Human resources management (HR management)

Human resources management focuses on the management and support of a company’s workforce, known as human resources or HR. The challenge lies in reconciling the company’s interests and employee requirements. Human resources management (HRM) is also known as personnel management. Its tasks include HR planning, employee recruitment and staff management.

Employee recruitment

Employee recruitment is a key part of HR management. The aim of employee recruitment is to secure the employees who are most suitable for the positions and tasks concerned for the company. Employee recruitment tasks include the drawing-up and publication of job advertisements, the organization of the application process, the processing of incoming applications and communication with applicants etc. The following terms are important in employee recruitment:

• external and internal recruitment: external recruitment is where the employer looks to the labour market outside of the company. In contrast, internal recruitment is where the company looks for a suitable candidate for the vacancy from amongst its existing workforce. If necessary, it takes measures to prepare employees for such opportunities through advanced training and courses.
• E-recruiting: e-recruiting refers to employee recruitment with digital support. The entire recruitment process is made easier and more efficient by using relevant software.
• Social media recruiting: social media recruiting is employee recruitment via social media channels such as Xing, LinkedIn and Facebook etc.
  

Active employee recruitment / active sourcing

Active sourcing is where the company proactively approaches and recruits potential employees. The concept of active sourcing differs from traditional methods of employee recruitment, which tend to adopt a more passive approach, as they “wait” for the arrival of applications to a job advert. Active sourcing has become much easier thanks to social media.

Onboarding

Onboarding is a sub-process of employee recruitment which aims to integrate new employees into their new working environment quickly and efficiently.

Cultural fit

The cultural fit indicates how compatible applicants are with the corporate culture. The cultural fit – in addition to professional and social skills – is becoming an increasingly important part of job interviews. If there is a lack of compatibility between employees and companies, this can cause the atmosphere at the workplace to deteriorate after the appointment.

Development of employer branding

Employer branding aims to present a company as an attractive employer. The company highlights its particular strengths as an employer and communicates them on the labour market. An appealing employer brand is likely to attract potential applicants who are also well matched in terms of the company’s values (see cultural fit).