Strategic human resource management
Abstracts
Academic journal articles
- Lepak P, Messersmith G and Patel C, (2012) “Walking the tightrope: An assessment of the relationships between high performance work systems and organizational ambidexterity” Academy of Management Journal, 56 no. 5
The article focused on what an organization could to ensure that its human resource system is efficient enough to allow for a well functioning and adaptable human resource environment. It described a strategic human resource environment as one where practices conducted were disciplined, flexible, and built on trust. For a strategic human resource management system, the article suggested that there was a need for the practices that an organization engages in to be brought together so as to form one high-performing work system. Through such a system, the organization would be in a better place to perform its normal operations yet still be adaptable to any changes that may occur. The information used for the study was collected from data on small and medium enterprises which revealed that a strategic human resource management system was highly beneficial. It not only enables an organization to attain ambidexterity in its human resource and its practices, but is also capable of boosting the organization’s growth if well implemented.
- Alfes K, Shantz D, Soane C and Truss C, (2012) “The link between perceived human resource management practices, engagement and employee behavior: A moderate mediation model” The International Journal of Human Resource Management
This article focused on the impact that moderating and mediating processes practiced in the human resource management had on the employee’s behavior. The study revealed that there was a link between employee’s behavior and turnover and how they were engaged in the various human resource management practices. The conclusions drawn were that; the level in which employees were involved in the human resource management practices greatly determined their effectiveness; and that the level of employee engagement was greatly influenced by the perceived support from the organization and management. It drew the conclusion that a strategic human resource management system is one that involved employees in its practices and had the backing of the organization and the management.
Practitioner journal articles
- Woods D, (2012) “HR reward special 1/7: Change is afoot in the reward and benefits market and HR directors need to get involved” HR Magazine
Incentives previously thought of as work perks have grown into something that is no longer a nicety but a requirement in any organization that wants to practice strategic human resource management practices. Human resource is now tasked with the challenge of coming up with ways of keeping employees satisfied through bonuses, incentives and benefit schemes for their employees. Human resource managers are not only required to implement the various benefits while also remaining in touch with benefits at the grass roots level. For it to be successful, a strategic human resource strategy will have to stop viewing the benefits offered to employees as a cost incurred but rather as an investment due to the value that the employees will add to the company.
- Bowen E and Ostroff C, (2015) “Reflections on the 2014 decade award: is the strength in the construct of HR system strength?” Academy of Management Executive
The article focuses on various researches that have been conducted in a bid to create a better understanding of the human resource management system. It draws the conclusions that, among the various areas of a human resource management system, a strategic human resource management system play an important role in the success of an organization. It points out that the human resource management architecture, strength of the organizational climate, social psychological contracts and a strategic human resource management system are some of the key components in an organization that determine its growth, stability and success. Even though there may be some challenges that could come up in its implementation, a strategic human resource management system is highly beneficial and is what an organization should strive to achieve.
Internet information
- SHRM, (2016) “7 bold HR policies which would leave you surprised (and inspired)” retrieved from, https://www.shrm.org/india/hr-topics-and-strategy/strategic-hrm/Pages/7-Bold-HR-Policies-Which-Would-Leave-You-Surprised.aspx
Human resource management has drastically evolved from being an employee focused department to a major contributor to the success of an organization. Because of this, organizations are adopting practices that ensure great success and growth through strategic human resource management. Some of the strategies adopted include
- Giving employees 20% free time to engage in personal matters
- Having a no boss policy where employees do not have a manager governing them
- Training programs for employees to sharpen their skills
- Recruiting employees through apprenticeship programs
- Emphasizing on equality in the workplace
- Paying employees to quit so as to remain with only loyal and motivated employees
- Having lenient dress codes
Such measures are adopted by organizations as a strategic human resource management practice to ensure that employees are motivated and have a good working environment so as to focus on accomplishing the organizational goals.
- Fottler D, (2016) “Strategic human resources management” retrieved from, ccsenet.org/journal/index.php/ijbm/article/download/8745/8479
The article focuses on the importance of having a strategic human resource management system in the healthcare industry and the benefits that could be reaped. Such a system would enable managers to better interact with other employees and guide them in offering good quality service. Managers would be in a better position to understand some of the factors that determine the level of employee performance and how to encourage them to be more productive. Managers will be in a better position to understand how traditional and organizational practices affect human resource practices so as to come up with a way of making them better and more efficient.
Human resource management plays an important role in the success and growth of any organization. In the past, management was of the misconception that the customers had the most influence on the success of the organizations since they were the ones purchasing its products and services. However, the trend has taken a shift over the years and organizations are now fully aware of the importance of employees to an organization’s success and more changes are being made to make their working environment more comfortable. Since human resource is the direct link between management and employees, having strategic human resource management systems will ensure that both the management and the employees are on the same page and are working together to accomplish the organizational goals.
Academic journal articles tended to focus on studies that were being conducted to research on how a strategic human resource management system ought to be like and what advantages would be reaped as a result. Lepak, Messersmith and Patel (2012) spoke of the need for an organization to be able to combine human resource procedures with normal business operations undertaken on a daily basis. If practices engaged in human resource management were aligned with normal business operations, the organization would better situated to meet its goals and also adapt to changes that may occur. This would place it in a position where it will excel as employees will not only have a guideline of what is expected of them, but also a means of coping to changes that may arise in their working routines.
Alfes, Shantz, Soane and Truss (2012) also focused on research being conducted to see the impact that strategic human resource management would have on employees and their behavior. If well implemented, a strategic human resource system would create an environment where employees have a more positive approach on how their tackle their duties as a result of influence from management’s commitment to the human resource practices.
While academic journal articles focus on research being conducted to create better and more strategic human resource management systems if successful, practitioner journal articles focus on measures that have already been implemented. Woods (2012) discusses how there has been an increase in popularity in the way organizations treat their employees. Incentives, employee perks and bonuses are some of the different approaches that organizations are adopting to create a more strategic human resource management system so as to get more from their employees. Bowen and Ostroff (2015) discusses how a strategic human resource management system is likely to create a good working environment thus promoting the growth of an organization.
As for internet information, the material generally focuses on the steps that an organization could take and the procedures that it could adopt so as to establish a strategic human resource management system. SHRM (2016) addresses seven policies that an organization could adopt so as to enhance its human resource management practices. Fottler (2016) on the other hand discusses the various ways that the health industry could establish a strategic human resource management system so as to have better coordination between employees and thus improve on the quality of services offered.
The different types of materials used as a source of information have their advantages and disadvantages. In the case of academic journal articles, the material is on research being conducted relating to a specific issue. The research gives suggestions and benefits that could be reaped if the method was to be implemented. The advantage is that organizations that try out such methods will be the first to benefit from them if they prove to be successful. The disadvantage is that the methods are yet to be tested and an organization could suffer if it implements such a method but realizes that the method was wrong. Practitioner journal articles on the other hand contain information on methods that have already been implemented and tested. The advantage is that one can easily choose which method since it is easy to know which is successful. The disadvantage is that most organizations are already aware of these methods and may already be venturing into new methods that are better thus making them irrelevant. The advantage of internet information is that it gives guidelines and suggestions on how to approach an issue. This is however an advantage and a disadvantage in that the guidelines means that anyone can implement them thus do not offer a competitive advantage.
References
Alfes K, Shantz D, Soane C and Truss C, (2012) “The link between perceived human resource management practices, engagement and employee behavior: A moderate mediation model” The International Journal of Human Resource Management, Retrieved from, http://www.tandfonline.com/doi/abs/10.1080/09585192.2012.679950
Bowen E and Ostroff C, (2015) “Reflections on the 2014 decade award: is the strength in the construct of HR system strength?” Academy of Management Executive
Fottler D, (2016) “Strategic human resources management” retrieved from, www.ccsenet.org/journal/index.php/ijbm/article/download/8745/8479
Lepak P, Messersmith G and Patel C, (2012) “Walking the tightrope: An assessment of the relationships between high performance work systems and organizational ambidexterity” Academy of Management Journal, vol. 56 no. 5, retrieved from, http://amj.aom.org/content/56/5/1420.short
SHRM, (2016) “7 bold HR policies which would leave you surprised (and inspired)” retrieved from, https://www.shrm.org/india/hr-topics-and-strategy/strategic-hrm/Pages/7-Bold-HR- Policies-Which-Would-Leave-You-Surprised.aspx
Woods D, (2012) “HR reward special 1/7: Change is afoot in the reward and benefits market and HR directors need to get involved” HR Magazine retrieved from, http://www.hrmagazine.co.uk/article-details/hr-reward-special-1-7-change-is-afoot-in- the-reward-and-benefits-market-and-hr-directors-need-to-get-involved
