Introduction
It is hard to disagree that employees are the driving force of any company in both the private and public sectors. More satisfied staff members ensure the growth of their firm’s performance, so it is important to pay increased attention to human resource management (HRM). Nevertheless, some may disagree that HRM practices are required in minor private companies.
Firstly, there are not many human resources to support small agencies. Secondly, in such organizations, there is no focus on performance, profit, or competition, meaning attracting and retaining talented and loyal workers is unnecessary. This possible misconception makes it important to discuss the role of HRM in small public organizations.
Value of HRM in Small Public Firms
To begin with, it is essential to outline the role of human resource management in minor public companies. The latter, for example, might include small local hospitals, social housing facilities, and educational organizations, such as rural schools with a limited number of staff members. Even though these companies do not have to compete with other firms or gain more profit, they still have to provide high-quality services to communities and develop (Bruns, 2014; Knies et al., 2022).
Moreover, it is similarly crucial for such organizations to ensure that their operations comply with laws and regulations (Chandler, 2022). A human resource manager can handle all these areas better than another professional in a small public entity (El-Ghalayini, 2017). Eventually, even minor facilities depend on employee satisfaction rates, and HR managers aim to create and maintain diverse, ethical, and healthy environments.
Differences Between HRM in Small and Large Public Organizations
One reason why it is important to discuss the selected topic is that some HRM practices in large public organizations may differ from those in smaller entities. Firstly, research shows that minor organizations have limited financial resources and fewer opportunities to provide their employees with training and development programs (Knies et al., 2022). At the same time, due to a smaller number of workers, HR managers know them personally and can offer training programs that best address the staff’s needs and gaps in skills (El-Ghalayini, 2017).
Similarly, it is much easier for minor public facilities to retain employees and pay attention to their well-being. According to Knies et al. (2022), the latter is the primary purpose of HRM in the public sector. Finally, HR managers in small companies can better support the flow of mutual feedback between leaders and employees, and they also have more time and opportunities to evaluate each worker personally.
Placing Emphasis on Equal Opportunities and Soft Skills
HR managers in public entities focus on nurturing workers’ soft skills and ensuring they have equal opportunities. This is also true for minor public facilities (Knies et al., 2022). Thus, HR managers create “supportive managerial practices promoting employee engagement with their work – for example, listening to employees, treating them with respect, communicating expectations, and promoting growth and development” (Battaglio, 2020, p. 499).
Unlike minor private organizations, where monetary rewards motivate workers, human resource management in public facilities promotes better engagement by allowing shared decision-making and equal opportunities (Yahiaoui et al., 2015). The latter may include, for instance, training programs, job security, and fair treatment (Knies et al., 2022). The value of these focus areas for minor public entities is that they allow them to improve their operations while having a friendly and healthy environment with determined and equal employees.
Possible Challenges that HR Managers Might Face
Unfortunately, some challenges are frequently met by HR managers in identified organizations. Thus, because of limited financial resources, managers have fewer opportunities when solving HR-related issues (El-Ghalayini, 2017). Further, it might be difficult to foster diversity and non-discriminatory practices merely because the number of employees is small, and there may be no representatives of other ethnicities or different minority groups.
For example, suppose the staff members are all white males, and an African American woman is hired. In that case, the organization’s HR manager only then receives the possibility to promote ethical and inclusion behaviors (Shen et al., 2009). Lastly, minor private entities tend to be like small families, and it is the purpose and issue of HR professionals not to allow worker relationships to become overly friendly and informal.
Conclusion
To conclude, one may notice the proven importance of HRM in minor public organizations. Despite a small number of employees and reduced or absent competition, which makes retention, recruitment, and training of workers less important, such organizations still need HR managers. Then, it is necessary to mention some implications and applications for public personnel administration.
Firstly, HRs must be aware of several challenges, including a lack of resources or diversity. Secondly, HRM practices in small public entities should focus on employee equity and well-being maintenance instead of monetary rewards because the former motivates the staff better. Finally, it is recommended that human resource professionals regulate worker-leader feedback flow as it can benefit such entities.
References
Battaglio, P. (2020). The future of public human resource management. Public Personnel Management, 49(4), 499–502. Web.
Bruns, H. J. (2014). HR development in local government: How and why does HR strategy matter in organizational change and development? Business Research, pp. 7, 1–49. Web.
Chandler, D. M. (2022). Why you need HR for a small business. The Hartford. Web.
El-Ghalayini, Y. (2017). Human resource management practices and organizational performance in public sector organization. Journal of Business Studies Quarterly, 8(3), 65-80. Web.
Knies, E., Borst, R. T., Leisink, P., & Farndale, E. (2022). The distinctiveness of public sector HRM: A four‐wave trend analysis. Human Resource Management Journal, 32(4), 799-825. Web.
Shen, J., Chanda, A., D’netto, B., & Monga, M. (2009). Managing diversity through human resource management: An international perspective and conceptual framework. The International Journal of Human Resource Management, 20(2), 235-251. Web.
Yahiaoui, N., Anser, A., & Lahouel, S. (2015). Human resource management and public organizations. Global Journal of Human Resource Management, 3(2), 1-12. Web.
