STRATEGIC HUMAN RESOURCES MANAGEMENT

Strategic Human Resources Management

Strategic Human Resources Management

Introduction

The management and leadership of Strategic Human Resources is one of the most pressing and important concerns for all organizations. Organizations are only as good as the individuals that compose them and leadership and management skills that shape and direct those individual contributions. The idea of a formal Strategic Human Resource management department is often associated with large organizations that have many employees and with formalized processes for benefits and leave. Strategic Human Resources practices apply to almost all organizations, including those that rely mainly on volunteers to accomplish their missions. While some of this discussion will revolve around strategic human resource issues and those organizations with paid employees, concepts such as motivation, leadership, and diversity will apply to all organizations, regardless of size or formality.

Discussion

Strategic Human Resource management, rather than being a particular department or set of policies, is a set of coherent and strategic management activities intended to make the most of talent in an organization. In this chapter, we will examine a variety of subjects related to Strategic Human Resource management in all sectors including pay, motivation, leadership, and legal issues related to human capital. Those responsible for Strategic Human Resource management in organizations can be in a variety of positions, including executive directors, chief executive officers, program managers, or Strategic Human Resource managers. The lack of formalized Strategic Human Resource functions in many organizations is probably linked to the constraints placed on organizations because of limited funding for overhead and management functions. (Wing, 2008)

Issues in Strategic Human Resources Management

Another key aspect to consider in the management of Strategic Human Resources is the laws that govern work practices for all organizations, public and private. These laws are in place to protect the rights of employees and employers. Although some of the laws discussed here apply only to organizations once they exceed a certain number of employees, following these laws is generally an unfailing practice and should be done whenever possible so that growth in the overall number of employees does not require major shifts in terms of management strategy and policy.

The major legal considerations are the same for all employers, both public and private, with only a few exceptions in terms of unique regulations for the nonprofit sector. Our discussion will mainly focus on the unique concerns for the sector.

(Werther, 2001)

Discrimination and Harassment

Federal laws usually prohibit discrimination against ...