Chapter 1: The Role of Human Resource Management
Introduction
Human Resource Management Day to Day
You have just been hired to work as the human resource (HR) manager of a small company. You heard about the job through a conference you attended, put on by the Human Resource Management Association (HRMA). Previously, the owner of the company, Jennifer, had been doing everything related to human resource management (HRM). You can tell she is a bit critical about paying a good salary for something she was able to juggle all on her own. On your first day, you meet the 10 employees and spend several hours with the company owner, hoping to get a handle on what human resource processes are already set up.
Shortly after the meeting begins, you see Jennifer has a completely different perspective of what HRM is, and you realize it will be your job to educate her on the value of a HR manager. You look at it as a personal challenge—both to educate her and to show her the value of this role in the organization.
First, you tell her that HRM is a strategic process having to do with the staffing, compensation, retention, training, and employment law and policies side of the business. In other words, your job as an HR manager will be not only to write policy and procedures and to hire people (the administrative role), but also to use strategic plans to ensure the right people are hired and trained for the right job at the right time.
For example, you ask her if she knows what the revenue will be in six months, and Jennifer answers, “Of course. We expect it to increase by 20%.”
You ask, “Have you thought about how many people you will need due to this increase?”
Jennifer looks a bit sheepish and says, “No. I guess I haven’t gotten that far.”
Then you ask her about the training programs the company offers, the software used to allow employees to access pay information online, and the compensation policies.
She responds, “It looks like we have some work to do. I didn’t know that human resources involved all of that.”
You smile at her and start discussing some of the specifics of the business so you can get started right away writing the strategic human resource management plan.
