"Human resource management (HRM) is the strategic and coherent approach to the management of an organization's most valued assets - the people working there who individually and collectively contribute to the achievement of the objectives of the business. The terms "human resource management" and "human resources" (HR) have largely replaced the term "personnel management" as a description of the processes involved in managing people in organizations. Human Resource management is evolving rapidly. Human resource management is both an academic theory and a business practice that addresses the theoretical and practical techniques of managing a workforce. "
Author: Armstrong, Michael (2006). A Handbook of Human Resource Management Practice
The statement above states what human resource is though on a more general point of view. The difference also between the two terms was clearly stated. Here one can derive the idea that HRM/ personnel management is not only a business practice but also an academic theory that is widely used in a community to establish and manage a workforce or human resource.
“The Human Resources Management (HRM) function includes a variety of activities, and key among them is deciding what staffing needs you have and whether to use independent contractors or hire employees to fill these needs, recruiting and training the best employees, ensuring they are high performers, dealing with performance issues, and ensuring your personnel and management practices conform to various regulations. Activities also include managing your approach to employee benefits and compensation, employee records and personnel policies. Usually small businesses (for-profit or nonprofit) have to carry out these activities themselves because they can't yet afford part- or full-time help. However, they should always ensure that employees have -- and are aware of -- personnel policies which conform to current regulations. These policies are often in the form of employee manuals, which all employees have.”
Source: (Carter McNamara, MBA, Phd)
This definition describes the functions of human resource management which would benefit the whole organization as well as the people working in it. It also states that all the employees in an organization should be aware of all the benefits, regulations or policies, and activities so that they can also return them a favor and be the best employee that they could never have.
"Human Resource Management (HRM) is the function within an organization that focuses on recruitment of, management of, and providing direction for the people who work in the organization."
The definition stated above on Human Resource Management (HRM) is brief yet not concise. She failed to elaborate most of the important functions of HRM. The definition is just an overview of the role of HRM which is to get human resource for the company or organization.
“Human Resource Management (HRM) is a management approach that enhances your organisation's performance by optimising your employee's opportunities to be effective and productive. HRM activities include: planning, recruitment and selection, training, performance appraisal and remuneration. “
One of the major goals of the human resource management is to effectively make use of the talents and abilities of employees. It also includes the enhancing of one’s capabilities which are related to the implementation of strategies directed towards creating and sustaining competitive advantage. Thus, the human resource management enhances organizational performance by improving employee's opportunities to be effective and productive.
"In any organization, there has to be someone concerned with the welfare and performance of persons who are a part of the operation. When an individual or a team of individuals takes on this task of seeing to programs and setting policies that impact everyone associated with the company, they are engaged in the process of personnel management, sometimes referred to as human resource management."
In the statement above, it was mentioned that the terms human resource and personnel management are the same and thus can be used interchangeably. As defined above, in handling the affairs the needs of a company on its human resource and in facing the needs of the human resource itself it is called as human resource management.
“Human Resource Management (HRM) is the function within an organization that focuses on recruitment of, management of, and providing direction for the people who work in the organization. Human Resource Management is the organizational function that deals with issues related to people such as compensation, hiring, performance management, organization development, safety, wellness, benefits, employee motivation, communication, administration, and training.”
Amongst all the definitions that I have gathered, I think that the statement above clearly states what human resource management really is. As the main core of the organization that deals with hiring and firing the people working in it and also dealing with the benefits and compensations he/she would acquire in accomplishing his/her assignments. Yet it doesn’t just stop in the organization but also through the day of their separation.
