Soft and hard HRM are two approaches to managing an organization's human resources. Soft HRM is founded on the premise that people are a company's most valuable asset, and that the organization should invest in their growth and well-being in order to improve their performance. On the other hand, hard HRM sees employees as a resource to be used in attaining the organization's goals and objectives.
Soft HRM:- The necessity of treating employees as persons with unique needs and interests is emphasized by soft HRM. This strategy focuses on fostering a healthy work environment that encourages employee engagement, job satisfaction, and loyalty. The importance of training and development programs, employee feedback, and open communication between management and staff is emphasized in soft HRM. The purpose of soft HRM is to establish a work culture that is supportive, flexible, and responsive to employee requirements, resulting in improved employee performance and retention.
“treating employees as valued assets, a source of competitive advantage through their commitment, adaptability and high quality of skills, performance and so on”(Storey,1989).
Hard HRM:- Hard HRM, on the other hand, regards personnel as a resource that must be efficiently managed in order to achieve company goals. This strategy focuses on aligning employee behavior with the organization's strategic goals. Hard HRM emphasizes performance management, rewards, and punishment, and focuses on attaining measurable results. The purpose of hard HRM is to increase employees' efficiency and production, which leads to improved organizational performance and profitability.
Harvard Model (Soft HRM)
Source : Beer et al (1984; Map of the HRM Territory)
What are the key differences between the Soft and Hard HRM Models?
Soft and hard models of HRM (Human Resource Management) are two contrasting approaches to managing people in organizations. The main characteristics of these models are:
Soft HRM highlights the concept of considering people as valuable assets to the firm. It emphasizes staff growth, communication, and participation. Soft HRM thinks that if employees are treated well, they will be more engaged and productive, resulting in improved organizational performance.
Soft HRM:
- Employee development and empowerment
- Employee engagement and involvement
- Employee well-being and job satisfaction
- Emphasis on communication and collaboration
- Humanistic and participative approach to management
Hard HRM: This model is concerned with the strategic management of human resources in order to achieve corporate objectives. It views employees as a means to a goal, emphasizing the significance of aligning HR procedures with broader business strategy. Employees, according to hard HRM, should be managed in order to optimize their contributions to the organization's bottom line.
Hard HRM:
- Emphasis on achieving organizational goals
- Strategic alignment of HR practices with business strategy
- Focus on performance and productivity
- Use of metrics and data to evaluate HR effectiveness
- Results-oriented approach to management
Hybrid Model Of HRM
A hybrid HRM approach incorporates components of both soft and hard HRM, acknowledging the relevance of both employee growth and well-being, as well as the necessity to match HR practices with organizational goals. This method seeks to develop a more complete and integrated approach to human resource management that is better adapted to the needs of modern enterprises(BrightHR, 2010).
HR practitioners in a hybrid model of HRM may focus on both employee development and well-being as well as the organization's strategic goals. They may also apply a mix of qualitative and quantitative measurements to assess employee performance and track progress toward company objectives. Overall, a hybrid HRM model seeks to achieve a balance between the needs of the organization and the needs of its employees, while also responding to changing business needs.
HRM today
"As a description of people management activities in organizations, the term HRM is here to stay, even if it is applied diversely or only used as a label to describe traditional personnel management practices. Emphasis is now placed on the need for HR to be strategic and businesslike and to add value, ie to generate extra value (benefit to the business) by the expenditure of effort, time, and money on HRM activities. There have been plenty of new interests, concepts, and developments, including human capital management, engagement, talent management, competency-based HRM, e-HRM, high-performance work systems, and performance and reward management. But these have not been introduced under the banner of the HRM concept as originally defined. HRM has largely become something that organizations do rather than an aspiration or philosophy and the term is generally in use as a way of describing the process of managing people. A convincing summary of what HRM means today, which focuses on what HRM is rather than on its philosophy, was provided by Peter Boxall, John Purcell, and Patrick Wright (2007), representing the new generation of commentators"(Armstrong, 2014).
References
Armstrong, M. and Taylor, S. (2014). Armstrong’s Handbook of Human Resource Management Practice. 13th ed. New York: Kogan Page.
BrightHR (2010). What Is Soft HRM and Hard HRM? | BrightHR. [online] BrightHR. Available at: https://www.brighthr.com/articles/hris/hard-and-soft-hrm/.
Storey, J. (1987). Developments in the Management of Human Resources.
This is a very fresh topic and interesting. In summary, can I say that flexible work arrangements are result of soft HRM and strong time and attendance policy is a result of hard HRM? Can you confirm my understanding of your article?
ReplyDeleteThanks in advance!
It's important to note that flexible work arrangements and strong time and attendance policies are not necessarily exclusive to soft or hard HRM approaches. Flexible work arrangements can be a result of both soft and hard HRM, as they can be seen as a way to improve employee satisfaction and well-being (a soft HRM approach) or as a way to improve organizational performance and productivity (a hard HRM approach). Similarly, a strong time and attendance policy can be a result of both soft and hard HRM, as it can be seen as a way to ensure fairness and consistency in employee treatment (a soft HRM approach) or as a way to control labor costs and improve efficiency (a hard HRM approach).
DeleteYour post on the soft and hard models of HRM is quite interesting. Your explanation of the differences between the two models, including their underlying philosophies and the potential impact that they can have on organizational performance, is well-written.
ReplyDeleteI suggest you explore the role of leadership in promoting a culture of HRM within organizations, and the impact that this can have on the effectiveness of either model in your upcoming articles.
Thank you for the suggestion! The role of leadership is indeed an important aspect to consider when discussing HRM. The leadership style and approach can significantly impact the culture and values of an organization, including the approach to HRM.
DeleteIn terms of promoting a culture of HRM, leaders can set the tone by emphasizing the importance of HR practices and encouraging HR professionals to have a seat at the table in decision-making processes. They can also model the behavior they expect from others by prioritizing employee well-being and demonstrating a commitment to fair and just treatment of all employees.