Is 'strategic HRM' [Human Resource Management] really strategic? Answer with reference to a range of HRM practices,such as recruitment and selection, appraisal and performance management, and flexible employment practices.

Is Strategic Human Resource Management Really Strategic

Is Strategic Human Resource Management Really Strategic

Introduction

Human resource management (HRM ) is a common term used to a depict range of functions aimed at successfully managing an organisation 's workforce or "human resources " HRM professionals watch over the "people " side of an organisation as well as benefits , hiring , training , career development , and many other functions . Although many persons know the HR department as the people who conduct interviews and describe company benefits , the occupation has a much greater role in today 's business

br The goal of HRM is to help out organisations to meet their strategic goals by attracting and holding qualified workforce , and managing them efficiently while ensuring that the organisation complies with all proper labour laws . The field of HR management , previously known as personnel management , is presently in transition . Earlier , HR was considered as mainly an administrative function , but this point of view is changing now . Modern HR expert must comprehend the whole business not just field of human resources . Today 's HR professionals are becoming strategic business partners who perform role of adviser and consultant to senior management concerning effective use of an organisations number 1 resource : its employees . The emergence of strategic human resource management was necessary to deal with the imperfections of personnel management . Personnel management was a reactive response in using the skills of an organization 's employees to benefit an organization . But globalisation and continuously increasing competitiveness require organizations to have strategic responses to change in place , in the form of flexible strategies and structures

Definition and Perspectives

As stated by Lundy and Cowling the concept of strategic human resource management is a process through which the human resource management of the organization would be linked to strategy . Strategic human resource management can be described as the vertical and horizontal integration of human resource management functions and activities , such as recruitment and selection , training and development etc . into the broader corporate strategic planning process , which ensures organizations utilize their employees at all levels to create and sustain a competitive advantage (Lundy , Cowling

Strategic Human Resource Management (SHRM ) is a link of the human social , and intellectual capital of its members to the strategy of an organization it is an outcome and a goal "The aim of Strategic HRM is to contribute fully to the achievement of business objectives (Armstrong " There are essentially two major approaches to SHRM , hard and soft . Hard refers to focusing upon measurable and tangible standards of employee performance . This is a formal and administrative /accountancy approach to people management and accords with the emphasis on delegated budgeting to operational units e .g . branches of a fast food outlet . The emphasis is on evidence , measurement , budgets , and accountability . Soft SHRM is more concerned with intangible qualities such as managing belief , culture and beliefs , all very real but not so easy to measure with accountancy tools and budgets . The management of employee commitment and managers as leaders is emphasised (Marchington Wilkinson

All...