Objectives of HRM

The objectives of HRM are usually grouped under four heads, arranged from the broadest (society) down to the most individual (the employee):

1. Societal objectives — HRM must ensure the organisation meets its ethical and legal obligations towards society, so that the organisation's need for human resources does not come at society's expense. This includes complying with labour laws, providing safe working conditions, avoiding discrimination in employment, and contributing to social welfare through fair employment practices.
2. Organisational objectives — HRM exists, first and foremost, to help the organisation achieve its own goals. This means recognising that HRM is a means to organisational effectiveness, not an end in itself — HR policies must be designed to help the organisation succeed, whether that means improving productivity, quality, or profitability.
3. Functional objectives — HRM must maintain the HR department's own contribution at a level appropriate to the organisation's needs. An HR department that is over-resourced for a small organisation wastes resources, while one that is under-resourced for a large, complex organisation cannot serve it properly — the HR function must be scaled and matched to what the organisation genuinely requires.
4. Personal objectives — HRM must help each employee achieve their own personal goals, at least to the extent that doing so also enhances the employee's contribution to the organisation. This includes helping employees find satisfaction, opportunities for growth, fair pay, and recognition — an organisation that ignores employees' personal objectives is likely to see poor morale, low productivity, and high employee turnover. …