Principles of human resource management
Introduction
What do you know about human resources?
1. HR’s main objective is to serve the interests of employees
a. No, also to motivate and assign them. This by keeping productivity performance in mind.
2. The job interview is the best method for hiring new employees
a. Not entirely correct, important is that there are different ways for assessing
different kinds of jobs.
b. The more structure there is, the more value the hiring method!
3. Teambuilding leads to better work performance
a. The term teambuilding is kind of an empty construct (it can be a city trip, sport activity,..)
b. If you organize a teambuilding, you really need to think about what your goal is!
c. It depends on what you want to achieve with your workgroup
4. Salary increases lead employees to perform better
a. We know from research is that the salary increase needs to be quite high to see a
better performance (= 10% increase and we see a difference but how long will that
last?)
b. It also works because the employee knows the company thinks about them.
c. Psychologist say that if you pay them more, they will not perform better, because
they feel less pressure = crowding-out effect
How can HR help?
Why don’t we find suitable candidates for the vacancy?
How to choose the best candidate from the applicant pool?
What feedback should we give employees during the performance review process?
Which training should I offer my employees?
How much should I pay my employees?
How can I increase the well-being of my employees?
How can we reduce personnel turnover in our organization?
o Turnover is about employees leaving the company = a big problem for the
company because it was expensive to hire, train and follow them in their work
o People want change, so as a company you need to think about what you can offer
them, so they get the difference in jobs which is what they looking for.
o Therefore, companies work together so they can exchange employees and they
don’t have to lose them.
How can I ensure that my employees are fully committed to the goals of the organization?
o Everyone has a sort of individuality and competitivity some positions are more
important and get more recognition, so it’s important to know that there is a difference!
,Does it matter?
Intangible resources = immaterieële middelen
Key Components (KSAO’s)
Knowledge – Information & expertise from education, training, experience (e.g., market
research skills)
Skills – Learned abilities to perform tasks effectively (e.g., coding, public speaking)
Abilities – Natural talents or capacities (e.g., creativity, problem-solving, adaptability) (mental
& physical abilities)
Other Characteristics – Personality, values, attitudes, motivation shaping engagement &
teamwork (e.g nurse: need of empathy, sales manager)
The main message
Human resources are one of the primary means of creating ‘sustained competitive advantage’
for the organization.
To do so, the human resource architecture needs to be aligned with the business strategy and
needs to be internally consistent.
Human resources = people/employees who bring valuable qualities to an organization.
Employees contribute to both task completion and strategic success.
Good human resources management takes into account the context in which the
company operates (culture, legislation, industry, etc.).
These aligned practices will ensure a continuous influx of skilled and motivated personnel,
who, when given the opportunity, will exert efforts that benefit the business strategy.
Certain positions hold more significance than others in achieving the organization’s
strategy, justifying the need for a differentiated HR policy.
,What about well-being?
Well-being is important, even if it will not lead to better performance!!
We argue that organizations hold a significant societal role and bear at least partial responsibility for
the well-being of their employees. Their duty is to safeguard the well-being of their workforce, not
solely because a healthy workplace leads to superior outcomes (which is, indeed, the case), but also
because well-being possesses intrinsic importance. Full stop.
Learning goals
At the end of the course students should be able to:
Identify and describe the key concepts and frameworks for HRM
Describe the fundamentals and functionality of the different HR functions
Understand and explain how the HR functions separately and in combination contribute
to sustainable competitive advantage
Critically analyse factors that influence the strategic management of human resources in
today’s international environment
Evaluate the extent to which an organisation’s HR architecture is in accordance with the
most recent scientific evidence
Identify causes of HR-related problems and formulate recommendations based on the
best available evidence.
Do not just memorize It’s about understanding, and case based questioning examination =
applying
, Chapter 1: The balancing act of managing human resources
Introduction
Human resources management (HRM) involves strategic decisions that align people’s efforts with the
organization’s broader goals far more than just “hiring and firing”
What is HRM?
HRM refers to the set of practices and decisions that guide how organizations manage people throughout
their employment journey.
o It covers the activities of job analysis, job design, recruitment, selection, onboarding, performance
and reward management, training and development, employee relations, employee well-being,
among others.
Key HRM decisions often revolve around several critical questions as:
o How do we attract and find the best talent?
o What motivates employees to perform at their best, stay innovative and remain loyal?
o What skills and development opportunities do employees need to grow?
o How do we decide which should be promoted?
o How can we structure jobs to keep employees engaged and motivated?
o Why are employees leaving and what can we learn from their exits?
HR practices
There a many HR practices available, but this book focuses on 6 core areas:
job analysis (H3), recruitment (H4), selection (H5), performance appraisal and management (H6),
training and development (H7), compensation and benefits (H8) these practices form the foundation of
HRM by directly influencing how organizations attract, develop, and retain the right people to drive success.
o Job analysis: the systematic process of identifying the duties, responsibilities and required skills for a
specific role. It establishes a clear understanding of what is expected, serving as the bedrock for all
subsequent HR activities.
o Recruitment: Involves attracting a pool of qualified applicants to fill job openings. This process is
critical for building a diverse and capable workforce, ensuring that an organization's values and
opportunities are effectively communicated to potential employees.
o Selection: follows recruitment, focusing on evaluating and choosing the most suitable candidates
from the applicant pool. By ensuring that the right people are placed in the right roles, selection
directly impacts organizational performance and cultural fit.
o Performance appraisal and management: refers to the ongoing process of assessing employee
performance, providing constructive feedback, and setting future goals. This practice aligns individual
efforts with broader business objectives and supports continuous improvement.
o Training and development: encompasses initiatives designed to enhance employee skills and
knowledge. By investing in learning opportunities, organizations not only address current
performance gaps, but also prepare their workforce for future challenges.
o Compensation and benefits: Involves creating competitive pay structures and benefits packages that
reward employees fairly and motivate them to perform at their best. This area is crucial for attracting
and retaining top talent while reinforcing a culture of recognition and accountability.
A strategic perspective
HRM activities (recruitment, training,…) should be thoughtfully designed to align employees’ efforts with the
organizations’ broader objectives. when the alignment (overeenstemming) is in place, employees are more
focused and productive, directly contributing to the organization’s success!
o HRM viewing as a strategic tool for gaining a competitive advantage
Introduction
What do you know about human resources?
1. HR’s main objective is to serve the interests of employees
a. No, also to motivate and assign them. This by keeping productivity performance in mind.
2. The job interview is the best method for hiring new employees
a. Not entirely correct, important is that there are different ways for assessing
different kinds of jobs.
b. The more structure there is, the more value the hiring method!
3. Teambuilding leads to better work performance
a. The term teambuilding is kind of an empty construct (it can be a city trip, sport activity,..)
b. If you organize a teambuilding, you really need to think about what your goal is!
c. It depends on what you want to achieve with your workgroup
4. Salary increases lead employees to perform better
a. We know from research is that the salary increase needs to be quite high to see a
better performance (= 10% increase and we see a difference but how long will that
last?)
b. It also works because the employee knows the company thinks about them.
c. Psychologist say that if you pay them more, they will not perform better, because
they feel less pressure = crowding-out effect
How can HR help?
Why don’t we find suitable candidates for the vacancy?
How to choose the best candidate from the applicant pool?
What feedback should we give employees during the performance review process?
Which training should I offer my employees?
How much should I pay my employees?
How can I increase the well-being of my employees?
How can we reduce personnel turnover in our organization?
o Turnover is about employees leaving the company = a big problem for the
company because it was expensive to hire, train and follow them in their work
o People want change, so as a company you need to think about what you can offer
them, so they get the difference in jobs which is what they looking for.
o Therefore, companies work together so they can exchange employees and they
don’t have to lose them.
How can I ensure that my employees are fully committed to the goals of the organization?
o Everyone has a sort of individuality and competitivity some positions are more
important and get more recognition, so it’s important to know that there is a difference!
,Does it matter?
Intangible resources = immaterieële middelen
Key Components (KSAO’s)
Knowledge – Information & expertise from education, training, experience (e.g., market
research skills)
Skills – Learned abilities to perform tasks effectively (e.g., coding, public speaking)
Abilities – Natural talents or capacities (e.g., creativity, problem-solving, adaptability) (mental
& physical abilities)
Other Characteristics – Personality, values, attitudes, motivation shaping engagement &
teamwork (e.g nurse: need of empathy, sales manager)
The main message
Human resources are one of the primary means of creating ‘sustained competitive advantage’
for the organization.
To do so, the human resource architecture needs to be aligned with the business strategy and
needs to be internally consistent.
Human resources = people/employees who bring valuable qualities to an organization.
Employees contribute to both task completion and strategic success.
Good human resources management takes into account the context in which the
company operates (culture, legislation, industry, etc.).
These aligned practices will ensure a continuous influx of skilled and motivated personnel,
who, when given the opportunity, will exert efforts that benefit the business strategy.
Certain positions hold more significance than others in achieving the organization’s
strategy, justifying the need for a differentiated HR policy.
,What about well-being?
Well-being is important, even if it will not lead to better performance!!
We argue that organizations hold a significant societal role and bear at least partial responsibility for
the well-being of their employees. Their duty is to safeguard the well-being of their workforce, not
solely because a healthy workplace leads to superior outcomes (which is, indeed, the case), but also
because well-being possesses intrinsic importance. Full stop.
Learning goals
At the end of the course students should be able to:
Identify and describe the key concepts and frameworks for HRM
Describe the fundamentals and functionality of the different HR functions
Understand and explain how the HR functions separately and in combination contribute
to sustainable competitive advantage
Critically analyse factors that influence the strategic management of human resources in
today’s international environment
Evaluate the extent to which an organisation’s HR architecture is in accordance with the
most recent scientific evidence
Identify causes of HR-related problems and formulate recommendations based on the
best available evidence.
Do not just memorize It’s about understanding, and case based questioning examination =
applying
, Chapter 1: The balancing act of managing human resources
Introduction
Human resources management (HRM) involves strategic decisions that align people’s efforts with the
organization’s broader goals far more than just “hiring and firing”
What is HRM?
HRM refers to the set of practices and decisions that guide how organizations manage people throughout
their employment journey.
o It covers the activities of job analysis, job design, recruitment, selection, onboarding, performance
and reward management, training and development, employee relations, employee well-being,
among others.
Key HRM decisions often revolve around several critical questions as:
o How do we attract and find the best talent?
o What motivates employees to perform at their best, stay innovative and remain loyal?
o What skills and development opportunities do employees need to grow?
o How do we decide which should be promoted?
o How can we structure jobs to keep employees engaged and motivated?
o Why are employees leaving and what can we learn from their exits?
HR practices
There a many HR practices available, but this book focuses on 6 core areas:
job analysis (H3), recruitment (H4), selection (H5), performance appraisal and management (H6),
training and development (H7), compensation and benefits (H8) these practices form the foundation of
HRM by directly influencing how organizations attract, develop, and retain the right people to drive success.
o Job analysis: the systematic process of identifying the duties, responsibilities and required skills for a
specific role. It establishes a clear understanding of what is expected, serving as the bedrock for all
subsequent HR activities.
o Recruitment: Involves attracting a pool of qualified applicants to fill job openings. This process is
critical for building a diverse and capable workforce, ensuring that an organization's values and
opportunities are effectively communicated to potential employees.
o Selection: follows recruitment, focusing on evaluating and choosing the most suitable candidates
from the applicant pool. By ensuring that the right people are placed in the right roles, selection
directly impacts organizational performance and cultural fit.
o Performance appraisal and management: refers to the ongoing process of assessing employee
performance, providing constructive feedback, and setting future goals. This practice aligns individual
efforts with broader business objectives and supports continuous improvement.
o Training and development: encompasses initiatives designed to enhance employee skills and
knowledge. By investing in learning opportunities, organizations not only address current
performance gaps, but also prepare their workforce for future challenges.
o Compensation and benefits: Involves creating competitive pay structures and benefits packages that
reward employees fairly and motivate them to perform at their best. This area is crucial for attracting
and retaining top talent while reinforcing a culture of recognition and accountability.
A strategic perspective
HRM activities (recruitment, training,…) should be thoughtfully designed to align employees’ efforts with the
organizations’ broader objectives. when the alignment (overeenstemming) is in place, employees are more
focused and productive, directly contributing to the organization’s success!
o HRM viewing as a strategic tool for gaining a competitive advantage
