Functions

Human Resource Management Functions:

Managerial, Operative and Advisory Function
Some of the major functions of human resource management are as follows: 1. Managerial Functions
2. Operative Functions 3. Advisory Functions.
Human Resource or Personnel Department is established in most of the organizations, under the
charge of an executive known as Human Resource/Personnel Manager. This department plays an
important role in the efficient management of human resources.
The personnel department gives assistance and provides service to all other departments on personnel
matters. Though personnel or human resource manager is a staff officer in relation to other
departments of the enterprise, he has a line authority to get orders executed within his department.
(i) Managerial,
(ii) Operative and
(iii) Advisory functions.
1. Managerial Functions:
The Human Resource Manager is a part of the organisational management. So he must perform the
basic managerial functions of planning, organising, directing and controlling in relation to his
department.
There functions are briefly discussed below:
1. Planning:
To get things done through the subordinates, a manager must plan ahead. Planning is necessary to
determine the goals of the organisation and lay down policies and procedures to reach the goals. For a
human resource manager, planning means the determination of personnel programs that will
contribute to the goals of the enterprise, i.e., anticipating vacancies, planning job requirements, job
descriptions and determination of the sources of recruitment. The process of personnel planning
involves three essential steps.
Firstly, a supply and demand forecast for each job category is made. This step requires knowledge to
both labour market conditions and the strategic posture and goals of the organisation.
Secondly, net shortage and excess of personnel by job category are projected for a specific time
horizon.
Finally, plans are developed to eliminate the forecast shortages and excess of particular categories of
human resources.
2. Organizing:
Once the human resource manager has established objectives and developed plans and programs to
reach them, he must design and develop organisation structure to carry out the various operations.
The organization structure basically includes the following:
(i) Grouping of personnel activity logically into functions or positions;
(ii) Assignment of different functions to different individuals;
(iii) Delegation of authority according to the tasks assigned and responsibilities involved;
(iv) Co-ordination of activities of different individuals.

3. Directing:
The plans are to be pure into effect by people. But how smoothly the plans are implemented depends
on the motivation of people. The direction function of the personnel manager involves encouraging
people to work willingly and effectively for the goals of the enterprise.
In other words, the direction function is meant to guide and motivate the people to accomplish the
personnel programs. The personnel manager can motivate the employees in an organisation through
career planning, salary administration, ensuring employee morale, developing cordial relationships
and provision of safety requirements and welfare of employees.
The motivational function poses a great challenge for any manager. The personnel manager must
have the ability to identify the needs of employees and the means and methods of satisfy those needs.
Motivation is a continuous process as new needs and expectations emerge among employees when
old ones are satisfied.
4. Controlling:
Controlling is concerned with the regulation of activities in accordance with the plans, which in turn
have been formulated on the basis of the objectives of the organisation. Thus, controlling completes
the cycle and leads back to planning. It involves the observation and comparison of results with the
standards and correction of deviations that may occur.
Controlling helps the personnel manager to evaluate the control the performance of the personnel
department in terms of various operative functions. It involves performance appraisal, critical
examination of personnel records and statistics and personnel audit.
2. Operative Functions:
The operative functions are those tasks or duties which are specifically entrusted to the human
resource or personnel department. These are concerned with employment, development,
compensation, integration and maintenance of personnel of the organisation.
The operative functions of human resource or personnel department are discussed below:
1.Employment:
The first operative function of the human resource of personnel department is the employment of
proper kind and number of persons necessary to achieve the objectives of the organisation. This
involves recruitment, selection, placement, etc. of the personnel.
Before these processes are performed, it is better to determine the manpower requirements both in
terms of number and quality of the personnel. Recruitment and selection cover the sources of supply
of labour and the devices designed to select the right type of people for various jobs. Induction and
placement of personnel for their better performance also come under the employment or procurement
function.
2.Development:
Training and development of personnel is a follow up of the employment function. It is a duty of
management to train each employee property to develop technical skills for the job for which he has been
employed and also to develop him for the higher jobs in the organisation. Proper development of
personnel is necessary to increase their skills in doing their jobs and in satisfying their growth need.
For this purpose, the personnel departments will device appropriate training programs. There are
several on- the-job and off-the-job methods available for training purposes. A good training program
should include a mixture of both types of methods. It is important to point out that personnel
department arranges for training not only of new employees but also of old employees to update their
knowledge in the use of latest techniques.
3.Compensation:
This function is concerned with the determination of adequate and equitable remuneration of the
employees in the organisation of their contribution to the organisational goals. The personnel can be
compensated both in terms of monetary as well as non-monetary rewards.
Factors which must be borne in mind while fixing the remuneration of personnel are their basic
needs, requirements of jobs, legal provisions regarding minimum wages, capacity of the organisation
to pay, wage level afforded by competitors etc. For fixing the wage levels, the personnel department
can make use of certain techniques like job evaluation and performance appraisal.
4.Maintenance (Working Conditions and Welfare):
Merely appointment and training of people is not sufficient; they must be provided with good
working, conditions so that they may like their work and workplace and maintain their efficiency.
Working conditions certainly influence the motivation and morale of the employees.
These include measures taken for health, safety, and comfort of the workforce. The personnel
department also provides for various welfare services which relate to the physical and social well-
being of the employees. These may include provision of cafeteria, rest rooms, counseling, group
insurance, education for children of employees, recreational facilities, etc.
5. Motivation:
Employees work in the organisation for the satisfaction of their needs. In many of the cases, it is
found that they do not contribute towards the organisational goals as much as they can. This happens
because employees are not adequately motivated. The human resource manager helps the various
departmental managers to design a system of financial and non-financial rewards to motivate the
employees.
6.Personnel Records:
The human resource or personnel department maintains the records of the employees working in the
enterprise. It keeps full records of their training, achievements, transfer, promotion, etc. It also
preserves many other records relating to the behaviour of personnel like absenteeism and labour
turnover and the personnel programs and policies of the organisation.
7. Industrial Relations:
These days, the responsibility of maintaining good industrial relations is mainly discharged by the
human resource manager. The human resource manager can help in collective bargaining, joint
consultation and settlement of disputes, if the need arises. This is because of the fact that he is in
possession of full information relating to personnel and has the working knowledge of various labour
enactments.
The human resource manager can do a great deal in maintaining industrial peace in the organisation
as he is deeply associated with various committees on discipline, labour welfare, safety, grievance,
etc. He helps in laying down the grievance procedure to redress the grievances of the
employees. He also gives authentic information to the trade union leaders and conveys their
views on various labour problems to the top management.
8. Separation:
Since the first function of human resource management is to procure the employees, it is
logical that the last should be the separation and return of that person to society. Most people
do not die on the job. The organisation is responsible for meeting certain requirements of due
process in separation, as well as assuring that the returned person is in as good shape as
possible. The personnel manager has to ensure the release of retirement benefits to the
retiring personnel in time.
3. Advisory Functions:
Human resource manager has specialized education and training in managing human
resources. He is an expert in his area and so can give advice on matters relating to human
resources of the organization.
He offers his advice to:
1. Advised to Top Management:
Personnel manager advises the top management in formulation and evaluation of personnel
programs, policies and procedures. He also gives advice for achieving and maintaining good
human relations and high employee morale.
2. Advised to Departmental Heads:
Personnel manager offers advice to the heads of various departments on matters such as
manpower planning, job analysis and design, recruitment and selection, placement, training,
performance appraisal, etc.