assignment hrm

Faculty Resources

Assignments.

The Human Resources Management course includes a series of openly licensed written assignments and discussions aligned to specific learning outcomes and chapters. If you import this course into your learning management system (Blackboard, Canvas, etc.), all of the assignments and discussions (listed in the table, below,) will automatically be loaded into your LMS assignment and discussion-board tools. They can be used as is, modified, combined with your own assignments, or removed altogether.

The assignments in this course align with the following scenario:

You are a college senior who has been selected to participate in a hybrid internship/onboarding program with an elite HR research and advisory firm. Your training consists of a combination of formal education—specifically, enrollment in this Human Resource Management course—and a rotation in support of the principals of the firm. In your rotations, you will synthesize what you’ve learned in the relevant modules to address firm or client issues, conducting additional research as necessary and developing draft deliverables as instructed by the principal consultant. The quality of your deliverables – that is, your ability to convert learning into practical insight – will largely determine whether, at the end of the internship period, you are offered a position with the firm or simply thanked for your participation.

You can view them below or throughout the course.

Rubric for Assignments

There is also a sample rubric to assist you in grading. Instructors may modify these guidelines or use their own.

Discussions

The following discussion assignments will also be preloaded (into the discussion-board tool) in your learning management system if you import the course. They can be used as is, modified, or removed. You can view them below or throughout the course.

Rubric for Discussion Posts

Answer keys for the discussion posts are available to faculty who adopt Waymaker, OHM, or Candela courses with paid support from Lumen Learning. This approach helps us protect the academic integrity of these materials by ensuring they are shared only with authorized and institution-affiliated faculty and staff.

• Assignments. Provided by : Lumen Learning. License : CC BY: Attribution
• Pencil Cup. Authored by : IconfactoryTeam. Provided by : Noun Project. Located at : https://thenounproject.com/term/pencil-cup/628840/ . License : CC BY: Attribution

11.1 An Introduction to Human Resource Management

• What has been the evolution of human resource management (HRM) over the years, and what is the current value it provides to an organization?

Human resource management over the years has served many purposes within an organization. From its earliest inception as a primarily compliance-type function, it has further expanded and evolved into its current state as a key driver of human capital development. In the book HR From the Outside In (Ulrich, Younger, Brockbank, Younger, 2012), the authors describe the evolution of HR work in “waves”. 1 Wave 1 focused on the administrative work of HR personnel, such as the terms and conditions of work, delivery of HR services, and regulatory compliance. This administrative side still exists in HR today, but it is often accomplished differently via technology and outsourcing solutions. The quality of HR services and HR’s credibility came from the ability to run administrative processes and solve administrative issues effectively. Wave 2 focused on the design of innovative HR practice areas such as compensation, learning, communication, and sourcing. The HR professionals in these practice areas began to interact and share with each other to build a consistent approach to human resource management. The HR credibility in Wave 2 came from the delivery of best-practice HR solutions.

Wave 3 HR, over the last 15–20 years or so, has focused on the integration of HR strategy with the overall business strategy. Human resources appropriately began to look at the business strategy to determine what HR priorities to work on and how to best use resources. HR began to be a true partner to the business, and the credibility of HR was dependent upon HR having a seat at the table when the business was having strategic discussions. In Wave 4, HR continues to be a partner to the business, but has also become a competitive practice for responding to external business conditions. HR looks outside their organizations to customers, investors, and communities to define success—in the form of customer share, investor confidence, and community reputation. HR’s credibility is thus defined in terms of its ability to support and drive these external metrics. Although each “wave” of HR’s evolution is important and must be managed effectively, it is the “outside in” perspective that allows the human resource management function to shine via the external reputation and successes of the organization.

Catching the Entrepreneurial Spirit

Human resources outsourcing—entrepreneurial ventures.

Human resources is a key function within any company, but not all companies are able to afford or justify full-time HR staff. Over the last decade, HR outsourcing has become a good business decision for many small companies whose current staff doesn’t have the bandwidth or expertise to take on the risks of employee relations issues, benefits and payroll, or HR compliance responsibilities. This has led many HR practitioners to try out their entrepreneurial skills in the areas of HR outsourcing and “fractional HR.”

Human resources outsourcing is very commonly used by smaller companies (and often large companies too) to cover such tasks as benefits and payroll management. This is an area that has been outsourced to third parties for many years. More recent is the trend to have “fractional HR” resources to help with the daily/weekly/monthly HR compliance, employee relations, and talent management issues that companies need to address. Fractional HR is a growing industry, and it has become the service offering of many entrepreneurial HR ventures. Fractional HR is essentially as it sounds—it is the offering of HR services to a company on a part-time or intermittent basis when the company may not be able to justify the cost of a full-time HR resource. An HR professional can be available onsite for a specified number of hours or days weekly or monthly, depending on the company’s needs and budget. The HR professional handles everything from HR compliance issues and training to employee issues support. Also, for companies that are keen on development of employees, the HR resource can drive the talent management processes—such as performance management, succession planning, training, and development—for companies who require more than just basic HR compliance services.

How does a business leader decide whether HR outsourcing is needed? There are generally two factors that drive a leader to consider fractional HR or HR outsourcing—time and risk. If a leader is spending too much time on HR issues and employee relations, he may decide that it is a smart tradeoff to outsource these tasks to a professional. In addition, the risk inherent in some HR issues can be very great, so the threat of having a lawsuit or feeling that the company is exposed can lead the company to seek help from a fractional HR professional.

HR entrepreneurs have taken full advantage of this important trend, which many say will likely continue as small companies grow and large companies decide to off-load HR work to third parties. Some HR companies offer fractional HR as part of their stated HR services, in addition to payroll and benefits support, compensation, and other HR programmatic support. Having a fractional HR resource in place will often illuminate the need for other HR services and program builds, which are generally supported by those same companies. Whether you are an individual HR practitioner or have a small company of HR practitioners and consultants, fractional HR and HR outsourcing can be a very viable and financially rewarding business model. It can also be very personally rewarding, as the HR professional enables smaller companies to grow and thrive, knowing that its HR compliance and processes are covered.

• What do you believe is contributing to the growth of the fractional HR and HR outsourcing trend? Do you expect this trend to continue?
• At what point should a company consider bringing on a full-time HR resource instead of using a fractional HR resource? What questions should the company ask itself?

Human resource management provides value to an organization, to a large extent, via its management of the overall employee life cycle that employees follow—from hiring and onboarding, to performance management and talent development, all the way through to transitions such as job change and promotion, to retirement and exit. Human capital is a key competitive advantage to companies, and those who utilize their human resource partners effectively to drive their human capital strategy will reap the benefits.

Human resource management includes the leadership and facilitation of the following key life cycle process areas:

• Human resources compliance
• Employee selection, hiring, and onboarding
• Performance management
• Compensation rewards and benefits
• Talent development and succession planning

Human resources is responsible for driving the strategy and policies in these areas to be in accordance with and in support of the overall business strategy. Each of these areas provides a key benefit to the organization and impacts the organization’s value proposition to its employees.

Concept Check

• How has the function of human resource management evolved over the years?
• In what way do you usually interact with human resources?

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Browse Course Material

Course info, instructors.

• Prof. Diane Burton
• Prof. Paul Osterman

Departments

• Sloan School of Management

As Taught In

• Industrial Relations and Human Resource Management

Learning Resource Types

Strategic hr management, assignments, course schedule.

Session 1: The Strategic Importance of HR Case: Southwest Airlines: Using Human Resources for Competitive Advantage (A), Stanford Case #HR-1.

Reading: Pfeffer, Jeffrey. The Human Equation: Building Profits by Putting People First . Boston, MA: Harvard Business School Press, 1998, chapters 1 and 2.

Assignment Questions

• What is Southwest’s competitive strategy? What are the sources of its success? How does it make money?
• What are the foundations of Southwest’s competitive advantage?
• How are these sources of competitive advantage produced and sustained by what the organization does and how it does it?
• To what extent are Southwest’s sources of advantage difficult to imitate and likely to persist over time?
• To what extent is Southwest’s success based on Herb Kelleher?
• How serious is the competitive threat? To what extent can United and/or Continental duplicate Southwest’s business model? Why or why not?

Session 2: Strategic Execution and Economic Value: Internal and External Alignment Case: Portman Hotel, HBS 9-489-104.

• What is Portman’s strategy for competing successfully in its chosen market?
• What behaviors, skills, and attitudes will it need from its people, particularly the personal valets, to execute its strategy?
• How do Portman’s human resource management practices (recruitment, selection, compensation, training, career development, performance appraisal, staffing and organizational design, management and supervision) help or hinder the development of the skills and behaviors listed in Question 2.
• Is Portman having problems? What are the symptoms? What are the causes of the problems Portman is experiencing?
• What should Portman do?
• How much should Portman be willing to invest to address its difficulties? Or alternatively, what is the successful implementation of Portman’s strategy worth? Some operating figures are given in the case. FYI: the capital costs of the hotel work out to $310,000 per room.

Session 3: Work Systems Cases: New United Motors Manufacturing, Inc (NUMMI), Stanford Case #HR-11.

Optional Reading: Rubinstein, Saul R., and Thomas A. Kochan. Learning from Saturn: Possibilities for Corporate Governance and Employee Relations . Ithaca, NY: Cornell University/ILR Press, 2001.

• What is motivating the workers at NUMMI?
• What are the design elements of the Toyota team-based manufacturing system?
• Why has General Motors had so much trouble learning from NUMMI and Saturn?
• Jamie Hresko is now running one of GM’s largest assembly plants. What advice would you give him for how he might introduce some of the NUMMI methods to this facility?

Session 4: The Role of the HR Function

Reading: Ulrich, Dave. Human Resource Champions: The Next Agenda for Adding Value and Delivering Results . Boston, MA: Harvard Business School Press, 1998, pp. 23-31 and 231-254.

Session 5: Self-Managed Teams Case: Slade Plating Department, HBS #9-496-018

Reading: Wageman, Ruth. “Critical Success Factors for Creating Superb Self-Managing Teams.” Organizational Dynamics . Summer 1997, pp. 49-61.

• How would you describe the culture of the Sarto group? Be specific. How has it evolved? What impact has it had on the effectiveness of the group?
• What are the determinants of social status and influence within the plating department? The Sarto group? The Clark group?
• What do you learn by analyzing the data provided in the exhibits? How does this influence your interpretations of what is going on?
• Why did management previously ignored the illegal “punch-out” system?
• What actions would you take if you were Porter? What are the risks associated with these actions?

Important supplemental information: The 1996 starting salary in the Plating Department was $8.00; Tony Sarto’s hourly wage was $12.00. The average wage for semi-skilled workers in the U.S. was $12.00. Firms similar to Slade in the Michigan area, such as suppliers to the auto industry, paid an average hourly wage of $14.70. United Auto Workers working at the ‘Big Three (General Motors, Chrysler and Ford), had starting salaries around $13.00 an hour and earned on average $19.00 an hour. The minimum wage in 1996 was $4.25, raised to $4.75 on October 1, 1996.

Session 6: Participation and Involvement Film: Breakdown at Eastern Airlines

Reading: Pfeffer, Jeffrey. “Can You Manage With Unions.” Chap. 8 in The Human Equation: Building Profits by Putting People First . 2000, pp. 225-251.

Session 7: Training and Development Case: ServiceMaster Industries, Inc., HBS #9-388-064.

• What role have ServiceMaster’s values and goals played in the firm’s success?
• Why haven’t other companies successfully copied the ServiceMaster approach?
• How important are training and development in the ServiceMaster system? How does ServiceMaster socialize its employees? How does training and development affect the organization’s continued growth?
• Why has ServiceMaster been willing to spend the resources it has on training and development for a set of jobs that many might see as comparatively low-skilled and for positions that typically experience high turnover?
• There have been proposals (particularly by former U.S. Secretary of Labor, Robert Reich) that the U.S. follow the lead of some other countries (e.g., France, Singapore) and mandate a certain level of training–for instance, as a percentage of the firm’s payroll. What do you think of this policy? Why and when might organizations spend less than a socially optimal amount on training? What else might be done if one believes that too little training and skill development are occurring in the economy?

Session 8: Culture Case: Morgan Stanley: Becoming a One-Firm Firm, HBS #9-400-043.

Reading: Kaplan, R. S., and D. P. Norton. “Linking the Balanced Scorecard to Strategy.” California Management Review 39, no.1 (Fall 1996).

• What do you think of Mack’s strategy for increased integration? Is this compelling to you? Why or why not?
• Given his strategy, what do you think of his emphasis on revamping the performance management system? What are the pros and cons of implementing a new system of the type being discussed?
• If Mack is to be successful at changing the strategy and culture at Morgan Stanley, what other actions would you recommend he take? What other HR levers should he be thinking about using?
• Given your answer to question #3, what recommendations do you have for how he should proceed? How should he implement these changes?

Session 9: Performance Appraisal Case: The Firmwide 360 Performance Evaluation Process at Morgan Stanley, HBS #9-498053 and Rob Parson at Morgan Stanley (A), HBS #9-498-054.

• What is your assessment of Parson’s performance? Should he be promoted?
• Using the data in the case, please complete the Evaluation and Development Summary presented in Exhibit 3 of the Rob Parson (A) case.
• If you were Paul Nasr, how would you plan to conduct the performance appraisal conversation? What would your goals be? What issues would you raise and why, and how would you raise them?
• If you were Rob Parson, how would you conduct yourself in the performance evaluation meeting? What are your goals? Be prepared to role-play the appraisal conversation in class as either Nasr or Parson.

Cases to be distributed in class: Rob Parson at Morgan Stanley (B), HBS #9-498-055, (C), HBS #9-498-056, and (D), HBS #9-498-058.

Session 10: Diversity Case: The Case of the Part-time Partner.

Reading: Thomas, David A., and Robin J. Ely. “Making Differences Matter: A New Paradigm for Managing Diversity.” Harvard Business Review (September-October 1996): 80-90.

• Would you vote to make Julie a partner? Why or why not?
• What are the pros and cons from the firm’s viewpoint and from the society’s viewpoint of this decision?
• What is your assessment of how the firm handled the situation?
• How might they have proceeded differently?

Session 11: Information Sharing Case: Jack Stack (A) and (B), HBS #9-993-009 and #9-993-010.

Reading: Case, John. “Opening the Books.” Harvard Business Review (March-April 1997): 118-127. (Reprint 97201)

• What does it take to succeed in the engine remanufacturing business? What are the critical skills and organizational competencies?
• What is it like to work in such a plant?
• What are the major risks of a leveraged buy-out such as this?
• What do you think of Stack’s ideas about management?
• What are the key elements of the program Stack put in place?
• Can this approach be used elsewhere? Under which circumstances would it be more (less) appropriate? How could it be implemented?

Session 12: Benefits Case: The SAS Institute: A Different Approach to Incentives and People Management Practices in the Software Industry, Stanford Case #HR-6.

Reading: Pfeffer, Jeffrey. “Six Dangerous Myths About Pay.” Harvard Business Review (May-June 1998): 109-119.

• What are the complementary elements of the SAS HR system that make the compensation system effective?
• Why has SAS been able to get away with a compensation system that seems to violate industry conventions?
• Could the SAS approach work in other high technology organizations?
• What would happen if VDS tried to emulate the SAS approach? Why?

Session 13: Compensation Systems Case: Visionary Design Systems, HBS #9-495-011.

• What is the basic philosophy and values of VDS?
• How would you characterize the VDS compensation (base, bonus, and stock) system? On what principles is it based?
• Why has VDS had problems with its Product Data Management effort? To what extent do you see incentive issues as important? What other issues are important?
• What should VDS do about the Product Data Management (PDM) problems?
• Would you make any changes to VDS’ compensation systems? What? Why?

Session 14: Pay for Performance Case: Performance Pay at Safelite Autoglass (A) HBS #9-800-291.

• What are the pros and cons of switching from wage rates to piece rate pay?
• Is Safelite a good candidate for switching from wage rates to piece rates?
• Should there be a guaranteed wage? If so, how should it be set?
• What are the likely consequences of a switch from wage to piece rates for turnover, recruitment, productivity, and product quality?

Session 15: Non-Profit Management Case: The John Snow Institute.

• How successful is JSI?
• How effective is their current human resource management system?
• What should Joel Lamstein do?

Session 16: Managing Service Workers Case: Harrah’s Entertainment, Inc.: Rewarding Our People HBS #9-403-008.

• What were the challenges facing Gary Loveman when he took charge?
• What were the key changes he undertook?
• What were the consequences for employees?

Session 17: Alignment and Motivation Case: Nordstrom Department Store. Center for Human Resources, Wharton School of the University of Pennsylvania.

Reading: Simons, Robert. “Control in an Age of Empowerment.” Harvard Business Review . Reprint #95211.

• How effective is Nordstom’s human resource management system? In what ways does it contribute to the firm’s success?
• Do you have any concerns about the practices described in the case?
• Would you change management systems at Nordstrom? Why? Which systems?

Session 18: Review & Wrap-up

Assignment Question

• Reflecting on the companies we have studied in this course, as well as your own work experience, what lessons do you draw about the respective roles that general managers and the HR function in organizations should play in the management of human resources?

Summary of Class Sessions and Assignment Due Dates ( PDF )

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10 Assignments For Human Resource Managers To Develop Future Skills

• By Simon Carvi
• No Comments

The Covid-19 pandemic has put tremendous pressure on organizations to change the way they operate: from sales and marketing, to finance and customer service. CEOs know that resilience and capacity to innovate are deeply rooted in the company’s human resources. 

To kickstart skilling efforts in the organization, what better place to start than to make sure the Human Resources department is properly equipped. Otherwise, who else should you empower to upskill the rest of your organization? As a matter of fact, the HR function is at the forefront of digital disruption. Your ability to build a skilled HR department is instrumental to make your organization future-ready. 

Remember that when it comes to training, individual Active Learning (classroom, eLearning, reading, etc.) accounts for roughly 10% of the job only! Around 20% of the learning journey to retain a skill is done through others (mentoring, peer interactions, etc.) and 70% by actually doing things! Of course the right blend depends on you and other parameters, such as your company’s business, industry and individual themselves.  

In this short article we will explore 10 SMART ways C-Level and Directors can make sure their HR Managers are being stretched in a good way, exploring projects that will strategically fit the company’s long-term growth and resilience to change. 

Let’s get started!

Table of Contents

1. Present a digital transformation strategy to top management

Competency developed: Digital transformation.

Objective: Own the topic of digital transformation within your company. 

Explanation: Yes, strategy! Ultimately digital transformation is about people skills and the ability to evolve in a digital environment. HR managers should be at the center of the conversation to understand future needs, analyze current gaps, and design a plan.

Tips: Read the literature on the topic. Collect feedback from experts or peers leading the same topic within their organizations. WORK WITH IT. 

2. Create and present new dashboard to CHRO including key metrics and qualitative analysis

Competency developed: People Analytics.

Objective: Analyse your company’s HR performance and contribute to business success. 

Explanation: Has your company a clear vision of its HR performance? Take advantage of the latest HR systems and Business Intelligence tools available to connect the dots. Measure actionable indicators and present them to management.

Tips: Collect expectations from CHRO and top management. Does your company already have a dashboard in place? Start collecting feedback from the current dashboard and try to connect new data points to provide new insights Collaborate with IT to learn how to structure and visualize data!

3. Make 5-year manpower plan aligned to business targets and present to top management 

Competency developed: Strategic workforce planning.

Objective : Plan the Human side of your company strategy so it can meet its turnover, profitability, or sustainability targets.

Explanation : How workforce will be utilized in the future? How to attract and develop the necessary skills. You’ll need more than one meeting to produce such a plan.

Tips: Make sure you collect the most relevant business targets to get a clear vision of the 5-year objectives and gaps. Meet with business line manager, top management, and collect market data to validate assumptions.

4. Highlight company’s top 5 turnover reasons with action plan to top management. 

Competency developed: Business partnering.

Objective: Develop your HR Managers to become real Business partner.

Explanation: From back seat to the front seat. HR managers are not only responsible for collecting data, but also to strategize an action plan. 

Tips: This stretch assignment is better utilized during the yearly budgeting period where managers are expected to summarize data and action plans. 

5. Ask HR Manager to personally train all managers on how to make Individual development plans 

Competency developed: Career development planning .

Objective: Boost your organization career development culture and processes. 

Explanation: It is true that HR managers do not own the career development paths of all employees, Line Managers do. On the other hand, HR Managers are responsible for the talent management process , making sure high potential employees are identified and that provided career paths match the organization’s long-term goals. This assignment will boost the HR Manager’s influencing skills while putting employee retention clearly at the center of the conversation.

Tips: This stretch assignment is better implemented with different workshops 5-7 managers maximum. Ultimately, the HR Manager shall control the quality of each Individual Development Plan (IDP) formalized. It is possible to imagine one on one sessions with managers failing to pass the IDP quality control. 

6. Rethink your company’s benefit package and implement one innovative benefit in line with the new workplace reality 

Competency developed : Compensation & Benefits management.

Objective : Make your company compatible with 2020 new workplace expectations. 

Explanation : Disrupted times call for bold measures and flexibility has just become every employee’s number one priority. HR managers must be creative and offer to top management solutions that will guarantee performance while fitting the employee’s expectation of the new normal.

Tips : You do not need to think money when thinking benefit. A good place to start to ensure creativity would be to run a survey. For example, what does work from home implies for your employees, or top management? Try to know more about those changes, and how does the company can help. 

7. Apply reverse mentoring within your team during monthly one on one sessions 

Competency developed : People Management.

Objective : Become a more balanced leader, get a deeper understanding of the motivations of younger employees and get up-to-date with digital tools.

Explanation : The odds are your HR Manager is a bit older than the team he/she manages. Organize ways to collect constructive feedback about your leadership and use them to improve. Subordinates can offer a wealth of feedback and guidance (digital tools!).

Tips : Reverse mentoring is hard, but the benefits on leadership skills can be huge. Do come with an open mind. During the meeting, let subordinate talk most of the time. Receive their feedback with a smile and spare some time to study their deeper meaning. 

8. Redesign performance management system to make it a continuous process. 

Competency developed : Continuous performance management.

Objective : Retain and develop talents.

Explanation : Spoiler alert! Feedback is not a “twice-a-year” thing anymore and one should not wait 6 months to get a meaningful conversation about performance with its boss. To cope with new expectations of the workforce, it is critical companies rethink the way they manage and record employee’s performance. 

Advice : Implement a culture of feedback by enforcing regular one-on-ones once per month. Turn to automated dashboards to measure competency development progress, KPIs and deviations.

9. Link learning and development activities to OKRs and competencies listed in your performance management system 

Objective : Get ROI from learning activities offered to employees. 

Explanation : Whether your organization use OKRs (Objectives and Key Results) or KPIs & competencies, make sure learning activities are linked with performance outputs. Follow up implementation on a monthly basis using one on ones. 

Advice : Diversify learning and apply the 70/20/10 approach: Active Learning, Social Learning and Stretch assignments. 

10. Implement monthly change management committees with top management

Objective : Put HR at the centre of change in your organization.

Explanation : HR Managers will not change organizations by themselves. They must collect voices from business line managers and must proceed to risk analysis before launching propositions. 

Advice : Change needs buy-in at the highest level. Get your CEO buy-in and offer him a seat at your committee. 

Do you agree with those suggestions? Do they sound challenging enough to develop long-term skills? Or at the contrary too difficult? Are you an HR Manager willing to develop future-proof skills or a CEO that want to impulse change in the organization? Let us know in the comments below. If you want to get more ideas to develop your teams, you can browse different development plans with 70/20/10 activities on  Huneety.com . New positions are added every week. 

This article has been written by our guest writer Simon Carvi who is an HR expert professional presenting over 7 years of experience gained through roles in Talent Acquisition and Employee Retention globally and in APAC. Simon is passionate about how people learn and the future of work. He helps organizations find practical ways to upskill their workforce as Huneety top learning contributors.

You can reach him on Li n kedIN :

Simon Carvi

Simon Carvi is an HR expert professional presenting over 7 years of experience gained through roles in Talent Acquisition an Employee Retention globally and in APAC. Simon is passionate about how people learn and future of work. He helps organizations find practical ways to upskill their workforce as Huneety top learning contributor.

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Human resource management (HRM)

• Human Capital Management
• Human Resource Management

It’s often said that people are an organization’s greatest resource. Yet, until fairly recently, human resource  management was not considered as critical to success as other business operations, like marketing, finance or sales. This notion has been largely altered by new technology, globalized markets and changes in organizational hierarchies. Today, business leaders place great emphasis on hiring the right people and keeping them engaged.

What is human resource management?

Human resource management involves creating personnel policies and procedures that support business objectives and strategic plans. Central to this mission is fostering a culture that reflects core values and empowers employees to be as productive as possible.

What are the functions of human resource management?

HR functions can vary depending on industry, businesses size and the types of workers employed. In most cases, the primary objectives are to acquire and cultivate talent and improve communication and cooperation among workforce members. Other key human resource management functions include:

• Job analysis Determining the skills and experience necessary to perform a job well may make it easier to hire the right people, determine appropriate compensation and create training programs.
• Workforce operations Creating health and safety policies, responding to employee grievances, working with labor unions, etc., can help support regulatory compliance.
• Performance measurement Evaluating performance is important because it not only fosters employee growth through constructive feedback, but also serves as a guide for raises, promotions and dismissals.
• Incentive programs Recognizing achievements and rewarding high performers with bonuses and other perks is a proven way of motivating employees to take ownership of business objectives.
• Professional development From orientation to advanced educational programs, employee training serves to improve productivity, reduce turnover and minimize supervisory needs.

HCM Buyer’s Guide: Evaluating integrated HCM solutions

What are the responsibilities of human resource management.

HR professionals generally are tasked with creating and administering programs that improve workplace efficiency and employer-employee relationships. Within this broad assignment are several different, but critical responsibilities, such as:

• Staffing Staffing a business or an individual department requires a number of key steps. Hiring managers must first determine how many new employees the budget can support, then find and interview qualified candidates, and finally, make selections and negotiate compensation.
• Developing workplace policies If it’s determined that a new or revised policy is needed, HR professionals typically consult with executives and other managers, write the supporting documentation and communicate it to employees. Policies may cover vacations, dress codes, disciplinary actions and other types of workplace protocol.
• Administering pay and benefits In order to attract and retain talent, compensation must meet industry standards and be comparable to what other employees in similar roles are being paid. Creating such a fair pay system requires careful consideration of an employee’s years of service with the business, experience level, education and skills.
• Retaining talent Compensation isn’t the only thing that retains talented employees. HR managers may need to proactively address issues with workplace environments, organizational culture and relationships between employees and supervisors.
• Training employees When employees develop new skills, they tend to be more productive and satisfied with their job. Some of the training programs typically run by HR departments include team-building activities, policy and ethics education, and on-the-job instruction and skills, e.g. how to run a machine or computer program.
• Complying with regulations Laws that affect the workplace – whether they’re related to discrimination, health care or wages and hours  – are constantly evolving. HR professionals are required to keep up with these changes and notify the rest of the organization in support of compliance.
• Maintaining safety Safety in the workplace means protecting not just the physical health of employees, but also their private information. To minimize workers’ compensation claims and data breaches, HR must implement security measures and ensure that all federal, state and union standards are met.

Human resource management and small business

While human resource management is important to all businesses, the stakes may be higher for smaller organizations. For example, one incompetent employee in an office of 10 people can be much more detrimental than one in a workforce numbering in the thousands. To improve their people processes, small business owners generally can:

• Assess current operations to determine if new hires are needed or if existing employees and production methods can be utilized more effectively.
• Take an active role in the recruitment process and write job descriptions that match prospective talent to business needs.
• Create an employee handbook or an official document that clearly outlines company policies.
• Provide continuing education opportunities as needed by the particular industry.
• Maintain a work environment where employees are treated fairly and can be productive.

HRM systems and software

Faced with rising numbers of contract-based workers and increasingly complex regulations, HR professionals have turned to HRM software to help them keep pace with changing workforce environments and people management needs. This technology is available with a variety of options to suit businesses of any size. Basic systems may offer recruitment services , payroll and benefits , while more robust solutions tend to include talent management, international compliance support  and advanced analytics.

Why use a human resource management system (HRMS)?

HRMS are designed to meet the core needs of HR and turn basic administrative functions into critical enablers of business value. With the aid of these people-centric, data powered solutions, HR managers may be able to:

• Improve their hiring processes
• Manage people more effectively
• Optimize workforce productivity
• Engage and retain employees
• Eliminate costly redundancies
• Make data-driven decisions
• Maintain regulatory compliance

How to choose a human resources management solution

Finding the right solution often requires a strategic evaluation process, such as the following:

• Identify what the organization would like to accomplish, change or improve and how technology can help achieve those goals.
• Ensure that the HRMS can keep pace with the rapidly changing regulatory and statutory requirements in all applicable jurisdictions (local, state, federal, international, etc.).
• Prioritize security and know exactly how sensitive data will be stored, transferred and backed up.
• Look for implementation models with a change management strategy  that will get the HRMS up and running efficiently.
• Address stakeholder questions, concerns and objections to drive widespread HRMS support.
• Ask about service plans to manage the hundreds of post-payroll tasks necessary for compliance .
• Inquire into the vendor’s financial history and investments in innovation.
• Get outside-in perspective by looking at peer reviews, industry analyst feedback and product demos.

Examples of HRM software

Business leaders and HR professionals who are looking for software to help them accomplish more with less resources generally have three options available to them:

• Human resource information systems (HRIS) – perform core HR functions , like applicant tracking, payroll and benefits administration
• Human resource management systems (HRMS) – offer the benefits of HRIS, plus talent management services
• Human capital management (HCM) solutions – provide a broad suite of HR capabilities, including global payroll and compliance support and in-depth analytics

Why choose ADP for your human resource management needs?

ADP’s HR management solutions automate and streamline key needs so that HR professionals can focus more time on their people and less on paperwork. We offer basic and customized packages with some of the following features:

• Powerful workforce reporting that turns data into a trusted source of decision-making
• Preconfigured new hire templates for a simplified onboarding process
• Self-service and mobile apps so time-sensitive tasks can be performed quickly
• Industry-recognized security to help safeguard sensitive information

Learn more about ADP Workforce Now® HR Management →

Frequently asked questions about HRM

What is human resource management and its functions.

Human resource management is the strategic approach to nurturing and supporting employees and ensuring a positive workplace environment. Its functions vary across different businesses and industries, but typically include recruitment, compensation and benefits, training and development, and employee relations.

What are the three major roles of human resources management?

The job of an HR manager can be broken out into three major roles:

• Administrator Running payroll , writing job descriptions, creating workplace policies and procuring benefits packages are typical of HR administration.
• Change manager HR professionals must monitor regulations and communicate policy or procedural changes with employees to help support compliance.
• Personnel manager Managing people entails resolving conflicts, overseeing training and development, and fostering employee engagement.

What are the five main areas of HR?

HR professionals perform many activities in the pursuit of employee well-being and organizational stability, but their responsibilities generally lie within five main areas:

• Recruitment and staffing – identifying talent gaps, acquiring applicants, arbitrating contracts, maintaining ethical hiring practices
• Compensation and benefits – determining pay scales, approving raises, negotiating benefits packages
• Training and development – onboarding new hires, making educational opportunities available
• Compliance and safety – monitoring legislative changes, implementing safety measures, processing workers’ compensation claims
• Employee relations – resolving employee conflicts, addressing harassment or abuse allegations, working with union leaders

What are seven functions of HR?

Over the years, HR has evolved from a personnel department engaged largely in administration to a strategic partner that works closely with management teams on organizational development. It’s seven key functions today include:

• Strategic planning
• Recruitment
• Training and development
• Compensation and benefits
• Policy creation
• Employee and labor relations
• Risk management

What is HR compliance?

HR compliance means keeping an organization from violating the growing number of employment laws enacted by federal, state and local governments. This responsibility requires HR professionals to monitor and understand regulatory requirements, enforce policies, classify workers correctly, practice fair hiring practices and provide a safe work environment, among other tasks.

This guide is intended to be used as a starting point in analyzing an employer’s HR obligations and is not a comprehensive resource of requirements. It offers practical information concerning the subject matter and is provided with the understanding that ADP is not rendering legal or tax advice or other professional services.

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Human Resource Management Assignment

2017, Human Resource Management Assignment

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Abstract: In the process of organizational adaptation to environmental demands, primarily through the anticipated outputs, human resources play a key role. The procuring of necessary human resources, their working commitment and development, are the basic assignments of the management of human resources. The appliance of a contemporary concept of management of human resources, based on theoretical and practical cognizance of successful organizations, contributes to a successful execution of these and other assignments. In order to develop such a concept it is necessary to provide, in addition to the relevant basics, a whole chain of professional and managerial activities.

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The process of hiring and developing employees so that they become more valuable to the organization. Human Resource Management includes conducting job analyses, planning personnel needs, recruiting the right people for the job, orienting and training, managing wages and salaries, providing benefits and incentives, evaluating performance, resolving disputes, and communicating with all employees at all levels. Examples of core qualities of HR management are extensive knowledge of the industry, leadership, and effective negotiation skills. Formerly called personnel management.

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80+ HRM Project Topics For Your Next Assignment

Human Resource Management, often abbreviated as HRM, is like the heart of a company. It takes care of the people who work there. Whether you’re in school or working, doing a project about HRM can help you learn a lot. That’s why we have great 80+ project topics for you. These ideas cover many things about HRM, like hiring the right people, training them, and even using cool technology like AI and blockchain. You can also explore how HRM can keep everyone safe and healthy at work.

HRM is not just about rules; it’s also about treating people fairly and kindly. So, in this blog, we’ll use simple language to introduce you to these project topics. Whether you’re new to HRM or a pro, there’s something here in this blog for everyone. Let’s get started on your HRM project topics journey!

What is HRM (Human Resource Management)?

Table of Contents

Human Resource Management (HRM) is like the people side of a business. It’s all about taking care of the employees who work there. Imagine HRM as the team that helps find the right people for jobs, trains them, makes sure they are happy and motivated, and keeps them safe at work. HRM also deals with things like pay, benefits, and making sure everyone follows the rules. In simple words, HRM is like the glue that holds a company together, making sure everyone works well and feels valued, so the company can be successful.

80+ HRM Project Topics

Traditional hr functions:.

• Recruitment and Selection Process Optimization.
• Employee Onboarding: Best Practices.
• Employee Training and Development Strategies.
• Performance Appraisal Systems and Their Impact.
• Motivation Techniques in the Workplace.
• Employee Engagement: Measuring and Enhancing.
• Effective Compensation and Benefits Strategies.
• Managing Employee Turnover: Causes and Solutions.
• HR Policies and Compliance.
• Employee Relations: Conflict Resolution Techniques.

Talent Management:

• Succession Planning: Nurturing Future Leaders.
• High-Potential Employee Identification and Development.
• Talent Acquisition in the Gig Economy.
• Building a Diverse and Inclusive Workforce.
• Employee Retention Strategies for Millennials.
• Managing a Remote Workforce.
• Cross-Cultural HR Challenges in Global Companies.
• Building a Learning Organization.
• Employee Well-being Initiatives.
• HR Analytics for Talent Management.

Workforce Development:

• Assessing Training Needs for Employees.
• Implementing a Mentoring Program.
• Employee Career Development Paths.
• Measuring the Impact of Training Programs.
• Managing a Multigenerational Workforce.
• Work-Life Balance Programs.
• Flexible Work Arrangements: Benefits and Challenges.
• Employee Skills Gap Analysis.
• The Role of HR in Knowledge Management.
• Change Management Strategies.

Employee Relations:

• Investigating Workplace Bullying and Harassment.
• Conflict Resolution Strategies.
• Employee Feedback and Communication Channels.
• Managing Workplace Diversity.
• Employee Wellness Programs.
• Promoting Work-Life Integration.
• Ethical Issues in HRM.
• The Impact of Organizational Culture on Employee Relations.
• Employee Assistance Programs (EAPs).
• Employee Discipline and Grievance Handling.

Emerging Trends:

• Artificial Intelligence in HRM.
• Predictive Analytics for HR.
• Blockchain in HR: Applications and Challenges.
• Remote Work Technology Tools.
• Gamification in Employee Engagement.
• HR Chatbots and Virtual Assistants.
• Cybersecurity in HR.
• Agile HR: Adapting to Rapid Changes.
• Sustainable HR Practices.
• Diversity and Inclusion Metrics.

Workplace Health and Safety:

• Creating a Safe Work Environment.
• Occupational Health and Safety Regulations.
• Emergency Response Planning.
• Promoting Mental Health at Work.
• Workplace Ergonomics.
• Reducing Workplace Stress.
• Managing Workplace Accidents and Injuries.
• Safety Training Programs.
• Wellness Initiatives for Employees.
• Pandemic Response and Business Continuity Planning.

HR Technology:

• Evaluating HR Software Solutions.
• HRIS Implementation and Best Practices.
• The Future of HR Tech: Trends and Predictions.
• Data Privacy and HR Data Management.
• Cloud-Based HR Systems.
• Mobile HR Applications.
• HR Metrics Dashboards.
• HR Technology ROI Analysis.
• Integration of HR Tech with other Business Systems.
• HR Tech for Small Businesses.

Legal and Ethical Issues:

• Employment Law Compliance.
• Discrimination and Equal Opportunity.
• Handling Employee Privacy.
• Intellectual Property and Non-Disclosure Agreements.
• Whistleblowing Policies.
• HR’s Role in Preventing Unethical Behavior.
• Fair Labor Standards Act (FLSA) Compliance.
• Global HR Ethics and Standards.
• Social Responsibility and HR Practices.
• Ethical Dilemmas in HR Decision-Making.

How To Choose Right HRM Topic?

Choosing the right HRM (Human Resource Management) topic for your project can be easier when you follow these simple points:

• Interest : Pick a topic that genuinely interests you. It’s easier to work on something you care about.
• Relevance : Choose a topic that relates to HR issues you’ve observed or heard about in real-life workplaces.
• Research : Check if there’s enough information available on the topic. You need resources to support your project.
• Scope : Make sure the topic is not too broad or too narrow. It should be manageable within your project’s timeframe.
• Current Trends : Consider focusing on current HR trends or emerging challenges to keep your project up-to-date.
• Skills Enhancement : Select a topic that helps you develop skills you want to improve, whether it’s data analysis, communication, or problem-solving.
• Practicality : Think about how your project might be useful in the real world. Practical projects often have more impact.
• Feedback : Ask your teacher or supervisor for their input. They can help you choose a topic that aligns with your goals and their expectations.
• Passion : If a topic genuinely excites you, it will show in your work. Passion can make your project stand out.
• Discuss : Talk to peers or colleagues about your potential topics. They might offer valuable insights or suggestions.

Choosing the right HRM project topic can be the key to a successful and fulfilling project experience. These 85 HRM project topics cover a wide range of areas within human resource management, from traditional functions to emerging trends and ethical considerations. Depending on your interests and the specific requirements of your project, you can select a topic that not only challenges you but also allows you to make a meaningful contribution to the field of HRM. So, go ahead, pick a topic, and embark on your HRM project journey with enthusiasm and confidence!

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