Basics of Human Resource Management

Definition and Introduction:

The basic meaning of human resource management (HRM) includes the way of managing employees or people in the organization. Different scholars have defined HRM in various ways.

"HRM is concerned with the people dimension” in management. Since every organization is made up of people, acquiring their services, developing their skills, motivating them to higher levels of performance and ensuring that they continue to maintain their commitment to the organization is essential to achieve organizational objectives. This is true, regardless of the type of organization – government, business, education, health or social action". - Decenzo and Robbins

HRM is "planning, organizing, directing, controlling of procurement, development, compensation, integration, maintenance, and separation of human resources to the end that individual, organizational and social objectives are achieved." - Edwin Flippo

George Elton Mayo (1880-1949) conducted various studies, especially his Hawthorne Studies is regarded as the base of the Human Relations Movement in management.

Area of Human Resource Management:

For the effective function of any organization, it must possess money, human resources, machinery, and materials. The resources cannot achieve the objectives themselves, human resources need to collect, coordinate and utilize them properly and for this effective human resource management is also important. Human Resource Management is an organizational process that manages human-related issues such as administration, hiring, training, performance management, employee motivation, compensation, benefits, safety, wellness, communication, and organizational development as a whole.

Human Resource management includes:

• performing job analyses, 
• planning of human needs, and recruitment,
• selection of the right people for the right job, 
• orientation and training, 
• deciding and management of wages and salaries, 
• ensuring benefits and incentives, 
• performance appraisal, 
• dispute settlement
• communication with every employee at every level.
• Maintenance of awareness and compliance with local, state and international labor laws.

These are also known as functions of human resource management.

Objectives of Human Resource Management:

• Social objective: Being socially responsible to the requirements and challenges of society. If organizations fail to use their resources for social welfare, restrictions may arise, such as societies may issue laws limiting human resource decisions. 
• Organizational objective:HRM should survive to contribute to organizational effectiveness. HRM is the process to help the organization to achieve its primary objectives.
• Operational objective: Maintaining the department's functions at a level proper to the organization's needs. Resources should not be wasted. Every department's level of service must be matched with the company it serves. 
• Human objective: Personal or human objectives of employees must be achieved if workers are to be satisfied, motivated and retained. Otherwise, employees may underperform, be dissatisfied, and leave the job.

Principles of Human Resource Management:

Modern human resource management is founded on many predominant principles.

• The core principle is recognizing that human resources are the most valuable assets of a business or an organization. A business can become successful with the effective management of this resource.
• According to Michael Armstrong in his book A Handbook of Human Resource Management, another important principle is that business success "is most likely to be achieved if the personnel policies and procedures of the enterprise are closely linked with, and make a major contribution to, the achievement of corporate objectives and strategic plans."
• The third important principle mentions that finding, securing, guiding and developing employees whose desires and talents are appropriate for the functional needs and future goals of the organization, are the HR’s responsibility.
• Other HRM principles that form organizational culture are encouraging integration and cooperation within the organization, ensuring proper performance measurements, or taking some other positive step which will contribute to the business success.

According to Armstrong HRM "is a strategic approach to the acquisition, motivation, development, and management of the organization's human resources. It is devoted to shaping an appropriate corporate culture, and introducing programs which reflect and support the core values of the enterprise and ensure its success."

Human resource management is really very crucial to the success of any business or organization. A big business or organization should hire an efficient human resource manager and develop an appropriate HR department to handle all the HRM activities properly. In case of small business, the business people or the owner should have clear and proper knowledge about the basics of human resource management to achieve success in the long run.