The effective management of human resources is becoming an increasingly vital concern in organisations, whether they are professional practices employing only a few staff, multinational corporations, public sector or not-for-profit organisations. The impact of globalisation, increased competition for talented employees, skills shortages and changing expectations of the employment relationship pose increasingly complex challenges for all organisations.

A sound understanding of human resource principles and concepts and how to implement human resource policies and procedures is of importance to human resource specialists and line managers alike. Effective human resource management requires a thorough knowledge of, and skills in, various people management functions, together with the ability to meld these functions into a carefully planned, well-integrated program that will assist organisations achieve their objectives.

In this unit you will examine current topics in human resource management and bridge theory and practice by examining issues from both strategic and operational perspectives. There is a focus on students’ understanding of the skills required to be an effective human resources specialist or people manager. Human resources matters in this unit are examined from the perspective of managers, human resources specialists and employees.