Introduction
Human Resource Management (HRM) is the task within the organization that centers on staffing, administration, and offering guidelines to individuals working in the institution. Human Resource Management is the managerial task that handles problems associated with workers for instance reparation, appointing, performance supervision, organization expansion, wellbeing, remuneration, member of staff inspiration, communication, management, and training. Human Resource Management is also a tactical and all-inclusive approach to managing individuals and the customs, as well as the environment. Efficient HRM allows workers to participate efficiently and industriously in the overall wellbeing of the organization (Banfield, & Rebecca, 2008). It also enables workers to realize organizational objectives and goals. In the modern world, Human Resource Management means deviating from conventional personnel, management, and transactional tasks, which are increasingly off-shored. HRM is currently projected to add value to the tactical utilization of employees. This implies that employee programs affect the company in quantifiable ways. The new task of HRM includes tactical supervision and the capacity to show value.
During the recent at Children Medical Research Institute, it was found that leadership is one of the managerial tasks of the HRM department. Managers must demonstrate strong leadership qualities in order to maneuver the members of staff. This paper evaluates the HRM’s ability to utilize leadership in executing duties. The paper identifies some of the leadership theories and to moves on create a link between the theories and how the HRM in the firm applies them. The paper gives some strategies that could be employed in enhancing human resources management in the firm. Leadership is not only an important role of the HRM department but it is also a quality of good HRM managers.
Leadership
Leadership could be defined as a natural quality that followers can sense, experience, and categorize. It stems from a dominant logical knowledge that can be utilized through an individual’s principle, leading to victory in path formation. To comprehend how the theory of leadership relates to Human Resource Management, it is advisable to define the two idioms within the context of the organization. This is because leadership and management challenge each other innumerably. Leadership and management are descriptions that combine within personal positions in an organization (Price, 2007). This means that they are separate roles that a person can occupy independently from his/her position. Leadership pertains to how well an individual understands the role of headship in the organization. For this reason, an individual is expected to guide people towards a certain desired direction. Consequently, a leader has the ability to comprehend the likely paths of an organization, select the superlative path, and construct an image of that alternative for use by the whole organization.
Management on the other hand is the ability to lead that is, the ability to integrate various portions of the organization into something that can function as a unit in a communication system. For that reason, a manager in the human resource department should facilitate communication by making sure that the transfer of information within the organization’s machinery is possible. To comprehend the correlation between management and leadership within an organization, one has to identify the connection between the administrator and the employee. Workers have particular duties to carry out. When appointed, they become authorized to make verdicts within the capacity of their precise duties. Managers are the moderators of the communication system between employees and their particular duties. It appears unreasonable to recommend that managers do not formulate resolutions, but since their role is to enable communication within a system, they do not have responsibilities to realize through decision-making. Regardless of being at the pinnacle of a hierarchal organization, leaders also have everyday jobs to accomplish, just like employees. They have to perform the duty of moving the organization to a different. Their positions give them the power to formulate policies within their realm, just like the employees. Workers make micro-decisions that help them complete their tasks while leaders make decisions aimed at helping the entire firm.
Leadership Theory
During internship at CMRI, it was noted that the management utilized a certain theory in executing duties. The management believed that the most qualified academically could perform duties successfully. This means that to the management, leaders are made, which is contrary to the popular belief that leaders are born. The theory used in guiding activities in the HR department at CMRI is the behavioral theory of leadership. The theory surmises that the qualities of a leader and leadership traits are not acquired biologically. This means that such traits can be mastered over time. The theory suggests further that leaders must be assessed carefully by scrutinizing their actions.
The theory is very useful in management because it has four strengths. The theory takes care of people’s concerns and attempts to solve problems from the worker’s point of view. Leaders who care for employees will always inspire them to excel in the organization. The Human Resource in the firm possessed this quality, which he utilized in enhancing the effectiveness of employees (Paauwe, 2009). He could learn new trends in the firm and advice workers on what to do, by taking them through a training session. The theory suggests further that learned leaders have the concern of the task. It is true that the Human Resource manager at CMRI was much worried about his task. He could call employees in a meeting frequently to discuss new problems and deliberate on the way forward. Since the department had few workers, the leader could arrange activities in order to accomplish the desired goals and aims. This implies that the manager was concerned about his work. His major aim was to equip employees with skills that could help them cope with emerging trends such as an economic recession. Good leaders must always ensure that their employees are updated on daily basis. Without good leadership, tasks would not be accomplished in the best way possible. An organization depends on leaders to offer directions to employees. Leadership is the most important task of management in any firm.
As an alternative, the management could employ Baas’ theory of leadership because it is all-inclusive and all-encompassing. Baas’ theory is applicable to a small number of people implying that it better applies to a group. With eight employees, the manager in the Human Resource department at CMRI could have employed this theory to achieve powerful results. The theory incorporates a number of theories because it appreciates the findings of both trait and great events theories. In other words, the theory suggests that leaders are born and made at the same time. Some events force people to be leaders while some individuals are born leaders. In the firm, the finance manager was called in to take over Human Resource responsibilities because the person in charge was away. This could imply that the finance officer filled the gap because of the prevailing situation. However, the major focus of the theory is that anyone can be a leader, provided he/she has the power and will. Transformational or process theory supports the findings of Baas because an individual can be a leader through education or experience (Ulrich, 1996).
Leadership Strategy
It reaches a time when employees start questioning the management how the existing economy may affect their productivity and job performance. These are uncertain moments because employees are unsure of what action to take. Uncertainties create a vacuum in the organization, which is filled with negativity. Lack of communication can possibly create some space that is filled with malformed opinions, mainly because of fear. Fear thrives in an environment where managers do not consult their employees before carrying out major reforms. This may possibly lead to inadequate trust, deprived productivity, lost focus, negatively inspired solidarity, and underperformance (Armstrong, 2006). This condition may force workers to retreat to their beliefs and customs for survival.
Because of these factors, it is advisable for the management to design some leadership strategies that would aid in suppressing the uncertainties. Through leadership strategies, employees are inspired, encouraged to get out of their problems, and advised to stop thinking about recession. This would involve planning a course of action that would empower employees. Leadership in most cases is the transfer of beliefs, meaning that it is shaped by the viewpoints of individuals. An individual’s belief in the organization determines whether the management will succeed in achieving its goals and objectives or not. Positive leaders must share their viewpoints, sanguinities, dreams, principles, and plans with members of staff. Through this, they motivate and empower their team members to consider, act, and executive responsibilities honestly. Leaders with positive beliefs come up with powerful plans and actions that in turn, influence employees to deliver the best to the organization.
One of the strategies that can be employed by leaders in management positions is coming up with a powerful and in. This would entail various processes because delivering a speech alone is not enough to motivate workers. This means that leaders must prioritize their culture (Budhwar, & Aryee, 2008). This is very important especially when fear and negativity are thorny issues in the organization. In this case, a leader needs to reorder his/her team, bond them and formulate a charming culture, as well as a team environment. This strategy begins at the office meaning that close members of staff are brought on board first before engaging others. With a time of eight members, the human resource at CMRI could easily achieve this. A strategy that works with few people will definitely succeed if applied to many individuals. With a winning team, the leader is capable of formulating strong policies that can endure pessimism, naysayers, and hardship. The human resource manager at CMRI utilizes his knowledge and skills to form a winning team.
Strategy Alternative
Sharing a positive vision would be an alternative to the above strategy. The leader should have an unambiguous, brave, and uncomplicated aspirational precision so that members of staff can easily conceptualize. The vision must be applicable to the current events and challenges faced by employees. Leaders need to share their visions with employees on daily basis and ensure that they encourage workers to incorporate the vision into their plans and objectives. Each employee should be addressed separately to identify his/her vision and try to change such dreams in order to suit organizational visions (Wilson, 2009). This is not an easy task because it would require leaders to develop a fleet of bus drivers. This involves bringing everyone on board in order to achieve the mission. Leaders would then request members of staff to explain how they could contribute to strengthening or executing the set vision. This encourages each individual employee to be innovative, which could lead to his or her effectiveness. Each person will be driving his/her own bus but headed in the same direction. All bus drivers will be having the same dream, focus, and principle. The product will be a success that cannot be compared with any other.
Conclusion
Human resource management is an important aspect of any organization. The management must be focused and goal-oriented in order to achieve its objectives. The department is charged with various tasks but this paper chose to analyze leadership because it is the core role of any management unit. Leadership is identified as the ability to manage people towards a certain direction that is more desirable. At the CMRI, the management employs behavioral theory of leadership in management but this paper suggests another theory referred to as Baas theory of leadership. The human resource manager at CMRI has a strategy of changing employee culture by introducing his ideas and beliefs. It is observed that it is not the only strategy since he could as well utilize a more appealing strategy, which is about sharing positive vision with employees.
References
Armstrong, M. (2006). A Handbook of Human Resource Management Practice (10th ed.). London: Kogan Page.
Banfield, P., & Rebecca, K. (2008). Introduction to Human Resource Management. Oxford. Oxford University Press.
Budhwar,P., & Aryee, S., (2008). Strategic Human Resource Management: Building Research through practice. London. CIPD.
Paauwe, J. (2009). HRM and Performance: Achievement, Methodological Issues and Prospects. Journal of Management Studies, 46(1).
Price, A., (2007). Human Resource Management: in business context (3rd ed.). London: Cengage Learning.
Wilson, J. (2009). Human Resource Development: Learning and Training for individuals and organizations (2nd ed.). London: Kogan Page.
Ulrich, D. (1996). Human Resource Champions: The next agenda for adding value and delivering results. Boston: Harvard Business School Press.