Labour-Management Studies Foundation
Mick Marchington Research Seminar
The Faculty of Business & Economics and
the Labour-Management Studies Foundation
invite you to this complimentary Seminar.
| Seminar | Re-establishing HRM at the Front Line (PowerPoint slides from seminar) |
| Date | 11 am - 12.00 noon, Thursday 26 March 2009 |
| Venue | Seminar room, Level 6, Faculty of Business & Economics Building E4A, Macquarie University. |
| Presenter | Mick Marchington, Professor of Human Resource Management, Manchester Business School, Manchester University. |
| Fee | No charge |
Abstract:
From its early roots in the USA over twenty years ago, HRM is the now most popular title for those people engaged in the policy and practice of people management. Despite this, there is less agreement about its content and focus. Whilst some see HRM as a distinctive style of people management, others regard it as a catch-all term for those activities covering how the employment relationship is managed, and as such it can vary significantly depending on context. At one level this may not matter, but given increased interest in how HRM can contribute to improved organisational performance, we need to be clear about which form of HRM is being used.There is little doubt that focusing on the links between HRM and performance has been beneficial in raising the profile of the profession and the academic subject area. However, this has not come without costs, most notably in HRM increasingly being seen as aiming solely to serve high-level organisational goals at the expense of the needs of other stakeholders. This is most apparent at workplace level where the HR function should be fulfilling its most visible and active role in supporting line managers and developing the engagement and skills of front-line staff. Research suggests that voice and discretion are critically important components of sustainable HRM, and because of this some reorientation is needed to ensure that HR practitioners take the work of front-line staff more seriously.
As it is currently configured, HRM is in danger of becoming:
uni-dimensional by trying to identify idealised, one best-way, solely employer-focused solutions to be followed by all organisations,
superficial by aiming to achieve easy-to-measure metrics which have little real meaning for organisations or those who work within them,
elitist because of an obsession with the needs and demands of the few, rather than paying attention to the many whose performance impacts directly on customers and who might reasonably expect to receive fair treatment at work.
This paper will review the evidence in relation to these arguments and make some suggestions as to how HRM can be reoriented to achieve a more long-lasting contribution to people and organisations.
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