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How Globalization Effects HRM
How Globalization Effects HRM
The term Globalization has invaded the mind oI every successIul businessman and
the concept oI Global Village is a common issue in the modern business world.
What really the globalization is? The answer seems simple "iI a Iirm or an
organization expands its sales or production beyond the national boundaries, then it
is globalization", but it does not cover the real meaning oI the term. Globalization
actually means more, much more than that; it is realizing that there is a big world
out there, geographically, that reaches Iar beyond our small community and that
the world is getting closer to us all the time. Globalization is the realization that,
whether we like it or not, this big world is becoming an ever increasing Iactor in
our daily lives.
The concept oI globalization today has invaded the globe and the national
boundaries have been virtually eliminated. So what is the eIIect oI this? Simple,
the world today has became a small but a very very complex and dynamic
neighborhood. Today we live in a global village and this means that our activities
have crossed the national boundaries to become global.
Globalization symbolizes the structural making oI the world characterized by the
Iree Ilow oI technology and human resources across national boundaries presenting
an ever-changing and competitive business environment. A vital aspect oI
globalization is the way diverse challenges are being Iaced by nations in an
increasingly inter dependent world. No country can meaningIully progress today
without eIIiciently responding to demands and pressures generated by international
organizations and processes.
When going global, an organization has to reconsider the Iollowing Iactors:
O mployment Laws
O ulture
O Terminology
O orporate Social Responsibility
Globalization and HRM
Globalization is a process that is drawing people together Irom all nations oI the
world into a single community linked by the vast network oI communication
technologies. This aspect oI globalization has also aIIected the HRM in the
business world oI today. HR managers today not need to rely in a small limited
market to Iind the right employees needed to meet the global challenge, but today
they can recruit the employees Irom around the world. Besides that the eIIective
data based which is being used globally today also has made HRM a simple but
eIIective task. Thus due to globalization to some extent HRM has became more
eIIicient and eIIective, but relatively a simple task.
The most important Iactor that these organizations are made up oI People, and
since HRM is the set oI activities which deals with the people Iactor present in any
organization, this change has aIIected The Human Resources Management itselI a
lot. Human resources manager oI today must ensure that the appropriate mix oI
employees in terms oI knowledge, skills and culture.
Global HRM reIers to Human Resource Management practices that deal with
managing a diversity oI workIorce Irom all around the world.
The Iollowing challenges are being Iaced by HR managers in terms oI
globalization:
- Managing diversity oI workIorce.
- Managing pressures Ior more labor rights in third world countries.
- Managing Outsourcing oI employees.
- More part-time and temporary work
- Managing productivity and Quality
- Downsizing the workIorce
- oping with Ilexible working hours
Role oI HRM
The role oI the HR manager must parallel the needs oI the changing
organization. SuccessIul organizations are becoming more adaptable,
resilient, quick to change directions, and customer-centered. Within
this environment, the HR proIessional must learn how to manage
eIIectively through planning, organizing, leading and controlling the
human resource and be knowledgeable oI emerging trends in training and
employee development.
The Iuture success oI any organizations relies on the ability to
manage a diverse body oI talent that can bring innovative ideas,
perspectives and views to their work. The challenge and problems Iaced
oI workplace diversity can be turned into a strategic organizational
asset iI an organization is able to capitalize on this melting pot oI
diverse talents. With the mixture oI talents oI diverse cultural
backgrounds, genders, ages and liIestyles, an organization can respond
to business opportunities more rapidly and creatively. More importantly, iI the
organizational environment does not support diversity broadly, one
risks losing talent to competitors. This is especially true
Ior multinational companies (MNs) who have operations on a global
scale and employ people oI diIIerent countries, ethical and cultural
backgrounds.
Thus, a HR manager needs to be mindIul and may employ a
Think Global, Act Local` approach in most circumstances. The challenge
oI workplace diversity is also prevalent amongst Singapore`s Small and
Medium nterprises (SMs). With a population oI only Iour million
people and the nation`s strive towards high technology and
knowledge-based economy; Ioreign talents are lured to share their
expertise in these areas. Thus, many local HR managers have to undergo
cultural-based Human Resource Management training to Iurther their
abilities to motivate a group oI proIessional that are highly qualiIied
but culturally diverse. Furthermore, the HR proIessional must assure
the local proIessionals that these Ioreign talents are not a threat to
their career advancement. In many ways, the eIIectiveness
oI workplace diversity management is dependent on the skilIul balancing
act oI the HR manager.