HRM in Context: Analyzing Post-Bureaucracy, AI Influence, and GDPR

This essay provides a comprehensive analysis of Human Resource Management (HRM) within the context of contemporary organizational structures and evolving technological and regulatory landscapes. It begins by examining the major features of post-bureaucratic organizations, emphasizing decentralization, internal trust, open communication, and adaptability to change. The essay then explores the potential influence of artificial intelligence (AI) on HR professionals, arguing that while AI can enhance HR functions like recruitment and data analysis, it is unlikely to replace the human element in roles requiring empathy and relationship-building. Finally, the essay reviews the impact of the General Data Protection Regulation (GDPR) on HR professionals, highlighting additional responsibilities related to data transparency, individual rights, and compliance, as well as the challenges of maintaining data security and managing vast amounts of confidential information. The essay references various academic sources to support its arguments and provide a well-rounded perspective on these critical issues in HRM.

HRM in Context

MAIN BODY
1 .Drawing upon research and/or current practice, explain and analyse the major features of post-
bureaucratic organisations.
Post-bureaucracy organisational structures is characterised by spontaneous actions,
empowered employees and high participation of staff members. In addition to this, it major
elements includes flexibility and decentralisation as well as high spirits of teamwork in the
organisation. The high bureaucracy in organisations interrupts the flow of communication and
discourage openness of idea within an organisation which blocks creativity of employees and
leads to delays in decision making as well. In recent years, as a concept of contemporary
management the ways of managing organisation in bureaucratic manners is not highly
encouraged as discussed in the above case study. The integrated organisational structure of CCL
shows bureaucratic managerial style and its management is based upon scientific principles and
methods. The style of management which promotes open flow of communication and high
decentralisation is followed in post-bureaucracy organisations. The major features of such
organisations are discussed below:
Decentralisation: It refers to the division of authority within organisation in order to execute the
process of decision-making effectively (Innocenti, Sammarra and Profili, 2019). The main idea
behind decentralisation is to promote maximum participation in the working of organisation and
it eliminate the need of employees to rely upon one single authority for every actions and
decisions.
High level of internal trust: It refers to the need of trust that the managers and personnel of
organisations are required to maintain among each other to ensure high participation. In post-
bureaucratic organisations, employees take mutual decisions and are promoted to act on their
own initiative. Therefore, in such organisation superiors are required to rely upon actions of their
subordinates to promote their engagement.
Openness in communication: In such organisations managers promote openness in flow of
communication and thus they encourage their subordinates to come up with new ideas and
suggestions in order to achieve common goals. Therefore, they are more open and frank with
their employees and instead of restricting flow of communication to a hierarchical structure,
managers in such organisation promotes more flexibility (Richards, 2018).

Expectation of change: In post-bureaucracy organisations, it is easy to implemented changes, in
fact such organisations are characterised by change as they are able to respond better to
uncertainties due to their flexible structure. Due to high participation and empowerment of
employees, these organisations are effective in developing contingency plans to deal with
changes as they promote participation of employees at every level and disapprove rigidity in
communication.
2.To what extent will artificial intelligence (AI) become influential in the role of HR
professionals? Will AI replace the role of HR professionals? Please justify your answer.
The concept of artificial intelligence in the field of human resource helps and allows the
procedures to be in a customized manner which supports the associated roles to be separated.
The artificial intelligence also helps in keeping a proper record of the important and major data
and information and verification of the legal documents etc. In context to Artificial Intelligence,
it allows the Human resource team to gain a better understanding of the employees through
examining the learning and referring in reference to the most active candidates (Sheppard,
2020).
In context to Artificial Intelligence, it cannot replace the HR professionals and recruiters.
In relation to recruiters, they looks beyond the qualification of candidates and they are majorly
involved in looking for a attitude and passion with the existing team members. In context to
Artificial Intelligence, it basically provides a promising solution to the problems of recruiters for
the purpose to optimize talent acquisition through carrying out time consuming repetitive tasks
which comprises of screening applicants and sourcing for the purpose to neutralize human biases
and to improve the quality of the hiring process (Zavyalova, Kucherov and Tsybova, 2018).
In context to Human Resource, the most prominent use of the concept of artificial
intelligence is to find the right person. It further involves various functions such as resolving
contestant queries, arrangement of interviews, screening applicants to maintain database and
addressing various problems. In context to Artificial Intelligence, it might not replace the HR
professionals but can help in improving the various HR functions which comprises of developing
people, improving recruitment process, measuring, compensating and hiring. But in reference to

hiring and sourcing process and also establishing effective relationships for the purpose to
manage the employees and support employees. With the help of artificial intelligence, it helps in
analysing the performance data from the previous referrals. In context to HR professional and
training it comprises of various skills such as data storytelling, people focused skills, talent
advising, employee reskilling and redesigning jobs.
3. Drawing on your own experience, critically review the impact of the recent GDPR regulation
on the role of HR professionals. What additional responsibilities are now necessary? What
issues do you now face?
The GDPR stands for General Data Protection Regulation is basically a regulation in
context to the EU law on the privacy and data protection in the European Union and the
European Economic Area (Mincholé and Rodriguez, 2019). In context to GDPR, it comprises of
various principles such as storage limitation, purpose limitation, lawfulness, fairness and
transparency, integrity and confidentiality, data minimisation, accuracy and accountability. In
context to GDPR, it has effected significant improvements in the governance, decision making in
relation to the use of consumer data, awareness and monitoring. In context to human resource,
the main purpose of GDPR is to impose a uniform data security law on basically all the EU
members for the purpose to write its own data protection and laws being consistent across the
entire EU. In context to GDPR, there are various roles involved such as conclusion, controller,
supervisory authority, data protection officer and processor (Goldenberg, S.L., Nir, G. and
Salcudean, S.E., 2019).
Responsibilities of HR Professionals in relation to GDPR
 HR Professionals are responsible for maintaining high transparency and contractors and
other employees that the organisation hire are needed to provide full information on how
their personal data is being used by authorities of the organisation.
 Individual rights: HR professionals are responsible for increasing awareness of rights to
access and object as well as rectify and other rights of portability and restriction as well.
 The processes that are executed by the HR should be justified on the basis of proper legal
grounds related to accessing any personal data (Henriques, Simões and Loureiro, 2021).
Issues faced while complying with GDPR standards

 Under GDPR, the organisation is under strict obligation to keep their internal records
which is related to data protection activities. These measures are very conrete and it
becomes challenging for HR professionals to ensure compliance.
 Any failure in complying with standards of GDPR could result in huge financial penalties
and it becomes hard for HR professionals to ensure that their employees data is safe due
to possibilities of errors (Hamilton and Davison, 2022).
 The HR professionals are responsible for handling mountainous amount of data and it is
all confidential and they know the consequences if it gets leaked promoting fraudulent
activities. It becomes hard for them to prove that their intentions are ethical in storing
such data.

REFERENCES
Books and Journals
Goldenberg, S.L., Nir, G. and Salcudean, S.E., 2019. A new era: artificial intelligence and
machine learning in prostate cancer. Nature Reviews Urology, 16(7), pp.391-403.
Hamilton, R.H. and Davison, H.K., 2022. Legal and ethical challenges for HR in machine
learning. Employee Responsibilities and Rights Journal, 34(1), pp.19-39.
Henriques, P., Simões, P. and Loureiro, N.S., 2021, February. Impact of GDPR on Access
Profile Management in an HR Information System. In International Conference on
Information Technology & Systems (pp. 96-107). Springer, Cham.
Innocenti, L., Sammarra, A. and Profili, S., 2019. From control to commitment work systems:
The role of HRM in the post-bureaucratic transition. In Human Performance Technology:
Concepts, Methodologies, Tools, and Applications (pp. 1150-1172). IGI Global.
Mincholé, A. and Rodriguez, B., 2019. Artificial intelligence for the electrocardiogram. Nature
medicine, 25(1), pp.22-23.
Richards, Z., 2018. Responsive legality: the new administrative justice. Routledge.
Sheppard, M.K., 2020. mHealth apps: disruptive innovation, regulation, and trust—a need for
balance. Medical Law Review, 28(3), pp.549-572.
Zavyalova, E.K., Kucherov, D.G. and Tsybova, V.S., 2018. Approaches to HRD in Russian IT-
companies in the period of economic crisis. Human Resource Development
International, 21(4), pp.319-339.