The Evolving Function of HRM in Businesses

An excellent study made on HRM by Towers Perrin,concluded that:

“...human resources is being transformed from a specialized, stand-alone function to a broad corporate competency in which human resources and line managers build partnerships to gain competitive advantage and achieve overall business goals.” (Priorities for Competitive Advantage)

A couple of decades ago when I was just starting my corporate life as a Training Officer, I had a myopic view about the definition of Human Resource Management (HRM) function. I thought then that training and development was just incidental in HRM roles and functions, where the real KRA’s (Key Result Areas) are recruitment, personnel records, salary and benefits administration, and labor relations. What I saw was a department labeled, at best, as a paper mill and, worse, as employees’ counseling clinic. In fact, when there is no scheduled training or seminars to facilitate, one of my duties is to attend to various employees’ concerns and problems, including personal issues. I enjoyed the job though, but I was craving for more. More challenges. Strategic HRM roles that I think would make my department add value to the business in general.

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That was then.

Now, I must say, I have a better grasp of what human resource management is. HRM business practice has evolved considerably over the years. As Perrin concluded, the HRM is no longer viewed as an independent department that caters only to the needs of the employees but as business strategic partner. With this, more and more HRM functions are now being shared, if not delegated entirely, with line managers and supervisors. This is was a welcome and advantageous development, not only for us HR practitioners but for the organization as a whole. With these shared responsibilities, the HRM have now become an integral and indispensable part of organizational change, business planning, and development of company’s competitiveness.

With this evolving HRM role and function, there are at least two important advantages that the organization will benefit there from, to wit:

1. Less administrative burden for the HRM department or professional.

   
   Because some of the important HRM administrative roles, now become a function of line supervision and management. What used to be employees’ problems and issues being hurled to HRM, are now being handled effectively on the shop floor by the concerned unit heads. Grievances and employees’ conflicts are now being mediated and resolved immediately by these people. This should have been the case from the very beginning, in the first place. Who else can better understand and resolve these issues other than the people who have direct supervisions? The most important role of HRM now, in this case, is training these line supervisors and managers to be better at motivating employees for performance and effective dispenser of HRM interventions in their areas of responsibility.
   



2. More time for the HRM to focus on Strategic Human Resource Management (SHRM).

   
   This means, they can focus more on developing programs that will increase the organization’s competitiveness. The market is becoming more competitive each day, as technology advances at pace that we cannot almost cope. More so, way of doing business is always improving, if not changing. SHRM means devoting more time on addressing these competitive challenges and issues. This role is not easy, as it seems. This involves developing HRM plans and programs that integrate business policies, goals, and objectives to ensure that company is prepared and equipped to face the fiercest of its competitors while increasing its bottom line. It is a huge task. However, none in the organization is better fit to do this than the HRM.

New markets will emerge and new businesses will open. The HRM function will continue to evolve to adapt to these trends, and they will assert greater influence as to where businesses should be in the future.