Human resource management strategy
| English | Chinese | Pinyin |
|---|---|---|
| soft HRM | 软性人力资源管理 | ruǎn xìng rén lì zī yuán guǎn lǐ |
| hard HRM | 硬性人力资源管理 | yìng xìng rén lì zī yuán guǎn lǐ |
| resource | 资源 | zī yuán |
| assets | 资产 | zī chǎn |
| retention | 员工保留 | yuán gōng bǎo liú |
| trade unions | 工会 | gōng huì |
| collective bargaining | 集体谈判 | jí tǐ tán pàn |
| industrial action | 劳工行动 | láo gōng háng dòng |
| negotiation | 谈判 | tán pàn |
| consultation | 协商 | xié shāng |
Managing people as a strategy
- Hiring and firing is day-to-day HR. Deciding how the whole firm treats its people is HR strategy.
- The approach a firm takes shapes its culture, costs and performance.
Human resources decision lab
Classify HR actions by the job they do inside the workforce.
Hard HRM treats employees primarily as:
Hard HRM views labour as a cost/resource.
Soft HRM is most associated with:
Soft HRM develops people as valued assets.
The HRM approach that treats people as valued assets to develop is ______ HRM.
Soft HRM invests in people; hard HRM minimises labour cost.
Hard vs soft HRM 软性人力资源管理
- Hard HRM 硬性人力资源管理: treats labour as a resource 资源 to be used efficiently — tight control, pay as a cost.
- Soft HRM: treats people as valued assets 资产 to be developed — training, empowerment, involvement.
Managing people strategically: leadership style shapes how a workforce performs
Negotiation of pay and conditions between a union and an employer is:
Collective bargaining negotiates on behalf of many workers.
Good employer-employee relations can raise motivation and retention.
Strong relations improve performance and reduce turnover.
Employer-employee relations
- Good relations raise motivation, productivity and retention 员工保留.
- Trade unions 工会 represent workers collectively; collective bargaining 集体谈判 negotiates pay and conditions.
Managing change and conflict
- Disputes can lead to industrial action 劳工行动 (strikes, work-to-rule) — costly for both sides.
- Resolving conflict through negotiation 谈判 and consultation 协商 protects the business.
Soft HRM costs more up front but can pay back. Investing in training and involvement raises costs now, but often lifts productivity, quality and retention — frequently outperforming a pure cost-cutting (hard) approach.
You've got it
- hard HRM treats labour as a cost/resource; soft HRM treats people as valued assets
- good employer-employee relations lift motivation and retention
- trade unions bargain collectively; resolve conflict by negotiation and consultation