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What Is the Importance of Human Resource Management?
The importance of Human Resource (HR) management lies in its value as a method for the coordination of the needs in an organization in terms of employees and safeguarding the welfare and needs of employees. Its value as a tool for the management of the relationship between the employers and employees in an organization is another example of the importance of human resource management. Some of the components of human resource management include tasks like overseeing the hiring of employees, coordinating their orientation and deployment, evaluating the skills of the employees, and serving as a channel for employees and employers to communicate with each other.
One aspect of the importance of human resource management is its role as a means for identifying manpower requirements in an organization and recruiting the necessary employees to supply the needed labor. This function necessarily includes interviewing potential employees, studying their applications, and following up with them regarding their applications. Human resources also develops the best models for interviews with regards to the best questions or tests that will reveal the best candidates for a position. For instance, if there is a vacancy for a junior accountant in a financial firm, the human resources department will develop ideal tests that prospective employees must pass in order to be considered for the position.
After the employees have been hired, it is the function of human resources to follow up with the candidates. This involves monitoring their progress in the organization and giving them feedback regarding any areas of improvement, or commending them for doing well. It is through this evalaution that the human resources department will identify the candidates that should be considered for promotion or redeployment to other departments.
Another importance of human resource management is its function as a go-between for the management of the company and the employees. Typically, when employees have any grievances or feel that they have been marginalized in any way, their very first port of call is the human resources department. Some of the issues that human resources manages include the agitation by workers for an increase in pay as well as allegations of racial, sexual or other forms of harassment and disaffection among certain employees regarding promotions. This is one of the most important roles of human resources because it opens up a channel for communication between the employees and the employers, leading to more effective conflict resolution and the avoidance of any disruptions that may lead to waste of production and revenue.
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![Human resource management is responsible for overseeing the hiring of employees.]()
By: BlueSkyImagesHuman resource management is responsible for overseeing the hiring of employees. -
![Human resource management provides a channel for employees and employers to communicate with each other.]()
By: Jeanette DietlHuman resource management provides a channel for employees and employers to communicate with each other. -
![Human resource managers are responsible for following up with employees who have been fired.]()
By: Monkey BusinessHuman resource managers are responsible for following up with employees who have been fired. -
![Human resource managers may be responsible for leading new hire orientation sessions.]()
By: kanzefarHuman resource managers may be responsible for leading new hire orientation sessions.
Discussion Comments
I think human resource management is valuable. Even if hiring the right person for the job is the only thing they actually do, that in itself is immensely valuable.
How many times have you worked with someone who just wasn't suited for the position they were hired? It brings down overall productivity and it's not good for the person who was hired.
But when you get the right person in the right job, great things happen! Even if a human resource department doesn't do anything after that point, I think they've still earned their paychecks!
@ceilingcat - If you boss was paying you late, it sounds like he had more than human resources problems! But you're right, it might have helped if the employees had somewhere to direct their complaints.
I've never worked with a human resources department either. Most of my jobs have been in bars or freelance work. When you work in a bar and you have a grievance, the answer is pretty much "go ahead and quit if you don't like it!"
However, from what my friends who work in big companies say, big companies aren't much difference. Yes, if you're being sexually harassed or something, you may get some help. They don't want a lawsuit, after all. But for less serious problems, the human resources department is usually on managements side.
At my last job, I worked at a very small office, so we didn't have a human resources department. I think it might have really helped the business if we did have a human resources person though.
When I left, a lot of the employees were unhappy. Our boss kept changing our commission structure and was paying us late every single paycheck. No one felt like they could complain to the actual boss, so mostly everyone just stewed about it in private. And of course the employees all talked to one another about the problems.
Last I heard, a few more employees quit the week after I left. Maybe if our boss had a human resources person as a go-between, he could have held on to his employees.
@Mammmood - One company I worked at had the best human resources department that I had ever seen.
They were very helpful, especially during the early days of my employment where I went through a lot of the new hire training. The HR manager was a very upbeat lady and let us know that her doors were always open. I never felt threatened or afraid in any way.
@hamje32 - I don’t know; I think it’s actually better to go to HR, so long as you’ve notified everyone else that this is what you’re planning to do.
The HR people are objective third parties to any conflict. I know some people don’t think that, and believe that they will always side in with management, but legally I don’t think that they could do that, especially if there is a breach of protocol somewhere.
They have to defend the law first and foremost, not management. I don’t believe the HR people are out to get the employees or are looking for a reason to get rid of them. They’re there to help people in my opinion.
@Charred - Yeah, the article gives the impression that human resources personnel are supposed to be constantly checking up on you to make sure you’re doing okay. I think that kind of thing does happen in some companies – large corporations I would suppose – but it has never been my experience.
It’s always been the manager who has stayed on top of me to follow my progress. Actually, going to HR is almost always a sign of a problem. I’d rather try to work out possible grievances with fellow employees or management rather than going to the human resources department.
If HR gets involved, they have the authority to come down pretty hard, including possibly letting you go if they think that you’re too much trouble.
I worked at my last company for over ten years. The only time that I ever met anyone from human resources was when I was laid off.
I finally met the lady who was the HR manager. I don’t think that I had even seen her before, let alone spoken to her. But she had the severance packet for me, along with other papers to sign, and she gave me the low-down on my rights and responsibilities, and what the company would or would not do as part of the severance agreement.
She was charming and did her job well; I just thought it was always strange that I never met anyone in human resources until the company decided they no longer needed me.
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