various functions of HRM. 2. Differentiate HRM from existing personnel practice. 3. Deliberate on the nature and characteristics of HRM when viewed as  †¢ A restatement of existing personnel practice. †¢ A new managerial discipline. †¢ An individually-focused developmental model. †¢ A strategic and international function. 4. Discuss the main models, frameworks and theories of HRM. Introduction This section introduces the basic concepts of human resource management (HRM). Human resource management is an activity found in organisations, whether they are from production, business or service-oriented, large enterprise or small business. Refresh your memory on the concept of management, where management theory states that the manager working in an organisation deals with three basic components  the people, purpose and the structure. A simple definition of an organisation is â€Å"a group of people who work together to achieve common goals.† Another way of interpreting the definition of an organisation is that the concept of organisation cannot be separated from the need for people. Human resource management is the development and implementation of systems in an organisation designed to attract, developed and retain a high performance workforce. Hence, we can say that the existence of human resource management is to ensure that people employed by the organisation are being used efficiently and effectively and that they are able to contribute (either direct or indirect) to the success of the organisation and achieve the organisational goals. 6 WAWASAN OPEN UNIVERSITY BMG 511 Managing Human Resources For most of the 20th century, the specialists who developed and maintained staff were known as personnel manager (personnel management). By the late 20th century, the rapid pace of development and changes meant that they must be constantly alert to the environment outside their organisation if they want to survive and compete. It was clear that the personnel management of daily task was insufficient. Personnel managers needed to go beyond mere administration and find ways to help their organisations compete with other businesses. Thus, personnel management gave way to human resource management as their functions expanded. The following section describes the various functions and theories of human resource management.