Evolution of Human Resource

Management

10/13/16

Human Resource Management

The history of HRM can be traced to England.
-Employees(masons, carpenters, leather workers,
and other craftspeople) organized themselves
into guilds/association/unity.
- They used their unity to improve their working
conditions

10/13/16

The Industrial Revolution

The momentum for the industrial revolution grew
through the 17th century.
Agricultural methods were continually improving,
creating surpluses that were used for trade.
In addition, technical advances were also occurring,
These advances created a need for improved work
methods, productivity and quality that led to the
beginning of the Industrial Revolution.

10/13/16

The industrial revolution was characterized by:

a new and complex industrial society.
The substitution of steam power and machinery
for time-consuming hand labor
The significant change in the working conditions,
social patterns, and the division of labor
A new kind of employee-a boss, who wasnt
necessarily the owner, as had usually been the
case in the past- became a power
With these changes also came a widening gap
between workers and owners
10/13/16

Frederick Winslow Taylor

In 1911, his seminal work, The Principles of Scientific Management was
published. The book contains :
Each part of an individuals work is analyzed 'scientifically'.
The most suitable person to undertake the job is 'scientifically chosen' and is
taught the exact way to do the job.
Managers must co-operate with workers to ensure the job is done in a
scientific way.
There is a clear division of work and responsibility between management and
workers. (Bloomsbury, 2002)

10/13/16

 Development of personnel departments

- No specific date assigned to the appearance of the
first personnel department
- Established around 1920s to fill the gap resulting
from the conflict between employees and
management
- Early personnel administrators were called welfare
secretaries.
- The job of welfare secretaries was to bridge the gap
between management and operator(worker)
10/13/16

HRM: overview

The Hawthorne Studies

From 1927 to 1932, Groundbreaking set of experiments conducted at the

Western Electric plant in Hawthorne, Chicago by Elton Mayo.
The purpose of the Hawthorne study was to determine the
effects of illumination on workers and their output.
Changes in the environment did affect productivity, but this was not the
sole factor
The study pointed out the importance of social interaction
and work group on output and satisfaction.
The workers considered management to be showing an interest in them
and this improved motivation.
contributed to the field of organizational behavior.

10/13/16

The Human Relations Movement

It argues that people are not just logical
decision makers but have needs for creativity
support, recognition and self-affirmation.
It presents an alternative and opposite
approach to scientific management as it
focuses on the individual and not the task.
It boasts some of the world's foremost
management thinkers and theories.
10/13/16

Contemporary Human
Resource Management
In modern business the Human Resources Management function is
complex and as such has resulted in the formation of Human resource
departments/divisions in companies to handle this function. The
Human resource function has become a wholly integrated part of the
total corporate strategy.
The function is diverse and covers many facets including Manpower
planning, recruitment and selection, employee motivation,
performance monitoring and appraisal, industrial relations, provision
management of employee benefits and employee education training
and development.

10/13/16

CONCLUSION
The history of Human Resource Management has progressed
through the ages from times when people were abused in slave
like working conditions to the modern environment where people
are viewed as assets to business and are treated accordingly.
The Human Resource function will have to adapt with the times
as staff become more dynamic and less limited in their roles and
bound by a job description.
In future we may see employees being measured on the value
they contribute to a business and not their cost to the business.

10/13/16

10

Thank You

10/13/16

11