Dave Ulrich is one of the experts in human resource management. He identified HR roles model which is very common in the business environment. This model clearly describes the human resource concepts. His model marked the beginning of some movements. It is from human resource orientation to a form of partnership. For a partnership to exist there should be a change in the business (Mathis & Jackson, 2007).
There are ways in which HR enhances the excellence in a business. It helps in planning in an organization. This is possible where HR provides a market strategy to all level managers, there are strategic and operational managers of which both are taken care of by this model. It is also supposed to look at the organization of the work done. This involves maximizing quality and minimizing costs (Armstrong, 2006)
This enables the experts of HR to be dignified associates in business. This model also addresses the issues of staff to strategic managers. This HR model ensures that the employees work well to deliver the set goals. HR ensures that they are rewarded for the jobs well done and encouraged to do better. Employee training is another issue which is gathered for by the HR model (Schwalbe, 2009).
The model should allow some change as an improvement. Changes shape the already existing process. HR tackles issues mostly concerning recruitment of staff to an organization. It also deals with training the same staff and rewarding them. The dismissal of employees due to certain reasons ifs dealt by HR (Leopold & Harris, 2009). HR also handles issues of decisions. HR does no necessarily do what is done in the organization. It is normally treated as a separate body which has its own principles. However the HR may only undergo transformation on the decision of the managing director of a particular company (Storey, 2008).
There are four most common roles which are identified by Ulrich model. One is the strategic partner role. This is the responsibility of the HR managers. It deals mainly with the success of the organization. Advices the business on what should be done to improve its profitability. The HR professionals do analysis and evaluate the financial position of the organization (Mathis & Jackson, 2007).
This will make them in a better position to give possible ideas to be implemented in a business. Advices the managers on what decisions should be made and on what basis. It also looks at the work environment and culture, they will therefore advice on whether the culture should be changed or not. Its main goal is to ensure there a greater efficiency in the organization (Losey & Ulrich D, 2008).
It ensures decision rare made quicker and on sound basis. HR guides the strategic managers in making crucial decision affecting the success of the business. Efficiency is also looked at in that the available resources should be appropriately utilized to reduce cost. A certain amount of labour should yield a particular amount of production. In other words this model should strive to maximize profit and reduce cost. Another role is the change agent role (Losey & Ulrich, 2008).
This role makes it easier to introduce changes faster. It also tries to find out the current changes in a business. It gives support to any form of transition taking place in the organization. These changes could be new technological advancement and may be increase in staff. The HR should be able to give enough support to new technology. This can be achieved through staff training of the operation of new technology (Lawler & Boudreau, 2009).
If the organization needs to employed more staff i.e. skilled staff, the HR should be able to do the recruitment of staff. This is to say it ought to hold up the tasks related to change. It also handles what the customer expects from the organization. This is used to evaluate the business satisfaction to the customers (Holbeche, 2008).
Another role is the administrative role. HR professionals are experts in the executive role. They ensure that operations go on as stipulated. They should work to reduce cost and improve the benefits of the organization they work to ensure efficiency. These executives should always analyse how workflow takes place in an organisation. They are responsible for rethinking the modes of operation in a business (Dubrin, 2008).
They enable sections of a company to share executive services the HR professionals should strive to get work done faster and less expensive. Employee champion is yet another significant role in human resource management (Pride & Hughes, 2009). Organizations in the past used to have a good strategy for employees. It provides security for them and expectations for promotions at work. But nowadays this has withdrawn. There is also not an effective way of communication between the staff and the management (Daft, 2008).
HR ensures that employees have skills to enable them meet organizational goals. It is also responsible for motivation of employees hence providing a good working environment. It ensures they get better salaries. The service delivery depends on the ability of the HR to coordinate the employees in an orderly manner. These four roles identified are responsible for prosperity of an organisation (Bohlander & Snell, 2009).
They work together and without any one of them it is difficult to achieve success. This model however faces some challenges. Technological improvement is the main challenge. Businesses try to catch up with the changing technology. Globalization is also another factor. The organisation should perfect their products to handle global completion (Boroughs, 2009).
References
Armstrong, M., 2006. A handbook of human resource management practice. London: Kogan Page Publishers.
Bohlander, G. & Snell, S., 2009. Managing Human Resources. 15th ed. New York: Cengage Learning.
Boroughs, A., 2009. HR Transformation Technology: Delivering Systems to Support the New HR. London: Gower Publishing, Ltd.
Daft, L., 2008. New era of management. 2nd ed. New York: Cengage Learning EMEA.
Dubrin, J., 2008. Essentials of Management. 8th ed. New York: Cengage Learning.
Holbeche, L., 2008. Aligning Human Resources and Business Strategy. 2nd ed. New Jersey: Butterworth-Heinemann.
Lawler, E & Boudreau., 2009. Achieving Excellence in Human Resource Management. London: Stanford University Press.
Leopold, J. & Harris, L., 2009. The Strategic Managing of Human Resources. 2nd ed. New York: Prentice Hall.
Losey, M & Ulrich., 2008. The future of human resource. India: Wiley.
Losey, R & Ulrich D., 2008. ‘64 thought leaders explore the critical HR issues of today and tomorrow’: The future of human resource management. New Jersey: John Wiley and Sons.
Mathis, R. & Jackson, J.H., 2007. Strategies of human resources management. 6th ed. New York: Cengage Learning.
Mathis, L & Jackson., 2007., Human Resource Management. 12th ed. New York: Cengage Learning.
Pride, W. & Hughes, R., 2009. Business. 10th ed. New York: Cengage Learning.
Schwalbe, K., 2009. Information Technology Project Management. 6th ed. New York: Cengage Learning.
Storey, 2008. The Routledge companion to strategic human resource management. Canada: Taylor & Francis.