Human resource management (HRM)
Introduction
Human resource management (HRM) is a critical organizational function that involves coordinating, managing, and allocating an organization’s employees to help achieve its goals. HRM focuses on investing in employees, ensuring their safety, and managing all aspects of staffing, from hiring to compensation and development. When incorporating the Christian Worldview into HRM, the perspective shifts to recognizing that each person is created by God in His image, gifted with a unique personality, strengths, and interests, and loved and valued by God, purchased at the price of His son. This perspective emphasizes the importance of treating employees with dignity, respect, and fairness, and encourages a supportive and nurturing work environment where each individual is recognized as a valuable member of the organization. Incorporating the Christian Worldview into HRM can also influence the approach to leadership, decision-making, and conflict resolution within an organization, promoting ethical and compassionate practices that align with Christian principles.
Keller’s Big-Picture Thinking
Keller & Alsdorf (2016) effectively demonstrate the divine purpose of work in the first four chapters of their book “Every Good Endeavor.” They utilize biblical examples to underscore the significance of work, emphasizing its design, dignity, cultivation, and service. The authors adeptly convey God’s intention for humanity in relation to work, advocating for a sense of pride and fulfillment in one’s professional endeavors. According to Diddams & Daniels (2008), “Creation affirms human nature and work itself as good.” Keller’s work draws upon biblical wisdom to address fundamental questions about work, including its purpose and significance. He contends that collaborative efforts in improving the world and aiding one another are inherent to God’s design for work. Keller further advocates for the approach of work with excellence, integrity, discipline, creativity, and passion, viewing them as acts of worship rather than mere self-interest. “Work has dignity because it is something that God does and because we do it in God’s place, as his representatives” (Keller & Alsdorf, 2016, p.49).
Hardy’s Introductory Thoughts
In the seminal work “The Fabric of this World: Inquiries into Calling, Career Choice, and the Design of Human Work,” Hardy (2003) elucidates the multifaceted nature of work and its profound implications for society. Chapter 1 serves as an incisive introduction to the concept of work, reconceptualizing it as a vocation or calling. This perspective foregrounds the notion of work as an integral contribution to the common weal, transcending the narrow confines of personal gain. Hardy’s discourse finds resonance with Keller’s views, which similarly elevate the role of work beyond individualistic pursuits.
The narrative juxtaposes the prevailing individual-centric attitudes towards work with the more communal orientations rooted in republican and biblical ethos. It further explores the Puritanical interpretation of work, particularly within English and American traditions, as a reciprocal service that advances the collective welfare.
Moreover, the treatise revisits the biblical interpretation of work as a divine vocation, seeking to reinvigorate this concept within the Reformation tradition. It posits work as a continuation of divine creativity, advocating for the judicious employment of human faculties to foster communal prosperity and to honor the divine.
In a critical vein, Hardy challenges the contemporary individualistic paradigm and advocates for an alternative socio-economic model that re-envisions work as an authentic service to humanity.
The discourse probes deeply into the existential significance of work, shedding light on its psychological and financial ramifications. “For human beings have not always maintained such an ambivalent attitude toward work” (Hardy, 2003). Furthermore, Hardy reflects on the historical ambivalence towards labor, contrasting the Greek denigration of work as a malevolent necessity with the Hebraic view, which promotes fulfillment in labor coupled with reverence for the divine. The analysis extends to the Hellenic quest for eternal legacy through God-like endeavors, underpinned by the reliance on slavery.
In essence, Hardy’s treatise offers a thorough examination of the construct of work, synthesizing diverse historical and cultural narratives to unpack its societal, psychological, and philosophical dimensions.
Implications for the Role of HR as a Strategic Business Function
The strategic role of HR in an organization cannot be overstated, as it has a significant impact on employee engagement and retention, as well as contributing to the company’s financial success (Valentine, 2019). HR can influence a company’s key goals and objectives by focusing on five key areas: Talent acquisition, Employee development, Succession planning, Technology, and Culture. According to Valentine (2019), the strategic role for HR involves addressing business realities, focusing on future business requirements, and understanding how the management of human capital fits into the organization’s plans. The shift in the way organizations view HR as compared to two decades ago is substantial and more beneficial to organizations in terms of how HR is perceived and valued today.
Furthermore, it is essential to evaluate the function of human resources from a Biblical or Christian Worldview. According to Jonsen (2017), the view of humanity as imago Dei, having inherent value, relationality, and creativity, contrasts with the instrumental neoclassical view of humanity as self-serving utility maximizers. As we delve into the true functions and capabilities of human resources, it becomes evident that they are all focused on people. The Christian way of treating people emphasizes respect, dignity, and humility, rather than treating them merely as a means to produce a product or service (Jonsen, 2017).
Conclusion
Human Resource Management (HRM) is an essential organizational function that orchestrates the coordination, management, and deployment of a firm’s workforce to fulfill its objectives. It is predicated on the investment in employee welfare, encompassing the entire gamut of staffing activities from recruitment to remuneration and professional growth. Integrating a Christian Worldview into HRM transforms the approach to acknowledge each individual as a divine creation, endowed with distinctive attributes and capacities, and meriting respect and value as beings redeemed by divine sacrifice.
Keller and Alsdorf (2016) in “Every Good Endeavor,” and Hardy (2003) in “The Fabric of this World,” both expound on the sanctity and purpose of labor, drawing on scriptural instances to accentuate its inherent worth and societal contribution. They advocate for a reimagining of labor as a vocation, a notion that elevates work from mere self-interest to a meaningful societal contribution.
The strategic import of HR is incontrovertible, influencing not only employee morale and retention but also the financial prosperity of the enterprise (Valentine, 2019). A Biblical perspective on HR posits humanity as imago Dei—beings of intrinsic worth and creativity—standing in stark contrast to the neoclassical depiction of humans as mere utility maximizers. This theological stance promotes a treatment of personnel that is rooted in respect, dignity, and humility, eschewing a purely instrumentalist view of human resources (Jonsen, 2017).
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