What is HRM and what are the functions of HRM? HRM covers a wide range of functions essential to any organization’s success. Human Resource Management (HRM) is like being the parent of a large family. They have to make sure everyone is happy, healthy, and getting along. In addition to this, HRM is responsible for making sure everyone has what they need to do their job, and you have to be the mediator when there’s a fight over the last donut in the break room. They have to deal with the employee who is always late or the one who keeps stealing office supplies.
But HRM is not just about being a parent. It’s like being a magician too! You have to magically find the right person for the job, even when there seems to be no one available. You have to create training programs that can turn an ordinary employee into a superhero. And you have to make everyone disappear when it’s time for a surprise office party.
HRM plays a critical role in the success of any organization, as it is responsible for attracting and retaining top talent, developing a positive work environment, and ensuring that the organization’s goals and objectives are met. The functions of HRM are essential for achieving these goals, and they can be broadly categorized into five main areas. In this blog post, we’ll take a closer look at some of the key functions of HRM and why they’re so important. Human Resource Management includes recruiting and hiring, providing training and development, assessing and evaluating the performance of employees, deciding compensation and providing benefits, motivating employees, and maintaining proper relations with employees.
Functions of HRM
Human resource management is not a trivial task. It requires a lot of patience and dedication. There are numerous things that are not exactly in the control of the HR personnel which they are blamed for. Since they spend a lot of time parsing resumes, reviewing candidates, etc, they are occupied and busy. With the advent of brilliant technology like applicant tracking systems, HR professionals are now able to spend time on things that actually matter: people.
Staffing
The staffing function of HRM involves identifying the job requirements, recruiting suitable candidates, and selecting the best person for the job. This function involves creating job descriptions, posting job vacancies, screening resumes, conducting interviews, and selecting the best candidate. The HRM department also conducts background checks, verifies employment eligibility, and makes job offers. Let us take a look at the important things that come under staffing:
This HRM function plays a vital role in ensuring that an organization has the right people in the right jobs with the right skills and knowledge to achieve the organization’s goals and objectives.
The staffing function involves several activities that are designed to identify and attract the best candidates for the job. These activities include:
- Job analysis: The first step in the staffing function is to conduct a job analysis. This involves identifying the tasks, duties, and responsibilities of the job, as well as the necessary skills, knowledge, and experience required to perform the job effectively. Read more about job analysis here.
- Job description: Once the job analysis is completed, a job description is created. The job description outlines the job’s duties, responsibilities, and qualifications required to perform the job effectively.
- Sourcing candidates: The next step in the staffing function is to source candidates. This can be done through various methods, such as posting job vacancies on job boards, using social media platforms, or working with recruiting agencies.
- Screening candidates: Once candidates have been sourced, the next step is to screen them. This involves reviewing resumes, conducting phone screenings, and scheduling interviews with the most qualified candidates.
- Conducting interviews: Interviews are an essential part of the staffing function. They provide an opportunity for the employer to assess the candidate’s qualifications, skills, knowledge, and experience. The interview process can include one or multiple interviews, depending on the job’s complexity and the number of candidates being considered.
- Selecting candidates: After conducting interviews, the employer selects the most qualified candidate for the job. The selection process may also include conducting reference checks, verifying employment eligibility, and making a job offer.
- Onboarding: Once the candidate has accepted the job offer, the onboarding process begins. Onboarding is the process of integrating new employees into the organization. This involves providing orientation, training, and support to help the new employee adjust to the job and the organization.
Training and Development
The training and development function of HRM is responsible for developing the skills and knowledge of employees, to enable them to perform their jobs effectively. This function includes designing and delivering training programs, assessing training needs, and evaluating the effectiveness of training programs. It also involves creating career development plans, mentoring programs, and succession planning, to help employees advance in their careers.
The Training and Development function is a critical component of Human Resource Management (HRM). The Training and Development function of HRM involves several activities that are designed to enhance employee skills and knowledge. These activities include:
- Identifying training needs: The first step in the Training and Development function is to identify training needs. This can be done through various methods, such as conducting a training needs analysis, reviewing performance evaluations, or conducting employee surveys.
- Designing training programs: Once the training needs have been identified, the next step is to design and develop training programs. This can involve creating training materials, developing training modules, and identifying training delivery methods.
- Implementing training programs: The next step is to implement the training programs. This involves delivering the training to employees through various methods, such as classroom training, on-the-job training, or online training.
- Evaluating training effectiveness: After the training has been delivered, the next step is to evaluate its effectiveness. This involves measuring the impact of the training on employee performance, knowledge, and skills. Evaluation can be done through various methods, such as employee surveys, skills assessments, or job performance evaluations.
- Providing career development opportunities: In addition to training, the Training and Development function can also provide career development opportunities for employees. This can include job shadowing, mentoring programs, or leadership development programs.
The Training and Development function is essential because it ensures that employees have the necessary skills, knowledge, and abilities to perform their job duties effectively. By providing training and development opportunities, HRM can improve employee performance, increase job satisfaction, and reduce turnover. It can also help organizations stay competitive by keeping employees up-to-date with the latest industry trends and technologies.
Performance Management
You know that feeling when you’re waiting for your teacher to hand back your exam, and you’re not sure if you did well or not? That’s exactly what performance management is. The performance management function of HRM involves setting performance goals, providing regular feedback, conducting performance appraisals, and identifying areas for improvement. This function aims to improve employee performance, motivation, and job satisfaction, by setting clear expectations and providing constructive feedback.
Compensation and Benefits
Human Resource Management is responsible for creating and administering the organization’s compensation and benefits policies. This function of HRM includes setting salaries and wages, developing benefits packages, and administering employee benefits such as health insurance, retirement plans, and paid time off.
Employee Relations
Maintaining positive relationships between employees and the organization is one of the major functions of HRM. This function includes handling employee grievances, resolving conflicts, promoting diversity and inclusion, and ensuring compliance with labor laws and regulations. It also involves creating policies and procedures to promote a safe and healthy workplace and providing support for employees who are experiencing personal or work-related difficulties.
Suggested Read: Employee Relations: How to Improve Employee Net Promoter Score
Retention of Employees
When an employee resigns, it is the responsibility of the HRM to know the root cause of the decision. HR must sit with the employee and discuss the various issues face to face, emphasizing retaining the employees. They must try solving the problem because finding a fit candidate for a role is a tedious task. For this, they must conduct motivational activities at workplaces and motivate the top performers with incentive schemes.
Conclusion
We have taken a look at the different functions of HRM and the importance of these functions.
In conclusion, the functions of HRM are integral to the success of any organization. From acquiring and retaining top talent, to developing and training employees, to ensuring compliance with labor laws and regulations, HR professionals play a critical role in driving organizational effectiveness and profitability. By embracing the key functions of HRM and leveraging technology and best practices, organizations can create a culture of high-performance, engagement, and innovation that drives sustainable growth and success. So let us strive to build HR practices that not only support the needs of our people but also drive the success of our organizations.
