Human Resource Management - Hard and soft variants of HRM

Hard and soft variants of HRM

High-commitment or high-performance HRM, is often associated with management practices that focus on the 'human' element in managaing people and the notion of 'soft' HRM (Guest, 1987). Soft HRM has its emphasis on developing and investing in human capital, nurturing employee loyalty and providing well-rewarded and satisfying work. This approach prioritises a positive employer-employee relationship based on mutual trust, developed through employee participation (EP) and involvement in organisational decision-making, worker empowerment, collaboration and teamworking and a stakeholder approach where the interests of all groups are equally valued. This model of HRM views the organisation as pluralist, where the differing needs of…