Blog 10: Role of Line Manager and HR Manager

Introduction:
Businesses would become more successful in their goals and objectives if line managers, Hr managers were to ensure the HR policies and procedures support the strategic objectives by steadiness in approach of implementation.

Role of the line managers like HR managers have similar roles to manage their own staff on a day to day basis, setting objectives, being organised like dividing work for staff to do, be motivating and when developing peoples skills or training employees. Line managers have the skills as they have no direct responsibility in producing a product, providing a service for the customer but they are available for day to day operational problems.

Once stated by Lord Marcus Sieff, 1991 “a policy of good human relations at work is not about jobs, it is about people” this is because if people were put under the microscope and their needs were met by an organisation then employees would feel more valued with their contribution.

The five benefits and five drawbacks of a line manager being more involved with HR activities:

The effectiveness of the benefits for the line manager is that:
1. They have the ability to become closer to staff through development of employees.
2. They build a professional relationship with the employees, among the aims of helping the company going forward. For example if an employee had a personal problem then the line manager can help them on a personal level.
3. Another benefit would be is that line managers have a link of being promoted to higher management.
4. Line managers would build different skills with the purpose of helping the company in HR activities like recruitment and selection, HR planning, dealing with health and safety and dealing with redundancy.
5. Although Line managers play a predominant role but they would feel more valued within a company, plus they are better at monitoring employee’s progression. (People and Organisation, 2nd edition, 2008)

The effectiveness of the drawbacks for the line manager is that:
1. Line managers would have an intense workload in which can affect the overall contribution of the line manager like not meeting certain tasks.
2. It would take time for line managers to build certain HR skills and carry out HR tasks due to them not having the required specialist skills that an HR manager would be trained and developed for. Or have the skills to change people’s attitudes or improve skills.
3. Line managers would not intend to believe in the role of HRM due to the fact of their management styles.
4. Line managers would be inefficient in a HR role due to their attitude as line managers believe in having an independent role and are hard to persuade (Line manager) in accepting advice or recommendations which are offered. (Mullins, 2007)
5. Although it takes time for line managers to develop HR policies the problem would be is that the expectations of line manager may plunge, like productivity levels.

CIPD Website:

The Skills those are necessary with the aim of the line manager managing people effectively and why?
The skills I believe a line manager would need in developing effectively in managing people are the skills and ability of having excellent communication skills, in order to communicate to all levels of the workforce, especially when passing on strategic objectives for employees to undertake in their roles. Also line managers would have to build a good working relationship with their staff because that will ensure a good rapport and can respond with suggestions especially when dealing with problems.

Behaviour is very important issue that line managers would require when dealing with the development the environment and culture. For example if line managers were not to act accordingly to the behaviour of the organisation then employees may not reflect what the companies looking for, leading to failure of results.

However other situations depending on external influences are imperative like changes in technology, customer expectations and new innovation with measuring operational performance.

Line managers always look to work effectively with people especially with many HR activities now being passed on from HR managers to line managers to undertake in meeting the strategic aims and objectives. For example line managers in numerous organisations are expected to coach and guide employees, deal with disciplinary and grievances, including the recruitment and selection.

The reason why line managers manage people so effectively is because of the practices that are included like bringing HR policies and practises to life because of the skills they contain and then use those skills to put that across to the employees. They also have the ability to have a strong sense of self confidence and this requires support from the training and development they receive.


How the Line managers are developed at work:
The Line manager have many skills, but are now more involved with all the employees needs, which makes the organisation, a better place to work for. They have the ability to help employees with many difficult situations they go through, for example if a colleague was not meeting their targets then the line manager would have regular intervals to see what can be done and set new targets to meet.

By looking on the prospects website, I believe my skills would be more suited to the role of line manager then the HR manager simply for the reason that my skills are more situated to a line manager when it comes to communicating effectively for people’s needs. I wouldn’t be suited for the role of HR manager because of the way the role operates as HR have to ensure the company are following the guidelines, whereas the line manager would be more involved in the activities of motivating employees and when bringing policies and procedures to life. I don’t believe I would be a specialist in HR as I would somewhat have more wider views of the business with implementing the interpersonal skills by understanding and conveying the value of good employees with the impacts they can have the overall success of a company.

Conclusion:
To conclude this blog, HR is merely surviving especially with the evolvement of the common trends of line managers now moving into the HR roles seemingly because line managers look at meeting strategic approach to business. Line managers know how to bring the best out of people where a HR manager won’t know how to do. On the other hand HR is a common process that every business needs to develop an understanding of commitment, value and a speciality field that is needed to be undertaken either by Line manager or HR manager.

References:
Human Resources leader magazine, 2005, Online from: http://www.humanresourcesmagazine.com.au/articles/01/0c02c201.asp Date accessed 26th April 2010.
Prospects, 2010, Online from: http://www.prospects.ac.uk/p/types_of_job/recruitment_manager_job_description.jsp Date Accessed 26th April 2010.
Mullins, J. L. (2008) Management and organisational behaviour. 8th edition.