Human Resource Management (HRM) and personal management are subfields of the same science, but their scopes and objectives differ. The primary distinction between HRM and personal management is that HRM focuses on organization, workplace, and employee interactions, whereas personal management focuses solely on personal relationships.
Critical academic theory of human resource management (created by Legge 2004 and Wilkinson 1998) examines its relationship to postmodernism, which views man as an individual. Beardwell et al 2004). The most significant drawback of the Critical Academic approach is that it views personnel and computers as subjects of organizational relationships.
A considerable lot of discussion and research in human resource management and industrial/organizational psychology emphasizes the significance of developing trust between management and employees (Campbell et al 1994). Perhaps this is a response to the drastically increased instability and decreased job tenure of workers.
On the other hand, it may be a knowledge that the productivity and quality required to compete in the global marketplace of the twenty-first century cannot be achieved and maintained without workers who have faith in their management to understand and address their demands. Numerous studies demonstrate that management is attempting to reconcile this understanding with the needs of the bottom line (Armstrong 2001).
The HRM literature is replete with cost-benefit studies of cooperative labor-management programs that exist outside the usual negotiating relationship, as well as those relating to cooperative contract negotiations (Armstrong, 2003). To yet, however, the role of the grievance procedure in labor-management cooperative ventures has not been thoroughly examined.
The Labor-Management Relations (LMR) model includes seven elements: boundary-role variables, background factors, environmental factors, grievance procedure, collaborative labor-management programs, contract negotiations, and labor-management results. Each of these components is examined briefly in the remainder of this chapter, with the exception of labor-management outcomes, which have already been introduced.
The LMR model assumes that interactions between labor and management can be classified along a continuum ranging from adversarial or uncooperative, in which at least one party takes a strong competitive stance against the other, to cooperative, in which an effort is made to work with the other side to find mutually satisfying solutions to problems.
Those who perceive collective bargaining as a win-lose showdown typically adopt an adversarial attitude where bargaining power predominate. Conversely, those who choose to participate in cooperation regard their connection as a win-win situation (Campbell et al 1994).
The boundary-role factors involve representational functions that appear to be in conflict at first appearance. In particular, grievance officials represent the positions and interests of their respective organizations to the opposing side; as a result, their negotiation orientations will be impacted by constituent demands and expectations.
However, they also represent the opposing view to their constituents, and as a result, they are likely familiar with the opposing side's priorities, strengths, limitations, and preferences (Armstrong, 2003). With this specialized expertise, they will undoubtedly alter their approach to the handling of complaints. Acceptance tends to percolate up the industrial relations hierarchy when plant-level grievances or difficulties are resolved peacefully or when collective bargaining outcomes are reached via collaboration and trust (Campbell et al 1994).
However, labor and management rarely view collective bargaining as having the possibility for cooperation; rather, they assume that it is an adversarial process designed to reconcile competing interests. Thus, the key to cooperation is to transform a win-lose relationship into one in which both parties stand to gain. Two important forms of incentives for cooperative collective bargaining will be examined in the remainder of this section: managing issues and developing and maintaining integrative frameworks (Bartlett and Ghoshal, 1999).
In contrast to HRM, personal management views personnel as the organization's most valuable assets. Today, it is standard practice for organizations to promote their vision and mission. Numerous organizations emphasize their human resources in their yearly reports. These glossy papers frequently describe the diversity of their workers and depict them in positions of authority. In addition, they frequently argue that their success and competitive position could not have been accomplished without their "excellent" people resources (Reed 2001).
This information must be included in an organization’s recruitment material because it reflects the organization’s principles, particularly as they pertain to adjusting themselves to the demands of specific parts of the work population. This information enables prospective employees to determine for themselves whether they can identify with the expressed values; it is, thus, a crucial part in facilitating self-selection (Bartlett and Ghosha 1999l).
Functional, Content-Specific, and Adaptive Each component has a unique origin and serves a unique purpose. Functional Skill derives from the individual's physical, mental, and interpersonal capacities and manifests in how individuals interact with Things, Data, and People in their environment.
These few “enabling skills” are necessary for processing an endless number of specialized content domains in the workplace. Specific Content Skills originate primarily in an activity context (work, study, or leisure) and are the competences required to master the standards and requirements of certain crafts and/or fields of knowledge (Rosow and Casner-1998).
Adaptive Skills derive from a person's experience of maturing and adjusting, and, like Functional Skills, enable a person to interact effectively with the physical, social, and interpersonal context in which tasks are performed. A second important assumption is that labor is an all-encompassing experience. Workers bring their entire self to work.
Each employee has a unique set of physical, mental, and interpersonal requirements and talents. Depending on the opportunities, resources, and difficulties presented by the job-worker environment, each worker juggles these needs and skills to attain equilibrium, fulfillment, and wholeness. (1999l)
This approach is similar in that it views the employee as the driving force behind productivity and effective performance. Much of the necessary labor involves a spectrum of talents ranging from low to high, from relatively little training and experience to a substantial amount. The skilled craftsperson effortlessly transitions from one level of competence to another when completing a task.
In some cases, more work can be completed and productivity is increased if competent workers have helpers who can assist with less specialized tasks (Campbell et al 1994). The majority of occupations in any field consist mostly of low- and medium-skilled labor, with a much smaller proportion of highly skilled labor (Schuler, 1998). Those performing lower-skilled job may be permitted to perform higher-skilled work if appropriately coached and supervised. This is how employees advance in their careers.
However, the compensation system (salary, bonuses, promotions) must reflect this in a fair and equitable manner. Employers are discovering they may increase efficiency by employing a flexible workforce as opposed to relying on specialists for certain tasks.
To achieve this higher level of productivity, management must maintain compensation, benefits, and working conditions commensurate with employees' rising worth to the firm. In such a work environment, employees naturally acquire increased skill and expertise. Thus, flexibility can be advantageous for both employee and company (Barham and Conway 1998; Storey,1989).
There is some evidence that successful personal management is favorably connected to job performance, but the relationship varies among samples and performance measures (Bartlett and Ghoshal,1999). The relationship between professional commitment and work performance is likewise inconsistent among studies, with some evidence indicating a favorable association.
However, observed connections between career commitment and work performance were weaker than those between (effective) organizational commitment and job performance. In addition, the affective organizational pledge is defined in terms of support for the organization, which should manifest itself in job performance (Reed 2001).
Consequently, the dually committed would be expected to have the highest levels of work performance, followed by organizations, careerists, and the uncommitted. Accessible evidence demonstrates that a negative link exists between job performance and commitment to continued employment. Therefore, the highest levels of job performance should be exhibited by careerists, followed by those who are dually committed, organizations, and the uncommitted (Campbell et al 1994).
Management and labor unions have sometimes engaged in cooperative efforts under less urgent conditions. The possible benefits of cooperative action between management and organized labor include a reduction in production costs and an improvement in product quality, which, in either case, increases the firm's competitive edge.
Particularly, programs linked with a more effective use of materials, a fall in accident and mistake rates, or an increase in output per unit of labor are likely to reduce production costs (Reed 2001). In contrast, initiatives focusing at quality control, innovation, and consumer concerns may improve product quality. The negative of cooperation for management includes both monetary and non-monetary costs.
Employee gains, such as increased job security, enhanced working conditions, and enhanced contact with management, are the primary personal benefits of labor-management collaboration. Moreover, presuming that these gains result from cooperative activity, union representatives may earn greater respect from their constituents.
Cooperation, as mentioned previously, is also likely to improve the general relationship between the union and management, thus opening up other channels for exchanges that are mutually beneficial (Armstrong 2003).
In conclusion, HRM may capitalize on this advantage, beginning with an open and healthy discussion in a focus group. However, personal management is viewed as merely the beginning of a trustworthy relationship between manager and employee. For personal management to be fully effective, a business must pour the focus group's energy into as many HRM applications as possible. In describing these applications, Fine and Cronshaw beyond the typical presentation of HR approaches.
Bibliography
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Barham, K., and Conway, C. A mentoring method to developing worldwide business and people. The Ashridge Research Group.
Beardwell, I., L. Holden, and T. Claydon. Human Resource Management. London: Pitman Publishing, 2004.
Campbell, A., M. Goold, and M. Alexander. "Corporate Level Strategy." John Wiley, London, 1994.
Reed A. 2001. Innovative approaches to human resource management. Institute of Personnel and Development (Chartered).
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Schuler, R. (1998). Human Resource Management. South-Western College Publishing is headquartered in Cincinnati, Ohio.
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