Question
How can HR managers support line managers and staff?
Answer
Human Resource (HR) managers can play a crucial role in supporting line managers and staff by enhancing the implementation of HR practices and fostering effective collaboration. Here are key ways HR managers can provide support:
Enhancing Line Managers’ Implementation Abilities
Training and Development: HR departments can improve line managers’ abilities to implement HR practices by providing targeted training and involving them in the development of HR practices (Trullén et al., 2016; De Beeck, Wynen and Hondeghem, 2017; Kuvaas, Dysvik and Buch, 2014).
Field Support: Deploying HR specialists in the field to offer direct support and guidance to line managers can enhance their implementation capabilities (Trullén et al., 2016).
Fostering Collaboration and Value Congruence
Value Alignment: Ensuring that HR and line managers share congruent HR values can lead to better collaboration and more effective HR implementation (Zhang et al., 2024).
Political Skills: HR managers can use their political skills to manage value incongruence and improve collaboration levels (Zhang et al., 2024).
Building a Support Network
Organisational Support: Providing a broad support network, including HR, supervisors, and coworkers, is essential for effective HR implementation by line managers (De Beeck, Wynen and Hondeghem, 2017; De Beeck, Wynen and Hondeghem, 2018).
Senior Management Involvement: Securing support from senior management can empower line managers and enhance their HR role performance (Nielsen and Yarker, 2022).
Facilitating Knowledge Sharing
Encouraging Teamwork: Line managers can be supported to facilitate knowledge sharing within teams, which is crucial for strategic HR outcomes (MacNeil, 2003).
Tailoring Support to Managerial Levels
Customized Approaches: Different managerial levels may require tailored support strategies. For instance, middle managers might need different resources compared to first-line managers (De Beeck, Wynen and Hondeghem, 2018).
Conclusion
HR managers can significantly support line managers and staff by enhancing training, fostering collaboration, aligning values, and building robust support networks. These efforts not only improve HR practice implementation but also contribute to overall organisational effectiveness.
References
Trullén, J., Stirpe, L., Bonache, J., & Valverde, M., 2016. The HR department’s contribution to line managers’ effective implementation of HR practices. Human Resource Management Journal, 26, pp. 449-470. https://doi.org/10.1111/1748-8583.12116
Zhang, Z., Lee, H., Jiang, K., & Chen, Y., 2024. Dancing in Tandem: The Role of HR Value Congruence and Line Manager‐HR Manager Collaboration in Effective HR Implementation. Human Resource Management. https://doi.org/10.1002/hrm.22272
De Beeck, S., Wynen, J., & Hondeghem, A., 2017. Effective HRM Implementation by Line Managers: Relying on Various Sources of Support. International Journal of Public Administration, 40, pp. 192 – 204. https://doi.org/10.1080/01900692.2015.1075553
Nielsen, K., & Yarker, J., 2022. What can I do for you? Line managers’ behaviours to support return to work for workers with common mental disorders. Journal of Managerial Psychology. https://doi.org/10.1108/jmp-09-2021-0500
MacNeil, C., 2003. Line managers: facilitators of knowledge sharing in teams. Employee Relations, 25, pp. 294-307. https://doi.org/10.1108/01425450310475874
De Beeck, S., Wynen, J., & Hondeghem, A., 2018. Explaining Effective HRM Implementation: A Middle Versus First-Line Management Perspective. Public Personnel Management, 47, pp. 144 – 174. https://doi.org/10.1177/0091026018760931
Kuvaas, B., Dysvik, A., & Buch, R., 2014. Antecedents and Employee Outcomes of Line Managers’ Perceptions of Enabling HR Practices. Organisations & Markets: Policies & Processes eJournal. https://doi.org/10.1111/joms.12085
