Functions of Human Resource Management

Human resource management (HRM) constitutes a cornerstone of the functioning of every organization. As a result, it serves as a foundation for its successful operations and services, thereby having either a positive or negative effect on the future of its development. HRM is designed to strengthen one of the most crucial assets of the company, namely its employees, who perform operations and drive the success of the organization regardless of the sphere’s specificity or requirements. Management of staff requires a substantial focus on the achievement of specific goals that would increase employees’ commitment and drive sustainable growth of the organization. In this way, HR specialists should strive to provide employees with excellent working experience, prevent high levels of staff turnover, and create a welcoming environment that would celebrate the company’s ethical standards and create a particular corporate culture. HR specialists are responsible for the efficiency of the processes among employees in different departments. A number of managerial functions cover planning, organizing, directing, and controlling. Therefore, HRM encompasses a broad spectrum of functions that aim at managing and operating personnel most effectively and beneficially for every party involved in the company’s functioning.

Planning

All of the HR functions can be divided into two primary categories, particularly managerial and operative aspects of the HR department functioning (Chaudhary). Planning can be defined as a constant process of identifying the company’s needs for a certain number of employees that bridges the gap between the achievement of specific goals and the current state of operations. Besides, planning can serve as a powerful tool on the way towards considerable changes, improved corporate culture, and modified ethical standards that can have a positive impact on staff commitment and ultimately maximize employee performance. Collection and analysis of the organization’s data and statistics can significantly contribute to the establishment of thorough and employee-oriented practices and policies that help the HRM team to create exceptional structure and nurture both the personal and career growth of the staff members.

Organizing

Operations of the HR department are determined by a set of the company’s objectives so that HR specialists should effectively allocate duties and responsibilities among a number of employees. In such a way, it is crucial to establish the most productive division and the hierarchy of labor when every person makes a certain level of commitment towards the attainment of the greater organizational mission and fulfills the specific number of duties. As a result, the HR department should acquire an in-depth understanding of the company’s functioning, as well as integrate skills and knowledge of employees for the sake of the company’s sustainable development. Integration, division, and coordination of work serves as a foundation for primary operations and activities and prescribes specific roles to the most suitable and productive specialists. Thus, the organization of all the employee-driven processes helps to accumulate all the efforts and skills towards distinct the achievement of short- and long-term tasks and goals.

Directing

The HR manager is responsible for the successful implementation of changes designed to bring the achievement of the organizational goals. As a result, directing encompasses both the motivation and guidance of employees who drive all the activities and actions within the company. The HR department is responsible for the adjustment towards the rapidly changing political and economic landscapes and an increase in productivity levels that would drive the company’s competitive edge. Consequently, there is a strong need for the organization to assert guidance and set a particular direction that would develop a foundation for a higher level of employee commitment and performance. Directing is designed to maintain structural hierarchy and monitor the efficiency of personnel, thereby significantly contributing to the overall functioning of the staff members. It asserts authority over the employees, as well as ensures that every department functions appropriately and meets the company’s expectations linked to the productivity and efficiency rates.

Controlling

Control of the ongoing process is necessary for the monitoring of the current states of the company’s operations. With the help of control and supervision, HRM strives to establish a particular set of standards and ethical practices that would develop the capacity of this organizational resource. As a result, given specific statistics on employee performance, HR specialists have an opportunity to create more effective plans and eliminate the adverse effect of the existing management problems. Control sets the boundaries for behavior patterns and establishes rules for the corporate culture that can ultimately transform into one of the most crucial aspects of the company’s success. In addition, it serves as a tool for the motivation of employees with an ability to assert performance appraisal and encourage employees for more significant levels of commitment. Control plays an integral role when it comes to the authority of the HR department and constitutes one of its primary functions.

Recruitment/Hiring

Recruitment and hiring processes assign a number of employees to contribute their competence, knowledge, and skills towards the attainment of the company’s objectives. In this way, HR specialists are responsible for the selection of the most suitable candidates for the vacant positions who can potentially bring benefits and enhance the company’s functioning. Effective recruitment and hiring techniques can bring to the organization an efficient and highly productive professional who would considerably contribute to the increase in the potential and competitive advantage of the organization. Recruitment requires an ability to critically asses and analyze previous experience, talents, and competencies of the potential employees, thereby bringing the personnel the most appropriate candidate. Thus, the HR department takes great responsibility for the establishment of a particular corporate environment that should provide all the employees with fostering working conditions and eventually lead to the attainment of specific goals.

Communication

The HR department should also ensure open and straightforward communication among different departments and employees in order to achieve the most productive level of functioning. For instance, effective HRM strategies should nurture diversity and eliminate all the discrimination on the grounds of race, age, gender, or social background. There is a strong interconnection between ethical standards and a set of organizational values that should create a sense of cooperation within the working environment. Consequently, it can be achieved with the help of transparent communication that empowers staff members and drives the dialogue among all the parties. HR specialists perform as an organization mediator that unites various parts of the corporate structure and facilitates all the processes connected to the company’s employees. A thorough approach towards HR management should take a closer look at the active employment of open communication within the boundaries of the organizational structure.

Performance Appraisal

The analysis of employee performance can provide HR specialists with insightful knowledge of the current trends and tendencies that take place in corporate functioning. Given a specific set of standards and particular performance requirements, HR managers have all the tools for the assessment of the efficiency levels of particular team members. It plays a crucial role in the creation of performance appraisal strategies designed to motivate staff members. As a result, the HR department can analyze the productiveness of all the employees and provide the most ambitious, creative, and efficient members with rewards of monetary nature. It serves as an additional incentive for the other professionals and motivates them to follow a particular pattern of working culture. An appraisal of high-level performance rates sparkles competition and desire to perform on a more high level that eventually benefits the company’s functioning.

Training & Development

A series of professional training is designed to develop the competitive edge of the employees and drive their career development. The HR department should pay attention to the growth and enhancement of its personnel, thereby adjusting it to the conditions and requirements of the contemporary market. Educational training programs can establish a new level of knowledge and understanding of the tasks and objectives that team members should accomplish and achieve. It leads to an increase in productivity and revenue rates and creates a basis for effective team building. On that end, team members can interact and communicate on a more profound level that strengthens cooperation and develops the ability to integrate into a particular team. They celebrate innovative and unconventional thinking. Thus, training considerably contributes to the creation of an increasing number of competitive advantages of the company and encourage more effective communication.

Employee Welfare

Employee welfare covers all the areas of the working life of the company’s employees. It entails a wide range of aspects of working conditions, including monetary salaries, a system of perks and bonuses, health insurance, transportation, and housing. Employee welfare demonstrates the willingness of the organization to contribute to the human resource and support employee performance. LaMarco underlines that “According to a Center for American Progress study, the cost to replace an employee who makes $10 an hour is roughly $3,500. The higher the wage for that position, the higher the costs are to rehire and retrain a new person” (LaMarco). As a result, the company’s dedicated approach towards the establishment of nurturing employee welfare and a substantial focus on the maintenance of high levels of both mental and physical health and considerably reduces rates of staff turnover. It creates a great opportunity to excel competitors on the market due to the improved profitability and positive reputation of the company.

Personal Research

Accumulation of information and feedback on working conditions in a particular company can significantly alter its HR strategies and policies. In this way, the HR department is responsible for the understanding of how team members respond to the existing environment and how to implement specific changes in order to increase a level of commitment and dedication towards productivity and efficiency. A wide range of factors can influence the attitude of personnel towards the company, including salary rate, leadership style, a system of perks and bonuses, and a set of strategic objectives. The process of data collection assists future decision-making activities and can change the structure of the organization beyond all recognition. The company has an opportunity to critically estimate the initial setbacks of existing policies and alter them following the vision of the staff members. Consequently, personal research is a powerful instrument for the improved functioning of the company.

Maintenance

HRM team should ensure that the organization meets all the goals and provides its employees with a competitive working environment. As a result, the HR department should fulfill all of its primary functions and maintain high standards of the corporate culture. Elimination of staff turnover and the establishment of employee-oriented working conditions serve as a foundation of the duties of HR specialists. With the help of industrial democracy, the HR team would be able to foster the mental and physical well-being of the staff members, thereby maximizing productivity and enhancing the competitive edge of the business. It requires thorough planning, high focus on employee performance, organizing and directing of the working process, insertion of a certain level of control, effective hiring, and retention practices. Besides, there is a strong need for the company to ensure high standards of employee welfare with a competitive salary rate and a variety of educational programs. Maintenance of effective HR strategies will establish a basis for the sustainable development of the organization.

Innovation

Given globalization and swiftly changing economic and political landscapes, every company should adapt its functioning to the existing requirements. On that end, the HR department has to employ different approaches towards its primary role in the organizational structure with a strong focus on the deployment of resources of artificial intelligence. For instance, “According to research conducted by Accenture and the World Economic Forum, 87% of workers polled believe new technologies like artificial intelligence will improve their work experience and they are willing to invest their free time over the next few years to learn new skills to supplement their current ones” (Meister). Therefore, HR specialists should develop three new roles that would adjust them to the realities of this domain in the contemporary setting (Heathfield). As a result, “Organization development, the overarching discipline for change management strategies, gives the HR professional additional challenges. Consciously helping to create the right organizational culture, monitoring employee satisfaction, and measuring the results of organization initiatives fall here as well as in the role of employee advocacy” (Heathfield). It demonstrates that HRM should drive innovative approaches in order to achieve a more high level of employee satisfaction and dedication, thereby altering the direction of the company growth and providing additional opportunities for prosperity and success.

All things considered, effective HRM plays an indispensable role in the sustainable development of the company since it operates one of the most crucial resources and strives to develop a more productive way for the attainment of organizational goals. In such a way, the HR department takes responsibility for many functions, including planning, organizing, directing, controlling, recruitment/hiring, communication, performance appraisal, training and development, employee welfare, personal research, maintenance, and innovation. All of these aspects of the HR department should aim at providing employees with a welcoming working environment that celebrates change, innovation, and career growth. Still, the maintenance of low rates of staff turnover and high levels of employee satisfaction requires close attention and dedication towards the effective fulfillment of all of these functions. Starting from the monetary reward for the work and to the education programs, HR specialists meticulously analyze the strategic direction of the company and align its resources with a grand scheme of business plans. The ability to operate on various scales and employee-oriented approach would significantly contribute to the productiveness of HRM, thereby increasing the company’s profitability, driving revenue, and strengthening competitive advantages. Besides, the primary functions of HRM are in the constant process of changes due to technological advancements and continuous economic changes.

Works Cited
Chaudhary, Swati. “Human Resource Management & Its Core Functions: Managerial & Operative”. Medium, 2016, https://medium.com/@swaticbindia/human-resource-management-its-core-functions-managerial-operative-fc0335ef616a.

Heathfield, Susan M. “Know the 3 New Roles of the HR Professional Function?”. The Balance Careers, 2019, https://www.thebalancecareers.com/the-new-roles-of-the-human-resources-professional-1918352. Accessed 5 Jan 2020.

LaMarco, Nicky. “Importance of Employee Welfare”. Smallbusiness.Chron.Com, 2019, https://smallbusiness.chron.com/importance-employee-welfare-12998.html.

Meister, Jeanne. “The Future of Work: Three New HR Roles in the Age of Artificial Intelligence”. Forbes, 2018, https://www.forbes.com/sites/jeannemeister/2018/09/24/the-future-of-work-three-new-hr-roles-in-the-age-of-artificial-intelligence/#72d0a424cd98.