Transforming the HRM vision into reality. The role of line managers and supervisors in implementing change
| Pages | 5-20 |
| DOI | https://doi.org/10.1108/01425459510103451 |
| Date | 01 December 1995 |
| Published date | 01 December 1995 |
| Author | Ian Cunningham,Jeff Hyman |
| Subject Matter | HR & organizational behaviour |
Transforming
the HRM vision
into reality
5
Transforming the HRM vision
into reality
The role of line managers and
supervisors in implementing change
Ian Cunningham and Jeff Hyman
University of Strathclyde, Glasgow, Scotland
Introduction
Competitive domestic and international markets have meant UK employers are
facing the need to develop quality products and services at minimum cost.
Employees are perceived as making the most significant contribution towards
implementing corporate plans, which place quality and cost control at the heart
of organizational business strategies. Despite ambiguity concerning the exact
definition of human resource management (HRM), a central feature is the prime
role allocated to supervisors and line managers in ensuring the success of its
performance outcomes. Managers are required to take on new people
management roles, whether it be through a style which is “hard” and control-
centred or more “soft” and facilitative. To achieve these aims, managers need a
concomitant increase in their training and development in people-centred skills.
However, the record for educational attainment and training and development
among UK managers has previously been inadequate (Handy et al., 1988).
Given the above, the aim of this article is to add to the current debate
surrounding the nature of the supervisory and line management role in
implementing HRM practices. It begins by establishing the context of the
debate and then identifies the principal features of HRM practice adopted by 45
employers. This is followed by an assessment of the impact of these HRM
practices on supervisor and line management functions. Further, it examines
the degree to which organizations train and develop their managers to take on
these roles. Finally, we discuss the implications of our findings for our sample
of employers and the wider economy.
Methodology
The article presents findings from an in-depth study of 45 establishments (nine
in the public sector) covering 100,000 employees in Scotland. There was an
equal division among organizations in manufacturing and services. A lengthy
(15-page) questionnaire was administered to the most senior human resource
specialist on site and following completion an interview was organized with the
same person to expand on questionnaire responses. In nine organizations,
Employee Relations, Vol. 17 No. 8,
1995, pp. 5-20 © MCBUniversity
Press, 0142-5455
The findings in this article are taken from a wider research programme, “Preparing Managers for
Changes in Employee Relations”, funded by the Leverhulme Trust.
Employee
Relations
17,8
6
additional questionnaires were distributed to samples of line managers and
supervisory staff surveying their levels of preparation and perceived
competence in dealing with a range of employee relations matters.
Human resource management and the central role of supervisory
and line management
HRM is seen as a way of securing competitive advantage through the strategic
deployment of a highly committed and capable workforce. There are “hard” and
“soft” interpretations of the concept. The former assumes a rational,
instrumental manipulation of human resources for the benefit of the
organization, usually through achieving optimum flexibility and deployment of
employee numbers. The latter emphasizes increasing the commitment/
motivation of the workforce and developing employees to meet the long-term
goals of the organization. The link between the two is the central role of
managers in implementing successful employee relations policies (Legge, 1995;
Storey, 1992).
HRM represents a catalyst for change for the supervisory function. Three
possible outcomes have been identified. First, supervisors can become a “mini-
manager” and may be expected to shoulder additional and extensive
responsibilities in employee relations. The establishment of team working can
place them in a co-ordinating role over a number of teams. Parallel initiatives
requiring enhanced supervisor commitment include total quality and just-in-
time management (JIT) (Storey, 1992). Inherent in this is a move away from
leaving such functions to specialist personnel department (Kinnie, 1989).
Moreover, it is said to represent change from traditional, autocratic styles of
management (Keep, 1989). A second possibility is that HRM may lead to the
eradication of the role altogether. Third, even among organizations which do
not completely remove the function, the failure of supervisors to meet more
exacting standards can mean a return to operator ranks (Storey, 1992).
HRM also involves considerable change in the role of line managers. A recent
survey of 15 companies found line managers were becoming far more
important in the management of human resources. Their responsibilities can
include allocating individualized pay awards, appraisal, training and
development, motivating teams, on-the-job coaching, reducing costs, improving
quality, responding to customer need, continuous improvement and deploying
labour. Line managers are expected to develop into “business managers” with
an awareness of the total organization (Storey, 1992).
Commentators have, therefore, identified profound changes for supervisors
and line managers emanating from HRM practices. In order to begin to analyse
the degree of change among our sample, we now assess the employee relations
practices implemented among the 45 respondents.
Survey results
Survey organizations and human resource management
Evidence from recent surveys suggests that the UK has seen significant growth
in the adoption of techniques associated with HRM during the 1990s (see
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