Barriers to SHRM

Nothing is free from obstacles. SHRM also suffers from some barriers. These barriers are related to mentality, strategy and outcomes Barriers are classified into seven main types. All these barriers to strategic human resource management are briefly discussed below:

Barriers to Strategic Human Resource Management

1. Short term mentality: Short-term mentality and focus on the current performance of SFIRM is the first barrier. Every manager act, long-term focus, because the organization has been established with long-terms objectives/focus.
2. Strategic inability: Very often SHRM does not think strategically and he cannot think it to due in capability. This type of inability may arise for many reasons as lack of technical knowledge, insufficient training and the like.
3. Lack of appreciation: Sometimes top managers do not recognize the activities of strategic human resource management. So SHR manager does not get interested in doing any innovative venture. A few appreciations may get them a substantial mental boost up.
4. Failure understands role: General managerial roles may not be fully understood by be managers. This failure is due to lack of knowledge about the specialty of a degree of responsibility. This failure may create distance between these managers.
5. Difficulty in quantifying outcomes: Many outcomes may not be quantified. But SHRM tries to enjoy the contribution. This is not always possible. Participation, work etc. type function cannot be quantified because of their intangibility.
6. Wong perception on human assets: Investment in human assets may be regarded as high risk than that of technology and information. Though these technologies are run by the human resources. This wrong perception may inhibit the progress.
7. Resistance: SHR Managers may be resisted because of the incentives for change that might arise. The change implemented demand some incentives for efforts to execute the changed program. If these incentives are not given reasonable, they may create barriers SHRM.

The key role of strategic HR management is already known and there are some issues that HR strategy may address:

1. Structure

The success of the company depends a lot on whether there is a proper management structure in place.

2. Team-working

By withdrawing old traditional hierarchies a background of creating a team building is created. In a lot of cases, the less layers there are between the workers and director there are, the more harmonized is the working environment. Also the communication between staff is easier and more effective. In addition to that, it could have far-reaching effects on flexibility and performance and to achieving a better coordination of business.

3. Performance

This strategy is based on an analysis of the critical success factors and the performance levels reached in relation to them. The performance can be improved by taking the steps to improve training, development, reorganization, the development of performance management processes, business process re-engineering, etc. A lot of companies have already adopted performance management processes in which the emphasis is on performance improvement and development and not reward. This scheme brings new priorities of involvement, teamwork and self-development.

4. Quality and customer care

The aim of most companies is to achieve the competitive advantage. The competitive advantage is often measured by customer satisfaction and hence loyalty and retention. Innovation and cost reduction is still important but the main focus of attention should be the customers because if they reject the product due to it not meeting their expectations then everything else looses the sense. Therefore the strategy for quality should be built into the business strategy.

Achieving a complete integration of HR and business strategies is quite complicated. Partly the reason for that is that in the past HR manager in the company was not considered to be a part of a general management team. Furthermore, the personnel advice was not a part of strategic direction. However, in today’s modern business HR is indispensable.