LINE AND STAFF ASPECTS OF HRM:Authority, Line versus Staff Authority, Staff Manager

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Human Resource Management (MGT501)

Lesson-10

LINE AND STAFF ASPECTS OF HRM

After studying this chapter, students should be able to understand the following concepts:

A. Line and Staff Aspects

LESSON OVERVIEW

After reading this chapter student should know the basic concept of authority, different types of the

authority and difference between the line and staff hangers. Although most firms have a human resource

department with its own manager, all other managers tend to get involved in activities like recruiting,

interviewing, selecting, and training.

A. Line and staff aspects of HRM

I. Authority

Authority is the right to make decisions, to direct the work of others, and to give orders.

Authority refers to the rights inherent in a managerial position to give orders and expect the orders to be

obeyed. Authority was a major tenet of the early management writers, the glue that held the organization

together. It was to be delegated downward to lower-level managers. Each management position has specific

inherent rights that incumbents acquire from the position's rank or title.

Authority is related to one's position and ignores personal characteristics. When a position of authority is

vacated, the authority remains with the position.

The early management writers distinguished between two forms of authority.

a. Line Authority

b. Staff Authority

c. Functional Authority

Let's have brief view about the different types of authorities.

a. Line Authority

Line authority entitles a manager to direct the work of an employee. It is the employer-employee authority

relationship that extends from top to bottom. A line manager directs the work of employees and makes

certain decisions without consulting anyone. Sometimes the term line is used to differentiate line managers

from staff managers. Line emphasizes managers whose organizational function contributes directly to the

achievement of organizational objectives.

b. Staff Mangers and Staff Authority

Staff managers have staff authority. A manager's function is classified as line or staff based on the

organization's objectives. As organizations get larger and more complex, line managers find that they do not

have the time, expertise, or resources to get their jobs done effectively. They create staff authority functions

to support, assist, advice, and generally reduce some of the informational burdens they have.

c. Functional control

The authority exerted by a personnel manager as a coordinator of personnel activities. Here the manager

acts as "the right arm of the top executive."

II. Line versus Staff Authority

1. Line Versus Staff Authority Authority is the right to make decisions, to direct

the work of others, and to give orders. Line managers are authorized to direct the work of subordinates.

Staff managers are authorized to assist and advise line managers in accomplishing their basic goals. HR

managers are generally staff managers.

2. Line Managers' HRM Responsibilities Most line managers are responsible

for line functions, coordinative functions, and some staff functions.

Human Resource Management (MGT501)

III. Cooperative line and staff hr management:

In recruiting and hiring, it's generally the line manager's responsibility to specify the qualifications

employees need to fill specific positions. Then the HR staff takes over. They develop sources of qualified

applicants and conduct initial screening interviews. They administer the appropriate test. Then they refer

the best applicants to the supervisor (line manager), who interviews and selects the ones he/she wants.

IV. Line Manager

Authorized to direct the work of subordinates--they're always someone's boss. In addition, line managers

are in charge of accomplishing the organization's basic goals.

Line Managers' Human Resource Management Responsibilities

Placement

Orientation

Training

Improving job performance

Gaining creative cooperation

Interpreting policies and procedures

Controlling labor costs

Developing employee abilities

Creating and maintaining departmental morale

10. Protecting employees' health and physical condition

V. Staff Manager

Authorized to assist and advise line managers in accomplishing these basic goals. HR managers are

generally staff managers.

Responsibilities Of Staff Managers

Staff managers assist and advise line managers in accomplishing these basic goals. They do, however, need

to work in partnership with each other to be successful. Some examples of the HR responsibilities of staff

managers include assistance in hiring, training, evaluating, rewarding, counseling, promoting, and firing of

employees, and the administering of various benefits programs.

VI. Human Resource Manager:

An individual who normally acts in an advisory or staff capacity, working with other managers to help them

deal with human resource matters. One general trend is that HR personnel are servicing an increasing

number of employees. The human

resource manager is primarily

HR E x e c u ti v e s , G e n e r a lis ts &

responsible for coordinating the

S p e c ia lis ts

management of human resources to

help the organization achieve its

goals. There is a shared responsibility

between line managers and human

INDUSTRIAL

resource professionals.

HUMAN RESOURCES

RELATIONS

*1 & *2

The recognition of HR as a legitimate

*1 & *3

business unit has made it highly

strategic in nature and more critical

to achieving corporate objectives. To

MANAGER,

TRAINING &

COMPENSATION

EMPLOYMENT

succeed, HR executives must

DEVELOPMENT

& BENEFITS

understand

the

complex

*1--Executive

organizational design and be able to

*1--Executive

BENEFITS

ANALYST

*2--Generalist

determine the capabilities of the

*2--Generalist

*3---Specialist

*3 -Specialist

company's workforce, both today

and in the future. HR involvement in

strategy is necessary to ensure that human resources support the firm's mission. The future appears bright

for HR managers willing to forge a strategic partnership with other business units.

Human Resource Management (MGT501)

VII. Distinguish among human resource executives, generalists, and specialists.

a. HR Executives

Executives are top-level managers, who report directly to the corporation's chief executive officer or the

head of a major division.

b. HR Generalists:

Generalists are people who perform tasks in a wide variety of human resource-related areas. The generalist

is involved in several, or all, of the human resource management functions.

c. HR Specialist:

Specialist may be a human resource executive, manager, or non-manager who typically is concerned with

only one of the functional areas of human resource management.

Key Terms

Authority: Authority is the right to make decisions, to direct the work of others, and to give orders.

Executives: Executives are top-level managers, who report directly to the corporation's chief executive

officer or the head of a major division.

Generalists: Generalists are people who perform tasks in a wide variety of human resource-related areas.

The generalist is involved in several, or all, of the human resource management functions.

Line Authority: Line authority entitles a manager to direct the work of an employee.

Specialist: Specialist may be a human resource executive, manager, or non-manager who typically is

concerned with only one of the functional areas of human resource management.

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