Research Paper on Modern Organisations: HR in the 21st Century

Introduction

Modern organizations are divided into various departments which are of crucial importance to the success of their operations. Departments usually operate differently and headed personnel independently by highly competent and qualified personnel (Leonard, 2019). When compared to the human resources departments that existed like a decade ago, human resources of the modern-day operate very differently (Leonard, 2019). Dynamic regulation demands, ethical issues, compliance issues and changes in the job markets have forced the human resource managers to be nimble business partners in ensuring there is strategic development of successful businesses. There is the existence of numerous contemporary issues that face managers should be well understood (Leonard, 2019). A thorough understanding of these issues will enhance the utilization of the valuable resource of human resources to the best advantage of the organization.

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The gig economy has turned things around in an unexpected way (Leonard, 2019). Many of the talented, result-oriented, determined and resilient personnel opt for freelancing works in the area they have specialized in (Leonard, 2019). These choices are made at the expense of the traditional workforce. According to Leonard (2019), choosing to shift away from the traditional workforce gives individuals the flexibility they desire in terms of lifestyle. Individuals will opt for contract employment which is considered by many as a great selling point for their potential clients (Leonard, 2019). Overhead costs will also be extremely minimal for contract employees. Although this is a great system for the individual's talents, the trend of working with different systems poses a great challenge to the human resource requirements (Leonard, 2019). Study shows that the unavailability of the most competent and qualified talents for filling the in house positions forces the managers to find suitable ways of creating long term contracts or developing the talents they wish to work with.

This is undesirable due to the high costs that may accompany these decisions; for example, contracts may be terminated in public service at any time may be due to unexpected or low performance which would force the organization to pay the whole amount to those they have signed contracts with. Developing their talents would be so costly due to the lack of economies of scale and the concept of value for time. Although employee attitude, as well as, behavior play significant roles in explanation of the human resource management performance links, roles of employee perceptions in the explanation of the links among the human resource management and performance outcomes has not yet been adequately addressed (Vermeeren, Kuipers & Steijn, 2009). This paper focuses on the relationship between the quality of public service and human resource management. The insight will assist the public organizations to improve their performances through the design and adoption of better human resource management policies.

Background of the Study

The rise of new public management has led to a confrontation in the public sector with the demand for showing the cost-effectiveness and efficiency growing (Vermeeren, Kuipers & Steijn, 2009). There has been an increased awareness of public performance. The public service is required to provide the services to the citizens. The performance outcomes such as customer satisfaction have become essential (Vermeeren, Kuipers & Steijn, 2009). Human resources have proven to be the top contributing factor in the improvement of the private sector. They could also play a significant role in the improvement of public service quality and efficiency. Despite this important potential benefits that can come from proper human resource strategies, the developments in the public sectors are far below what should be achieved.

Customer satisfaction greatly relies and is based on the individual employee's behavior (Vermeeren, Kuipers & Steijn, 2009). It is apparent that service delivery only takes place when there is a contract between the customers and the employees in the public service. Human resource management is technically and primarily about the employees in the public service. The employee's attitude and behavior are of much relevance concerning customer satisfaction (Vermeeren, Kuipers & Steijn, 2009). Dissatisfied employees have proven to deliver the worst performance both in the private and the public sector. A happy and highly motivated employee will often turn out to be productive. In public service, human resource practices must succeed in playing the roles of building the human capital pool and the stimulation of the human behavior that will constitute an advantage.

Statement of the Problem

This research aimed to identify contemporary issues in human resources in public service. Professional in the human resource field will often struggle with getting the most out of their workforce. Rarely will there be the right combination of skills, ethical conduct, the right attitude for delivering results as well as required experience and this is a great blow to the human resource field (Armstrong, 2010)? The public service will miss one or almost all of the factors as mentioned above for delivering efficient and effective services to the general public.

These, among other contemporary issues, will greatly affect the performance of the public service. The essence of the topic in discussion is based upon the different types of challenges that are encountered when it comes to the human resources at the public service, especially the inadequacy of their capabilities. The relationship of the human resource personnel departments and other sectors of the public service also encounters several challenges. There is a need for correct integration of all the sectors to maximize the productivity of the public service.

In the modern dynamic world, individuals tend to be selective when choosing the type of work to be occupied in; this might affect the public service as it is likely that the conditions such as payment and working conditions are likely to be less favorable than other institutions and systems of work - also, automation and innovation force public service to prepare itself to train human resources. The inability of public service to coordinate with the technology developers to create programs that will easily roll out with their employees deals a huge blow.

This research aims to fulfil the below-listed objectives concerning the contemporary issues in human resource in public service:

• Identify and discuss the contemporary issues in human resources in public service.
• Identify the effects of these issues in the public service.
• Elaborate on these challenges and effects and propose solutions that can be implemented to assist in solving these challenges.
• The study will also present significant and relevant evidence to support this argument

The main research question to be discussed in this paper is: under what conditions and to which extent does the relationship between human resource management, employees conduct, behavior as well as attitudes and the public service performance exist.

The Essence of the Issue

The concept of human resource in public service is of much essence (Armstrong 2010). Human resource management is mostly concerned with various aspects of how individuals are employed and organized in organizations and our case, the public service. Human resource management aims at supporting the public service achieve their objectives through developing and implementation of human resource strategies which can be integrated within the strategic services of public administration (Armstrong, 2010). Human resources enhance the development of a high culture of delivering desirable results at all times.

In the Handbook of Human-resource Management Practice, it is stated that it is the human resources that ensure the public service acquires skilled, engaged as well as the talented workforce it needs. Human resources also create desirable and positive employment relationship among the top management and the employees where a climate of mutual trust is built (Armstrong, 2010). There are assumptions in the philosophy of human resource management. The beliefs include the assumption that human resources give the public administration a competitive advantage (Armstrong, 2010). The aim should be to enhance there is employee commitment, that human resources decisions are of strategic relevance. Therefore, human resource policies must be integrated into the context of business strategies.

Human resource management leans greatly on the theories and models of motivation and commitment, including other ideas from the area of organizational behavior (Armstrong, 2010). Human resource management appears to be diverse, several models of human resource management exist, and the practices are also diverse.

Key components of the human resource strategies in public service are; investing in the people, which helps them in improving the level of intellectual capital. Performance management helps in the integration of the values that are contained in the human resource strategies into performance management processes.

The integration will ensure the reviews concentrate on how effectively the people perform these values. Job design emerges as a key component which is concerned with the design of jobs and their relation to all sectors of public service. Another key component of the human resource strategy is the reward system. The development of the reward strategies should take into account the fact that the public administration is a hard-driven sector.

Nature of Human Resource Problems in Public Administration

Management of human resources in public administration is complex (Covell, 2016). It involves the academic field, a field of science-related management and application as well as the field of managerial professionalism, which includes political and legal processes (Covell, 2016). There is a lack of effectiveness in the management of human resources in public administration which requires incorporation of human resource developments as well as strategic planning to ensure the right people hold the right positions. The capacity of the public service has been reduced for reasons such as personnel not possessing employable skills in the contemporary public administration, which belittles the government (Covell, 2016).

Contemporary Issues in Human Resource Management within Public Administration

Among the contemporary issues in human resource in public service often revolves in the recruitment, selection of public employees, diversity in the management in the public sector (Guo et al., 2011). The fact that most of the workforce in the public service is ageing is a significant threat that poses a more substantial threat to public service. There is an immediate threat of high turnover and a possible shortage of unqualified replacements (Abdullah, 2009). There is a growing vacuum among the bench of leadership, which is the next generation of top public service employees and policymakers who are expected to assume the critical roles of directing public service efforts of effective delivery.

The dynamism of the definition of the concept of career means that employee's loyalty will only be tenuous at its best. This discourages the employees from opting to join the public service for the long haul (Abdullah, 2009). The recruitment in the civil service seems to be more permanent than in the private sectors. Contract employment in the public service is also much secure as it will lead to the same financial benefits in case of termination. Changes in demands of the skill requirements will be experienced in the public...