Paradoxes in Human Resources

The HR department officials in most organizations perform as they should. In most cases, they also focus on achieving the right things. Human Resource departments focus organizing, controlling, and hiring employees in organizations. When organizations apply HR practices, the results are great client satisfaction, a good net margin, and reduced sickness absence (Richard and Johnson, 2001). Vermeeren et al. (2014) posit that there is a great relationship between performance and HRM. Most organizations use the human resource department to ensure that operations run smoothly.

Is Human Resources important? Should it be done away with altogether? Dr. Dave Ulrich gives his take on the topic in his article, “A New Mandate for Human Resources,” in the Harvard Business Review. This topic is up for debate because of the widespread variance in differing opinions on the matter. HR is the department of a business or organization that deals with the hiring, administration, and training of personnel. In this paper, I plan to summarize and critique Ulrich’s “A New Mandate for Human Resources” for young business majors or those interested in reading this article.

Human resource departments today have a more distinct, calculated position within organizations, and human resource strategy influences the bottom line. “One of the challenges for HR leaders is convincing executive leadership teams that human capital is one of the most important resources in which the company can invest” (Mayhew, 2014, p.). Subsequently, “this return on investment is an essential part of the argument for including HR as part of an overall business strategy” (Mayhew, 2014, p.). Human resource departments utilize the information given to them from company executives and leaders, coupled with their respective expertise on all things personnel, and they plan and implement staffing concerns for the betterment of the organization. From preparing job analysis, to comparing inventory and forecasting, it is the responsibility of human resources to consider the objectives of an organization and fulfill those goals while operating the specific planning relative to HR.

In an era of organizational flux due to competition and globalization, companies and employees are faced with constant change. Leaders must be able to adapt to change as the environment shifts. HR has been known as the organizational change agent, administrative expert, and employee advocate. More recently they have been regarded as business strategic partners for many organizations. In order to be successful and remain competitive in today’s market, Human Resources (HR) must be considered a strategic partner if an organization wants to flourish. Top executives today commit significant resources to ensure that their company’s functions are capable of rapid change and achieving their

The human resources department plays an important role when it comes down to strategic planning. To illustrate this form of planning is a vital component in strategic human resource management. The human resource department must demonstrate a plan, which is the strategy which is intended to accomplish the goal of the organization over time. This is the way the organization functions. When the human resource department is on the same page as the organization this directly links the two together and guide them on a straight

Human resources involves workers who are in charge of the organization and responsible for implementing strategies and policies that relate to the management of individuals. It is a very important part of a company’s success and ultimately decides how much the company can grow and achieve (Vasquez, 2003). Human resource managers seek to achieve this success by arranging the supply

Like most other department managers, the primary function of a human resource manager is responsible for overseeing department functions as well as managing employees. This is why the human resource manager must be extremely familiar with every square inch of each discipline of human resource management. This includes Equal Employment Opportunities and Affirmative Action, human resource planning, recruitment, and selection, human resource development, compensation and benefits, safety and health, and employee relations. In this reflective essay I will discuss each of these disciplines and how they work together. Additionally, I will discuss which functions I believe to be the most important, and how human resource management can be optimized for shaping organizational and employee behavior.

Brimley and Garfield (2012) proclaim, the expanded role of human resources is the administration of personnel: the skill of leading and managing people. They also assert, human resource administrators typically focus on the following areas: recruitment, salaries, benefits, certification, and retirement. As a result, the human resource team are people experts (Brimley and Garfield, 2012). “Notwithstanding the importance of personnel duties, the role is broadened to include improving the ambiance of the profession,” claim Brimley and Garfield (2012, para. 1, p. 367). Brimley and Garfield also claim, a human

In any organization it is important for HR to touch all levels of the organization and to understand the organization’s environment. An organization who values their employees cannot afford having a human resources department that does not function in a strategic partner role. Human resources professionals, in organizations are equipped with the knowledge, skills and abilities to work with talented senior leaders in an organization. They have the ability to successfully partner with each department within an organization to understand the overall business. HR professional can assist in designing strategic plans to balance the needs of the organization, the employees and the stakeholders. HR can help align efforts of the various functions within the organization with the established goals. They can support the organization’s functions by recruiting, developing and retaining company team members who are crucial. HR should be the driver of the organization’s values. They must not only focus on internal tasks but must step outside the box and fully understand the organization as a whole, how it operates, the competition and what could influence the organization's progress. They must be able to handle change, perform environmental scanning, understand outsourcing and processes

Martell and Carroll (1995) stated that there are two types of human resources: strategic and operative. They went on to describe four characteristics of human resource initiatives: (1) They are long-term oriented; (2) They are connected with the corporate strategies; (3) They are connected with the organizational performance; and (4) The line managers are involved in the details of decisions regarding human resource management. Too often, both operations managers and human resource mangers forget that they are working toward the same goal. Often, human resources will adopt policies and procedures that are hard for line managers to implement, and line managers expect human resources to have an inherent understanding of the processes taking place on the plant floor. The relationship between the best human resource practices and organizational performance must always

Human Resources often begins as very tactical policies, records, compliance, discipline, compensation, benefits, job descriptions, hiring, performance management (). Taken to the next level, HR becomes strategic, connecting employees to the business mission, values, and vision, in order to drive business results (). Employee goals and metrics align to the business strategy and rewards tie into results. Additionally, careful consideration is given to developing talent pipelines, employee succession plans, and career planning in order to respond flexibly to the inevitable work flow and staffing changes that all businesses experience ().

Most organizations view human resources departments as less valuable than other departments because it’s not a revenue- generating department. However, it is quite the opposite because HR brings the organization its most valuable assets, which are its people.

Human resource management faces many challenges and operates in a constant environment of change. Two of the most important challenges to the role of human resource management in the future is the ability to move to a strategic human resource model and the capacity

The role of the human resources (HR) department can play a significant role in the success and achievements of an organization. The department, which has evolved from the

HR department is responsible for many of the attributions of an organization. HRM is a strategic part in the organizational achievement of the company. HR department major daily tasks are planning and alignment, staffing, preparing compensation offers and to shape, outline and define the culture of the organization. HRM process which purpose is to attract, retain, and motive is made up of eight main practices which include HR planning, job analysis and design, recruitment, selection, performance appraisal, training and development, compensation, and benefits.