Theoretical Issues Related to Human Resources :: Human Resources Essays

This essay go out discuss the theoretical issues related to humanresource focal point strategies, human resource planning, workoutrelations, diversity management and recruitment and selection. Theessay will compare the differences in human resource managementbetween two airlines, American Airlines and Southwest Airlines. Finally the essay will put forward recommendations to the two airlinesin the human resource area.The human resource needs of todays organisation need to becontinually analysed due to constant changing conditions. Thisanalysing is known as human resource planning (HRP) and it ensuresthat the right number and type of lot are available at the righttime for the organisation (Dessler et al 1999). There are manyfactors that contribute to HRP and trends that influence theorganisations external environment. These factors are workforcediversity, outsourcing, globalisation, expert development, neworganisational structures, casualisation and the shift frommanufacturing tow ards service and knowledge-based work (Dessler et al1999).Workforce DiversityWorkforce diversity is divergence from an assumed norm or set ofexpectations. The presidential term have created legislations confirming theright of all members of society to experience comparable life and workopportunities, irrespective of difference of sex, age, sexualorientation, religion, physical abilities or whether they decease tothe dominant culture or language group (Human Resource ManagementStudy Book). The reasons that these legislations were introduced weredue to the changing of the workforce. More women joined the workforceas did people of differing ethnic origins. The workforce has becomeolder because of the legal ruling of voluntary retirement age (HumanResource Management Study Book). Due to these changes andlegislations employers have had to re-think their employment policiesand procedures in areas such as selection, training and promotion(Human Resource Management Study Book).Some forwar d thinking organisations have looked beyond thegovernments requirements and have used the changes to benefitthemselves in the long term. These organisations have taken thisopportunity to better understand and serve the wider community, togain a competitive value over more traditional organisations. They have also tried to gain more knowledge of the needs andpreferences of specific groups in society and discovered the thingsthat king help to make the workplace more productive and satisfyingfor all their employees (Human Resource Management Study Book).Outsourcing.Outsourcing is where organisations use external providers for thoseactivities that are either non-essential or demand an injection ofmanagement resources and capital. This allows the organisation tofocus more on the core of the business operations (Dessler et al1999). Outsourcing is extremely important where HRP is concerned. Itcan be used as a strategy when skilling of resources will be expensiveand time consuming and it can also make forecasting easier if the