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The 7S of HRM

Some people refer to this as human capital management or workforce management. Some HR experts do not favour "human capital" since it may mean that organization can capitalize people, a form of people manipulation.

The management of people had always been the concern of mankind. Even people in ancient days had to learn ways how to deal with people, with other fellow human being.

We all know that the method was different in those days, namely, that "might is right". This is sometimes called "the law of the jungle." Fear was one of the elements of control.

As people became more civilized, they learned how to manage others by displaying true leadership qualities.

We know of great leaders from of old like Alexander the Great and Napoleon Bonaparte to famous leaders of the modern day such as John F. Kennedy, Winston Churchill and Mahatma Gandhi.

There are great minds that continue to move mountains in the success stories of organizations.

All of them had the help of capable people in achieving their objectives, whatever they were or are or will be.

However, remember that it is also people who can cause the downfall of organizations.


The On-going Search for New Ways in People Management
But until now, we are still searching for the ideal and unquestionable way of managing people.

Personnel management has had its day. It is still around. Administration is a necessary part of HRM.

Then some writers and organizations began to call employees their human capital. This reflected the change in attitude towards workers whom organizations started to consider as one of their important assets.

Some may think of this as rather inappropriate. It indicates that people are like properties that others or organizations can buy and sell. The term is still being used today. Consider the position of today's professional football players.

Since some three decades ago management experts began to put forward the idea that by using strategies, an organization's workforce can greatly contribute to the success of organizations.

Thus, the term "human resource management" came into being.

In human resource management, workforce productivity is linked to organizational productivity. The ultimate aim is financial success. In order to achieve this, people's work behaviors are managed through a system of control. This is why human resource management is considered as the hard approach to managing people.


The 7S - Seven Esses - of HRM
Is it possible to simplify strategic human resources management so that it is much easier to understand?

Perhaps the 7S of HRM can simplify some of the things about human resource management.

So what are the 7S of HRM?

1. Strategic-ally-linked to the organization's Mission and Objectives
   
2. Standard-based, that is, people management is benchmarked against current "best HR practices" that serve as performance measures
   
3. Systematic, that is, sound and clearly-defined HR policy, well-planned systems and procedures aimed at achieving strategic HR objectives while, at the same time, complying with the law
   
4. Stretching people in the performance of their duties and responsibilities on a daily basis in order to achieve service excellence
   
5. Strengthening the ability and competencies of employees and the capability and capacity of organizations to accomplish defined targets
   
6. Stress-tested capability, ability and leadership skills of the management team, and
   
7. Sustaining high employee and organizational productivity on a continuous basis based on TQM standards
   

The linking of HR strategies to the accomplishment of HR objectives and the overall organizational objectives is the most crucial part of strategic human resource management.

The ultimate purpose is to provide excellent service resulting in high productivity which can lead to high profitability.

Appropriate strategies are also used in every other areas of human resource management in order to support the linkages and facilitate positive outcomes.

These include strategic recruitment, strategic compensation, strategic employee training and development, employee motivation and retention, strategic performance management, choosing the right technology to support systems and people, and effective handling of workplace conflicts.

In essence, strategies are used in every aspect of human resource management and management of the business activities of the organization.

You may consider the 7S of HRM as one of the simplest way of trying to understand what strategic human resource management is and what it entails.

The 7S of HRM is intended to help you start on the road to the further probing of every important aspect of strategic human resource management.

The "To Do List" for HR People and Other Employees

Human Resource Management (HRM) is becoming more important by the day. This requires that executives particularly managers and supervisors together with HR Professionals need to understand and do certain things to ensure that people - that is, employees - achieve the objectives of their respective jobs. The reason or reasons for recruiting them in the first place plays a crucial part.

When your HR people have better knowledge about human resource management and how to relate what they do to business objectives they become better strategic business partners. This is how people can become more relevant to the organization's activities and survival.

Even executives who have no one reporting to them require a good understanding of HRM. This is true especially when they are at the front-line of your organization's operations.

Each one of your people need to have a "To Do and Know List" with regard to their own job. The final listing of items will vary depending on the level of the employee's position in the organizational hierarchy.

The to do list includes the following:

1. The first to do list relates to the need to know and understand every aspect of the job;
• How the job is measured;
• The performance standards
• The performance measures
2. The need to know the strategies in order to effectively perform the job
• What the strategies are
• How the objectives of the jobs are aligned to the organization's objectives;
• How achievement of the objectives of the job helps to achieve the organizational objectives
3. The need for the HR Manager and line managers to know that people management has changed
It is no longer administrative only
4. Proactive and not merely putting out fires
5. People are strategic business partners
6. The need to know that people, that is, employees, make or break organizations. It is people who help organizations to succeed.
7. The need to know that the position of the HR Manager is becoming more important and that much is expected from the person who holds the position
8. There is a need to know how to develop and build organizational capabilities
• Must know what it means to develop people capabilities
• Identification of training to provide new skills or improve competencies
• What is takes to recruit people having the right skills, knowledge and experience
• Carrying out the right / strategic recruitment activities in order to get the right people as required from time to time
9. Knowledge of the challenges brought by globalization and the need for effective international human resource management

The "Seven Right" Things To Do
At the risk of omitting important points, we can summarize the objectives of HRM into:

1. Recruiting the right employee for the right position using the right method;
2. Using the right HR strategies to help employees achieve the objectives of their jobs and those of the organization;
3. Providing the right training and development programs to help employees achieve the right objectives;
4. Providing employees with the right supports such as systems, resources, on the job coaching;
5. Providing employees with the right motivation to perform their jobs well;
6. Giving employees with the right set of benefits as incentives to make stay on, and
7. Providing the right leadership.

We can group these under three important objectives.

1. Effectively conducting recruitment to serve the needs of the organization;
2. Motivating employees to engage their attention, and to commit their time, energy and talent in the performance of their jobs, and
3. Taking proactive actions to retain talents.

Others put in another way. Human Resource is treated as "strategic business partner" to attain organizational success.

HRM requires every person holding strategic positions to know that strategic planning is becoming more important. And that they need to learn and understand how to carry out such planning.

As for HR people, they need to learn or enhance their ability on conducting HR strategic planning.

HR must strive for a place at the strategic planning committee. HR people need to know that human resource management is as important as financial management, planning and budgeting, and business performance.

Thus, the need to have a number of "To Do Lists" and checklists to achieve the objectives of HRM.

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