HRM Strategies and Challenges Free Sample for Students-Myassignment

Question: Discuss about the Strategic Human Resource Management. Answer: Introduction Human resource management is such a wide term which covers enormous functions, policies, strategies, tactics and approaches to manage the human resources in the most efficient manner. To have a sustainable and successful business organisation, the primary need is to have an efficient HRM department which can offer the utmost benefits and convenience to human resource of the organisation. With change in time, companies have changed their outlook and perceive the development of the human resource more significant than increased profits and sales (Hendry, 2012). One such organisation is Justitia, the organisation is well-recognized for its endeavours in the direction of workplace flexibility, employee development and work-life balance. The essay will highlight the role and importance of strategic human resource management in overcoming the challenges of HRM and managing the human resource in the most efficient manner. The essay will demonstrate the different theoretical perspectives of strategic human resource management. It will also have its focus on the initiatives of Justitia in overcoming the traditional ways of managing the human resource and having high work-place flexibility. Role of Strategic HRM in managing human resource and overcoming HRM challenges The strategic human resource management and its role can be better explained with the theoretical concepts. There are majorly four main theoretical perspectives of SHRM that includes resource-based, strategic best-fit, configurationally and universalistic. As per the universalistic theoretical aspect, there is only one single way which is applicable on all the organisations, for managing the human resource irrespective of the size, culture or business function (Hsieh and Chen, 2011). It was the traditional way of managing HR and Justitia adopted a step ahead to change this traditional way of HRM. The second theoretical aspect is Strategic best-fit, in this perspective; there is incorporation of the specific human resource practices which matches to the overall business strategy of the organisation. Justitia have incorporate workplace flexibility approach in the organisation to offer the employees the freedom to work as well as mange their personal lives at the same time (Armstrong an d Taylor, 2014). The third theoretical perspective is configurationally, according to this aspect, there is integration of the human resource practices in an integrated manner for improving the business. It works on the fundamental that if the HR practices implemented at one industry has benefitted that industry then it will also promote the human resource management of other industry too (Boselie, 2010). As per this perspective, there is more of bootlegging practices, the organisation do not take an initiative by themselves rather adopt an already existing and applied HR practice whose results are known. The last and the fourth theoretical concept of SHRM is the resource-based, under this perspective, the human resource management improves and develops by retaining, utilizing and developing and acquiring the organisational workforce with improved competence and skills levels which are relevant to the operations of the business organisation. In this approach, the resources and their competence are ma tched witch the activities and then there is integration of both these things for achieving organisational success and human resource development (Kraaijenbrink, Spender and Groen, 2010). Out of all these theoretical concepts of strategic human resource management, most of the organizations take use of Strategic best-fit as it is one of the most contemporary and best applied approaches which offer the organisation with best maximum benefits. It is argued that it is very much essential to smash the old paradigm of work designing and human resource management practices because with the changing time and demand for competent workforce, the organisation are required to implement the policies which are in the favour of the employees and their development. There are several factors which are required to consider at the time of replacing the old practices with modern approaches such as improved work life balance, flexible working arrangements, and employee development and employee recognition (Pot, 2011). Earlier the organisations do not emphasize more on the human resources as they were more directed to have upsurge sales and organisational productivity and it resulted in increased rate of employee turnover (Meister, Willyerd and Foss, 2010). But when the organisations realised that retaining the competent and skilled employees in the organisation is the most primary requirement of any company for higher sustainability and continuous growth, organisations like Justitia challenged the traditional ways and smash the old paradigm sand establishes practices which offers the workers with increased workplace flexibility so that they retain the organisation for a longer period of time and give their hundred percent in enhancing the organisational productivity and accomplishing the targets and goal (Boxall and Purcell, 2011). There are several potential problems and issues which come across at the time of implementing the changes in the human resource management practices and the traditional way of managing of the organisational employees. There are challenges and issues such as resistant to change, it is not essential that all the employees are satisfied and contended with the changes made by the organisation. There are several employees which have resistant towards such kind of changes. Another challenge is the industrial support, the initiatives adopted by Justitia are not easy to implement in all the organisations as most of the companies work as per the industrial norms and regulatory factors (Cummings and Worley, 2014). Any kind of change in the practices make the organisation faces numerous challenges from the industry. The next problem which occurs is the effective execution and management of the changes. Organizations suffer number of issues if the execution and the management of the changes taking place are not adequate. The poor management may results in decline in the oragnisational productivity because of high amount of flexibility offered to the employees, less focused on the job role, employee absenteeism, etc. There can also be suits files against the industry in reference with going against the set industrial norms. It is essential to manage these problems and issues. For effective management of these issues, the organisations can have governmental support by demonstrating the advantages offered to the organisational employees of implementing those changes. Secondly, there must be setting up of an efficient management team which can help in overcoming the issues of resistance to change and effectively carrying on with the execution and change management work (Werner and DeSimone, 2011). From the perspectives of different organisations, it is not viable to have a similar approach in all the organisations of all the industries. There are several things which are required to be taken care of before implementing a similar approach at all the diverse set of organizations. For instance, in the healthcare sector, the organisations cannot incorporate this approach as there are patients who require the services at any point of time, thus, in such organisations there can be not offered workplace flexibility to the employees. They are required to be present at the workplace in their working hours as well as many a time even after their working hours get over because of the emergency cases (Boselie, 2010). But the similar approach, like Justitia can be implemented in the retail sector organisations, such as Woolworths, here the employees can get the advantage of workplace flexibility. The organisation can implement flexible working arrangements at the workplace as it is a super market chain, so there can be two shifts of the employees or taking sue of job rotation for assisting the customers in product selection, finding of products, boiling, answering queries etc. The employees can also get flexible working arrangements as there can be automated billing instead of manual billing; it will offer the flexibility to the employees to have relaxation from the compulsory presence at the billing counters. The next recommendation by which there can be workplace flexibility is that by offering part time jobs to the students and other graduates so that they can earn while studying (Greenhouse, 2012). This will offer flexibility to the employees to continue both the academic career and the profes sional career. Conclusion Human resource management is a highly dynamic aspect of the organisations as with changing scenario there are several changes which take place in the HRM practices and functions. An effective strategic human resource management is the key to organisational success and development. From this essay, it can be concluded that, the innovative and contemporary approach implemented by Justitia is one of the renowned approach which offers maximum workplace flexibility and benefits to the employees. This results in developing stress-free working environment for the employees as well as also enhanced the employees motivation to work in a more efficient and productive manner. But from the overall, perspective, the approach is not viable for all the organisations as there are diverse set of functions, services and human resource needs in the organisations. 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