3.6.1- Setting human resource objectives Flashcards
3.6 Human resource management
What is the purpose of HR?
To ensure businesses achieve the maximum benefit from its employees at minumum costs
What are the three objectives that helps HR to manage people effectively?
- Matching the workforce to business needs
- Helping employees reach their full potential
- Supporting employee/employer relations
How does HR match the workforce to the business?
- HR anticipates the future size of business
- Decide what skill-level the workforce needs
- Decide where employees are needed in each department
- They think about diversity
- Make sure staff wages correct
How does HR help emplyees reach their full potential
- Invests in training so workers can improve productivity
- In some businesses, HR focuses on the most talented employee to reach their full potential
- They need to match workforce skill-levels to jobs
- Pleasant work environment help improve morale
How does HR support employee/employer relations?
- Good communication: HR listens and reacts to employees concerns
- Employees given responsibility feel valued and trusted
- Improving relationships between employees and management can reduce absenteeism & labour turnover
- Breakdown in relations can lead to decreased productivity and low morale.
What are the internal factors that influence HR objectives?
- The culture
- Other departments give HR the information needed to predict workforce needs
- The amount of funding in a business
What are the external factors that influence HR objectives?
- State of the economy can affect recruitment and training
- All businesses are subject to UK employment laws, so some HR may change objectives to fit legislation
- Ethical and environmental issues can influence HR. E.g. the condemning of 0hrs contracts
- Improvement in technology means HR recruit those who can use machinery or software
What is a hard HRM approach?
It focues on maximizing productivity and efficiency, seeing employees as a resource like any other.
What is a soft harm HRM approach?
It emphasizes the importance of people and their well-being, seeing employees as the most important resource
What is an advantages of a hard approach?
Can keep control of the workforce, therefore less mistakes, can easily be replaced
What are the disadvantages of a hard approach?
- Cant meet employees full potential, so misses out on increasing profit
- Can demotivate employees
- Boring, repetitive jobs can make employees feel undervalued
- Unlikely to be loyal to their organisation, leading to high staff turnover
What are the advantages of a soft approach?
- Can increase staff morale as employees will feel valued. This helps retain staff
- Businesses benefit from skills and experience of staff
- Encourages commitment and good performance from workers
What are the disadvantages of a soft approach?
- Employees might not be interested in development and empowerment
- Costly as theres investment into employees
- Extra training is time consuming, which employees can leave for a better job.
