current and contemporary issues in human resource management

1. CONTEMPORARY ISSUES IN HRM

2. Introduction
• In the Era of global competition, when changes in the job demand;
job context and job content have been taken place in fast speed due
to market conditions, technologies changes, fast obsolescence of
products, work methods and services, the organizations have to re-
think about HR trends and policies.
• Over the years, highly skilled and knowledge based jobs are
increasing while low skilled jobs are decreasing. This calls for future
skill mapping through proper HRM initiatives.

3. Emerging Trends In HRM:
• Human Resource Management is a process of bringing people and
organizations together so that the goals of each others are met .The
role of HR managers is shifting from facilitators to HRD consultant.
Now HR managers are strategic business partner.

4. Redefining Role of the HR professional:
• Any organizational models focusing people centric issues call for
redefining the future role of HR professionals.

5. Recruitment challenges
• War for talent: With the increase of global job mobility recruiting
competent people is becoming difficult, especially in India. The talent
available is smart, sophisticated, technologically literate, and globally
astute.
• Outsourcing
• E-recruitment

6. Congenial And Healthy Workplace: - work
life balance:
• There is growing recognition that there is a definite link between the
work environment, health and well being of its employees.
• Work life balance is becoming a more challenge to HR managers as
more women are taking up jobs to add to finances of their families or
to become careerists.
• Organizations should undertake work life balancing programmers as
in their absence both men and women will be exposed to stress,
depression and anxiety.

7. Managing Cultural Diversity
• Diversity is about managing the demographic and psychographic
characteristics of an evolving workforce.
• The success of diversity strategy is measured in how well
organizations can capitalize the skills, intelligence, culture and
experience of every employee.

8. The Impact of Technologies:
Today virtual workers and flexible work arrangements are made
possible through communication technology. Organization can be
physically local, yet virtually global due to technology.
It is because of technological impact that organizations are looking for
cross-border and multinational HR solutions that provide a single HR
database that gives them access real-time information that will aid in
their decision-making.

9. Managing the Talent:
• Succession Planning.
• Leadership Development.

10. Corporate Values & Cultures:
• What is clearly evident these days is that more and more firms are
unwilling to tolerate unethical behavior from their executives.
• Ethical behavior should be core component of company culture.

11. Impact of Legal & Compliance Issues:
• it becomes necessary for HR to understand the new realities of
privacy and security of employee data. It also means developing
closer relationship with IT & Finance to understand new rules.

12. Suggestive HR measures for effective performance
for 21st century organization:
• Policies: - HR policies based on trust, openness, equity & consensus.
• Work force skills: - Proper utilization of work force skills & abilities in order to exploit environmental opportunities
& neutralize threats.
• Motivation: - Employ innovative reward plans that recognize employee contributions & grant enhancements.
• Quality Consciousness: - Indulge in continuance quality improvement through TQM & HR contributions like
training, development, counseling etc.
• Relations: - Fair treatment of people & prompt redress of grievances would pave the way for healthy work - place
relations.
• Change Agent: - Prepare workers to accept technological changes by clarifying doubts.
• Utilizing Distinctive Capabilities: - Utilize people with distinctive capabilities to create on surpassed competence
in an area e.g. Xerox in photocopies, Telco in Trucks etc.
• Decentralization: - Decentralize operations & rely on self-managed teams to delivers goods in difficult times.
• Co-opting Workers: - It is desirable to lay off workers while bringing some major change in smooth way by
explaining facts to unions, workers & other affected groups e.g. IBM, Kodak, Xerox etc.
• Making HR activities Ethical: Institute mechanism to ensure ethical conduct of employees. Whistle blowing,
ethics hotline, & ethics committee are some of the ways of ensuring ethical conduct. But more importantly HR
managers must set an example for ethical behavior by themselves.

13. Here are just a few more reasons to focus on
effective HRM:
• Creates a unique workplace culture
• Emphasizes the rules, expectations, and standards for the workplace
• Helps everyone understand workplace diversity
• Facilitates communication between HR and employees
• Strengthens the importance of training and development
• Eliminates employee uncertainty

14. Conclusion
• HR managers need to design strategies and plan actions required to
put the right performing employees in the right key performance
areas, develop their skill set, reward and recognize the performers,
retain key talent with proper care and attention.