Significance of HRM in Agriculture
Discuss about the Concept of human resource management.
The concept of “human resource management” has gained a considerable amount of importance in the contemporary business world. The employees of a particular organization are its most important assets and therefore it becomes of paramount importance for the organizations not only to recruit new individuals who would add a considerable value to their organization but also to retain them within the framework of their organization (Truss et al., 2013). “Human resource management” is more commonly called by the name of HRM or HR. The “Human resource management” is generally seen as a strategic framework which deals with the effective management of the different employees or the individuals who are related to a particular business organization or industry (Briscoe, Tarique & Schuler, 2012). The HRM team of a any business organization is imbued with a variety of roles like the process of selection as well as recruitment, induction, performance management, providing the relevant information to the new employees about the job roles which they perform, job design, management of diversity at the workplace, ensuring that the workers have adequate amount of work-life balance, addressing the grievances of the employees, providing primary as well as the secondary training to the employees and others (Brewster, Chung & Sparrow, 2016). This essay will discuss about the role of the “human resource management” within the agricultural industry. The essay will focus on the concepts of “recruitment and selection, managing diversity and work-life balance and performance management and also reward and recognition and the benefits which they render to the business enterprises associated with the agricultural industry”.
Agriculture has been a major source of subsistence for the human beings since the ancient times. The agriculture industry from the various parts of the world generated net revenue of approximately “$2.9 billion” for the year 2016 and in the prediction of many experts this particular amount is likely to continue to grow in a significant manner in the future as well (Willer & Lernoud, 2018). The customers of this particular industry can be said to be the entire human population and therefore this particular industry is likely to have a customer base of “9.7 billion people by 2050” (Willer & Lernoud, 2018). In addition to this, it is significant to note that this particular industry provides employment to around 65% of the people who belong to below the poverty line from the different parts of the world and this particular industry single handedly contributes about “one-third of global gross-domestic product (GDP)” (Willer & Lernoud, 2018). According to a 2016 report of the World Bank, “hunger is a challenge for 815 million people worldwide and in 2014, 2.1 billion people were overweight and obese, 62% of them in developing countries”(Willer & Lernoud, 2018).
Role of HRM in Agriculture
The agricultural industry, although “one of the largest ones of the world as well as one of the most flourishing ones of the world” is currently facing various kinds of issues as well as challenges because of the ineffective management of the human resources related to this particular industry (Findlay & McCollum, 2013). The major challenge this particular industry is facing at the current moment is its inability to get the adequate number of trained as well as skilled professionals. The industry currently has more than 600,000 job positions out of which only 100,000 have been filled (Findlay & McCollum, 2013). Furthermore, it is true that the industry provides jobs to m0re than 65% of the people belonging to below the poverty line (Findlay & McCollum, 2013). However, not many educated as well as skilled individuals like to opt for the jobs which the agricultural industry provides on account of the crude nature of the work which they need to do. Thus, it is seen that in the majority of the agricultural organizations of the world the organization faces the problem of inadequate staffing.
Another significant problem which the majority of the agricultural organizations of the current times face is the problem of the ineffective performance of the workers or the employees. Many scholars are of the opinion that the lack of the use of the recent technology as well as the inadequate staffing is adversely affecting the prospects of the various organizations (Hennebry & Preibisch, 2012). Thus, the according to an estimate the productivity rate of these industries is lower than the expected rate by almost 15% and is expected to decline even further below (Hennebry & Preibisch, 2012).
Ineffective management of the diversity and the cultural factors is another factor which has significantly affected the prospects of the various organizations in the recent times. The agricultural industry is one of the most diverse ones and it is generally seen that the employees related to this particular industry are from diverse social as well as cultural backgrounds (Shantz et al., 2013). The various organizations belonging to the agricultural industry fail to effectively utilize this particular diversity and thereby fail to perform as per the expectations of the industry.
The people who work in the agricultural industry had to lead a very hectic life and also the amount of hard labor which they need to put in for the work is more in comparison to the other industries. Thus, it is often seen that the various employees fail to effectively maintain their “work life balance” in the most effective manner and it is one of the main reasons for the high rate of dissatisfaction as well as attrition of the employees who belong to this particular industry (Alarcón & Sánchez, 2013).
Recruitment and Selection in Agriculture
Many scholars are of the opinion that perhaps the most important role of the HRM team is the conduct of the process of “recruitment and selection” (Kramer et al., 2011). This particular role becomes very significant in the agricultural industry as well since this is one of the fastest growing industries of the world and thus it can be said that the role of the HRM becomes even more a very important one in this particular industry (Alfes et al., 2013). It is during the recruitment as well as the selection process that the various business organizations related to the agricultural industry acquire the kind of employees who are to add value to the organization concerned (Alfes et al., 2013). Therefore, the recruitment process which the various business organizations follow in this particular industry is a very elaborate one and takes a considerable amount of time. The primary purpose of this is to select as well as recruit the right kind of candidates who would contribute in a significant manner towards the organization concerned. Furthermore, the agricultural industry is one which is highly dependent on the technological field and therefore the primary focus of the “Human resource management” teams during the recruitment as well as the selection is to see the technological aptitude of the candidates. Moreover, the agricultural industry requires the employees to work in diverse kinds of environment and therefore this is another consideration which the various organizations related to the agricultural industry and the “Human resource management” teams related to them need to make (Brewster, 2017). Many scholars are of the opinion that an effective workforce is one of the most basic needs of the various industries as well as the business organizations and it in this particular context that the role of the HRM becomes very significant. Therefore, the various organizations of the agricultural industry should try to take the help of effective “recruitment and selection” process to increase the number which they have. The various business enterprises of the world like Tesco, Telstra and others have developed elaborate recruitment and selection processes with the objective to recruit employees who are likely to add a significant value to the enterprise. The agricultural company Syngenta since the year also takes the help of effective recruitment and selection processes for the recruitment of the employees.
The concept of performance management has attained a considerable amount of significance and it is a reflection of this particular fact that the various “Human resource management” teams of the business organizations related to the agricultural industry are taking the help of this particular method to “not only enhance the individual performance of the employees related to the particular business organization or the company but also to enhance the overall performance of the organization or the company concerned” (Kramer et al., 2011). Therefore, the various “Human resource management” teams in the present times take the help of various kinds of performance management tools for the assessment of the performance level of the various employees who are related to the concerned business organization. An effective measurement of the performance level of the various employees is very important as it helps the various “Human resource management” teams and the business organizations to which they are related to reward the employees who are performing in a better manner and to provide support, motivation, training and other kinds of help to the employees who are not being able to perform as per the requirements of the concerned business organization (Alarcón & Sánchez, 2013). Furthermore, an effective measurement of the performance level of the various employees related to the business organization is also very important as it gives an idea to the organization whether further training is required or the business organization under consideration here needs to take the help of other kinds of strategies for the enhancement of the performance level of the employees (Kafetzopoulos & Gotzamani, 2014). The system of “reward and recognition” which the various “Human resource management” teams follow for the purpose of the performance management has dual roles. Firstly, it helps the concerned business organization to reward the hard work of the employees who are related to the organization and secondly, it also helps the organization and the HRM team to effectively motivate the employees who are not being able to perform as per the requirements of the organization by showing them the rewards which they are likely to get if they perform in a better manner (Kafetzopoulos & Gotzamani, 2014). The concept of motivation plays a key role in the performance of the various employees related to a particular organization and thus the various “human resource management” teams try to focus on this particular concept in order to improve the performance of the various employees. Thus, the agricultural company “Dow and DuPont” takes the help of periodical assessment of the performance of the employees with the objective to further enhance the performance level of the company. The company at the same time takes the help of effective reward and recognition system to reward the deserving and the hardworking employees. Therefore, the organizations should take the help of effective measures to enhance the performance level of the employees.
Managing Diversity and Work-Life Balance in Agriculture
The “management of diversity and work-life balance” is another important role of the “Human resource management” teams related to the agricultural industry which has gained prominence in the recent times (Kramer et al., 2011). In the present times it is generally seen that on the score of the “advent of globalization” and other factors the various workplaces have become more diverse than it used to be due the people from the different cultural as well as social backgrounds who form an important part of the workplace. Furthermore, the agricultural industry employs more than 65% of the people belonging to below the poverty line section (Truss et al., 2013). Therefore, it is seen that the effective management of this diverse workforce has emerged as one of the most important job roles of the “Human resource management” teams in the present times. This diverse workforce if not effectively managed not only leads to the “creation of a negative environment at the workplace but also affects the performance level of the employees and the organization concerned” (Truss et al., 2013). It is a reflection of this particular fact that the “Human resource management” teams take the help of various kinds of methods like the process of “employee engagement”, “recreational activities” and others where the various employees get a platform to bond with each other and also get to know each other (Truss et al., 2013). These activities considerably help in the effective management of the diverse workforce which the majority of the business organizations related to the agricultural industry has in the present times. The organization “Bayer” taking the help of this particular concept tries to effectively manage diversity at its workplace and at the same time tries to utilize this particular concept for the enhancement of the performance level of the workplace. Thus, it can be said that the organizations should try to take the help of help of various kinds of methods to effectively utilize the diversity of the organization.
The concept of “work life balance” has gained a considerable amount of significance in the recent times and has also emerged as one of the key responsibilities of the “Human resource management” teams related to the various business organizations of the present times (Konrad, Yang & Maurer, 2016). Thus, it is generally seen that the various HRM teams try to create an environment where in the employees related to the organization are able to maintain a balance between their personal as well as professional lives. The human beings by nature are social beings and therefore it is generally seen that the more better personal life a particular individual has the more better will be his or her professional performance (Alfes et al., 2013). It is a reflection of this particular fact that the “Human resource management” teams related to the various business organization belonging to the agricultural industry takes the help of this particular concept to enhance the performance level of the employees (Albrecht et al., 2015). The concept of “work life balance” also helps in the reduction of the level of stress felt by the various employees related to the diverse business organizations of the agricultural industry and this is one of the main reasons for the focus of the “human resource management” teams on this particular concept. Therefore, the organization “Pesticide Company Consolidations” tries to take the help of this particular concept for the process of maintaining the “work life balance” of the employees who are associated with them. Thus, it would be apt to say that the organization needs to come up with effective measures so that the “work life balance” of the employees is maintained.
Performance Management in Agriculture
Another significant method which the HRM teams in the framework of the agricultural industry can take the help of is the system of rewards and recognition. It is significant to note that the rewarding the hard working employees not only enables the HRM teams to reward the hard work of the employees in a much better manner but at the same time helps the HRM team to motivate the other employees who are not performing up to mark to perform in a better manner (Shantz et al., 2013). It is a reflection of this particular fact that the organizations like Starbucks and others tries to effectively reward the employees who contribute value to the organization by dint of their hard work. The agricultural organization “Monsanto” also has evolved its own system of reward and recognition by means of which it rewards the deserving employees. Therefore, the various HRM teams related to the agricultural industry can take the help of this particular concept to further enhance the performance level of the employees.
To conclude, the management of the human resources has emerged as one of the most important aspects of the management of the various business organizations of the present times. It is a reflection of this particular concept that in the recent times it is generally seen that the “Human resource management” teams related to the various business organizations play a wide range of roles like selection as well as recruitment, induction, performance management, providing the relevant information to the new employees about the job roles which they perform, job design, management of diversity at the workplace, ensuring that the workers have adequate amount of work-life balance, addressing the grievances of the employees, providing primary as well as the secondary training to the employees and others. The role of the “Human resource management” teams becomes even more important within the specific context of the agricultural industry as the industry is one of the rapidly growing ones in the present times and thus requires the effective management of the various employees who are related to them.
References
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