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Hard HRTreats employees simply as a resource of the business (like machinery & buildings)
Strong link with corporate business planning – what resources do we need, how do we get them and how much will they cost
Focus of HRM: identify workforce needs of the business and recruit & manage accordingly (hiring, moving and firing)
Key features
Short-term changes in employee numbers (recruitment, redundancy)
Minimal communication, from the top down
Pay – enough to recruit and retain enough staff (e.g. minimum wage)
Little empowerment or delegation
Appraisal systems focused on making judgements (good and bad) about staff
Taller organisational structures
Suits autocratic leadership style
Soft HRM treats employees as the most important resource in the business and a source of competitive advantage
Employees are treated as individuals and their needs are planned accordingly
Focus of HRM: concentrate on the needs of employees – their roles, rewards, motivation etc
Key features
Strategic focus on longer-term workforce planning
Strong and regular two-way communication
Competitive pay structure, with suitable performance-related rewards (e.g. profit share, share options)
Employees are empowered and encouraged to seek delegation and take responsibility
Appraisal systems focused on identifying and addressing training and other employee development needs
Flatter organisational structures
Suits democratic leadership style
Treats employees as the most important resource in the business and a source of competitive advantage
Employees are treated as individuals and their needs are planned accordingly
Focus of HRM: concentrate on the needs of employees – their roles, rewards, motivation etc
Hard HRM vs Soft HRM
• Hard and Soft HRM are two contrasting styles of HRM
• While Hard HRM focuses on the organization, Soft HRM focuses on the interests of the employees
• Hard HRM sees people as lazy and merely resources to be utilized to further the goals of the organization. On the other hand, Soft HRM sees people as responsible and having feelings, emotions and motivation
• Unfortunately neither approach works perfectly in reality and a good mix of both the styles must be adopted.
full agree with mr. hameed