The Roles of HR Managers versus Line Managers Essay

The Roles of HR Managers versus Line Managers - Essay Example 'For years, management professionals have argued whether treating workers well is good for business as well as being virtuous' (Plimmer, 2005: 9). In essence, this debate suggests that many business leaders continue to consider whether the needs of the business should be the primary goal of management or whether the employee, as a competent organisational resource, should be most important. The concept of human resources is a relatively new idea, as the establishment of a management system which actively engages and praises employees as valuable resources to organisational success is a contemporary idea much different than the historical, rigid management approach. However, many organisations still maintain a centralised leadership hierarchy, built on decision-making that is created by senior-level leadership. In this type of system, mid-level line managers are expected to coerce employees to comply with a rigid set of guidelines in the pursuit of sustaining strategic organisational goals. In such an environment, the employee is often overlooked as human capital and viewed more as merely a labourer. However, it appears that businesses are turning away from rigid controls and establishing a system of managerial professionals which act as employee champions; or those managers who actively pursue methods to establish stronger employee/business relationships and build on positive employee attributes to boost organisational performance. This might well be termed as the philosophy behind the establishment of HR policies.