Evolution of HR 1960s-Present day

In the 1960s and 1970s, HR was considered more along the lines of a clerical, administrative job. Clerical staff tended to be assigned tasks that now fall to HR professionals, such as assembling benefit programs and sourcing candidates for interviews. Although clerical workers who became proficient at these tasks moved up through the ranks,they lacked business strategy skills—the ability to think big-picture about how personnel programs could support, advance, and help deliver against business objectives.

Through the ’80s and ’90s, the industry’s view of HR began to change, and companies began to recognize the value of linking their HR programs with their business objectives. Today, HR managers must balance the company’s overall business requirements with the individual employee’s needs—aligning people issues with business issues. Responsibilities include examining the value of various HR programs to determine whether they’re contributing to the company’s profitability or changing them to affect the bottom line more positively.
 
In today’s business environment, HR is more commonly associated with the terminology "Human Capital".Professionals today, with strong business skills have an advantage over those without them. Accounting, statistics, an understanding of legal issues, and an ability to analyze numbers can be important, as can skills in conflict resolution, communication, and persuasion. 

Ultimately, HR blends and uses a mixture of hard and soft skills. It is important to note how much HR has transcended over the years. It plays a critical strategic role as a business partner today,more than ever. The HR department of organisations strive to work hand in hand with senior management to transform and align business strategy along with HR strategy in order to achieve desired goals and outcomes of the firm. 

picture source: brighthubpm.com

Core activities and objectives -Key perspectives by HR expert, Sam Miller

• Efficient and effective Human Resource management is a challenge to all HR professionals. selection, motivation and retaining staff at all levels so that the organization increases its productivity and performance level is essential . In the most general sense businesses carry out different activities dealing with managing their approaches to employee benefits and compensation, as well as employee records and personnel policies.
• Among the core HR activities there are management tasks relating to payroll,performance,training and development and employee relations. These activities correlate with the HR objectives which are largely the responsibility of Human Resources.
• The foremost objectives of Personnel services are an efficient and effective personnel and payroll system responsive to staff needs together with the flexible remuneration system. These objectives can be attained by implementation of different modules, such as budgets and commencements module, applicant tracking module, occupational health and safety module, etc.
• None the less important HR objective is the industrial relations services implying establishing effective relationships between the employer and the staff. Complete and comprehensive policy framework should be established for risk management, safety and health issues. Staff should be well informed about safety and health issues in the workplace. What is required to gain this objective is the staff's participation in a wide range of training and awareness programs in the area of safety and health. Staff development objective can be realized through different skills development courses designed to encourage further skills development necessary to carry out their responsibilities.
• Some organizations consider equity and diversity services as their objective and provide information about the procedures for sexual harassment, racial harassment and equity grievances, thus making the staff well aware of the policies. The initiatives include awareness programs in relation to equity and diversity. In the long run it leads to an increase in the number of staff who have attended the training sessions and know the issues.
• Human Resource services provision is closely connected with strategic policies, planning and coordination of an organization. A wide range of human resource strategies aimed at more flexible planning can include improved links between performance and remuneration, improved performance measurement procedures for all staff, improved recruitment and retention strategies, and encouragement of skills development. One more objective results in consultancy support provided on the basis of improved information about both the employer and HR staff needs and working requirements.
• HR objectives stimulate the development of people to perform at their best in order to meet the needs of an organization. A successful performance management system including department, team and individual business objectives, personal development plans, performance appraisal, career planning, etc., aims at enhancing the personnel's commitment to developing the business long-term and can give challenges which will enhance the staff personal growth. Moreover, if an organization can assess the workforce changes needed by business, implement the necessary optimization and measure the results using up-to-date technology systems, it will get data having a critical role in monitoring and controlling overall performance.
• Article Source: http://EzineArticles.com/?expert=Sam_Miller
  

Do you have what it takes to be in the HR field?

What's next for HR?

Check out this great article written by HR guru Dave Ulrich on the HR agenda:

What are the 6 key competencies HR needs to address the challenges of today?

He builds up on HR's history and emergence of the evolution of HR work in so called "waves". The HR competency model for 2012 is introduced and analysed in depth in this article.

It's time to be proactive- let us watch the future  of HR unfold!

http://www.personneltoday.com/articles/13/11/2012/58988/whats-next-for-hr-the-six-competencies-hr-needs-for-todays-challenges.htm

picture source: konference.cz

More on the subject matter....

What does HR consist of really?

Interested in gaining a better understanding of what skills and activities HR involves? Check out the following link:
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=PhSok_QW5AY

Careers in Human Resources

Long considered a support role, the field of human resources is taking on an increasingly strategic dimension in the business world as managers recognize employees as a source of competitive advantage. Indeed, companies of all kinds have learned that building strong corporate cultures and creating supportive work environments help their bottom lines. If you have a high emotional intelligence quotient, keep your cool when others lose theirs, and understand the link between human capital and business strategy, HR may be the field for you. 

Turn to the WetFeet Insider Guide (http://store.wetfeet.com/products/careers-in-human-resources)  to explore: 

• The hiring outlook and industry trends, including the growing need for people with business backgrounds 
• How the HR field has evolved in recent years, particularly in the wake of the global economic crisis
• The various roles available, from labor relations manager to recruiter to VP, with salary ranges for each and more!

Thinking about becoming an HR expert: Did you know? 

The world's largest Chartered HR development professional body is the CIPD (Chartered Institute of Personnel and Development). It is globally recognised for providing a benchmark of HR excellence in the field. Find out more at www.cipd.co.uk/qualifications/

Human Resources websites, case studies and further reading areas...

interested in learning about trends, developing expertise and gaining useful information on HR related matters? check out the following magazines in the field:

-Workforce Management (www.workforce.com )
-HR Magazine (www.shrm.org/hrmagazine)
-HR Executive (www.hreonline.com)
-Daily news and columns (www.HR.com)

Case study Guide:

“LinkedIn Messages Spark a Lawsuit”

Andrew R. McIlvaine, Human Resource Executive magazine,

6/2010

www.hreonline.com/HRE/story. jsp?storyId=436127008

“Health Care Reform Will Have Profound Effect on HR”

Bill Leonard, shrm.org, 3/2010

www.shrm.org/Publications/HRN ews/Pages/ HealthProfoundEffect.aspx

“Employment Law Landscape Changes With Wal-Mart Ruling”

Rita Pyrillis, Workforce Management, 7/2011

www.workforce.com/section/news/article/employment- law-landscape-changes-wal-mart-ruling.php

“Facebook Firing Case Is Settled”

Melanie Trottman, The Wall Street Journal, 2/11

online.wsj.com/article/SB10001424052748704422 204576130631738779412.html

“Managing the ‘Difficult’ Employee”

Peter Cappelli, Human Resource Executive, 6/11

www.hreonline.com/HRE/story. jsp?storyId=533339312

What do some of the most successful business leaders think of HR?

"Take out 20 best people away, and I will tell you that Microsoft would become an unimportant company." 

-Bill Gates,CEO and current chairman of Microsoft.


“The best HR people are a kind of hybrid: one part pastor, who hears all sins and complaints without recrimination, and one part parent, who loves and nurtures, but gives it to you fast and straight when you’re off track.” 

 -Jack Welch,former CEO and chairman of General Electric.

So,what's it all about?

Are you interested in pursuing a career in HRM?

This blog provides and in-depth overview of the key areas of interest, current challenges and the future outlook for the world that has evolved from Personnel Management to Human Capital Management. 


Please feel free to post your opinions, feedback and suggestions- I would like this to be a forum for the diffusion of HR related knowledge and ideas. Enjoy!

Picture source: venturatraining.co.uk