Exploring the Aim of HRM: Enhancing Organizational Effectiveness and Employee Engagement

If I ask, "What is the aim of HRM in one phrase, as short as possible?", I don't know what I'll get. So instead, I'll start with my opinion and see who says what.

"HRM aims at improving organizational effectiveness."

I'd like to see your versions :)

Thank you, Aung Ko Ko, for providing the definition and then seeking comments rather than asking what it should be. The aim depends upon an organization's operations and ownership. In general, one can summarize it as "Help the organization to succeed through the best use of all the staff members."

Please let me know if you need further assistance.

I agree with Mr. Simhan.

HRM itself defines the purpose of "Human Resource Management" so... "A good, better, and organized work system in an organization to run a business or to achieve the set objectives and goals."

HRM is the only one containing MANAGEMENT and works as an individual department apart from the MANAGEMENT of an organization. All departments like Finance & Accounts, Sales & Marketing, Purchase & Inventory, QA/QC, Project & Planning are just departments, but HRD is the only one responsible for the individual management system. It manages all other departments and carries out work for them (staffing and others).

Aung Ko Ko appears to be confused in the sense of whether he wants to define HRM or wants to ascertain the aim of HRM. A definition is wider in ambit and is a succinct expression of 'what is HRM', whereas 'what is the aim of HRM' is a narrower expression of HRM and may spell out a part of the definition. For example, the definition of 'family' implies a relationship and who are in that relationship (who constitute the family) like - Husband, wife, children, and dependent parents, etc. Where 'what is the aim of the family' is altogether different. If HRM is to be defined, the description offered by Anil Arora is closer to it. If the object is to ascertain the aim of HRM, then Aung Ko Ko and Mr. Simhan are right in specifying some of the main aims of HRM.

Other views are also invited.

B. Saikumar
Mumbai

Hi HRM,

Could it be... Nurturing Humans; Puncturing Reservations/Inhibitions; Culturing Metagoals (beyond individuals/profits/incentives).

SP Joe
Chennai

HRM is a series of activities which, firstly, enables working people and the organization that uses their skills to agree on the objectives and nature of their working relationship, and secondly, ensures that the agreement is fulfilled. (Torrington, Hall, and Taylor, 2005)

I'm talking about the aim; the definition is there.

If I may refine that idea of Mr. Sinham a bit, with due respect, it would sound something like: "Organizational success through optimal use of people resources."

So why am I not putting an "its" before the "people resources"? Some organizations get customers to do their jobs, for example, some self-service fast-food restaurants. I also want to include subcontractors, consultants, stakeholders, peripheral workforce, etc.

Feel free to disagree or refine :)

As Mr. AVS said, if democracy is a political philosophy, HRM is a social philosophy involving processes aiming at the all-round development of human resources to finally achieve organizational goals, inasmuch as democracy intends to achieve political goals.

B. Saikumar
HR & Labour Law Advisor
Mumbai

Thanks for all the insights you've shared on this thread. "That which we call a rose, by any other name, will smell as sweet." Philosophy, policy, outcomes... it doesn't matter in what terms we describe its aims, it fulfills one very basic fundamental aim of organization: To amplify strengths while making weaknesses irrelevant. No individual is right for every job. No one is perfect. There have to be at least two. So, I recently came up with this aim from which I was blind months ago: To bring together people in such a way that they could amplify each other's strengths while making up for each other's blindsides.

Metaphors:
Strength = whatever collectively makes up sustained competitive advantage of the organization
Blindsides = a self-explanatory term that represents all sorts of weaknesses

So far, I have read interesting aims of HRM, and most of them, I would also agree with. Yet I have a different view - HRM is all about managing and engaging your human resources (employees) to the extent that they are satisfied in their jobs, trust their supervisors and managers, and at the same time, the firm or the management reciprocates the efforts of the members of the firm; it is all about managing a two-way communication.

[QUOTE=Ankita1001;2044885]

HRM is all about managing and engaging your human resources (employees) to the extent that they are satisfied in their jobs, trust their supervisors and managers, and at the same time, the firm or the management reciprocates the efforts of the members of the firm; it is all about managing a two-way communication. This means there are many "two's" in it.

For a start: There were at least two persons. Second: The relationship takes two parties. Third: Communication has to travel both ways. Fourth: The relationship is rewarding for both parties when they get two things out of the relationship, namely instrumental rewards (profits, wages) and social rewards, including what is so popularly termed "self-actualization".

Thanks, Ankita. It is always too easy to skip the coordination mechanism commonly understood as communication, the breakdown of which frequently, if not always, results in corporate disasters. There's a lot to go from here to arrive at a unanimous aim, but I strongly feel that we're getting closer and closer.

Regards, Aung Ko Ko