Evaluating HRM Approaches: A Focus on Employee Engagement

This essay delves into the realm of Human Resource Management (HRM), contrasting instrumental and humanistic approaches to managing the workforce and aligning employee performance with organizational objectives. The author highlights the benefits of a humanistic approach, supported by survey data indicating that employees feel more responsible and engaged when organizations prioritize their well-being and recognize their contributions through rewards and proper evaluation. The essay critiques the instrumental approach for potentially demotivating employees and reducing work quality due to fear of termination. It emphasizes the evolution of HRM towards valuing employee development and empowerment, citing examples such as employee engagement programs, training initiatives, and the implementation of flat communication systems. While acknowledging the advantages of the humanistic approach in fostering employee engagement and aligning goals, the essay also addresses potential vulnerabilities, such as training costs, delayed decision-making, and the need for careful analysis to balance employee needs with organizational objectives. The author concludes by stressing the importance of a stable and productive workforce for organizational success in a competitive market, advocating for HRM practices that ease employee difficulties and promote retention.

Running head: HUMAN RESOURCE MANAGEMENT
Human Resource Management
Name of the Student
Name of the University
Author Note

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The human resource management of any organization manages the workforce and strategizes
the method of alignment between the organizational needs and the performance of the
employees (Alagaraja, 2013). The paper discusses the appropriateness of the two different
approaches of the human resource management with a specific focus on the advantages of
them.
The survey conducted by me, achieved a major confirmation on the use of humanistic
approach of human resource management. The individuals, participated in the survey felt that
the consideration from the organization's part regarding the importance of the employees,
helps the workforce to get involved in a more responsible manner. The correct evaluation of
the employee needs and meeting with proper reward policy and the recognition of their work
encourages the workforce to perform in a better way (Melé, 2014). Whereas according to me,
the strict instrumental approach fails to motivate employees and the fear of termination that
relates with the hard HRM approach decreases the quality of the work.
I feel that the concept of Human resource management in the larger context has
overcome the static aim of driving the workforce towards the organizational goals and
concentrates on assigning higher values to the employees so that they become satisfied with
the organization to perform willingly. The various employee engagement programs and
training on the parts where the employees face difficulty in adopting, are appreciated from
the HRM'S part. The shift in focus of the HRM from the sole aim of organization's
development to the development of the workforce for the larger gain is a major evolution in
the context of Human Resource Management (Bailey et al., 2018).
The allowance of employee empowerment from the parts of the HRM in the case of
critical decision making is significantly influential for me. The HRM allows the workforce to
decide the possible approach to achieve the organizational goals and only keeps track of the

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achievement of the objectives rather than the process to achieve it (Marchington et al., 2016).
I think that the regular effective communication from the HRM to the employee and the
implementation of the flat communication system between the employees irrespective of the
position is a major contribution from the HRM for effective realisation of the business goals.
According to me the preferred approach engages the employee in a greater manner
and sets the organization goals in appropriate alignment with the employees' performance. I
feel that the approach relates to certain level vulnerability when it is taken to be too "soft".
The cost of the training and the regular rewarding policy to achieve better productivity is a
major concern for the HRM in the organizational context. The approach, being a democratic
form, involves a considerable amount of delay in effective decision making which at times
becomes a significant disadvantage for the organization (Armstrong & Taylor, 2014).
The issue of appropriate HRM approach is significantly influential as it defines the
proper method of handling the workforce and extracting the effective productivity following
a particular concept of instrumental or humanistic. As per my opinion, it is significantly
essential to achieve a stable workforce in order to survive in the market and the workforce
needs to highly productive as well so that the organization achieves a breathing space in this
competitive market. It is necessary to ease out the difficulty of the employees regarding any
of the aspect of their job and the defined approach to meet them adds a considerable
advantage in employee retention as well (Wilton, 2016).
I discussed the suitable HRM approach to gain the maximum productivity and it also
specified the parts of concern relating to that particular approach. The HRM must analyse the
concerns as the approach of dealing with the workforce has immense effect on the betterment
of the organization. The approach, having the better way to manage the workforce with an

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appropriate drive towards reaching the organizational objectives is also acknowledged in my
paper.

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References:
Alagaraja, M. (2013). HRD and HRM perspectives on organizational performance: A review
of literature. Human Resource Development Review, 12(2), 117-143.
Armstrong, M., & Taylor, S. (2014). Armstrong's handbook of human resource management
practice. Kogan Page Publishers.
Bailey, C., Mankin, D., Kelliher, C., & Garavan, T. (2018). Strategic human resource
management. Oxford University Press.
Marchington, M., Wilkinson, A., Donnelly, R., & Kynighou, A. (2016). Human resource
management at work. Kogan Page Publishers.
Melé, D. (2014). Antecedents and current situation of humanistic management. African
Journal of Business Ethics, 7(2).
Wilton, N. (2016). An introduction to human resource management. Sage.

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Appendix:
Survey Questionnaire:
1. Which one do you prefer between minimal communication and strong communication
between employees and HRM for effective business?
o Minimal communication
o Strong Communication
2. Do you think regular rewarding policy helps an employee to perform better?
o Agree
o Disagree
3. Do you think employees should get the power to decide on the process of any project?
o Agree
o Disagree
4. Do you think that the money is the only major motivation for the employee?
o Agree
o Disagree
5. Do you think continuous trainings increase the productivity of the employees?
o Agree
o Disagree
6. Do you think that employee engagement programs help the employees to recover
them from the work stress?
o Agree
o Disagree