Essay Sample on Human Resource Management

Human resource management is the organizational function that manages all issues related to the people in an organization. This includes but is not limited to compensation, recruitment and hiring, performance management, organization development, safety, wellness, benefits, employee motivation, communication, ensuring compliance with labor laws, policy administration, and training. Human resource management is also a strategic and comprehensive approach to managing people and the workplace culture and environment. When done effectively, human resources enable employees to contribute effectively and productively to the overall company direction and the accomplishment of the organization's goals and objectives. (U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics. "How to Become a Human Resources Manager.") I believe HRM is a tool used to make the best use of human resources. It is used to improve or encourage individual development and ensure that organizations are following government instructions. HRM also is used to bring together employees and management to form a balance which will result in the progress and growth of the organization.

As a field, human resource management has undergone many changes over the last twenty years, giving it an even more important role in today’s organizations. In the past, human resource management meant processing payroll, sending birthday gifts to employees, arranging company outings, and making sure forms were filled out correctly—in other words, more of an administrative role rather than a strategic role crucial to the success of the organization. (https://open.lib.umn.edu/humanresourcemanagement/chapter/1-1-what-is-human-resources/)

In order to understand what the field of human resource management entails the question: “Why study human resource management?” needs to be addressed as well. HRM is either part of the problem or part of the solution in gaining the productive contribution of people. Leading companies such as CSL, Cochlear, Google, General Electric, Johnson & Johnson and Microsoft recognize that human capital is their most important resource e and take action to maximize it by: focusing on selecting, developing and rewarding top talent; encouraging open communication, teamwork and collaboration; and effusing to tolerate poor performance or compromise their long-term objectives for short-term gains. As the global business environment becomes more competitive, human resources are becoming even more critical to organizations success. Stone, R.J., Cox, A., Gavin, M. (2021) Human Resource Management, 10th Edition, Australia. 

The human resource employee is key to either the growth or the demise of the organization. It is the human resource employee’s role to hire qualified candidates and to ensure that all candidates continue to grow within the organization by providing training and development. Through staff training and development, the organization and the people within benefit. Human resource is about managing people and the processes that impact people in the workplace. I want to continue my career in human resources because it allows me to work with and interact with employees at different levels and from different backgrounds. I can also be a support and resource for staff, as well as serve as the conscience of the organization to ensure we create and maintain a positive work environment. As a human resource employee, it is my job to ensure that staff members are aware of their rights as an employee for an organization and I am responsible for ensuring that they are protected from harassment and discrimination. The laws applicable to the workplace on federal, state, and local levels change so it is important as a human resources employee that I can understand and communicate these effectively to staff at all levels. I believe that HRM can be a problem if they refuse to follow through with these guidelines and processes. It would be difficult to achieve a successful organization if both employees and employers are not working towards one objective. HRM is the tool that is used to achieve this.