The Importance of Human Resources Management in an Organisation
Human Resources Management function in organizations has grown beyond what it was restricted to in the yesteryears, but still has a long way to go before it gets to the position that it rightfully deserves. Traditionally, Human Resources Management has not been among the favorites when it comes to the relative importance that organizational departments command; the sales and marketing department as well as the finance discipline of late, have been among the hot favorites, being the most sought after by graduates in their management studies and as the fastest way to the top of the organizational hierarchy.
It was not long ago that the HR manager was called the “Picnic Planner”, with the job responsibilities of the HR Manager being relegated to virtually just that. Being viewed as someone who operates the payrolls and one in the routine task of recruiting people as per the job specifications meted out by the concerned departments is still an image that the modern HR Manager would be more than happy to shed off. While companies realize, at least in the letter of it, that Human Resources are the most vital resources that an organization could have, the pivotal role that the Human resources Management function could pay in the success of the organization is yet to be appreciated.
Human Resources Department needs to be brought into the folds of strategic management decisions right at the outset and the management needs to take the HR Department into confidence when it comes to organizational planning for the future. Planning for resources that are needed to power the organization requires a comprehensive strategy, including the organization’s strategic moves and expansion initiatives. Further, the role played by organizational culture in organizational success is not realized, because organizational culture is an element that is very much intangible; the role played by culture in organizational productivity, however, can never be exaggerated.
It is high time that managements start involving the Human Resources department into strategic decisions and in the conduct of the organization – an organization is nothing without its people; and people could be nothing without a sound HR programme!
