The concept of Human Resource Management (HRM) emerged in the early 20th century as a response to the need for more systematic and scientific approaches to managing employees in organizations. Prior to this, employee management was largely informal and ad hoc, with little attention given to the development of a workforce that could contribute to the overall success of the organization. HRM emerged as a way to address this problem by providing a more structured approach to managing human resources, including recruitment, selection, training, development, and performance evaluation.
The functions of HRM can be broadly divided into three categories: administrative, operational, and strategic. Administrative functions include activities such as maintaining employee records, managing payroll and benefits, and ensuring compliance with labor laws and regulations. Operational functions include activities such as recruitment, selection, training, and development of employees, as well as performance management and employee relations. Strategic functions involve activities such as workforce planning, succession planning, and talent management, as well as developing and implementing HR policies and strategies that support the overall goals and objectives of the organization.
There are several different perspectives of HRM, each of which emphasizes different aspects of the HRM function. The most common perspectives include the traditional perspective, the human relations perspective, the behavioral perspective, and the strategic perspective.
The traditional perspective of HRM views employees as a resource to be managed in much the same way as any other organizational resource, such as capital or equipment. The focus of this perspective is on managing the administrative and operational functions of HRM, with an emphasis on controlling costs and ensuring compliance with legal and regulatory requirements.
The human relations perspective of HRM emerged in the mid-20th century as a response to the growing recognition of the importance of employee satisfaction and motivation to organizational success. This perspective emphasizes the importance of treating employees as individuals with unique needs and motivations, and focuses on creating a positive work environment that supports employee well-being and satisfaction.
The behavioral perspective of HRM builds on the human relations perspective by emphasizing the importance of understanding and influencing employee behavior in order to achieve organizational goals. This perspective recognizes that employee behavior is influenced by a wide range of factors, including individual differences, social and cultural factors, and organizational policies and practices. As such, the behavioral perspective emphasizes the importance of using a variety of strategies to influence employee behavior, including rewards and incentives, feedback and coaching, and training and development.
The strategic perspective of HRM is the most recent perspective to emerge and reflects the growing recognition of the strategic importance of human resources to organizational success. This perspective views HRM as a key driver of organizational strategy and focuses on aligning HR policies and practices with the overall goals and objectives of the organization. This includes activities such as workforce planning, talent management, and succession planning, as well as the development and implementation of HR policies and practices that support the achievement of organizational goals.
In conclusion, the concept of HRM emerged as a response to the need for more systematic and scientific approaches to managing employees in organizations. The functions of HRM can be broadly divided into administrative, operational, and strategic functions, with each category encompassing a range of specific activities. The various perspectives of HRM reflect different approaches to managing human resources, with each perspective emphasizing different aspects of the HRM function. These perspectives include the traditional perspective, the human relations perspective, the behavioral perspective, and the strategic perspective, each of which has its own strengths and limitations.
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