Human Resource Management Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 3500 words

Human Resource Management - Essay Example Some people believe the HR function can be performed by any person since traditionally; the role was performed by individuals who were the masters of the business. However, the business climate is dynamic and the role of HR has become more complex to be performed by any individual. Efforts such as certification are therefore being made to professionalize HRM and make HR professionals to be taken seriously by the senior management just like other fields and be considered as the strategic partner (Price, 2007). The nature and scope of HRM are very wide hence HR professionals perform many functions in the organization. This may warrant them to be recognized as professionals since their role is essential to the business. However, HR professionals need to demonstrate their value to the organization by showing results for them to be taken seriously. They also need to demonstrate certain qualities such as business knowledge, ability to support policies with data, strategic thinking among ot hers (Roehling et al. 2005). Most importantly, the managers must â€Å"continue to change and adapt to today’s complex, dynamic and fast-paced organizations if they are to grow and add value to the organization† (Sims 2007, p. 28). Scope and Concept of HRM The concept of HRM has evolved over time from personnel management to the current strategic human resource management. Just like other disciplines such as finance or marketing which are considered professional, HRM continues to grow and become more valuable especially as a result of globalization and other changes in the environment which require organizations to adapt to the changes and remain competitive or be pushed out of the market. For example, the growth of multinational has made the role of HR practitioners more complex as they have to deal with diversity issues (Redman & Wilkinson, 2009). Sims (2007) traces the origin of human resource management to England whereby craftspeople organized into guilds to regul ate employment conditions and also ensure quality. Later, the industrial revolution changed the nature of work to the factory system where employees were supervised by a person who was not the owner of the business. The workers undertook a trade test in order to join an organization and their jobs became more stable. Organizations in the 1920s began to have personnel departments to deal with employee payments, recruit workers and ensure compliance with government regulations. After World War II, there emerged new trends in personnel management with the formation of unions. The personnel managers had to deal with the unions to negotiate workers employment conditions hence the role of industrial relations emerged. According to Sims (2007), the personnel managers also undertook the role of recruiting and training women who were absorbed in the labour market. There was also the need to improve productivity hence the matching of people with jobs and concern for the worker's needs. It was believed that a satisfied worker was more productive. The development of theories such as Maslow’s hierarchy of needs led to the emergence of new ways of managing people.