Five challenges of human resource manager Essay

1.2. Finding and Retaining Talent Human resource is an important resource of a company as important as capital. It could be pivotal for a company in enhancing the company’s competitive advantage. This is because the most challenging task of human resource manager is to retain recruit and the right people for a suitable position and having such people in the time they need it. Hiring of appropriate personnel is one of the key determinations in making the company difference from others. In current environment, the talent that needed by the company is limited even the labour available is usually more than the position available in the market. This make the human resource faced with challenges as they are indirectly competing with other companies’ human resource in  order to attract and retain the talent in their company. To stay outstanding from other companies, it is depending on the ability of the human resource to continuously finding new ways to maximize the level of talent in their company especially the knowledge-centric companies. But, such task is not easy to accomplish in the current competitive market. Besides that, retaining existing talent is also one of the challenging tasks for human resource manager. Again, due to the increase in competitiveness of the market, some companies may offer better benefits for the employees that they wish to hire in order to attract those employees to quit their current job and work for the new company. Hence, the human resource manager needs to put effort and find new creative ways in order to retain talent in their companies. To solve such challenges mentioned above, the human resource manager may offer a custom-made or more liberalized system that less restricted the employees. For example, decentralized the company so that those employees are empowered and allowed to give suggestion and made decisions which in turns made them feel they are appreciated by the company; add creativity to their job design so that they feel motivated to come across different challenges; offering additional benefits such bonus or voucher that is out of their expectation; providing them better working conditions by designing a healthy entertainment area (such as gym) for employees to relax themselves; and others. 1.3. Change Management One of the functions of human resource is to improve the position of business or to assist the business to achieve certain improvement. In order to carry out the improvement activities which conducted to adapt with the changing business environment, certain changes may be made to the corporation, especially technology changes. In managing such changes, the employees may resist to change as they are afraid that their responsibilities and their positions will be replaced by the new technology that is introduced into the company where such new technology may improve the efficiency and effectiveness of work. Hence, the role of human resource manager is to deal with this resistance issue. However, it is not easy to change people mind. This issue has becoming one of the biggest challenges face by the human resource manager. To reduce or overcome this issue, before the corporation implement any new changes, the human resource manager shall communicate to  the employees to explain the reasons to change and benefits that could gain through the change as well as the constrains so that the employees may have proper mental and physical preparation before they approach to the changes in the corporation. Besides that, the human resource manager may also emphasize that the technology will only assist rather than replace the employees to eliminate employees’ anxiety in facing with the changes. And, at the same time appreciate the employees so that the employees know their worth to the corporation which helps increase their sense of security of their positions. 1.4. Investigating Employee Complaints In a working environment, some frictions may occur between the employees and supervisors, which resulting in employees’ complaints. This is because the supervisor always being over-confidence with their management style that they didn’t realize that it had affected the employees. And, certain employees also do not realize own problems but always assumed the problem is come from the supervisor. The Human Resource Department is responsible to handling such conflict and employees’ complaints. They need to investigate the reasons behind the complaint and find the best solution to the problem. However, it is not easy to solve the conflict as those significant complaints usually come when it reach a critical situation. Human resource manager tends to end up coaching both sides without giving a solution due to lacking of experience or knowledge on how to deal with conflicts. In fact, improvement comes after conflict being solved. However, handling employees in the best possible way is a big challenge for the human resource manager. To solve this challenge, the human resource manager may attend certain training regarding human resource management on how to deal with conflicts in the companies. They also need to be neutral in handling the complaints, but not only listen to one party word. They should not only comfort, but to communicate with the related party regarding the problem, so that the problem may solve rather than only curb in order to prevent it happened again. 1.5. Relationship Management Human resource department is a place for employees to voice out their  concerns. Hence, human resource manager is responsible to communicate with the employees to deal with any problems or issues raised and at the same time ensuring employees’ human right is protected. To carry out these tasks effectively, human resource manager is encouraged to maintain neutral relationship with the employees to avoid discrimination, bias or unfair treatment being given to different employees. However, this had becoming a big challenge for the human resource manager because as a human being, it is not easy to remain unswervingly when a great concern, which might affecting him or someone he care, has approach to him. A good relationship management may comfort the employees and increase employees’ trust and loyalty towards the company; while a poor relationship management may fail to solve the issues raised and demotivate the employees. To improve such relationship management skill of the human resource manager, training regarding relationship management may provide to the manager so that he place the organization benefits as the priority. The human resource manager should also listen to the employees concern first without prejudice to ensure fair treatment will be given to the employees. Besides that, communication is a main element in relationship management where effective communication builds trust while poor communication causes uncertainty. Hence, the human resource manager shall improve his communication skills in order to maintain proper relationship with the employees. 1.6. Managing Cultural Diversity Managing diversity is a significant challenge that most companies do not recognized or realized. It is actually important and need to pay attention on due to the globalization that resulting in internationalization nowadays. In today environment, the labor involving many people from different cultures and this including those that come from different countries, possessed different education background, working experiences, religious beliefs, different maturity of thinking level and perception, abilities and talent, etc. The challenges of human resource manager are to manage such cultural diversity and ensuring the people can work and cooperate together harmoniously. Human resource manager also need to revise the corporate culture to ensure that it appropriate to all individuals according to different cultural sensitivity. However, the more the employees from  different cultures being hired, the more difficult the human resource manager to reconcile everything in order to comfort everyone in the company. To resolve this challenge, the human resource manager needs to maintain a good relationship with all employees. He shall understand every culture well and always communicate with the employees so that he can solve any problem raised as soon as possible before the problem being expanded and causing un-retrievable situations. 2.0. REFERENCES Human Resource Management Challenges. Villanova University. Retrieved from: http://www.villanovau.com/human-resource-management-challenges/. Accessed date: 17/6/2014 Challenges Faced by Human Resource Managers Because of Technical Changes . Jeremy C Bradley, Demand Media. Retrieved from: http://smallbusiness.chron.com/challenges-faced-human-resource-managers-because-technical-changes-61058.html. Accessed date: 17/6/2014 Major Challenges Affecting a Human Resources Manager. Jeremy C Bradley, Demand Media. Retrieved from: http://smallbusiness.chron.com/major-challenges-affecting-human-resources-manager-57675.html. Accessed date: 17/6/2014 Facing Modern HR Challenges Head-On. N Nayab, Michele McDonough. Retrieved from: http://www.brighthub.com/office/human-resources/articles/83254.aspx. Accessed Date: 21/6/2014 Major Challenges Affecting a Human Resource Manager. Ralph Heibutzi, Demand Media. Retrieved from: http://everydaylife.globalpost.com/major-challenges-affecting-human-resource-ma nager-29113.html. Accessed Date: 21/6/2014