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1TheStrategicRoleofHumanResourceManagementTyson,S1.HumanResourceManagementatWorkWhatIsHumanResourceManagement?Tounderstandwhathumanresourcemanagementis,weshouldfirstreviewwhatmanagersdo.Mostexpertsagreethattherearefivebasicfunctionsallmanagersperform'planning,organizing,staffing,leading,andcontrolling.Intotal,thesefunctionsrepresentthemanagementprocess.Someofthespecificactivitiesinvolvedineachfunctioninclude:Planning:Establishinggoalsandstandards;developingrulesandprocedures;developingplansandforecasting—predictingorprojectingsomefutureoccurrence.Organizing:Givingeachsubordinateaspecifictask;establishingdepartments;delegatingauthoritytosubordinates;establishingchannelsofauthorityandcommunication;coordinatingtheworkofsubordinates.Staffing:Decidingwhattypeofpeopleshouldbehired;recruitingprospectiveemployees;selectingemployees;settingperformancestandards;compensatingemployees;evaluatingperformance;counselingemployees;traininganddevelopingemployees.Leading:Gettingotherstogetthejobdone;maintainingmorale;motivatingsubordinates.Controlling:Settingstandardssuchassalesquotas,qualitystandards,orproductionlevels;checkingtoseehowactualperformancecompareswiththesestandards;takingcorrectiveactionasneeded.WhyIsHRManagementImportanttoAllManagers?Whyaretheseconceptsandtechniquesimportanttoallmanagers?Perhapsit'seasiertoanswerthisbylistingsomeofthepersonnelmistakesyoudon'twanttomakewhilemanaging.Forexample,youdon'twant:TohirethewrongpersonforthejobToexperiencehighturnoverTofindyourpeoplenotdoingtheirbestTowastetimewithuselessinterviewsTohaveyourcompanytakentocourtbecauseofyourdiscriminatoryactionsTohaveyourcompanycitedunderfederaloccupationalsafetylawsforunsafepracticesTohavesomeofyouremployeesthinktheirsalariesareunfairandinequitablerelativetoothersintheorganizationToallowalackoftrainingtoundermineyourdepartment'seffectiveness2TocommitanyunfairlaborpracticesRememberthatyoucoulddoeverythingelserightasamanager—laybrilliantplans,drawclearorganizationcharts,setupmodernassemblylines,andusesophisticatedaccountingcontrols—butstillfailasamanagerbyhiringthewrongpeopleorbynotmotivatingsubordinates,forinstance).Ontheotherhand,manymanagers-whetherpresidents,generals,governors,orsupervisors-havebeensuccessfulevenwithinadequateplans,organization,orcontrols.Theyweresuccessfulbecausetheyhadtheknackforhiringtherightpeoplefortherightjobsandmotivating,appraising,anddevelopingthem.2.LineandStaffAspectsofHRMAllmanagersare,inasense,HRmanagers,sincetheyallgetinvolvedinactivitieslikerecruiting,interviewing,selecting,andtraining.Yetmostfirmsalsohaveahumanresourcedepartmentwithitsownhumanresourcemanager.HowdothedutiesofthisHRmanagerandhisorherstaffrelatetolinemanagers'humanresourceduties?Let’sanswerthisquestion,starlingwithashortdefinitionoflineversusstaffauthority.LineversusStaffAuthorityAuthorityistherighttomakedecisions,todirecttheworkofothers,andtogiveorders.Inmanagement,weusuallydistinguishbetweenlineauthorityandstaffauthority.Linemanagersareauthorizedtodirecttheworkofsubordinates—they'realwayssomeone'sboss.Inaddition,linemanagersareinchargeofaccomplishingtheorganization'sbasicgoals(Hotelmanagersandthemanagersforproductionandsalesaregenerallylinemanagers,forexample.Theyhavedirectresponsibilityforaccomplishingtheorganization'sbasicgoals.Theyalsohavetheauthoritytodirecttheworkoftheirsubordinates.)Staffmanagers,ontheotherhand,areauthorizedtoassistandadviselinemanagersinaccomplishingthesebasicgoals.HRmanagersaregenerallystaffmanagers.Theyareresponsibleforadvisinglinemanagers(likethoseforproductionandsales)inareaslikerecruiting,hiring,andcompensation.LineManagers'HumanResourceManagementResponsibilitiesAccordingtooneexpert,'Thedirecthandlingofpeopleis,andalwayshasbeen,anintegralpartofeverylinemanager'sresponsibility,frompresidentdowntothelowest-levelsupervisor.Forexample,onemajorcompanyoutlinesitslinesupervisors'responsibilitiesforeffectivehumanresourcemanagementunderthefollowinggeneralheadings:PlacingtherightpersonontherightjobStartingnewemployeesintheorganization(orientation)Trainingemployeesforjobsthatarenewtothem3ImprovingthejobperformanceofeachpersonGainingcreativecooperationanddevelopingsmoothworkingrelationshipsInterpretingthecompanyspoliciesandproceduresControllinglaborcostsDevelopingtheabilitiesofeachpersonCreatingandmaintainingdepartmentalmoraleProtectingemployees'healthandphysicalconditionInsmallorganizations,linemanagersmaycarryoutallthesepersonneldutiesunassisted.Butastheorganizationgrows,theyneedtheassistance,specializedknowledge,andadviceofaseparatehumanresourcestaff.HumanResourceDepartment'sHRManagementResponsibilitiesThehumanresourcedepartmentprovidesthisspecializedassistance.Indoingso,theHRmanagercarriesoutthreedistinctfunctions:Alinefunction.First,theHRmanagerperformsalinefunctionbydirectingtheactivitiesofthepeopleinhisorherowndepartmentandinserviceareas(liketheplantcafeteria).Acoordinativefunction.HRmanagersalsofunctionascoordinatorsofpersonnelactivities,adutyoftenreferredtoasfunctionalcontrol.Staff(service)functions.Servingandass