HUMAN RESOURCE POLICIES AND PRACTICE (HRM 213)
INTRODUCTION
HRM is part of the process that helps the organization achieve its objectives. Once the general direction
and strategy have been established, the next stage is to formulate objectives and develop these into action
plans. Objectives cannot be attained without the required resources, which of course include people.
HRM should be part of the process which determines what people are required, how to use them, how to
get them, and how to manage them. It should be fully integrated with all the other management costs.
DEFINITIONS
“HRM refers to activities, policies, beliefs and general functions that relate to employees or the personnel
department,” (Ps Van Dyke quoting Holle and Jennings 1987:4).
 Activities are services carried out like training, recruitment, salary administration, job analysis,
HRP etc.
 Policies are approved guidelines pertaining to rules and procedures to be followed in HR issues.
 Beliefs are convictions of senior management and organizational members on issues relating to
employees
 A function is a group of unique activities within the organization and in this case pertaining to
HR.
Diagram
An organisation consists of a wide range of activities and practices which when combined constitute
meaningful business processes that eventually connect towards the fulfillment of the organisation‟s goals
and objectives.
The different activities of any organisation can be identified as marketing, production, HR, finance etc.
Given that any organisation consists of all these activities which are sometimes contradictory, the major
questions to answer are
1) What is/ what should be done in the organisation?
2) How should it be done?
Ensure that everyone in the organisation knows what is to be done and how.
A POLICY
In the organisational context, a policy is defined as, a statement, preferably a written one which states not
only what should be done, but also how it should be done.
It defines the organisation‟s philosophy on a particular organisational activity and provides commonly
shared guidance on how these activities are carried out
Miss T.E.B Shangahaidonhi 2011
In this regard, it therefore follows that every organisation that seeks effectiveness, efficiency and
profitability should first establish clear policies to guide all its activities.
HRM POLICIES
 Mandatory policies-those stipulated by legislation
 Advisory policies- optional and are not legally binding
Having established that, it‟s a must for an organisation to have policies, it follows therefore that, HRM as
one of the most core organisational activities must have a wide array of policies to guide how an
organisation‟s HR should be managed. Thus an organisation should have HR policies to establish the
following
 An organisation‟s approach or intention when it comes to managing its HR (value of
employees in an organisation)
 An organisation‟s philosophy and values on how people should be treated (as assets)
 Shared principles amongst line managers on expected conduct when dealing with HR matters.
 They establish an unambiguous reference point on all matters and decisions relating to the
HR.
HR POLICY OR PROCEDURE
There is sometimes confusion on HR policies and HR procedures, are they the same? To what extent do
they differ?
Armstrong (2001:20) observes that while HR policies give a generalized guidance, HR procedures give
detail, spelling out what precise action needs to be taken in line with the given policy. A policy on
promotion which states that all promotion is done from within and the procedure to such a policy will
give us the detail on how promotion will be done.
GENERIC HR POLICY AREAS
While all HR activities should be preceded with clear policies, the following are key HR policy practices:
promotion, OHS, equal opportunity and diversity management, training, performance management, HRP
and recently internet policies, bullying, new technology and sexual harassment etc. Without policies the
organisation is bound to face HR related problems.
SIGNIFICANCE OF HR POLICIES
 Leads to consistence in decisions relating to people
 To promote equity/ fair treatment
 Facilitates decentralization and delegation
 Build corporate culture and identity
 Build an efficient and profitable organisation
FORMULATING AND REVISING HR POLICIES