University of Jaffna
Faculty of Management Studies and Commerce
Department of Human Resource Management
BBAH 21023: Managing Human Resources Issued on: 05/05/2023
Handout: 02 Ms.T. Thasika
Lessons for (Week-2)
Approaches to HRM
Learning Outcomes After completing this section, the students will be able to:
• Describe the approaches to HRM
• Differentiate the line authority and staff authority
Management Approach
HRM is the responsibility of every manager irrespective of his/her field of interest and
specialization. If the organization has a human resource department led by a human resource
manager, it has to serve all managers, non-managers, and departments through its expertise. Every
manager at all levels has to do HRM functions relating to the management of his/her subordinates.
Systems Approach
HRM is viewed as a system of interrelated functions. Each HRM function affects some other
HRM functions. For instance, job analysis affects recruitment, selection and pay management.
When human resource activities are involved as a whole, they form an organisation’s human
resource management system. A system of HRM exists when all the HRM functions are related.
For example, HRM is a system may have parts such as procurement, training, performance
appraisal and reward, etc.
Proactive Approach
Being proactive means acting before a problem occurs. Reactive human resource management
occurs when decision makers respond to human resource problems. Proactive human resource
management occurs when human resource problems are anticipated and corrective action begins
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before the problem exists as prevention is better than cure. This proactive approach improves
productivity by minimizing the resources (time & money) in the both short and long run needed
to produce the organisation’s goods or services.
Being proactive determine where the company want to go in the short- and long-term and build a
holistic, aligned organization beginning at the founder level where they can attract, hire, and retain
the top talent to get them where they want to go.
Reactive Approach
Being reactive means acting after a problem occurred. If efforts are reactive only, problems may
be compounded and opportunities may be missed and organization may suffer loss.
Strategic Approach
Strategic approach to HRM is a recent development in the discipline of HRM. People are the
strategic asset of an organization. People have core competencies, the basis of competitive
advantage. Human resource is the combination of talent and skills, some of them are inborn and
other skills, they have acquired through learning and education. It has four features which are (1)
HRM is a broad approach to managing people at work based on a philosophy of HR; (2) HRM is
a major source of competitive advantage. It links to competitive advantage of the organization
significantly; (3) HRM policies/functions cohere within themselves and with other functional
fields of organisational management; and (4) HRM is fully integrated with the strategy and
strategic needs of the organisation.
Soft Approach
Soft approach involves managing people at work with kindness and care of their feelings and
expectations, and HRs consider as a valuable asset and not as a variable cost....tapping human
potential. It is a consensual and based on a high level of managerial commitment to employees,
high trust, learning and enlightened leadership.
The key features
Concern for the workers
Focusing on winning the hearts and minds of the workers
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Motivated, skilled, involved and contented workforce
Strategic focus on longer-term workforce planning
Employees are empowered and encouraged to seek delegation and take responsibility
Flatter organizational structures
Suits democratic leadership style
Hard Approach
Hard approach involves managing people at work with personnel schemes (Treats employees
simply as a resource of the business like machinery & buildings). Superior is to be objective and
should not have personal preferences or relationships over his/her subordinates. Managing
employees through personnel policies, procedures, rules, and budgets occurs in this approach.
Therefore, it is calculative, quantitative and strategic management aspects of managing the
workforce in a rational way. People management strategies are driven by strategic considerations
to gain competitive advantage, maximising control while achieving the lowest possible labour
cost. It has the strong link with corporate business planning – what resources do we need, how do
we get them and how much will they cost.
Key features
Promote human resource strategy and align it with the business strategy
Generally covers outsourcing, flexibility and performance management
Lead to downsizing
Treated as another resource
Operate against interest of the worker
Taller organizational structures
Suits autocratic leadership style
Little empowerment or delegation
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Line and Staff Aspects of HRM
Authority: Authority is the right to make decisions, to direct the work of others, and to give
orders.
Staff authority (Advisory): The authority gives right to the manager to advise other managers
or employees.
Line authority (Superior-Subordinate): The authority of managers to direct people in his or her
own department.
Line manager (Line Authority): A manager who is authorized to direct the work of subordinates
and is responsible for accomplishing the organization’s tasks.
Staff manager (Staff Authority): A manager who assists and advises line managers.
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Line Managers’ HRM responsibilities
Line managers are bosses; they direct the work of subordinates in pursuit of accomplishing the
organization's basic goals. Some examples of the HR responsibilities of line managers are:
1. Place the right person on the right job
2. Orientate new employees
3. Train employees for jobs new to them
4. Improve the job performance of each person
5. Gain creative cooperation and developing smooth working relationships
6. Interpret the company’s policies and procedures
7. Control costs
8. Develop the abilities of each person
9. Maintain morale
10. Protect employees’ health & safety and physical condition
HR responsibilities of staff managers
Staff managers assist and advise line managers in accomplishing these basic goals. They do,
however, need to work in partnership with each other to be successful. Some examples of the HR
responsibilities of staff managers include assistance in hiring, training, evaluating, rewarding,
counseling, promoting, and firing of employees, and administering various benefits programs.
Roles for Human Resource Departments
If an organization has a formal HR group there are typically three different roles that group might
play in the organization.
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• Administrative—focusing on clerical administration and recordkeeping, including essential
legal paperwork, policy implementation, counseling, advising and providing welfare.
• Operational and employee advocate—managing most HR activities in keeping with the
strategies and operations that have been identified by management and serving as employee
“champion” for employee issues and concerns.
• Strategic—helping to define the strategy relative to human capital and its contribution to
organizational results.
While administrative role traditionally has been the dominant role for HR, the emphasis on the
operational and employee advocate role is growing in most organizations. The strategic role
requires the ability and orientation to contribute to strategic decisions and recognition by upper
management of those skills. This practice is less common but growing.
