Some HRM history

HRM brings together a range of managerial approaches to the employment relationship. Beginning with ‘psychological assessment’ and the human relations movement 120 years ago, organisations began to considering workers as thinking and feeling beings who will perform better at work if their internal life - motivations, needs, hopes and expectations - is taken seriously by organisational leaders and managers.

Prior to the human relations school of thought, the school of 'scientific management' thought saw workers as typically motivated by financial rewards. Treated like cogs in a machine, staff could be shifted, monitored and replaced according to organisational needs. The human relations school proposes that a better way to manage workers is through encouraging motivation and commitment: rather than top-down surveillance and control.

Consider one of the leading models of HRM - which remains influential today - the Harvard model (Beer et al., 1984; see image). This remains one of the most popular HRM models, despite it's 40 year plus vintage. If you are interested in exploring the Beer et al (1984) text, create yourself an Open Library account (here) then get the book out at the Internet library (here).

It is important to understand the shared roles and responsibilities of organisations, managers, HR specialists and workers within the organisational system (Rudman, 2017). It is essential that HRM takes a systemic approach - or is allowed to take a systematic approach - so that organisational HRM activities are integrated, and that shared responsibility between members is embedded (Rudman, 2017). Alignment between worker objectives and organisation goals is a key element of sound HRM practice (aka the unitary frame of reference).

Unsurprisingly, treating staff as fellow human beings - with feelings, value, ethics and potential - yields rewards, and improves competitive advantage. Treating staff as replaceable cogs in a machine devalues the organisation, increases turnover and erodes commitment. 

Nothing about HR is really a surprise!

Sam

References:

Beer, M., Spector, B., Lawrence, P., Mills, D. Q. & Walton, R. (1984). Human Resource Management: A general manager’s perspective - texts and cases. Free Press. https://archive.org/details/humanresourceman00beer

Rudman, R. S. (2017). Chapter 2: Human Resources Management today. In HR Manager: A New Zealand handbook (2nd ed. pp. 37-56). Wolters Kluwer/CHH New Zealand.