The profession of Human Resource Management is a process of bringing people and organizations together so the goals of each are met (Jain, 2014). Currently, the profession is undergoing a shift in scope and perspective due to a variety of reasons. Outside shifts such as economy, globalization, domestic diversity, and technology create new demands for organizations, which creates new demands for Human Resources (Stone 2015). Other factors pushing Human Resources out of its traditional role are the rise in globalization, increased generational diversity, and expanded interest in innovation and sustainability (Roehling et al., 2005). Such shifts and factors are causing HR employees and managers to expand the skills necessary to be effective, which is also putting pressure on how HR leaders are trained.
Defining HR requirements is not an easy task given the dynamic rate of change in the workplace (Losey et al., 2005). Any leader in HR desiring to make a strategic contribution must scan the future with foresight and accuracy like never before (Losey et al., 2005), which demands for a more effective path of educating HR leaders. Currently, there is no clear path for HR professionals to be trained and educated which leaves for a series of random courses potential HR professionals must stumble upon in a manner lacking continuity (Losey et al., 2005). Along with a lack of a systematic formal educational approach, HR leaders are also left with few options to gain quality experience through HR internships; the ones that are available often lack any form of compensation or the depth of experience to train at a high level (Losey et al., 2005). As the HR landscape is changing, a sequential approach of education needs to be developed and implemented to prepare for the developing future.
Is the HR profession appealing to the Millennial generation?
References
Jain, M. (2014). Organizational Effectiveness and Strategic HR. Journal of Social Welfare & Management, 6(4), 199–207.
Losey, M., Meisinger, S., & Ulrich, D. (2005). The Future of Human Resource Management: 64 Thought Leaders Explore the Critical HR Issues of Today and Tomorrow (1 edition). Alexandria, Va. : Hoboken, N.J: Wiley.
Roehling, M. V., Boswell, W. R., Caligiuri, P., Feldman, D., Graham, M. E., Guthrie, J. P., … Tansky, J. W. (2005). The future of HR management: Research needs and directions. Human Resource Management, 44(2), 207–216. http://doi.org/10.1002/hrm.20066
SHRM. (2002). The Future of the HR Profession: Eight Leading Consulting Firms Share Their Visions for the Future of Human Resources. Retrieved from http://www.shrm.org/pressroom/Documents/future_of_hr
Stone, D. L., & Deadrick, D. L. (2015). Challenges and opportunities affecting the future of human resource management. Human Resource Management Review, 25(2), 139–145. http://doi.org/10.1016/j.hrmr.2015.01.003
