Changes and Challenges for the Human Resource Professional

As we move through the 1990s, the role of HRM is becoming ever more demanding. HRM issues are replacing capital resource issues as the guiding force for today's and tomorrow's organizations. HRM professionals must respond to changes in the economy, government and legal influences, new organizational forms, and changing employee expectations. They must also anticipate changes in global competition and training requirements. In the future, HRM professionals must work to become equal strategic partners in their organization, if they are to add value to the company. Here is an in-depth discussion of current and future challenges and issues for HRM professionals and scholars of human resource managers.

The authors present these challenges, with specific examples of individual HRM managers and their department's responses to these problems. The authors discuss steps that HRM professionals need to take to become more efficient and productive with limited human resources. Cultivating ethical behavior, trust and teamwork, as well as the use of information systems are also addressed. Special attention is given to the need of HRM professionals to increase their competency in their expanding role of providing strategic advice to senior executives and line managers.

RONALD R. SIMS is Professor of Business Administration at the College of William and Mary, where he teaches courses in organizational behavior and human resource management. His research focuses on experiential learning, employee training and development, and other human resource management issues.

SERBRENIA J. SIMS received her Ed.D. from the College of William and Mary in higher education administration. Her research focuses on higher education policy, diversity, and human resource management issues in the public and not-for-profit areas.