| Human Resource management is definitely | | | | judgemental data. Another important |
| one of the most important branches of | | | | point to consider when dealing |
| any organizations. In this article I | | | | with human resource planning is that it |
| will discuss how hr principles can be | | | | involves people, therefore |
| implemented on practice using Xerox as | | | | planners need to plan for what is |
| an example of the successful strategy | | | | acceptable as well as feasible.HRM is |
| realization.In the 1980's the concept of | | | | considered by many to be a direct |
| Human Resource Management (HRM) took the | | | | follow-on from Personnel |
| management world by storm, and has | | | | Management, so in order to completely |
| represented a major change | | | | understand HRM it is important |
| thereafter in the way personnel has | | | | that we now look at Personnel |
| been managed in Britain. The | | | | Management, trying to analyse some of |
| terminology of HRM emerged in America | | | | the differences between them."Personnel |
| first, where the political | | | | management is a series of activities, |
| climate, partnered with the decline of | | | | which first enables |
| the union movement, allowed | | | | working people and the business which |
| managers to experiment with new ideas | | | | uses their skills to agree about |
| and concepts associated | | | | the objectives and nature of their |
| personnel management. This led managers | | | | working relationship and secondly, |
| to look for new ideas and | | | | it ensures that the agreement is |
| workplace practices around the world, | | | | fulfilled."The philosophy of personnel |
| focusing mainly on the positive | | | | management has been around for a long |
| example that was coming from the "Tiger | | | | time, and has changed very little in |
| Economies", in particular | | | | that time. It originated in the |
| Japan. Japanese companies at the time | | | | late 1970's, as a way to better manage |
| were a good example for their | | | | employees. Workers were |
| western counterparts, achieving strong | | | | persuaded to adopt new virtues |
| economic success coupled with | | | | regarding their everyday working |
| highly committed employees and high | | | | practices, for example, punctuality and |
| levels of employee satisfaction.There is | | | | obedience. The practices of |
| no universally accepted definition of | | | | personnel management have followed the |
| human resource | | | | changing patterns of employment |
| management; however most people are | | | | and, despite all the changes in the |
| inclined to suggest that "its core | | | | labour market and in the |
| principles challenge both the | | | | government's approach to the economy; |
| traditional practice of personnel | | | | this seems a realistic and |
| management in Britain, and the | | | | constructive approach. It is based on |
| traditional focus of academic | | | | the earlier ideas of Enid |
| industrial relations on collective | | | | Mumford (1972) and McCarthy and Ellis |
| employee relations"(Hollinshead et | | | | (1973). Personnel management is |
| al. 1999 pg8) Human resource management | | | | going through the biggest change in its |
| is the responsibility of using | | | | history. Many commentators |
| and developing the organisation's | | | | believed that the arrival of human |
| personnel in the most productive | | | | resource management was to be a |
| way. This appears to be little more | | | | great change in emphasis, but it was no |
| than restating the role of the | | | | more than rethinking the |
| personnel department, but Human | | | | processes inside the organisation. |
| Resource Management (HRM) has some | | | | Personnel management has grown and |
| distinctive features. It origins have | | | | developed with the increasing size and |
| been the success of the Japanese | | | | variety of organisations.Personnel |
| at managing employees, even though | | | | management is workforce-centred, which |
| their firms rarely have personnel | | | | means its directed |
| department, so HRM represent a rethink | | | | mainly at the organisation employees. |
| by personnel professionals. It | | | | It encompasses a whole range of |
| also places greater emphasis on | | | | tasks crucial to the effective |
| development through training and | | | | management of employees, such as |
| career planning. HRM hopefully has the | | | | finding and training them, arranging |
| potential to persuade all | | | | for them to be paid, explaining |
| managers that the development of their | | | | management's expectations or justifying |
| human resources is their job, | | | | management's actions. The |
| not that of the personnel | | | | starting point is the people who work |
| department.HRM is a resource-centred | | | | for the organisation; they are a |
| style of management, which focuses | | | | resource like materials and cash, but |
| predominantly on managements needs for | | | | considerably less flexible.Underpinning |
| human resources (not | | | | personnel management are the two ideas |
| necessarily employees) to be provided | | | | that people have a |
| and deployed. It focuses on | | | | right to be treated as dignified human |
| planning, monitoring and control rather | | | | beings while at work, that they |
| than mediation, hoping that | | | | are only effective as employees when |
| problem solving is dealt with though | | | | their job-related personnel needs |
| other members of management on | | | | are met, and that this will not happen |
| human resource issues rather than | | | | without personnel management |
| directly with employees or their | | | | intervention in the everyday manager |
| representative.In order for a company's | | | | employee relations. Personnel |
| HRM policy to be successful it is very | | | | managers are involved in a more direct |
| important that the company establishes | | | | way in the relationship between |
| direct links between its human | | | | other managers and their subordinates, |
| resource policies and its broader | | | | because the personnel aspects |
| corporate goals. Therefore it is | | | | of management are often perceived by |
| essential for a company to have a good | | | | line managers as not central to |
| human resource strategy. In | | | | their role.In the next section of this |
| 1994 Henry Mintzberg stated that 'the | | | | essay I am going to use the case study |
| most successful strategies are | | | | of |
| visions, not plans', Mintzberg | | | | Xerox. During the mid-eighties |
| identifies the role of planning in | | | | Xerox underwent serious changes in both |
| terms of programming the 'strategic | | | | in their workforces, and |
| vision', and also in terms of | | | | workforce practices. In doing this they |
| providing information that stimulates | | | | earned the reputation as a |
| the 'visioning process'.Increasingly, in | | | | leading case for "beating the Japanese |
| modern day management, there is a need | | | | at their own game". Today, Xerox |
| for | | | | continues to dominate |
| organisations to combine the processes | | | | the photocopying market. Many elements |
| involved in planning the | | | | of the organisation have proved |
| numbers and skills of employees. This | | | | critical in the implementation of this |
| is done through trying to affect | | | | change, but more than any the |
| employee behaviour and organisational | | | | human resource department proved |
| culture, organisational design | | | | crucial. In terms of outcomes, the |
| and the make up of individual jobs, | | | | period of 1981 saw a decline in the |
| through the creation of formal and | | | | levels of salaried employees |
| informal work systems. These aspects | | | | compared with those involved in |
| are all critical in moulding | | | | "direct" labour. This was reflected in |
| individual employees behaviour and | | | | increased levels of shop floor |
| achieving the company's vision. | | | | autonomy. In this period of change the |
| Planning an HRM strategy is different | | | | number of grievances actually declined. |
| for every organisation and it is | | | | Therefore it is fair to |
| crucial that it is done well. A good | | | | suggest that, the interest of the |
| human resource plan will cover | | | | employees, the union, and the firm |
| areas such as people supply, | | | | were all being met. This is not to say |
| communications, training and | | | | there weren't conflicts between |
| development, | | | | management and its employees, more that |
| appraisal, organisational structure and | | | | it was possible for such |
| pay. Some organisations will | | | | conflicts to occur, whilst, at the same |
| place emphasis on all of the aspects | | | | time the company achieving its |
| mentioned above, planning them | | | | objectives.Mary Anne Winslow is a |
| individually, while other organisations | | | | member of Essay Writing |
| may plan for some and others | | | | Servicecounselling department team and a |
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