Which of the following has traditionally been the dominant role for human resources?

Human resources (HR)

Human resources is another department whose role has become quite important owing to the changes in the nature of organizations. Currently, organizations rely heavily on the knowledge of workers and take important steps to sharpen the skills of workers who have to work in a fast-paced innovative environment. Traditionally human resources had the responsibility of managing people in organizations (Wright and McMahan, 1992); activities such as selection, training, appraisal, and rewards represented the domain of HR. However, now it plays an important role in shaping the strategic orientation of an organization. Human resources actively identifies a set of skills important for adding value to the work of an organization, arranges training programs for employees, and contributes to long-term human resource development in an organization.

Abstract

The human resource role within an academic library can be critical to the success of any strategic endeavor. That role can be viewed in diverse ways depending on the organizational structure in which the library operates. Know that a world of change will require the human elements to change as well, requires that the human resource role or function serves as a partner in the strategic planning process. Also, an understanding that the human resource discipline can be diverse and customized as well, calls for consideration into best practices and the value that human resources can add to organizational capabilities.

Library Staff

Human resources play a prominent role in the successful management of any library. The details of human resources available in academic libraries are presented in Table 10.1. The table, as per the study, demonstrates that there are 1122 sanctioned posts in 15 academic libraries (15 central university libraries). It is surprising to note that of the 1122 sanctioned posts, 422 posts were vacant and 700 staff members were currently working in these libraries. Of the 15 libraries, DULS has the largest number of sanctioned posts and staff presently working (416 sanctioned, 126 working), followed by BHU (159 sanctioned, 122 working) and AMU (121 sanctioned, 100 working).

II Overview of Human Resources

The HR function (once known as the personnel department) has often been perceived as a business function without much more purpose than to perform routine administrative tasks. Most of the administrative tasks that the HR function engaged in were largely preventative in nature. Typical administrative tasks might include managing processes to avoid legal challenges (e.g., discrimination in hiring and unfair terminations), managing benefits to minimize costs, and monitoring employee behavior to minimize accidents and absenteeism.

The nature of HR activities defined the data requirements of the HR function. While the legacy HR information systems (pre-1990s) were very successful at storing the data necessary to fulfill administrative HR tasks, rarely could the data stored in these systems be utilized for other decisions or tasks. Because the data was often perceived to be company information that would save it from a legal challenge, the following limitations often existed: (1) the type of information stored was very specific, (2) the quantity of information about each individual was limited to what would be necessary in a lawsuit or to run a benefits program, and (3) accessibility of the information was restricted to a few specialists. Uses for this information beyond what the system was designed for would require a specialist to develop a custom report, if possible. These limitations often made activities, such as succession planning, impossible to perform without a substantial investment in a separate database or paper-based system. For example, many of the legacy systems tracked when an employee started with the organization and the employee's current position, exactly what was required for legal purposes. Information that would regularly be stored about that employee for promotions or succession planning (e.g., competencies developed and job experience) would have to be stored in the employee's paper file or in a separate database system.

As HR issues became more complex, many organizations began to separate their HR function into departments that could specialize in specific HR activities (e.g., legal, hiring, training, and compensation). The departments evolved from the primary responsibilities of the HR function, such as recruiting, compensation and benefits, training and development, and organizational development/planning. As each department developed, so did the information requirements for HR decision making. In order to better understand these information requirements, a brief tour of the HR function is provided.

Human resources

Human resources deals with people and how they support a company/ organization’s mission, aims and objectives. The human resources variable of infrastructure strategy emphasizes that the service providers should be trained professionals with the necessary skills and must be highly motivated to diligently serve the customers. Macaskill (2006: 8) contends that one of the minimum requirements for provision of service quality for public records/archives is that service should be provided by staff members who are fully trained in their jobs and familiar with the holdings, or who are supervised trainees. The members of staff also need to be trained in how best to deal with customers. Training for the service providers should be ongoing so that personnel cope with changes in technology or records management processes and operations.

Integrating Human Resources

Traditionally, HR departments have been highly centralized and have been responsible for conducting opinion surveys, assessing managerial effectiveness, developing hiring and staffing plans, and providing training. HR departments are often instrumental in conducting strategic reviews of the strengths and weaknesses of potential target companies, integrating the acquirer's and target's management teams, recommending and implementing pay and benefit plans, and disseminating information about acquisitions. In recent years, as highly centralized HR functions have been found to be very expensive and nonresponsive, the trend has been to move the HR function to the operating unit, where hiring and training may be done more effectively. Most of the traditional HR activities are conducted at the operating units with the exception of the administration of benefit plans, management of HR information systems, and (in some cases) organizational development.19

Integrating Human Resources

Traditionally, HR departments have been highly centralized and responsible for conducting opinion surveys, assessing managerial effectiveness, developing hiring and staffing plans, and providing training. HR departments are often instrumental in conducting strategic reviews of the strengths and weaknesses of potential target companies, integrating the acquirer's and target's management teams, recommending and implementing pay and benefit plans, and disseminating information about acquisitions. More recently, the trend has been to move the HR function to the operating unit. Highly centralized HR functions have been found to be very expensive and not responsive to the needs of the operating units. Hiring and training often can be more effectively done at the operating unit level. Most of the traditional HR activities are conducted at the operating units with the exception of the administration of benefit plans, management of HR information systems, and in some cases, organizational development (Porter and Wood, 1998).

Introduction

The human resource (HR) profession has been on a long and challenging journey. Globalisation and sweeping policy changes are factors that have redefined and realigned HR and its role in the organisation. The HR function may be seen as having evolved not only over time, but content. There are many typologies and frameworks showing this such as those proposed by Tyson and Fell (1986). Others like Ulrich (1997), Ulrich, Younger, Brockbank, and Ulrich (2012) and Welch and Welch (2012) present different types of framework. What these convey is that the title of HR manager covers a wide range in terms of the content of the job, with greater or fewer levels on reactive – proactive or operational – strategic spectrums (Rowley & Jackson, 2011).

While explaining the business partner model, Ulrich and Brockbank (2008) pointed out that HR plays a significant role in the creation and maintenance of capabilities an organisation must have in order to deliver value to its customers, shareholders, employees and communities. Generally speaking, HR has evolved from just being transactional to being a strategic business partner, from being a cost centre to profit centre partnering business growth (Moore & Furlong, 2012). The post-2008 global financial crisis made it clear that economies were not just facing another cyclical economic downturn but in its wake came impactful, structural, demographic and mindset changes across various industries. Business leaders could not afford to respond with anything less than a major overhaul of the HR management (HRM) system to survive and sustain – HR as a practice and profession needs to ‘transmute’ (Mukherjee Saha, 2010, p. 21).

Our book addresses a set of interrelated questions. What are the principal challenges HR is facing? Given each industry has its own complexities, is it not a necessity to assess and analyse industry-specific HR challenges and best practices? Can HR take on the responsibility of increasing productivity in industries? With the rapid changes going on in workplaces and economies, is it not a prerequisite for HR professionals to develop competencies and enhance knowledge and by so doing have an effect on their respective industries (Ulrich et al., 2012)?

The premise of our book rests on the principle of laws of attraction, which claims that ‘thoughts become things’. In this world of business uncertainties and corporate fragilities, acknowledging good HR policies and practices can certainly influence the economic, societal and environmental aspects of an organisation. It may further trigger collective thinking on the part of the HR and business community, economies and societies at large for transmutation to take place for the common good (Mukherjee Saha, 2010, p. 21).

The book covers the following six key industries: (1) tourism and hospitality, (2) retail, (3) healthcare, (4) education, (5) security; (6) energy (including oil, gas and renewables). There is copious evidence that these industries play major roles in economies (as explained in Chapter 2). A closer look reveals the interdependence of these, something that will be elaborated in the following chapters. Industry-level analysis backed up by case studies of organisations from specific industries and operating in the region has been included to further elaborate the concept.

Integrating Human Resources

Human resources departments have traditionally been highly centralized, responsible for evaluating management, conducting employee surveys, developing staffing plans, and providing training. Such departments may be used to evaluate the strengths and weaknesses of potential target company management teams and workforce, integrate the acquirer’s and target’s management teams, implement pay and benefit plans, and communicate information about acquisitions. Due to expense and a perceived lack of responsiveness, the trend in recent years has been to move the HR function to the operating unit, where hiring and training may be done more effectively. Despite this trend, the administration of benefit plans, management of HR information systems, and organizational development often remain centralized due to their complexity and requirements for specialized expertise.