Evolution of HRM

 Earlier the society was based on an agriculture economy and communities engaged in basic crafts that were meant essential for livelihood. Later on as people’s needs became complex, they began working for others to earn money. Many industries grew day by day giving massive employment opportunities. This paved the way to industrial revolution. “An important event in industrial revolution was growth of Labor union (1790), as the workers working in the industries or factories were subjected to long working hours and very less wages” (HRdictionary, 2012)

“The latter decades of the twentieth century saw the winds of change starting to affect the personnel management profession” (Nayab, 2011). During this time many principles and theories were put forward such as Principles of Scientific Management, Hawthorne studies and Theory X and Theory Y which gave a new meaning to human resources.

Human Resource Management can be defined as “the process of managing people in organizations in a structured and thorough manner” (Juneja, 2019).Therefore attracting, managing, and retaining the right people is essential for organizational success. 

 

Figure 1: Components of HRM

Today there are some key components in HRM. HR planning forecasts future human resource needs to ensure that the right people engage in the right work at the right time. “Recruitment involves activities or practices that define the desired characteristics of applicants for specific jobs” (Daft, 2006). Selection involves choosing desired individuals with the best fit from the pool of applicants through a variety of procedures such as examinations, interviews or assessment centers. Training & Development facilitates learning and individual growth. Managers closely supervise, accounts and give unbiased feedback to employees to give room for self-growth in the performance appraisal function. Compensation & Benefits include monetary and non-monetary benefits to employees. As career development measures employees are being empowered and opportunities are given for continuous learning.

Even the brightest idea will fail without the right people. This is why good HRM practices are the backbone of any organization. Changes can happen and HRM is forever changing for the better.

References

Daft, R. (2003). Management, 6^th edition, U.S., Thomson learning.

HRdictionary. (2012). Evolution of Human Resource Management. [online] Available at: https://hrdictionaryblog.com/2012/10/28/evolution-of-human-resource-management/comment-page-1/ [Accessed 8 Jun. 2019].

Juneja, P. (2019). Human Resource Management (HRM) - Definition and Concept. [online] Available at : https://www.managementstudyguide.com/human-resource-management.htm/ [Accessed 8 Jun. 2019].

Nayab, N. (2011). Evolution of Human Resource Management: The Personnel Management Phase. [online] Bright Hub PM. Available at: https://www.brighthubpm.com/resource-management/77199-walking-down-the-timeline-of-hr-management-how-has-it-evolved/ [Accessed 8 Jun. 2019].