I've learned so far that human resource management isn't just about hiring, onboarding, salaries, and retrenchments/resignations. People management is about actually helping and empowering the employees to do better in the workplace by making them feel valued and appreciated. They also interpret the company's values such that the company's mission statement is aligned with the employee's personal interests and development. People management is therefore important to a company, because it lets the people of the workplace feel that their work is appreciated and in sync with the company's goals, which makes them contribute more to the company through their effort, behaviour, and impression of the company. If people are managed properly, monetary incentives may not always have to be the main motivator behind the employees' work. Without people management, employees may feel undervalued, unappreciated, or lost in their career and/or personal development, thus increasing the risk of them leaving the company. This may result in high turnover rates, low performance, low morale amongst the employees, lack of culture, and possibly even a lower reputation of the company, among other issues.
Good people management includes the following components:
- Analysing the job scopes and what skills are required for the jobs.
- Scouting the right people with the right skillsets for the job, without going through wasteful interviews.
- Giving orientation, onboarding, and training for both new employees and existing employees.
- Motivating, empowering, and consulting employees especially when they need help.
- Being empathetic, adaptive, and flexible towards employees' personal developments, such as with pregnancy and death issues.
- Compensating and rewarding employees where necessary, in appropriate ways.
- Helping employees instead of punishing if their work performance is low; consulting them first before making drastic decisions.
- Helping employees who are leaving the company with smooth and clear procedures.