Human Resources Management (HRM) refers to the organisation and management of employees within an organisation. Effective HR management is critical to overall business success and ultimately encompasses the broad process of hiring and developing staff that creates added value for the organisation. HR Managers learn how to administer employees, or in other words attract, train and retaini talent or personnel. Learn more about HR Management courses by browsing through the list of courses below. Request information to receive more details about the training and how it can take you closer to achieving your career goals.

What is HR Management (HRM)?

Human Resource Management is a broad area of human resources that is vital to any organisation’s success. Also referred to as HRM, HR Management refers to the overall functioning of a company’s personnel management department, starting with the recruitment of staff, the management of staff and the personal & professional development of staff throughout their employment. HR managers aim to effectively manage staff  to minimise the risk of financial and personnel loss, while maximising return on investment from the organisation’s human capital. HRM is nowadays seen as an innovative form of workplace management in which employees are considered as individuals with unique goals and plans, rather than simply business resources. Human Resource Management also includes managing the employment process and ensuring that the company is operating in a way that is effective, legal, fair, and consistent. As well as dealing with employee issues such as recruitment, salaries, compensation & benefits, performance management and disciplinary actions, HRM may also touch upon issues of organisational development, health and safety and staff motivation. At the same time, some of these issues, and particularly those related to appraisals & performance management, are often delegated to direct supervisors and managers who tend to have more of an insight into an employee’s day-to-day responsibilities and how effective he or she is in performing them. While HR Managers may thus lay the foundations for appraisals, in terms of developing company-wide templates or providing overall guidelines, they tend to not be directly involved in the appraisal process.

Strategic Human Resources Management

In some organisations, HRM can have a highly strategic component, in which case it is referred to as Strategic HRM or SHRM. This means that HR Managers also become highly involved in the overall organisational performance of their company and play key roles in improving employee commitment. This is often done by increasing communication and introducing initiatives or activities specifically geared to increase motivation, with the aim of lowering levels of absenteeism and turnover. Staff that work in HR Management and Performance Appraisals departments aim to improve the levels of skills of their employees and therefore create higher productivity, enhanced quality and efficiency.

Related areas: Recruitment, Employee Relations and Learning & Development

One of the main responsibilities of HR departments is recruitment. Hiring new employees is a primary duty in any organisation, and isoften carried out by HR officers; training in this area thus helps professionals effectively attract, retain and develop staff, providing them with skills in interviewing, equality & diversity management and/or strategic recruiting. Relationships between employers and employees require work, communication and management, which also often falls in the remit of HR departments. Training in employee relations is designed to help HR managers ensure that employees are happy, well-informed and feel motivated, fostering positive working relationships across the organisation. Additionally, employee relations courses inform HR staff about employment law and legislation requirements. Many HR departments and managers are also to some extent involved in planning and organising learning and development activities for their staff. This will tend to be the case in smaller organisations, while larger companies will be more likely to have dedicated Training or Learning & Development Managers. In either case, courses in this area help those responsible become competent in planning and/or developing the training required for the employee development.