Understanding Human Resource Management

Understanding Human Resource Management

As defined by Armstrong (2006), “Human resources is a strategic and coherent approach to the management of an organization’s most valued assets-the people working there who individually and collectively contribute to achievement its objectives.

The core phases of human resource management are broken down into five categories. The first category is Continuous Environmental Scanning and Analysis. Environmental scanning is the process by which organizations monitor their relevant environment to identify opportunities available and threats affecting their companies. Environmental analysts give strategists time to anticipate opportunities and to plan to take optional responses to these opportunities. (Goyal & Goyal, Environment for Managers) The second category is Acquisition. Acquisition duties consist of human resource planning for employees, which includes activities related to analyzing employment needs, determining the necessary skills for positions, identifying job and industry trends, and forecasting future employment levels and skill requirements. The third category is Development. Development is the framework for helping employees develop their personal and organizational skills, knowledge, and abilities. It includes such opportunities as employee training, employee career development, performance management and development, coaching, mentoring, succession planning, key employee identification, tuition assistance, and organization development. The fourth category is Motivation. Motivation is the key to getting the optimum output from an organization’s human resources whilst ensuring satisfaction and quality. Organizations use various techniques to meet these requirements, such as competitive salaries, benefits, and job enrichment. The fifth category is Maintenance. The maintenance phase is to put into place activities that will help retain productive employees. Employee