Articles - Snippits

We may safely say that in the recent past, no other area of an organization has changed so much as human resource management. Until recently, companies and organizations had a department or division for personnel or labor relations or industrial relations. Its functions normally centered around ensuring smooth production and operations, discouraging strikes and labor activism, appraisal and compensation issues and complying with the government's mandates and rules.

The changes and improvements in the industry and economy besides increased awareness of employees as a valuable resource has changed the focus from controlling to managing this resource. An organization's most valuable asset now is its people and not capital, machinery or technology. People are emotional, ever changing and susceptible to ups and downs and as such managing this dynamic resource needs a set of soft skills as well as hard, analytical skills.

All sorts of tasks are encompassed by human resource management, such as effective recruiting of new staff, training of staff in order to enhance themselves and also be optimally productive for the organization, keeping morale up and encouraging people to achieve all they can. Other important areas include hrm and psychology, equal opportunity for women, minorities and physically challenged, compensation and benefits, and compliance with laws and government regulations.

An organization's success depends increasingly on the human resources manager. His job is not only to recruit people who have the right qualifications, but also the right approach and attitude. Nobody can envy him these tasks. The human resources manager has to balance, through hrm and psychology, the need to have staff working together in the direction set by the organization with individuality and creativity of the employees.

A system to invite suggestions and complaints and to implement/address them quickly and effectively are some of the basic features that an effective human resource management possesses. Other features of a good human resource management are a responsive appraisal system that includes provision of counseling to each employee in his or her career and personality development and a genuine feedback mechanism.

Organizations of all sizes, from giant corporations through to small businesses and non-profit groups, needs to look after its staff if it is to expand and be successful. High performers need to be identified and looked after, and trained to fulfill leadership roles. However, average performers also should be given every chance to improve their effectiveness and productivity. Well thought out human resource management is necessary if you want to achieve these goals - it should aim to keep staff happy, because happy workers are more productive.