Chapter 1 Human Resource Management: Challenges, Emerging Issues, and Roles
Learning Objectives
After reading this chapter, you should be able to do the following:
Describe the impact of human capital on organizational success.
Identify the challenges that HR managers must address as a result of business, economic, and social change.
Recognize the emerging issues and trends that impact human resource management.
Compare and contrast the responsibilities of HR managers and line managers.
Discuss the career options available in HRM and the competencies necessary for these roles.
Human resources (HR) is often thought of as a department in an organization that hires, does payroll, manages employee benefits such as health insurance and retirement plans, and handles the termination process when an employee separates from the company. As you will discover, effective management of human resources is key to creating a successful and thriving organization. This chapter describes the impact of human capital on the success of the organization, and it presents an overview of the challenges and emerging issues that managers should consider when designing the policies and practices that affect the employees in an organization. The various responsibilities of HR managers and line managers are then discussed. The chapter concludes with an overview of the various opportunities available to those interested in HR as a career field, along with suggestions for gaining the necessary competencies and skillsets for a career in HR.