Human Resource Management evolved from the old term “Personnel”. Personnel was viewed as a staff position. Meaning all they handled were administrative functions, hiring, training, payroll, benefits and terminations. Today H/R management is considered a strategic function in most firms. Recruiting, training and retaining the best employees is the key to success in this rapidly changing business environment. Management and motivation has become much more complicated in the last fifty years. In answering the discussion question refer back to chap 10 and Maslows theory. Do you see a connection between society as a whole and the hierarchy and Human Resource Management? Review the following links and answer discussion question 1.
Lots of Human Resource Management information is located at: http://www.shrm.org/ (Links to an external site.)
Statistics relating to HRM can be found at: http://www.bls.gov/data/ (Links to an external site.)
Review the following links on unions and answer discussion question 2.
One of the largest labor unions is facing declining memberships http://www.afl-cio.org (Links to an external site.)
Discussion Questions:
1. Human Resource Management is rapidly evolving to become a strategic function.. What have been the forces in the last fifty years that caused the shift from a personnel department to a human resource department? What do you feel is the most important aspect of today’s human resource issues. Which of these issues do you think will lead to the biggest change in the workplace in the next fifty year?
2. According to union statistics there is a rising inequity in worker / management pay. Despite this there is a decline in union membership. Why?
3. Have you ever belonged to a union? Describe the experience.
4. Watch the following YouTube. What are your impressions? As an employee how can you prepare for the future?
Youtube link: https://youtu.be/7Pq-S557XQU