Block 1: The perspectives - Human Resources Management

For human resources management, there are only two points that are important to remember - soft HRM model and hard HRM model. Soft HR model looks at HR management from the point of view of the people. It puts strong emphasis on the needs of employees and their effort in running the business to achieve its objectives in exchange for rewards such as salary, bonus, career development etc.. Hard HRM model on the hand view people purely as resources (or rather machines) to the organisations - the needs of the people are secondary to meeting to the company's objectives. Hard HRM is more common in North America. In Europe especially countries such as Germany and France, the needs of the people are highly protected by unions, hence soft HRM is practised more widely.