Topic/Contemporary Environment for Managing Human Resources

From your Human Resources Management course, you have learnt about the evolution of human resources management and its traditional functions, that is, how and when human resources management came into being. Throughout the years human resources has transformed from being a miscellaneous administrative burden to being a strategic function in every modern organisation.

In the past there was a common tendency by organisations to undermine the need to manage their workforce in a systematic manner. For instance, when there was a vacancy, those in charge of hiring would hire a relative or a friend without due regard for the value that the relative or friend is going to add to the organisation. Worse still, positions will be created not on the basis of organisational need but sometimes merely to hire or promote someone in return for a favour. The activity that follows will enable you to appreciate this fact.

Due to the complexity within which organisations operate, contemporary human resources management is now the cornerstone for the success of every organisation. Organisations find themselves having to operate within an environment with stiff competition. In order for them to survive the stiff competition organisations have to hire employees who are capable and who have what it takes to make sure that they are the best.

You should now have noticed that ignoring the human resources management function to the administrative miscellaneous by any modern organisation would be suicidal to its core business and functionality. Human resources has no doubt become the most vital asset of any organisation hence compelling executives of organisations to put emphasise on an strategic approach to the management of the workforce. Gone are the days when bosses used to say “any one can employ for the organisation, and anyone employed for the organisation is just okay as long as he/she can do what he/she is told to do.