Hr Roles and Responsibilities

HR Roles and Responsibilities

"In any organization, managing personnel is the process of making sure the employees (not the customers) are as productive as they can be. This can include hiring, firing, or transferring people to/from jobs, they can do most productively" (Wikipedia.org). This paper will discuss the changing roles of Human Resource (HR) management in response to trends in globalization, technology, diversity, e-business, and ethics.

Globalization

Despite the level of global organizations and its participation capacity, an organization must recognize that countries are not identical and differ in many factors such as

Culture

Culture can greatly affect Human Resource Management (HRM) because it can influence a country's laws, definitions of right and wrong, and influencing what people value. Therefore, culture can affect the people's economic systems and efforts to invest in education.

Education and Skill Levels

Countries differ in the level to which their labor markets include people with education, and skills of value to employers. "The education and skill levels of a country's labor force affect how and the extent to which companies wants to operate" (Gerhart, Hollenbeck, Noe, & Wright, 2004, chapter 15, pg 484); poorly educated populations will have, low wage jobs; where as, high rate college education will yield a high productivity and low turnover.

Economic System

The economic system of a country can influence HRM practices whether the

system is capitalist or socialist. Its government involvement in the economy through taxes or compensation, price controls, and other activities, can influence HRM practices.

Political-Legal System

A country's political-legal system--its government, laws, and regulations--strongly impinges on human resource management. The country's laws often dictate the requirements HRM practices, such as training, compensation, hiring, firing, and layoffs. (Chap 15)

Technology

According to Trends in HRM, professionals need knowledge of state-of-the art practices in areas that encompass staffing, development, rewards, organizational design, and communication. "New selection techniques, performance appraisal methods, training programs, and incentive plans are constantly being developed" (Chap 2, pg 16). These developments often require the use of new computer software and systems. New laws passed every year, ask for technical skills, and require knowledge of how to comply. "HRM professionals must be able to critically evaluate new techniques in light of HRM principles and business value to determine which are beneficial" (Chap 2, pg 16)

Diversity

According to the U. S. Department of Labor, "Attracting the most qualified employees and matching them to the jobs for which they are best suited is important for the success of any organization". Gerhart, Hollenbeck, Noe, & Wright, state that "The greater diversity of the U.S. labor force challenges employers to create HRM practices that ensure they fully utilize the talents, skills, and values of all employees." Organizations cannot afford to ignore the potential contributions of women and minorities. In turn, the HRM team will ensure that employees are free of bias, "value the perspectives, and experience that women and minorities can contribute to organizational goals such as product quality and customer service" (Chap 2, pg 34).

E-business

The fast pace of transformations in information technology requires "that e-business companies quickly identify and hire talented employees". Competition for employees is stiff due to the limited knowledge in the technology field. "Many dot-coms are relatively new and may lack management expertise in keeping and motivating employees.

"As companies start, struggle, and sometimes fail, they require HR expertise to help work through the stresses of downsizing or restructuring without making legal missteps. HRM professionals also have the opportunity to build the HR function from scratch, something that is virtually impossible in a large, more established company."

Since HRM roles is to be involved in recruiting of employees, to include selecting the most competent and best fit for the job that will in turn compensate for the growth of an organization, "HRM is asked to get involved with strategic decision-making" (Chap 2, pg 52). Because of the numerous HRM needs in the e-business sector for small dot-coms, HRM quickly sees the impact generated on the business.

Ethics

Human resources professionals play an important part in helping "shape, communicate, and enforce their organizations' ethical values and goals". When employees understand the company's code of ethics, they in turn will understand its culture and its internal