The role of human resource function and its interaction with line managers in organizations.

The human resource management involves a number of activities including the responsibility for human resources. The human resource function in any given business organization should ensure proper coordination of the organization’s staffing needs, recruitment  as well as training procedures and  productivity performance, as well as ensuring that the organization’s personnel as well as management activities conform to the set rules and regulations  governing business organizations. According to Armstrong (2003, 64) human resource management mainly deals with the management of man power within an organization. However, the human resource management functions greatly differ across the various existing business organizations in the world. This is because each of these business organizations specializes in specific human resource management models which are believed to function effectively within the business organization’s lines of operations as well as production.

According to Henderson (2002, 113-119), the traditional approach to human resource management forms one of the major approaches to human resource functions. In respect to this approach the role of human resource function rotates around monitoring as well as supervision of organizational workforce to ensure that the workforce is compliant to the structured organizational procedures, rules, guidelines and procedures as well as contracts. The roles of the human resource function in response to the traditional human resource approach is to ensure continued motivation of organizational employees through direct methods such as incentives, pay and rewards as well as organizational job simplification (beardwell & claydon, 2007, 140). Considering the case of shell oil company for instance, the organizational reporting relationships between the organizational line managers and the company employees has highly improved effectiveness as well as control over the shell oil operating companies .The organization’s competitive remuneration as well as a wide range of employee incentives and rewards offered to all the business company employees has positively affected the organization’s pursuit of operational efficiency as well as a wide global promotion of the oil company brands (Robert,2001,16).

According to prince (2004,148), another role of human resource function in business organizations is the transformation of the available organization’s task-force as well as any other hired individuals into strategic business partners. Prince (2004, 148) adds that, this human resource function role is best achieved through devoted change management as well as focused employee administration. The human resource function towards this role is mainly to create motivation as well as highly encourage employees to improve their efficiency as well as effectiveness in the organization’s operations. The human resource function role is achieved through implementation of various processes of management such as organizational work force planning as well as recruitment, employee training and proper administration as well as employee appraisal. Considering the case of Enron corporation for instance, the business organization’s line managers across the entire organization sustained an institutionalized as well as a creatively organized corporate frauds as well as corruption. The roles of human resource function were not observed by the line managers in Enron Corporation and this led to lack of efficiency as well as effectiveness within the employees as well as the entire management of business organization. According Henderson (2002, 140-148), before Enron corporation collapsed, the company had recruited approximately twenty two thousand employees and was one of the renown business companies worldwide. The business organization’s managers however failed to execute their human resource function role but instead engaged themselves in corrupt organizational practices. The line manager also diverted their human resource function role from the business organization’s employees who in turn became ineffective as well as inefficient, hence leading to low organizational productivity levels which finally led to the ultimate closure of the global business organization.

According to Northhouse (2007, 69-76), another human resource function role is the struggle for increased organizational production levels through mobilization of the business organization employees. In any given business organization where the company employees are not improving on their efficiency as well as effectiveness, the given business organization consequently experiences a sharp decrease in its levels of productivity, which in turn also lower the profitability level. The organizational line managers should therefore ensure that their human resource function roles are well implemented across their entire business organizations in order to control any human resources issues which may in turn contribute to improper functioning of their respective business organizations (beardwell & claydon, 2007, 164).

Another role of human resource function is the strategic organization of talents. Many of the modern business organizations are nowadays becoming aware of the existing merits of diverse work stations. The organizational line managers are becoming more involved in the global market interactions as well as market expansions. The organizational lines managers are also are also interacting with the international markets either physically or virtually through the E-commerce corporate business technology.

According to Belbin (2008, 124-137), some of the human resource issues which might hinder smooth implementation of the roles of human resource functions include diversities, where organizational employees may fail to adhere to hiring and promotion as well as other termination practices that may fail to discriminate against individuals of different ages, races as well as sexual orientations. Northhouse (2007, 89-93) argues that another impediment to the smooth implementation of the organizational roles of human resource functions include lack of proper awareness as well as necessary training as far as the organizational line managers are concerned. Many of the line managers found in modern business organizational departments lack the desired training as well as expertise as far as the human resource function is concerned. This therefore leads to ineffective implementation of the organizational roles of human resource function, thereby leading to low organizational productivity levels as well as operational inefficiencies (Belbin, 2008, 142-146).

According to Robert (2001, 38), many of the modern organizational line managers are lacking effective qualities towards the execution of the roles of human resource functions. They are mostly applying the traditional methodologies to human resource management. As a result, many business organizations are becoming victims of frequent organizational productivity breakdowns as well as bankruptcy. This is as a result of having incompetent as well as ineffective line managers in the various business organizational departments. The organizational human resource management should also carry out regular checks as well as balances on their departmental managers so as to ensure that the line managers carry out their human resource functions in a more effective as well as efficient way (Northhouse, 2007, 78-84).

Conclusion.

In conclusion, the development of human resource function highly requires investments in both training as well as development of human resource professionals as well as the line managers along with staff management duties. It is therefore very important that any given investigations in human resource should evaluate the varied human resource methodologies to deliver the expected human resource functions. The organizational human resource functions should be properly as well as occasionally monitored as well as audited.

A number of the modern organizational human resource managers are lacking effective qualities towards the implementation of the roles of human resource functions. They are mostly applying the inadequate methodologies to human resource management. Due to such unethical practices, many business organizations are becoming victims of frequent organizational productivity breakdowns as well as bankruptcy. This is as a result of having incompetent as well as ineffective line managers in the various business organizational departments. Therefore, the roles of human resource functions should be with the interactive behaviours of the organizational line managers. The organizational human resource management should also carry out regular checks as well as balances on their departmental managers so as to ensure that the line managers carry out their human resource functions in a more effective as well as efficient way.

For an effective as well as efficient human resource management the human resource function should come up with an operational as well as strategic human resource capacity. The organizational human resource analysed before any attempts at the stage of devolution or implementation of the human resource functions. The human resource functions should also put up strategic measures which are aimed combating any human resource issues which may arise as well as threaten the productivity success of the business organization. The human resource directors should also engage in consultations with the heads of their respective business organizations to ensure that the line managers as well as the organizational employees are empowered through beneficial policies.

References.

Armstrong, M. A Handbook of Human Resource Management Practice. 9^th edn. London: Kogan Page. 2003.

Belbin, M. The Belbin Guide to Suceeding at Work. Suffolk: Moreton Hall Press. 2008.

Beardwell, J. and Claydon, T. Human Resource Management: A Contemporary Approach.  5^th edn. Harlow: Pearson Education. 2007.

Henderson, I.  Human Resource Management for MBA Students. London: 2008.

Price, A. Human Resource Management in a Business Context. 2^nd edn. London: Thomson. 2004.

Robert M. Grant Organizational Restructuring within the Royal Dutch/Shell Group. 2001. Available at.

At http://www.blackwellpublishing.com/grant/docs/07Shell.pdf