Line Managers and HRM

Question 1

Role of line managers in Human Resource Management (HRM)

Answer 1

• Line managers play a critical role in HRM by being the first point of contact for employees in the organisation
  o Normal lower management
  o Unlikely to have formal management education

Question 2

Key responsibilities and roles of line managers in HRM

Answer 2

• Implementing HR policies and procedures
• Performance management
• Employee development
• Employee relations
• Recruitment and selection
• Compensation and Benefits

Question 3

Implementing HR policies and procedures

Answer 3

ensure HR policies and procedures are effectively implemented

Question 4

Performance management

Answer 4

managing performance of teams, providing feedback, setting goals, and conducting performance reviews

Question 5

Employee development

Answer 5

identifying training and development needs within their teams, fostering employee growth, and supporting career development

Question 6

Employee relations

Answer 6

handle day-to-day employee relations issues, conflict resolution, and disciplinary actions within their teams

Question 7

Recruitment and selection

Answer 7

conducting interviews, and providing input on hiring decisions

Question 8

Compensation and Benefits

Answer 8

work with HR to ensure that employees are fairly compensated and motivated to achieve their goals

Question 9

Why HR is devolved (Whittaker and Marchington, 2003)

Answer 9

• Efficiency
• Proximity to employees
• Tailored approach
• Empowerment and accountability

Question 10

Efficiency

Answer 10

delegating HR responsibilities to line managers can streamline HR processes and decision-making, leading to quicker and more effective outcomes (cost effective)

Question 11

Proximity to employees

Answer 11

direct contact with employees on a daily basis, making them well-positioned to address HR issues

Question 12

Tailored approach

Answer 12

better understanding of their team members’ skills, performance, and development needs, allowing them to provide more personalised HR support

Question 13

Empowerment and accountability

Answer 13

can enhance their sense of ownership, accountability, & empowerment in managing teams

Question 14

Challenges of devolving HRM to line managers (Bainbridge, 2015)

Answer 14

• Lack of HR expertise and training
• Workload and time consuming
• Inconsistency
• Employee perceptions
• Short-term approach
• Fear of poor performance
• Role conflict and ambiguity
• HR managers resistance

Question 15

Lack of HR expertise and training

Answer 15

may not have the necessary HR training or expertise to handle complex issues effectively, leading to potential errors or legal risks

Question 16

Workload and time consuming

Answer 16

already have demanding roles and responsibilities within their teams, challenging to dedicate sufficient time and attention to HR tasks

Question 17

Inconsistency

Answer 17

may interpret HR policies and procedures differently, leading to inconsistencies in HR practices across departments or teams

Question 18

Employee perceptions

Answer 18

perception of biased or unqualified to handle HR matters, impacting trust and employee relations

Question 19

Resourcing and support

Answer 19

may require additional HR resources, training, and support to effectively carry out HR responsibilities, which can pose challenges for organisations with limited HR capacity

Question 20

Short-term approach

Answer 20

pressured to reach short-term goals linked to cost reductions and profitability, neglecting the long-term HR initiatives

Question 21

Fear of poor performance

Answer 21

afraid to be criticised for poor performance for not delivering HR effectively and neglecting other demands of their job, hesitate to take HR responsibilities

Question 22

Role conflict and ambiguity

Answer 22

lack of role clarity is a key barrier to the effective delegation of HRM to line managers

Question 23

HR managers resistance

Answer 23

HR managers are neither willing to delegate their discipline or share knowledge to line managers