Aspects of Human Resource Management

Aspects of Human Resource Management The main focus of Human Resource Management is personnel and how they can be best utilized to accomplish the mission of the organization based on several aspects of the department. These aspects are Equal Opportunity and Affirmative Action, Human Resource Planning, Execution and Selection, Human Resources Development, Compensation and Benefits, Safety and Health, and Employee and Labor Relations. Each area serves a dual purpose of helping the employer provide a better environment to their employees and ensure the success of the company.

This paper will reflect on each aspect of human resource management and discuss how they work together to perform the primary function. Almost all aspects of human resource management are affected by Equal Employment Opportunity and Affirmative Action laws. These laws govern the human resource process of recruiting, selecting and promoting the best and most qualified person for the job. It protects employees or potential recruits from discrimination based on race, color, gender, age, religion or national origin (as cited by Youssef, 2012. Sec 1. 5).

One example of discrimination in the workplace would be an employer asking applicants to list their background/ethnicity on an employment application with the intent to use that information for hiring purposes. This type of business practice is illegal and can have damaging consequences such as a class action lawsuit or a negative image on the organization. Decisions concerning all aspects of human resource management should be based off the best interest of the company. The more diverse a company is the more effective it can operate because it brings new ideas and different perspectives to the table.

Another important aspect of human resource management is planning. Planning is the process of setting a goal or task, and determining step by step how an organization will achieve those goals. In order for an organization to achieve its strategic objectives it requires a lot of planning. This major task is one of many functions performed by the human resources department. human resource planning is responsible for managing all matters relating to employees. They must accurately predict the number of employees the rganization will need in order to achieve the organization’s strategic goals. Having too many or too little employees can hinder the organizations ability to operate efficiently, effectively and competitively. Once it is determined how many employees are needed, human resource staff must select qualified applicants to fulfill desired positions based on an employee’s knowledge, skill and abilities. Also, they must plan how to best utilize the workforce’s skills and talents in order to obtain a competitive advantage over their counterparts.

Furthermore in relating to human resource planning, part of achieving an organization’s goal is it must have the right amount of people to do the job and a plan on how to retain them once the selection process has occurred. For example, in order for the military to achieve its strategic objectives, it must have the right number of soldiers to fulfill certain jobs or tasks. Like any other organization, in order to be considered for a position in the military, you must take an aptitude test to determine what jobs in the military would best suit your abilities.

Based off how you score will determine what jobs you qualify for. This score is known as the Armed Forces Qualification Test Score and is important because it determines whether you can join the military service of your choice. Each branch of service has set their own minimum AFQT score. Another part of strategic planning in the military is retaining soldiers and in order to retain qualified soldiers they offer incentives such as sign-on bonuses, reenlist bonuses, assignment preferences… etc

Human Development is another aspect that is essential to the management, training, and improvement of employees. At different stages of their careers, employees need different kinds of training. Human Resources Management’s role is to provide this training to employees to sharpen their skills and the organization’s capability. When the organization invests in improving the knowledge and skills of their employees, the investment is returned in the form of productivity and effective employees. As time passes and technology changes the role of training and development programs will be transformed.

As employees, we need to be flexible and partake in continuous learning. Also, updating your skill set will be critical to your personal and professional success. In order to measure the effectiveness of training, there are several steps you can take to ensure it works. The first step would be to ask for feedback from the employees once training has been conducted. If the training does not pertain to the actual job or is lacking pertinent information the employees’ feedback can help improve the training.

The next measure to take to test the effectiveness of training is to administer a pre-test and post-test and compare the results. The pre-test will tell you how much knowledge the employee started with, and how much they really learned from the training at the end will be revealed with the post-test. The last step is to observe an employee work to see if what they learned in training is actually being applied to the job. Everyone has their own reason for working and money is usually the most important factor because it pays the bills.

However, employee benefits are equally as important to keeping employees motivated to work. Healthcare costs can become extremely expensive, especially for those families with medical issues and having insurance to cover those costs can benefit more than pay. Additionally, with inflation and the cost of living rising, people cannot afford to live off social security alone. A pension plan can help supplement social security benefits after retirement. Other types of employee benefits provide security for families in the event of disability or death.

Human Resource Management has a responsibility to ensure the health and safety of their employees. Every organization should have policies and procedures established for integrating health and safety practices in the workplace and ensure resources are available to assist employees in the event of a mishap. This aspect correlates with training because human resource managers should ensure that employees are aware and familiar with all the hazards that exist within their immediate work center and know how to report any issues if someone becomes injured or ill.