Introduction and Purpose of Paper
Human Resources (HR) are extremely vital for any organization, as they give it an opportunity to maintain efficient operations. In this way, the performance of the company depends on its workforce, which means that individuals who recruit employees are to be rather diligent. The competencies that they should have to work effectively are often discussed by professionals. With the development in various spheres and new focuses of the 21st century, HR competencies altered and became more complicated.
This paper aims to discuss a new range of HR competencies. Their value to the organization, risks of not utilizing, and examples of usage in practice will be considered. Personal evaluation of these competencies will be done, and the way of further development and utilization in the organization will be determined.
HR Competencies for the 21st Century
Academic Definitions of the Key Terms
HR management occurs to be a mixture of psychology and management with a strategic role for the organization. Being influenced by the peculiarities of the 21st century, the HR manager faced a range of changes including those connected with required competencies. According to Schoonover (2003), they are “a set of context-specific behaviors that define what success looks like in an action in a particular setting” (p. 6). The professional points out such blocks of competencies as:
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Personal attributes. Factors needed for all functions of the HR manager, such as results orientation, commitment, etc.
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Leadership & management competencies. Factors that provide an opportunity to exude of career levels, such as visioning and alignment, strategic thinking, etc.
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HR core competencies. Factors common to all HR professionals, such as stewardship, coaching and consulting, etc.
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HR role-specific competencies. Factors vital for a particular role, such as talent management, technology expertise, etc.
The Value That Is Added to the Organization through the Concept
The professionals who obtain new HR competencies are likely to bring advantages to the organization. They are expected to encourage the workers to become more initiative and independent. Moreover, the number of issues related to accountability will reduce. HR managers are claimed to enhance the performance of the whole organization “through the provision of concerned tools and techniques that improve their effectiveness while having the acquisition of critical competencies through continuous learning opportunities” (Aslam, Ali, & Habib, 2013, p. 90).
Examples of the Concept in Practice
Being used in practice, new HR competencies provide the company with a range of global and local competitive advantages. They give an opportunity to focus on broader organizational goals and work efficiently with expatriated labor. HR managers can focus on the competencies that are required for their particular roles and deepen into some areas of knowledge instead of considering numerous aspects. Organizational learning also improves because employees interact and cooperate in a more effective manner (Ulrich, Younger, & Brockbank, 2008). Still, staffing occurs to be mainly affected, as professionals alter the way, in which they hired employees. More value is given to the personal characteristics of the individual, which allows for forecasting one’s development and performance.
Risks of Not Utilizing the Concept
It is critical to utilize HR competencies developed for the 21st century, as they are meant to meet the demands of current businesses. If they are not used, an organization is likely to face a range of problems. Produced services may become less valuable, employee misunderstanding will be frequently observed, work standards will not be decently exhibited and organization performance will worsen.
Personal Evaluation of Own Competencies in the Concept Area
I cannot say that my own HR competencies are excellent but believe that my personal attributes are on a decent level. I think that I should improve my resource management competencies as sometimes I have problems with identifying the best way of mobilizing them. I also believe that I should enhance my knowledge of ethical and political practices to provide efficient guidelines.
Development of Personal Competencies in the Area
Being focused on the constant development and oriented on the result achievement, I am likely to fill existing gaps. I will investigate new communication techniques, try to identify and solve challenges, share knowledge with peers, and participate in training. I will follow the example of experienced professionals and utilize best practices in this sphere. I strongly support the idea that practice and experience are crucial for the development of competencies. That is why I will be focused on utilizing theoretical knowledge in real-life situations.
Concluding Comments on Knowledge of the HR Function
Any business depends on HR greatly, as it makes employees conduct efficient operations. In this way, HR managers are focused on recruiting, they provide consultation and training for personnel, make them follow, and support organizational vision and mission. In the framework of business changes of the 21st century, HR competencies altered and became more complicated. They include various factors required to personal attributes, leadership & management, HR core, and role-specific competencies (Schoonover, 2003). Only with their help, HR managers can control the situation within the organization and improve it when needed. Failure to utilize new competencies in practice is likely to lead to disagreements, poor employee communication, and performance.
References
Aslam, H., Ali, M., & Habib, B. (2013). Importance of human resource management in 21st century. International Journal of Human Resource Studies, 3(3), 87-96.
Schoonover, S. (2003). Human resource competencies for the new century. Web.
Ulrich, D., Younger, Y., & Brockbank, W. (2008). The twenty-first-century HR organization. Human Resource Management, 47(4), 829-850.
