Emerging Strategic Human Resource Themes for Sustainable High Performance Work Systems

Abstract

This presentation discusses howa shift is happening in the management of the human resource in the present era of chaotic competition. Traditional HRM focus is giving way to a new HR paradigm that is tangibly linked to organizational performance and realization of its strategicgoals. In order to gain competitive advantage and build high performance work systems, companies are increasingly resorting to the strategic management of human resources. Towards this end, seven key themes in strategic HRM, which most enlightened global organizations are focusing on, have been discussed. These themes are: primacy on soft as opposed to hard HR; employee first, customer second approach; buildingHR intangibles; hiring and retaining the gold-collared worker; employee cooperation through voice; employee engagement; and cuture change through HR strategy alignment. It is arguedthat implementing these HR themes can help organizations in differentiating their human resource management which can be a key tool for promoting excellence. However, HR departments need to change their architecture tomake this happen.