Human Resource Management HRM Philosophies and Objectives

Human resource management, HRM, or HR Philosophies and Objectives tips, is the strategic approach to the effective management of an organization’s workers; so, that they help the business gain a competitive advantage; it designs to maximize employee performance in the service of an employer’s strategic objectives. Best HRM Philosophies and Objectives PDF, PDF Reader, and Free Download. Also, The responsibilities of a human resource manager fall into three major areas: staffing, employee compensation and benefits, and defining/designing work. Also learn, Guide to Theories in HRM, Human Resource Management Philosophies and Objectives tips.

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As Best Philosophies of human resource management HRM:

The Harvard and British human resource management schools and the two definitions cited from John Storey and Michael Armstrong and others suggest that human resource management is not without philosophy. Also, there are six elements on which human resource management philosophy and practices are based;

First is ownership.

Human resource management is and has to be owned and driven by the top management in the interests of the key stakeholders. Also, The stakeholders include shareholders, the managing board, the workers, clients, and customers. This is unlike the old tradition in which personnel management functions were mostly vested in designated officers under a personnel department. Under human resource management, the philosophy is that the top management owns; and, drives the agenda for effective people management in an organization.

Second is Business:

Business or organizational strategies form the basis for human resource strategies, and there should be a strategic fit. Also, This opposes putting emphasis on routine activities, reactive decision making and limited vision which seemed to characterize traditional personnel management. The implication is that an organization cannot have a strategic approach to managing the workforce without organizational and business strategy. Here, an aspect of flexible human resource planning comes in, and the ability to use the best forecasting techniques is a precondition for human resource acquisition, utilization, development, and retention.

The third is Employees:

Is considering employees as assets rather than liabilities. Under traditional personnel management philosophy, training and development of employees were quite often seen as a cost that should be avoided whenever possible. Also, Now this doctrine has been turned on its head. Investment in people, like any other capital investment, is necessary for better returns in the future.

Fourth is Value:

Is getting additional value from employees. Also, Employees are capable of producing added value. It is the role of the management to obtain such added value through human resource development and performance management systems. The concept of added value borrows from production economics. It stipulates that an employee can utilize to produce marginal output if properly trained, does the right job, and reward accordingly. Work measurement and matching jobs with the right people; as well as, measuring performance against the set targets and standards stand out clearer under the human resource management school of thought.

Fifth is employee commitment.

Organizational success comes from the employees’ total commitment to the organizational mission, goals, objectives, and values. Also, Employees’ understanding of the future of the organization; and, their own future in the organization triggers commitment and hence sustained productivity. It is the task of the management to induce and encourage that commitment.

Sixth is also based on employees’ commitment.

Building a strong organizational culture gives managers an advantage in stimulating employees’ commitment. Effective communication, training, coaching, mentoring and performance management processes are effective tools for building a strong corporate culture.

These philosophies have been accused of being insensitive to the human face of working relationships because they are, in many ways, about tightening the nuts and bolts in every aspect of employment. As a strategy to reduce what seemed too extreme hard-nosed human resource management philosophies and practices (that is employers were becoming too selfish, individualistic, and greedy – trying to maximize whatever possible benefits at the expense of employees); the focus in the 1990s changed somewhat.

The direction changed more towards team working, employee empowerment; organizational learning, and competency-based human resource management. Also, Human resource management debates of the 1990s and 2000s became focused on trying to understand these new concepts, and, how useful they are in improving human resource management functions in modern organizations. Other areas are the internationalization of human resource management; and, the impact of globalization on human resource management, particularly in the developing world. 

As Top Objectives of human resource management:

The objectives of human resource management derive from the philosophies; which tie the emergence and development of human resource management together, both as a discipline and profession (Beer & Spector 1985; Cuming 1985; Armstrong; 1995; Dessler 2005).

The First Objective.

The whole aim was on trying to achieve an organizational mission, vision, goals, and objectives using people as valuable resources. Unlike the traditional personnel management theory whereby employees were seen as instruments needed to accomplish work in organizations; human resource management managers recognize and appreciate the need for putting people at the top of the agenda in achieving organizational objectives. As the power of the organization depends on the nature of the workforce; putting employees first in all human resource management functions in the organization; and, making them feel that they are at the top sees as a step further in putting the organization first among competitors.

The second objective concerns the utilization of staff capacity.

Successful organizations are those that can fully utilize the potential of their employees. Also, This manifests itself in different approaches used in job design, recruitment, and placement. This includes redesigning jobs so that related jobs can be done by one person, recruitment of multi-skilled employees, part-time work arrangements, sub-contracting etc.

The third objective.

Involves ensuring that employees commit to their jobs, teams, departments, and the entire organization. Striving for total employee commitment intends to minimize unnecessary conflicts between the employees; and, the management that could result in low morale among the employees, high employee turnover, and ultimately low productivity. Also, Commitment foster by using various strategies including employees being nurtured through coaching, mentoring, and the provision of lucrative rewards.

The fourth objective.

Is to ensure that organizational systems, processes, and activities integrate and synergized through a strong organizational culture. Organizational culture makes up of values, attitudes, norms, myths, and practices that are ‘how things are done around’. Different categories of jobs, professions, and departments see as a ‘whole’ rather than disjointed. Organizational symbols, songs, artifacts, etc. use to foster a culture of uniqueness; which makes employees feel proud of their jobs and the organization.

The fifth objective.

Is optimal utilization of available resources. In the language of economics, resources are always scarce. Organizations cannot succeed if resources (employees, finance, machinery and equipment, energy) overutilize, underutilized, or utilize at the wrong time or in the wrong place. Each of these scenarios would suggest that there is a waste of resources because some will easily deplete, unnecessarily leaving them idle or being uses unwisely. In this case, matching resources with performance is a mechanism for monitoring organizational efficiency. Quite often time/activity/outcome and budget schedules use to match resources with performance. Any observed underutilization or overutilization of resources has implications in terms of how the human resources were used and measures are taken accordingly.

The sixth objective.

The reason for embracing human resource management practices derives from organizational cybernetics and systems theory whereby the underlying principle is that ‘the sum is less than the whole’. From a human resource management perspective, each job, organizational unit, section, department, and all categories of staff see in their totality. Working together instead of as an individual is a method for improving synergy at all levels. Departmental outdoor training programs are some of the initiatives use to improve synergy at the functional level.

The last objective.

But one objective covers the utilities of creativity, innovation, teamwork, and high-quality management as key drivers in organizational excellence. Matching with changing customer needs and expectations requires the presence of an environment for creativity, innovation, team working and an obsession with quality. These ideas largely borrow from Tom Peters and Robert Waterman on an ideal situation for effective organizations in search of excellence, Joseph Schumpeter on the power of creativity and innovation, Joseph Juran, Edwards Deming, and Ishikawa Kaoru on the emphasis of ‘quality in the first time and zero defects’ as part of organizational culture in high-quality management.

These are cited as key explanations for the excelling of Japanese and other East Asian companies. Decentralization of decision making to the lowest levels in the organization structure, adaptation of flatter organizational structures, open office layouts, team-building exercises, encouragement, support, and reward for innovative ideas; and, the use of quality circles in job performance are some of the strategies used to keep the organization at the cutting edge.

The last objective is to enable managers to be flexible; and, adapt to changes required in pursuing excellence in human resource management functions. Fast-tracking a change in an organizational environment requires the ability to take prompt decisions and take the right measures before it is too late. Also, Flexibility and adaptation seek to reduce bureaucracy and inflexible working rules and regulations. Above you may understand about Best Human Resource Management HRM Philosophies and Objectives; What matters most is not ‘how the job is done but what is achieved’.