The Human Resource

Function
Kate Sang k.sang@hw.ac.uk

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Learning outcomes
• To understand the role of the human
resource department
• To be able to understand and describe the
responsibilities of the HR function
• To be able to describe the role of external
and internal factors that affect the human
resource function

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Role of the Human Resource (HR)
function
• In pairs, spend 5 minutes outlining what
you think the role of the HR function is
within organisations

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Role of the HR function
• Strategic
• Staff and organisational goals

• Operational
• Includes guidance and support to other
managers

• Decentralisation
• Flexible workforce to meet dynamic external
environment
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Role of the HR function (Torrington)
• Staffing objectives
• Performance objectives Competitive
advantage

• Change-management objectives
• Administrative objectives

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Staffing objectives
• Appropriate staffing
• Contracts
• Competing in the labour market

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Staffing – recruitment and selection
Recruitment • Selection (number 4)
1.Assessment of the job • Assessment of the
(job analysis) applications
2.Assessment of the type • Shortlisting
of applicant required
(person specification) • Assessment of the
3.Attracting applicants applicants
• Could be interviews,
4.Assessment of
applicants
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Performance objectives
• Motivation
• Discipline
• Employee involvement

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Change management objectives
• Change is continuous
• External factors
• Cultural change

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Administrative objectives
• Underpins the other forms of change
• Processes and systems
• Pay
• Accurate records are kept
• Taxation etc

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External influences on the HR function
• Legislation
• Demographics (including labour market)
• The economy

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Legislation
• Employment legislation
Frequently
• Health and safety at work changes

• Equality

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Employment & Health and Safety
(H&S)
• Employment • H&S
• 1970’s to 1990’s • Range of legislation
Conservative Govt – decline in
employment rights 1960s onwards (see
• 2002 & 2008 Employment text book)
Acts: • Protect workers
• Working parents
• Health and Safety at
• Vulnerable workers
• Facilities time for union work
Work Act 1974 (HSE)
• Minimum wage (21yrs + • Health Act 2006 –
£6.31, 18 to 20 £5.03, under 18
£3.72, Apprentice £2.68)
smoking (2008 –
mental health units)

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Equality legislation (before 2010)
• Equal Pay Act (1970)
• Sex Discrimination Act (1975)
• Race Relations Act (1976)
• Disability Discrimination Act (1995)
• Employment Equality (Age) Regulations (2006)
• The Equality Act (Sexual orientation) Regulations (2007)
• Employment Equality (Religion or belief) Regulations
(2003)

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Equality (after 2010)
• The Equality Act (2010)
• Unifies previous legislation
• Protected characteristics
• Age
• Disability
• Gender reassignment
• Pregnancy and maternity
• Race
• Religion and belief
• Sex
• Sexual orientation

http://www.equalityhumanrights.com/legal-and-
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policy/equality-act/what-is-the-equality-act/
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Demographics
• More women entering the labour market
• Default retirement
• Increase in representation of BME
• Increase in proportion of disabled people
in employment

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Organisational size and the HR function
(Cassell et al., 2002; Guo et al., 2011)
• Can small companies be managed in the
same way as large companies?
• In pairs, spend 5 minutes considering how
organisational size might affect the HR
function.

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HR function in third sector (Guo et
al., 2011)
• Charities, not for profit
• Larger organisations more likely to have
formal HR which is strategically aligned
• Regional offshoots similar

• Smaller, newer orgs without HR team also

more likely have strategic HR
• Those with paid staff and technological
expertise more likely to have HR
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The HR function in SMEs (Cassell
et al., 2002)

• Neglected in the literature – a diverse field

• Less likely to have access to the
resources of large companies
• Are adopting HRM (less strategic)

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Key study: Cassell et al., 2002
• Survey (n=100) and face to face
interviews (n=22) with SMEs
• Survey
• 20% have formal HR strategy
• Commonly used practices – equal
opportunities, appraisal,
development/recruitment and selection.

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Key study: Cassell et al., 2002
• Interviews.
• HR function – no key person – or the MD
• Doubling up of roles
• Informal systems
• Recruitment

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Conclusions
• HR – ensure competitive advantage by
aligning staffing with strategic objectives
• Manage change (external and internal
forces)
• Organisational size affects the presence
and formality of HR practices and
procedures

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Reading
• Cassell, C., Nadin, S., Gray, M., & Clegg, C. (2002). Exploring
human resource management practices in small and medium
sized enterprises. Personnel Review, 31(6), 671-692.
• Guo, C., Brown, W. A., Ashcraft, R. F., Yoshioka, C. F., & Dong,
H. K. D. (2011). Strategic human resources management in
non-profit organizations. Review of Public Personnel
Administration, 31(3), 248-269.
• Torrington, D. (2008). HALL. L.; TAYLOR, S. Human resource
management, 5.
• http://odi.dwp.gov.uk/disability-statistics-and-
research/disability-facts-and-figures.php#imp

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