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HRM Dissertation Topics

Published by Carmen Troy at January 6th, 2023 , Revised On August 15, 2023

Introduction

Human resource management studies stated that employees should be hired, retained and managed. It is an extensive field that requires an in-depth understanding of the underlying factors and concepts.

As a human resource management student, you will study many different concepts, frameworks, and theories related to employee management. However, before your graduation, you will be required to submit a dissertation on a human resource management research topic of your choice.

Even though several topics and concepts are yet to explore in the field of human resource management, you will want to make sure that your proposed topic has sufficient literature to support and justify the content of a theoretical framework , or else you might struggle with data collection .

This article provides you with a comprehensive list of HRM topics that are relevant to your field and identifies some interesting literature gaps.

Choosing from our list of topics will certainly improve your chances of submitting an outstanding dissertation. So, go ahead and choose an HRM dissertation topic of your interest. We can even customize these topics based on your project needs.

PhD qualified writers of our team have developed the proposed topics, so you can trust to use these topics for drafting your dissertation.

Note –

You may also want to start your dissertation by requesting a brief research proposal from our writers on any of these topics, which includes an introduction to the topic, research question , aim and objectives , literature review along with the proposed methodology of research to be conducted. Let us know if you need any help in getting started.

Check our dissertation examples to get an idea of how to structure your dissertation .

Review the full list of dissertation topics for 2022 here.

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2022 HRM Dissertation Topics

Topic 1: how human resources departments achieve equal employment opportunities.

Research Aim: The research will aim to investigate how HR departments achieve equal employment opportunity in organizations. EEO, or Equal Employment Opportunity, is the notion everybody has an equal chance to pursue a job on the basis of merit, regardless of skin color, gender, or gender identity. It is the duty of HR department to give every employee and equal right in the organization. The research will examine how HR department keep the organization environment friendly by controlling equal employment opportunities.

Topic 2: The effect of motivating strategies on employee performance

Research Aim: The research will aim to find the impact of motivating strategies on employee performance. Employee motivation plays a huge part on performance. Employee engagement cannot be substituted by anything else in order for any organisation to run efficiently and without interruption. It is critical that a company and its employees not only have a strong connection with the top management, but also have a good and healthy relationship with their colleagues. The study will also make recommendations on what further might be done to obtain optimal results utilising motivating methods for the benefit of both the company and the individual.

Topic 3: Organizational Conflicts as Antecedents of Staff Turnover: Evidence from the UK Food Sector

Research Aim: The research will aim to review recent available literature on employee turnover in order to determine organizational conflicts as antecedents of employee turnover in the UK food sector in order to close gaps in the literature and present a broader range of turnover factors and understanding of employee motivational factors in their job decision.

Topic 4: How does AI involvement in HRM provide Zara with a competitive advantage?

Research Aim: The research will aim to inspect the benefit of competitive advantage at Zara through the involvement of artificial intelligence in their HRM. AI assists the human resources department in identifying their personnel’ skill sets and recommending a training programme based on their work positions. It combines all of the data and assists the HR staff in making succinct decisions about what training to do in which sector to boost abilities. The study will also explain the importance of AI in organizations and organizations success. It will also look into strategies and policies Zara used to achieve competitive advantage.

Topic 5: The role of HR in creating a respected working environment that contributes in sustainable revenue growth

Research Aim: The research aims to examine the role of HR in creating a respected working environment and sustainable revenue growth. The study will identify current misunderstandings and disparities in understanding of topics such as sustainable development, corporate social responsibility, and the link between strategic human resource management and sustainable HRM through a comprehensive literature review. It will also identify and recognise the challenges that sustainable HRM encounters in reality, with a particular emphasis on the prevalent strategic HRM schema and the misunderstanding of corporate social responsibility.

Covid-19 HRM Research Topics

The role of managers during the pandemic.

Research Aim: In this study, the Human resource management techniques which HR managers will adopt for performing their operations during the COVID -19 will be discussed.

The management techniques for employees.

Research Aim: This study will focus on how the employees are trained during the Coronavirus pandemic.

The economic Crisis for HR Managers during Covid-19

Research Aim: This study will discuss how the economic crisis will disturb the payroll and how the managers will work.

The policies of HR for affected employees.

Research Aim: In this study, HR will design policies on how HR will manage when there is a gap between employees working. How will the ill patients be provided with support by companies through HR?

The employees' cooperation for HR

Research Aim: This study will highlight how well the employees support the decisions of the HR policymakers during the pandemic.

HRM Dissertation Topics for 2021

Topic 1: effect of employee engagement on customer loyalty in the service-based industry.

Research Aim: Employees engagement means that employees are passionate and committed to their work. In the service industry, where employees’ performance can greatly influence the quality of service, it is worth exploring employee engagement in customer loyalty in the service-based industry. Therefore, in this study, survey-based research will be conducted to identify employee engagement in customer loyalty.

Topic 2: Contingent workforce and its impact on organisation’s performance – Evaluating the IT Industry

Research Aim: Nowadays, companies hire freelancers and contractual workers, unlike permanent payroll employees. Various cost benefits can be obtained by hiring such a workforce. However, such a workforce may not have the required skills to do a job as effectively as a trained staff would have done. Thus, the present study focuses on identifying the impact of a contingent workforce on its performance in the IT industry.

Topic 3: Factors of growing mental health issues of employees at workplace in service-based industries

Research Aim: The wellness of employees at the workplace is necessary for their mental health and work performance. This study will identify the factors that can increase employees’ mental health issues at the workplace based on survey-based of employees and managers of service-based industries.

Topic 4: Analysing the importance and impact of training and development on an organisation’s sustainability during economic crises.

Research Aim: to achieve organizational objectives and milestones, leaders and business owners have realized the importance of training and developing their workforce to align with the organizational objectives. This research aims to analyze the importance and impact of employee training and development on the organization’s sustainability during economic downturns.

Topic 5: How online digital platforms have helped organisations in recruiting effectively and efficiently

Research Aim: With the advent of technology, firms have revolutionized their business operations. Under this revolution, many organizations have adopted different techniques and methods to recruit talented employees. Therefore, this research intends to determine how online digital platforms have helped organizations find employees more efficiently and effectively.

Topic 6: Analysing the factors which directly impact an employee's personal decision to leave employment

Research Aim: Employee turnover rate has always been a major concern for many organizations regardless of their size and nature. A valuable and talented employee is usually hard to find and retain. However, it has been found out that different factors motivate an employee to search for a new job. Keeping this phenomenon in mind, the current research will be analyzing the factors that directly impact the employee’s personal decision to leave employment.

Topic 7: Critically analysing the concept of workplace flexibility and how it impacts employee and organisational performance

Research Aim: In today’s modern era, the workplace environment has been transformed drastically from a strict and conventional style to a more flexible one. Therefore, this research aims to critically analyze the concept of workplace flexibility and how it impacts employee and organizational performance.

Topic 8: A comparative analysis of employees' job satisfaction and motivational factors in public versus private organisations.

Research Aim: Job satisfaction and employee motivation are regarded as the most important element of HR practices. The main aim of HR policies is to satisfy, retain, and motivate employees. Therefore, this research aims to conduct a comparative analysis of the employee’s job satisfaction and motivational factors in public versus private organizations.

Topic 9: The influence of COVID-19 on virtual employee management practices by organisations

Research Aim: This research is highly useful in the current context of COVID-19. Organisations all around the world are getting impacted by the COVID-19 and are closed at the moment. The current study will focus on using different virtual employee management practices that companies can use in the current context of COVID-19. These practices will be beneficial for organizations in almost all business sectors.

Topic 10: The role of using transformational leadership style in the improvement of organisational creativity at Morrisons

Research Aim: The aim of this research will be the benefits of using the transformational leadership style by Morrisons’ leaders to improve organizational creativity. This study will research how leaders can get the advantage of a transformational leadership style for increasing creativity at the organization.

Topic 11: The green HRM practices and their impacts on the corporate image of IKEA

Research Aim: This study will aim to study different green HRM practices and their role in improving IKEA’s corporate image and reputation. It will be researched how companies can improve their corporate image by focusing on green HRM practices and processes. The findings will be beneficial for the management, customers as well as employees.

Topic 12: Involving employees in the decision-making process and its influence on employee productivity at Subway

Research Aim: It will be researched in this study how Subway and other companies in this industry can involve the workers in the decision-making process to improve employee productivity. It will be studied that employee productivity is increased by involving the employees in the decision-making process. The findings will be useful in designing useful HR practices by Subway.

Topic 13: The impact of a flat organisational structure on the decision-making process

Research Aim: The main objective of this study is to evaluate the decision-making difficulties and issues faced by HR managers of companies with a flat organizational structure. This study will also investigate the benefits and challenges related to the flat organizational structures used by companies. A case study approach will be used.

Topic 14: The role of workforce diversity in improving organisational capability and innovation at Toyota Motors

Research Aim: To carry out this study, an innovative company named Toyota Motors will be selected. The main objective for carrying out this study will be to analyze how the organizational capability and innovation at Toyota Motors are improved due to workforce diversity. The main emphasis will be on studying the workforce diversity present at Toyota Motors and its significance in improving innovation and organizational capability. The success factors of Toyota Motors for HR will be studied.

Topic 15: The impact of digitalization on changing HRM practices at Aviva

Research Aim: The contemporary business world moves towards digitalization due to technological advancements. This research will study the different impacts of digitalization in changing various HRM practices at Aviva. Different HRM practices used by Aviva before and after the digitalization era will be discussed, and the changes will be analyzed. This study will show how digitalization has changed HRM practices in the contemporary business world.

Topic 16: The influence of employee learning and development opportunities on employee satisfaction at British Airways

Research Aim: It will be studied in this research that how employee satisfaction at British Airways is influenced by employee learning and development opportunities. Different employee learning and development opportunities at BA will be studied, along with their impact on workforce satisfaction.

Topic 17: The impact of recognizing employee contributions on employee retention at Shell

Research Aim: This study’s main objective is to analyse whether Shell can retain its employees by recognizing their contributions or not. Different strategies used by Shell for recognizing employee contributions will be studied that lead towards motivating the employees, which ultimately impact the retention of workers.

Topic 18: The role of green HR practices in employee engagement and retention

Research Aim: Green HR practices is a newly emerged concept in HRM. The study will aim to research the impact of green HR practices on employee engagement and retention. It will be studied how companies can improve employee engagement and retention by focusing on green HR practices.

Topic 19: The role of providing daycare facilities in increasing the productivity of female employees

Research Aim: This study will be focusing on the productivity of female workers. It will be studied how female workers’ productivity is increased by providing daycare facilities for their children. The impact on the satisfaction level of female employees due to the daycare facility will also be explored.

Topic 20: The impact of artificial intelligence on enhancing the human resource practices of Zara

Research Aim: For this study, the researcher will focus on the concept of artificial intelligence and use it in the HR context. It will be studied that either the HR practices at Zara can be enhanced by implementing AI. The benefits and implications of implementing AI in the HR context will also be part of this study.

Topic 21: The role of e-leadership in improving employee productivity and motivation.

Research Aim: The contemporary business world has become highly advanced due to technological capabilities. The concept of e-leadership has emerged due to advancements in technology. The purpose of this study will be to analyse the impact of e-leadership in improving the productivity and motivation level of the workforce.

Topic 22: The role of effective HR planning in a successful strategic alliance process.

Research Aim: This study will study the importance of effective HR planning for the strategic alliance process. It will be studied how HR management can mould the HR practices and focus on effective HR planning to make the strategic alliance process successful.

Topic 23: The impact of different personality traits on teamwork at Microsoft

Research Aim: The main focus of this research will be studying Microsoft’s teamwork. It will be further analyzed how Microsoft’s teamwork is influenced by the personality traits possessed by different team members. Different types of personality traits will be studied in this research that impacts teamwork positively and negatively.

Topic 24: The impact of career growth opportunities on employee loyalty at HSBC Holdings.

Research Aim: This study will aim to review different types of career growth opportunities offered by HBSC Holdings to its employees. Moreover, it will also be studied how employee loyalty is improved due to various career growth opportunities. The findings of this study will be beneficial for the banking sector.

Topic 25: The role of adapted HR practices in improving organisational performance at the international branch of DHL.

Research Aim: The study’s main objective will be to analyse companies’ changes in their HR practices for international branches. How and why the HR practices are adapted by HR management for improving the organisational performance at the company’s branch, which is located outside the country. For this, the DHL case study will be selected, and it will be assessed how and why DHL has used adapted HR practices across different countries.

HR Learning and Development Dissertation Topics

All organisational activities aimed at improving the productivity and performance of groups and individuals can be classified as HRM’s learning and development function elements. Learning and development encompass three pivotal activities, including education, training, and development.

As such, the training activities help to evaluate an employee based on his existing job responsibilities. Educational activities include those focusing on jobs that an employee can expect to carry out in the future.

Finally, the development activities are those that the employer may partake in the future. If you’re interested in exploring this human resource topic in-depth, we have some interesting dissertation topics for you:

Topic 1:The importance of appreciative inquiry with respect to organisational learning and development culture – A case study of ExxonMobil

Research Aim: This research will discuss the importance of appreciative inquiry and its impact on organisational learning and development culture with a specific focus on ExxonMobil.

Topic 2:To establish the correlation between organisation competency development and learning activities & programmes

Research Aim: This research will discuss how organisational competency development and organisational learning activities are correlated.

Topic 3:An examination of knowledge management and organisational learning for sustained firm performance. A case study of British Telecom

Research Aim: This research will examine how organisational learning and knowledge management helped British Telecom sustain their firm performance.

Topic 4:Investigating learning and development of human resources in the public sector in the UK

Research Aim: This dissertation will evaluate the different ways of achieving the learning and development of human resources in the UK’s public sector.

Topic 32:The importance of HR learning and development activities for SMEs

Research Aim: This research will focus on how SMEs utilize HR learning and developmental activities to improve their employees’ performance.

Topic 33:Human resource practices and employees’ decision to quit – Does Lack of Learning and Development play a Role.

Research Aim: This research will focus on whether or not lack of learning and development in an organization leads to employee turnover,

Topic 34:Developing organisational competitive advantage through strategic employee training in computer knowledge

Research Aim: This dissertation will explore how companies can gain a strategic advantage over their competitors through employee training.

Topic 35:The impact of various training and learning based activities on employees’ productivity

Research Aim: The main aim of this research will be to determine the impact of different pieces of training and learnings on employees’ productivity.

Topic 36: The role of HR analytics and metrics in improving organizational performance at Tesco

Research Aim: This study aims to research a new concept in human resource management, named HR analytics and metrics. Moreover, their impact on improving organizational performance will also be studied. This study will be beneficial for Tesco in using HR analytics and metrics in different HR practices that can lead to improved organizational performance.

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HR Performance Review Dissertation Topics

A performance review, also known as a career development discussion, performance evaluation and employee appraisal, can be defined as a method to evaluate an employee based on their job performance, mainly for appraisals. This might be an interesting area to focus your dissertation on. Here are some interesting topics in this area of HRM:

Topic 37:To understand the relationship between performance review and employee motivation in large and diversified business organisations

Research Aim: This research will understand the relationship between employee motivation and employee performance review. Large and diversified businesses will be the main focus of this study.

Topic 38:Effective performance appraisal – A study to establish a correlation between employer satisfaction and optimising business results

Research Aim: This research will analyse the impact of performance appraisal on employer satisfaction and how it optimises business results.

Topic 39: Investigating the efficacy of performance appraisal from the perception of employees in UK retail industry – A case study of Tesco

Research Aim: This research will analyse the efficacy of performance appraisal concerning employees, with a specific focus on Tesco.

Topic 40: Employee performance appraisal and the role of fairness and satisfaction

Research Aim: This dissertation will explore whether employees report satisfaction and fairness when performance appraisal is conducted.

Topic 41:Investigating performance review and appraisal methods employed by human resource department of any large oil and gas company

Research Aim: This research will study the human resource department of a large oil and gas company and will investigate how “performance review” and appraisals are conducted.

Topic 42: Job satisfaction and performance appraisals – Are they Interconnected?

Research Aim: This research will study in-depth whether job satisfaction and performance appraisals are interconnected or not.

Topic 43:Investigating the relationship between public sector appraisals and the spinal pay reward

Research Aim: This research will talk about the spinal pay reward system and evaluate its effectiveness in the public sector.

Topic 44:Analysing the impact of performance management on employee performance improvement

Research Aim: This research will investigate how performance management helps companies improve their employees’ performance.

Topic 45: Can HR performance drive employee engagement? Studying the UK banking industry

Research Aim: This research will talk about the different ways through which HR performance review helps in improving employee engagement. The UK banking industry will be in focus in this study.

Topic 46:The role of HR performance review in increasing employee retention and productivity

Research Aim: This research will investigate how organisations utilize performance reviews as a tool to improve employee retention and productivity.

HR Employee Motivation Dissertation Topics

Employees need objectives and goals to remain focused. The quality of work may significantly drop if they are not constantly motivated by their employers.

Business organizations employ various employee motivation methods and techniques to keep their employees motivated. Thus, this is an interesting topic to explore for your final year dissertation. Here are some HRM dissertation topics related to employee motivation.

Topic 47:To investigate the role of motivation in HRM – A study highlighting the most important motivation factors for future business leaders

Research Aim: This research will discuss the different motivation factors organisations should use to develop future leaders. In addition to this, the role of motivation throughout HRM will be discussed.

Topic 48:Employee satisfaction and work motivation – Are they both related?

Research Aim: This research will understand the relationship between motivation and employee satisfaction and the different motivation techniques companies can employ to increase employee satisfaction.

Topic 49: Evaluating the Role of Employee motivation in performance Enhancement

Research Aim: This study will discuss the role of employee motivation concerning employee performance, i.e. whether it enhances performance or not.

Topic 50:Human resource management – Motivation among workers in large and diversified business organisations

Research Aim: This dissertation will talk about motivation in large and diversified organisations and how these companies ensure that their employees are motivated at all times.

Topic 51:Effects of motivational programmes and activities on employee performance

Research Aim: This research will focus on the different motivational techniques and programs that impact employee performance.

Topic 52: Does motivation play a role in decreasing employee turnovers? A case study of British Airways

Research Aim: This research will discuss the role of motivation in decreasing employee turnover with a specific focus on British airways.

Topic 53:Motivation and performance reward – Are the two interrelated?

Research Aim: This research will talk about motivation and performance rewards and will assess whether the two are interrelated and directly related.

Topic 54: Work productivity and the role of employee motivation programmes and activities

Research Aim: This study will assess employee motivation programs’ impact on employee productivity, i.e. if it increases or decreases.

Topic 55:To discuss the role of employee motivation in relation to retention levels

Research Aim: This research will analyze employee motivation’s role to help companies retain employees.

Topic 56:Differences and similarities between traditional and contemporary theories

Research Aim: This research will discuss and compare traditional and contemporary motivation theories implemented by companies.

Topic 57: The role of employee empowerment in employee motivation and satisfaction at British Petroleum.

Research Aim: This study will aim to analyse different strategies of employee empowerment carried out by British Petroleum and their impact on workers’ motivation and satisfaction. The research will be studied that either different employee empowerment strategies improve employee motivation and satisfaction. The findings will be beneficial for companies working in the petroleum sector.

Topic 58: The impact of open communication in improving employee engagement at Zara

Research Aim: In this research, different modes of communication used by organisations will be studied and especially the impact of open communication in improving employee engagement at Zara will be analyzed. The importance of open communication for different organisations in the fashion and retail sectors will be discussed. Moreover, different communication strategies that can help improve employee engagement at Zara will be discussed based on past literature, theories, and framework.

HR Performance Management Dissertation Topics

All processes and activities to consistently meet organisational goals and objectives can be considered the HR performance management mechanism elements. Different organisations employ different performance management strategies to gain a competitive advantage. To explore this area of human resources, here are some intriguing topics for you:

Topic 59:Investigating different performance management techniques for retaining employees

Research Aim: This research will talk about companies’ various performance management techniques to retain employees.

Topic 60:The role of performance management activities in improving employees’ skills and abilities

Research Aim: This research will discuss how performance management helps employees improve their skills and abilities and how it ultimately helps companies.

Topic 61:Managing performance of workers through performance management techniques – A Case Study of Google

Research Aim: This research will explore how organisations use different performance management techniques to manage employees and their performance. A specific focus of this study will be Google Incorporation.

Topic 62:Employee performance and performance management systems – A qualitative study

Research Aim: This study will conduct a qualitative study to understand the different performance management systems for improving employee performance.

Topic 63:Performance management examinations in human resource management of profit-oriented organisations

Research Aim: This research will understand performance management in profit-oriented companies regarding how their human resource department ensures optimal performance.

Topic 64:Exploring the essentials elements of the performance management framework

Research Aim: This research will explore its vital features and performance management framework.

Topic 65:Human resource management practices and business performance – The role of environmental uncertainties and strategies

Research Aim: This research will explore whether environment uncertainties and strategies play a role in employee and business performance.

Topic 66:The efficacy of performance management systems in the UK’s retail industry

Research Aim: This research will explore the UK’s retail industry’s performance management efficacy.

Topic 67:Towards a framework for performance management in a higher education institution

Research Aim: This research will investigate performance management in the educational setting.

Topic 68:Should wages be capped through performance management – A qualitative study

Research Aim: This research will analyse whether wages should be adjusted and capped concerning performance management with a focus on its effects.

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Strategic Human Resource Management Dissertation Topics

Strategic human resource management is tying the human resource management objective to the company’s goals and objectives. This helps companies in innovating and staying ahead of their competitors by gaining a competitive advantage.

Being a relatively new concept, there are various aspects of strategic HRM that are left to be explored. Here are some interesting strategic HRM dissertation topics for you:

Topic 69:The efficacy of communication processes and employees’ involvement plans to improve employee commitment towards organisational goals – A case study of Sainsbury

Research Aim: This research will study the role and efficacy of the communication processes and employees’ involvement in order to improve employees’ commitment towards organisational goals.

Topic 70:To investigate SHRM theory and practice in a call centre – A case study of any UK call centre

Research Aim: This dissertation will discuss the various SHRM theories and how it is implemented. A UK-based call center will be focused on this study.

Topic 71: Differences and similarities between SHRM strategies and policies employed by German and Japanese automobile companies

Research Aim: This research will compare the different SHRM techniques and policies implemented by German and Japanese automobile companies.

Topic 72: A resource-based view assessment of strategic human resources quality management systems

Research Aim: This research will understand the resource-based view of strategic human resources quality management systems.

Topic 73: To understand and critically evaluate the HRM strategies employed by small and medium sized enterprises in the UK

Research Aim: This research will discuss and evaluate the different strategic HRM strategies employed by small and medium-sized enterprises in the UK.

Topic 74: Relating organisational performance to strategic human resource management – A study of small scale businesses in the UK

Research Aim: This study will analyse whether organisational performance and strategic human resource management are interconnected by assessing small scale businesses in the UK.

Topic 75: Investigating strategic human resource management in Singapore – A qualitative study

Research Aim: This research will analyse strategic human resource management in Singapore by undertaking a qualitative method.

Topic 76: The role of organisational support programmes to enhance work outcome and employees behaviour

Research Aim: This research will understand the organisational support program in order to enhance employee work outcome and their behaviour.

Topic 77: To establish the most important components of strategic HRM for SMEs in the UK to develop a competitive advantage

Research Aim: This research will talk about the relationship between the different SHRM components for SMEs in the UK in order to gain a competitive advantage.

Topic 78: To establish the significance of the relationship between organisational performance and strategic human resource management

Research Aim: This research will explore the relationship between organisational performance and strategic human resource management and how it helps companies achieve their objectives.

Human Resource Theory Dissertation Topics

The human resource theory framework consists of a soft and hard approach to human resources management. Various theories cover the different aspects of the soft and hard human resource approach.

Exploring this area of HRM will help in understanding more about the soft and hard HRM approaches. Here are some dissertation topics in this area that you can choose from.

Topic 79: A comparative analysis of various human resources theory approaches

Research Aim: This research will discuss various human resource theories and approaches and provide a comparative analysis.

Topic 80:To study human resources systems practiced by Multinationals in the UK

Research Aim: This research will discuss the various human resource systems as practised by multinational companies operating in the UK.

Topic 81:The role of human resources management (HRM) in regards to addressing workers’ concerns.

Research Aim: This research will discuss the importance of human resources in understanding and addressing worker’s concerns.

Topic 82: Can HRM have a negative influence on the performance of business organisations – A qualitative study?

Research Aim: This research will discuss a unique aspect of human resource management, i.e. whether it harms the company’s performance or not.

Topic 83: Is Human resources the only option for employees? An exploratory study

Research Aim: This study will analyze human resources’ role in solving employee issues and assess whether it is the only option for employees.

Topic 84:Exploring the contribution of human resource to the success of organisations

Research Aim: This research will aim to understand the role and contribution of the human resource department in companies’ success.

Topic 85:To investigate the most predominant human HRM and control strategies employed by business organisations

Research Aim: This research will discuss an interesting topic, i.e. the most predominant HRM strategies organisations implement.

Topic 86:To investigate the role of HR as a shared service.

Research Aim: This study will discuss human resources’ role as a shared service in the organisation.

Topic 87:Does a supervisor has a role to play in implementing HR practices – A critical study

Research Aim: This study will critically analyze supervisors’ role in implementing human resource practices in an organization.

Topic 88:The ethics of firing employees – Do companies really follow it?

Research Aim: This research will focus on how employees are fired at organizations and whether human resources follow the ethics of firing or not.

HR Organisational Culture Dissertation Topics

Organisational culture, also known as organisational climate, is defined as the process by which an organisation’s culture can be quantified. The properties of the work environment that are either considered positive or negative by the employees (and that may influence their behaviour) are the most important components of the organisational culture framework.

Studying this aspect of human resources will help you gain an in-depth knowledge of the role of culture in human resource management. Here are some interesting dissertation topics in this area:

Topic 89:The role of leadership, HRM and culture in vitalising management systems in firms

Research Aim: This research will understand the role of leadership and culture in human resource management and how it helps companies manage their systems.

Topic 90:Finding the right balance between differentiation and standardisation of HRM practices and policies – HRM of multinational companies operating within the European Union

Research Aim: There are certain human resource practices that are standardized throughout the world. This research will investigate the differences between such standard policies with respect to culture. Multinationals operating in the European Union will be focused.

Topic 91:Cross-cultural human resource management – The role it plays in the success of different organisations

Research Aim: This research will study the role of cross-cultural human resource management in the success of companies.

Topic 92:The impact of cross-cultural competencies in start-up companies

Research Aim: A lot of companies do not encourage cross-cultural human resources in the workplace. This research will analyse how cross-cultural competencies help startups grow and succeed.

Topic 93:The role of organisational cultural on HRM policies and practices – A case study of Cambridge University

Research Aim: This research will aim to understand the role of organisational culture on human resource policies and practices. The main focus of this study will be at Cambridge University.

Topic 94:The relationship between human resource management practices and organisational culture towards organisational commitment

Research Aim: This research will assess the relationship between different cultures and human resource practices with respect to organisational commitment.

Topic 95: Investigating cultural differences between the work values of employees and the implications for managers

Research Aim: This study will conduct an investigation related to the work values of employees based on their various cultural differences. It will then be concluded what this means for the managers.

Topic 96:To effectively manage cultural change without affecting work productivity

Research Aim: This research will discuss an interesting topic as to how managers should manage organisational cultural change without harming productivity.

Topic 97:Inducting new employees into the culture – Does it help organisations?

Research Aim: This research will discuss whether or not it is feasible for organisations to hire employees when the company is undergoing a cultural change.

Topic 98:Recruiting to change the culture – The Impact it has on the Profitability of the Company

Research Aim: This research will discuss whether companies should hire to lead change in the organisation, i.e. whether hiring should be done for this specific purpose, and what this new hiring means for the company in terms of profitability.

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HR Diversity Dissertation Topics

The changing corporate world has provoked organisations to develop and implement diversity management systems as part of their human resource management system. Although relatively new, diversity management is an important research area of human resource management that brings challenges and learning to employees.

With many areas unexplored and literature gaps in this subject, there are some extremely interesting dissertation topics you can select for your final year project. Some of them are listed here:

Topic 99: Investigating the difference between discrimination and diversity – How Do they Impact Organisations

Research Aim: This research will discuss the differences between the two concepts, diversity and discrimination and their impact on organisations.

Topic 100:Managing diversity through HRM: A conceptual framework and an international perspective

Research Aim: This study will discuss how the human resource department can manage diversity. The study will be conducted in an international setting.

Topic 101:Managing diversity in the public sector – How do companies manage to remain successful

Research Aim: This research will explore managing diversity in the public sector and how these companies can be successful even through diversity.

Topic 102:Managing cultural diversity in human resource management

Research Aim: As much as a human resource helps companies manage diversity, how will companies manage diversity in their main HR department. This research will answer this exact question.

Topic 103:The managerial tools, opportunities, challenges and benefits associated with diversity in the workplace

Research Aim: This research will focus on the tools available to human resources in managing diversity, and how they change it to opportunities and overcome diversity-related challenges.

Topic 104: Investigating the challenges of exclusion and inequality in organisations – Assessing HR’s role.

Research Aim: This research will first investigate the exclusion and inequality challenges that organisations face and how human resources overcome these challenges.

Topic 105:How does HRM Help in managing cultural differences and diversity

Research Aim: This research will discuss HR’s role in managing cultural differences and diversity in organisations.

Topic 106: Can HR eliminate diversity-related discrimination from workplaces? Assessing its role

Research Aim: This research will talk about HR’s role in eliminating diversity-related discrimination from organisations, and whether it will be successful in doing so or not.

Topic 107:Training managers for diversity – How difficult is it for companies and HR

Research Aim: This research will discuss and analyse the role of HR and companies in ensuring manager’s learning and development for diversity.

Topic 108:Training the newly hired staff for diversity in a large and diversified business organisation

Research Aim: This research will investigate the role of HR in training employees and staff to deal with, manage and coexist with diverse employees.

Important Notes:

As a human resource management student looking to get good grades, it is essential to develop new ideas and experiment with existing human resource management theories – i.e., to add value and interest to your research topic.

Human resource management is vast and interrelated to many other academic disciplines like management , operations management , project management , business , international business , MBA and more. That is why it is imperative to create a human resource management dissertation topic that is articular, sound, and actually solves a practical problem that may be rampant in the field.

We can’t stress how important it is to develop a logical research topic based on your entire research. There are several significant downfalls to getting your topic wrong; your supervisor may not be interested in working on it, the topic has no academic creditability, the research may not make logical sense, there is a possibility that the study is not viable.

This impacts your time and efforts in writing your dissertation , as you may end up in the cycle of rejection at the initial stage of the dissertation. That is why we recommend reviewing existing research to develop a topic, taking advice from your supervisor, and even asking for help in this particular stage of your dissertation.

While developing a research topic, keeping our advice in mind will allow you to pick one of the best human resource management dissertation topics that fulfil your requirement of writing a research paper and add to the body of knowledge.

Therefore, it is recommended that when finalizing your dissertation topic, you read recently published literature to identify gaps in the research that you may help fill.

Remember- dissertation topics need to be unique, solve an identified problem, be logical, and be practically implemented. Please look at some of our sample human resource management dissertation topics to get an idea for your own dissertation.

How to Structure your HRM Dissertation

A well-structured dissertation can help students to achieve a high overall academic grade.

A Title Page
Acknowledgements
Declaration
Abstract: A summary of the research completed
Table of Contents
Introduction : This chapter includes the project rationale, research background, key research aims and objectives, and the research problems. An outline of the structure of a dissertation can also be added to this chapter.
Literature Review : This chapter presents relevant theories and frameworks by analyzing published and unpublished literature on the chosen research topic to address research questions . The purpose is to highlight and discuss the selected research area’s relative weaknesses and strengths while identifying research gaps. Break down the topic and key terms that can positively impact your dissertation and your tutor.
Methodology : The data collection and analysis methods and techniques employed by the researcher are presented in the Methodology chapter, which usually includes research design , research philosophy, research limitations, code of conduct, ethical consideration, data collection methods, and data analysis strategy .
Findings and Analysis : Findings of the research are analysed in detail under the Findings and Analysis chapter. All key findings/results are outlined in this chapter without interpreting the data or drawing any conclusions. It can be useful to include graphs, charts, and tables in this chapter to identify meaningful trends and relationships.
Discussion and Conclusion : The researcher presents his interpretation of the results in this chapter and state whether the research hypothesis has been verified or not. An essential aspect of this section is establishing the link between the results and evidence from the literature. Recommendations with regards to the implications of the findings and directions for the future may also be provided. Finally, a summary of the overall research, along with final judgments, opinions, and comments, must be included in the form of suggestions for improvement.
References : Make sure to complete this following your University’s requirements
Bibliography
Appendices : Any additional information, diagrams, and graphs used to complete the dissertation but not part of the dissertation should be included in the Appendices chapter. Essentially, the purpose is to expand the information/data.

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80 Human Resource Management Research Topics

FacebookXEmailWhatsAppRedditPinterestLinkedInAre you a student searching for compelling human resource management (HRM) research topics? Look no further! Our comprehensive list of dissertation topics in HRM is here to assist you in finding captivating ideas for your academic journey. HRM is a critical function within organizations, responsible for managing the most valuable asset: the workforce. In this […]

Are you a student searching for compelling human resource management (HRM) research topics? Look no further! Our comprehensive list of dissertation topics in HRM is here to assist you in finding captivating ideas for your academic journey.

HRM is a critical function within organizations, responsible for managing the most valuable asset: the workforce. In this guide, we have curated a diverse range of thought-provoking research topics that cover various aspects of HRM, including talent acquisition, employee development, performance management, diversity and inclusion, and workplace culture. Whether you’re pursuing an undergraduate, master’s, or doctoral degree, this post offers a wealth of opportunities to delve into emerging trends, address industry challenges, and contribute to the advancement of this dynamic field. With our thoroughly researched content, you can easily find and select a topic that aligns with your interests and career aspirations.

So, get ready to embark on an exciting research journey in the field of HRM, exploring the latest theories, best practices, and innovative approaches to enhance organizational effectiveness and employee well-being.

A List Of Potential Research Topics In Human Resource Management (HRM):

The role of HRM in facilitating organizational resilience and adaptation post-COVID.
Analyzing the role of HR in managing and preventing workplace harassment and discrimination.
Examining the effects of the COVID-19 pandemic on employee well-being and mental health.
Analyzing the challenges and opportunities of hybrid work models in the post-pandemic era.
The role of performance management in driving employee motivation and performance.
The influence of organizational justice on employee attitudes and behavior.
The role of technology in transforming HR practices and enhancing employee experience.
Analyzing the impact of globalization on HRM practices and international HRM strategies.
The role of HR in managing change and facilitating organizational transformation.
The impact of employee engagement initiatives on organizational culture and performance.
The influence of organizational culture on employee satisfaction and retention.
Analyzing the role of HRM in managing diversity and inclusion in UK organizations.
Strategies for managing and supporting remote teams in the new normal.
Strategies for fostering a culture of trust and psychological safety in the post-pandemic workplace.
Investigating the impact of employee voice mechanisms on organizational effectiveness.
The influence of UK employment law and regulations on HRM practices and strategies.
The role of HR in managing employee burnout and promoting work-life balance after COVID-19.
Examining the effectiveness of performance management systems in UK organizations.
Analyzing the role of HR in managing employee well-being during times of change and uncertainty.
Strategies for managing workplace conflicts and fostering positive employee relations.
The impact of employee motivation strategies on organizational performance.
The influence of organizational culture and values on employee resilience and post-COVID recovery.
The impact of remote work on employee engagement and productivity in a post-COVID world.
Investigating the impact of flexible work schedules on employee work-life balance.
Examining the effects of COVID-19 on diversity and inclusion practices in organizations.
Investigating the relationship between HR practices and employee turnover intentions.
Strategies for effective talent acquisition and recruitment in a competitive job market.
The role of HR analytics in making data-driven HR decisions and improving HR effectiveness.
Investigating the effectiveness of HRM practices in managing employee turnover.
The influence of HRM practices on organizational agility and adaptability.
Exploring the role of HRM in promoting work-life balance and well-being in the UK workplace.
The role of HR in promoting work-life balance and employee well-being.
Evaluating the effectiveness of leadership development programs in grooming future leaders.
The role of HR in fostering a culture of innovation and creativity in organizations.
The influence of HR practices on employee engagement and productivity in the UK context.
Investigating the relationship between HR practices and employee psychological contract.
Analyzing the impact of performance appraisal systems on employee motivation and performance.
The influence of social media on employee recruitment and employer branding.
Exploring the relationship between HR practices and employee job satisfaction.
Exploring the role of HRM in managing employee relations and industrial disputes in the UK.
Strategies for promoting work-life integration in a technology-driven work environment.
Exploring the effectiveness of performance-based rewards and recognition programs.
Strategies for effective internal communication and employee engagement in the post-COVID workplace.
Examining the impact of flexible work arrangements on work-life balance and job satisfaction.
Strategies for promoting work engagement and job satisfaction among remote workers.
The influence of digitalization on HR practices and employee experiences in the post-COVID workplace.
Analyzing the impact of artificial intelligence and automation on HRM practices.
The role of HR in managing workforce diversity and fostering inclusive work environments.
The influence of flexible work arrangements on employee satisfaction and work-life integration post-COVID.
Examining the effectiveness of talent management strategies in retaining high-potential employees.
Exploring the relationship between employee satisfaction and customer satisfaction.
Exploring the impact of remote onboarding and training processes in a post-pandemic environment.
Strategies for promoting knowledge sharing and collaboration in the digital workplace.
Examining the role of HRM in supporting organizational sustainability and corporate social responsibility initiatives in the UK.
Analyzing the effects of the gig economy on HR practices and employment relationships in the UK.
Analyzing the impact of employee engagement initiatives on employee retention.
The role of HRM in managing employee vaccine policies and workplace safety protocols.
Strategies for effective talent acquisition and retention in the post-COVID job market.
The role of HR in managing employee development and career growth.
Analyzing the impact of employee wellness programs on employee health and productivity.
Investigating the effectiveness of mentoring programs in developing future leaders.
The impact of remote work on employee engagement and productivity.
The influence of HRM practices on employee commitment and organizational citizenship behavior.
The impact of workplace diversity on team performance and innovation.
Exploring the effectiveness of flexible benefits programs in meeting diverse employee needs.
Exploring the benefits and challenges of implementing diversity and inclusion initiatives in the workplace.
Exploring the challenges and opportunities of talent management in a post-pandemic world.
Analyzing the role of HR in managing cross-cultural teams and promoting cultural diversity.
The influence of employee training and development programs on organizational performance.
Analyzing the impact of remote performance management practices in the post-COVID era.
Strategies for managing a multigenerational workforce and leveraging generational diversity.
Exploring the role of HR in managing organizational crises and facilitating resilience.
The impact of flexible work arrangements on employee satisfaction and retention in the UK.
The impact of Brexit on talent management and workforce mobility in the UK.
Analyzing the implications of workforce downsizing and restructuring on employee morale and motivation post-COVID.
Investigating the impact of employee benefits and compensation on job satisfaction and retention.
The role of HR in supporting and promoting employee reskilling and upskilling initiatives post-pandemic.
Examining the effectiveness of employee wellness programs in mitigating the long-term effects of COVID-19.
Investigating the impact of employee empowerment on job satisfaction and organizational commitment.
Exploring the relationship between employee engagement and organizational performance.

These research topics provide a broad range of opportunities for students to delve into various aspects of human resource management. From exploring emerging trends to addressing critical challenges in the field, students can contribute to the knowledge base and make a valuable impact on the practice of HRM.

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Introduction to Contemporary Research Perspectives in Human Resource Management and Organizational Behavior

First Online: 05 May 2023

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Riann Singh 3 &
Shalini Ramdeo 4

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This book integrates the most relevant contemporary research ideas within the field and practice of Human Resource Management (HRM) and Organizational Behavior (OB) into a cohesive research discussion, with the aim of synthesizing and advancing research perspectives. Indeed, these two fields intersect through the management of employees to drive competitiveness, while understanding their behaviors to maximize efficiency and effectiveness. Accordingly, the first chapter evaluates the alignment between organizational strategies, HRM and OB approaches, the relevance of research to advance the fields of HRM and OB, and identifies ten (10) research topics, which cover novel and emerging perspectives as well as developments within classical areas of HRM and OB. The justification for the selected topics is also presented. Finally, this chapter provides a roadmap for readers by briefly describing each of the remaining chapters in the book.

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Singh, R., Ramdeo, S. (2023). Introduction to Contemporary Research Perspectives in Human Resource Management and Organizational Behavior. In: Contemporary Perspectives in Human Resource Management and Organizational Behavior. Palgrave Macmillan, Cham. https://doi.org/10.1007/978-3-031-30225-1_1

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Human Resource Management Research Paper Topics

Human resource management research paper topics are a critical area of study for students and professionals aiming to understand and advance the field of Human Resource Management (HRM). With the rise of complex organizational structures, diverse workplace environments, and evolving employment laws, HRM has become an essential part of any successful organization. This abstract provides an overview of the multifaceted world of HRM research and introduces a comprehensive list of research paper topics that cater to various aspects of HRM. From talent acquisition to employee retention, performance evaluation, training, and legal compliance, the following sections will offer detailed insights into these areas. Students interested in pursuing research in HRM will find these topics engaging and highly relevant to the current organizational landscape. Additionally, they will be introduced to iResearchNet’s writing services that provide expert assistance in producing custom HRM research papers, ensuring quality, depth, and adherence to academic standards.

100 Human Resource Management Research Paper Topics

Human Resource Management (HRM) is a field that delves into the multifaceted interactions between employees and organizations. The role of HRM has evolved over time to include not only the management of recruitment and employee relations but also strategic planning, legal compliance, and organizational development. Here, we present a comprehensive list of Human Resource Management research paper topics divided into 10 essential categories, each containing 10 specific topics.

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HRM is a dynamic and broad field that demands multidimensional approaches to study. As students explore various topics, they will find intricate connections between management strategies, organizational behavior, and employee satisfaction. The following list serves as an inclusive guide to inspire research and academic inquiry.

The role of HRM in organizational strategy
Integrating HRM and business planning
Talent management strategies
Outsourcing HR functions: Pros and cons
Technology and HRM
Cross-cultural HRM
Mergers and acquisitions: HRM challenges
Strategic HR planning and organizational success
The future of strategic HRM
Best HR practices in top-performing companies
Innovative recruitment techniques
Bias and discrimination in the recruitment process
Role of artificial intelligence in recruitment
Recruitment marketing strategies
Social media as a recruitment tool
Ethics in employee selection
Assessing the effectiveness of recruitment strategies
Diversity and inclusion in recruitment
Remote hiring practices
Campus recruitment strategies
The effectiveness of training programs
Employee development and organizational growth
The role of mentors in employee growth
E-learning and virtual training methods
Personalized training approaches
Training evaluation methods
Cross-training and skill development
The future of corporate training
Impact of continuous learning culture
Leadership development programs
Modern performance appraisal techniques
360-degree feedback system
Employee engagement and performance
Performance management and job satisfaction
Aligning performance goals with organizational objectives
Challenges in performance evaluation
Performance-based rewards
Emotional intelligence and employee performance
Performance management in remote work environments
Real-time performance tracking systems
Building trust and collaboration among employees
Conflict resolution strategies
Impact of organizational culture on employee engagement
Managing generational differences in the workplace
Role of leadership in fostering engagement
Employee wellness programs
The psychology of employee engagement
Communication strategies for employee relations
Remote employee engagement tactics
Work-life balance initiatives
Salary negotiation techniques
The psychology of compensation
Pay equity and gender wage gap
The impact of benefits on employee retention
Flexible compensation models
Global compensation strategies
Linking compensation to performance
Employee stock ownership plans (ESOPs)
Non-monetary benefits and motivation
Compensation transparency
Labor law compliance in multinational corporations
Whistleblowing and ethical considerations
HRM in unionized workplaces
Workplace harassment laws
Employee rights and employer responsibilities
Managing employee terminations ethically
Diversity and anti-discrimination policies
Legal aspects of employee benefits
Remote work and legal challenges
Ethical dilemmas in HRM
Building a diverse workforce
Strategies for fostering inclusion
The impact of diversity on team performance
Gender diversity in leadership roles
Managing cultural diversity
Age diversity in the workplace
Disability inclusion strategies
LGBT+ inclusion in the workplace
Ethnic diversity and organizational success
Bias reduction training
The role of HRM in shaping organizational culture
Employee behavior and organizational success
Workplace norms and values
Emotional labor in organizations
Organizational change management
Strategies for building a positive work environment
Employee motivation and organizational culture
The psychology of workplace relationships
Corporate social responsibility (CSR) and culture
The role of leadership in defining organizational culture
Emerging Trends in HRM
HRM in the gig economy
Artificial intelligence and HRM
Employee mental health and well-being
Sustainability and HRM
The future of remote work
Integrating HRM and corporate social responsibility (CSR)
Blockchain in HRM
Personal branding in HR
The role of big data analytics in HRM
HRM challenges in the post-pandemic world

The list of human resource management research paper topics presented above offers a rich and diverse avenue for exploration. Each category delves into core aspects of HRM, reflecting the ever-changing nature of this field. As students embark on their research journey, they will discover a world that intricately connects people, organizations, and societal values. Whether focusing on traditional practices or emerging trends, these topics provide the starting point for meaningful inquiry and the creation of knowledge that contributes to the continued growth and evolution of HRM.

Human Resource Management and the Range of Research Paper Topics

Human Resource Management (HRM) is an interdisciplinary field that integrates aspects of management, psychology, sociology, economics, and legal studies. It is the art and science of managing people within an organization to maximize their performance, well-being, and alignment with strategic goals. As a broad and multifaceted domain, HRM opens doors to a wide array of research opportunities. This article will explore the essence of HRM, its historical evolution, theoretical frameworks, practical applications, and the myriad of research paper topics it offers.

Historical Background

The history of HRM can be traced back to the early 20th century, during the rise of the industrial revolution. The scientific management theory introduced by Frederick Taylor sought to apply scientific principles to worker productivity. As the business environment grew more complex, the Hawthorne studies emerged, highlighting the importance of social factors and human relations in the workplace. The evolution from personnel management to modern HRM reflects a shift from viewing employees as mere resources to recognizing them as valuable assets.

Theoretical Frameworks

HRM is underpinned by several key theories that guide practice:

Resource-Based View (RBV): Emphasizes the role of human resources as a competitive advantage.
Equity Theory: Focuses on fairness and justice in employee relations.
Expectancy Theory: Explains how employees are motivated by the expected outcomes of their actions.
Human Capital Theory: Regards employees as assets whose value can be enhanced through training and development.

These theories offer diverse perspectives for research, ranging from organizational behavior to strategic HRM.

Key Functions and Practices

The scope of HRM encompasses various functions that address the needs of both the organization and its employees:

Recruitment and Selection: Designing and implementing processes to attract and hire suitable candidates.
Training and Development: Enhancing employee skills and knowledge through continuous learning.
Performance Management: Assessing and managing employee performance to align with organizational goals.
Compensation and Benefits: Structuring pay and rewards to motivate and retain talent.
Labor Relations: Navigating the legal landscape and fostering healthy employee-employer relationships.

Contemporary Challenges

Modern HRM faces several challenges that provide fertile grounds for research:

Diversity and Inclusion: Creating a workforce that represents various backgrounds, beliefs, and perspectives.
Technology and Automation: Leveraging technology to enhance HR processes while considering its impact on jobs.
Globalization: Managing HR practices across different cultures and jurisdictions.
Ethical Considerations: Balancing organizational needs with ethical treatment of employees.

Emerging Trends

The ever-changing business landscape leads to new trends in HRM:

Remote Work: The rise of virtual workplaces and the associated management challenges.
Well-Being and Mental Health: Prioritizing employee health and well-being as part of HR strategy.
Sustainability: Integrating social responsibility into HR practices.

Range of Research Paper Topics

The complexity and diversity of HRM lead to an abundance of research paper topics. Here are examples from different areas:

Strategic HRM: Examining the alignment of HR practices with business strategy.
Employee Engagement: Exploring factors that influence engagement and its impact on performance.
Legal Aspects of HRM: Investigating laws and regulations affecting HR practices.
Organizational Culture and Behavior: Analyzing the influence of culture on employee behavior and organizational success.

Human Resource Management is a vast and dynamic field that intertwines various disciplines, theories, practices, and challenges. From historical roots to contemporary issues, HRM offers a rich tapestry of research opportunities. Whether investigating traditional functions or delving into emerging trends, students and scholars can find a wealth of topics that resonate with their interests and contribute to our understanding of human interactions within organizational contexts. The spectrum of human resource management research paper topics reflects the depth and breadth of a field that continues to evolve, shaping the way we work, lead, and thrive in an ever-changing world.

How to Choose Human Resource Management Research Paper Topics

Selecting the right topic for a research paper in Human Resource Management (HRM) is a critical step that can shape the entire trajectory of your project. The topic you choose should align with your interests, academic level, the specific requirements of the assignment, and the current trends in the field. Here’s a guide to help you navigate the decision-making process and pinpoint a topic that resonates with you.

The realm of Human Resource Management is vast and diverse, encompassing various theories, functions, challenges, and emerging trends. Choosing a suitable research paper topic within this multifaceted field requires careful consideration and strategic thinking. This section will outline ten essential tips to guide you in selecting a meaningful, relevant, and engaging topic for your research.

Identify Your Interests: Begin by reflecting on what aspects of HRM intrigue you. Are you passionate about organizational behavior, talent acquisition, employee welfare, or strategic HRM? Your research will be more enjoyable if it aligns with your interests.
Understand the Assignment Requirements: Review the guidelines and grading criteria provided by your instructor. Consider the scope, length, and expected complexity of the paper.
Conduct a Preliminary Literature Review: Explore existing research in areas that interest you. Identify gaps, controversies, or emerging trends that could form the basis for your study.
Consider the Target Audience: Think about who will read your paper. Tailoring the topic to your audience’s interests, knowledge level, and expectations can enhance its impact.
Evaluate Available Resources: Assess the availability of data, tools, and resources needed for your research. The feasibility of a topic depends on your ability to access relevant information and support.
Align with Current Trends: Consider choosing a topic that relates to contemporary issues or recent developments in HRM. This alignment can make your research more relevant and appealing.
Seek Guidance from Instructors or Peers: Don’t hesitate to consult with your instructor, classmates, or academic advisors. They may offer valuable insights, feedback, or suggestions.
Ensure Ethical Consideration: Ensure that your chosen topic complies with ethical standards, particularly if it involves human subjects, sensitive data, or controversial subjects.
Consider the Broader Impact: Reflect on how your research could contribute to the field of HRM. A topic with potential practical implications or theoretical advancements can add value to your work.
Create a Shortlist and Evaluate: Draft a list of potential topics and weigh them against the criteria outlined above. This systematic approach can help you identify the most suitable option.

Selecting a research paper topic in Human Resource Management is a thoughtful and iterative process that requires introspection, exploration, and strategic thinking. By considering your interests, academic requirements, available resources, current trends, ethical considerations, and potential impact, you can identify a topic that not only resonates with you but also contributes to the vibrant discourse in HRM. Remember that your choice is not set in stone; it’s a starting point that you can refine and adapt as you delve into your research. Embrace the journey, for the right topic is a gateway to discovery, learning, and growth in the multifaceted world of human resource management.

How to Write a Human Resource Management Research Paper

Writing a research paper on Human Resource Management (HRM) is a complex task that requires a clear understanding of the subject matter, a methodical approach to research, and strong writing skills. The following section will guide you through the process of crafting a well-structured, insightful, and academically rigorous research paper in HRM.

Human Resource Management is at the core of organizational success, shaping the way businesses attract, retain, and develop talent. As a field that intertwines with psychology, sociology, business strategy, and law, writing a research paper on HRM is both challenging and rewarding. The following guide provides a step-by-step approach to help you navigate the research, writing, and revision stages, ensuring that your paper is thorough, coherent, and impactful.

Understand the Assignment: Before diving into research and writing, clarify the assignment’s objectives, scope, format, and grading criteria. Ensure you understand what is expected in terms of content, structure, style, and depth of analysis.
Choose a Relevant Topic: Select a topic that aligns with your interests, the course objectives, and current HRM trends. Refer to Section IV for guidance on choosing the right topic.
Conduct Comprehensive Research: Utilize reputable sources such as academic journals, books, and industry reports to gather data, theories, and insights related to your topic. Evaluate the credibility and relevance of each source.
Develop a Thesis Statement: Craft a clear and concise thesis statement that outlines the central argument or focus of your paper. The thesis should guide the reader on what to expect and provide a roadmap for your analysis.
Create an Outline: Develop a detailed outline that breaks down the main sections and sub-sections of your paper. An outline will help you organize your thoughts, maintain coherence, and ensure a logical flow of ideas.
Write the Introduction: Begin with an engaging introduction that introduces the topic, provides background information, highlights its significance, and presents the thesis statement.
Develop the Body Paragraphs: Divide the body of your paper into clear sections and subsections. Use headings and subheadings to guide the reader. Each paragraph should have a clear topic sentence, supporting evidence, and a concluding sentence that links back to the thesis.
Include Practical Insights and Case Studies: Where appropriate, include practical examples, case studies, or industry insights that illustrate your points. This application of theory to real-world scenarios can enhance the depth and relevance of your paper.
Write the Conclusion: Summarize the key findings, restate the thesis in light of the evidence, and discuss the implications, limitations, and recommendations for future research or practice.
Revise and Edit: Review your paper multiple times to check for clarity, coherence, grammar, and formatting errors. Consider seeking feedback from peers or instructors, and use plagiarism check tools to ensure originality.

Writing a research paper in Human Resource Management is a multifaceted process that requires careful planning, diligent research, critical analysis, and thoughtful writing. By following the tips outlined above, you can create a paper that not only meets academic standards but also contributes valuable insights to the dynamic field of HRM. Remember that writing is a process of continuous refinement; embrace revisions, seek feedback, and strive for clarity and depth. The journey of crafting an HRM research paper is an opportunity to deepen your understanding, hone your skills, and contribute to the ongoing discourse in a field that shapes the heart of organizations around the world.

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Research trends in human resource management. A text-mining-based literature review

International Journal of Manpower

ISSN : 0143-7720

Article publication date: 26 April 2022

Issue publication date: 14 March 2023

The purpose of the study was to detect trends in human resource management (HRM) research presented in journals during the 2000–2020 timeframe. The research question is: How are the interests of researchers changing in the field of HRM and which topics have gained popularity in recent years?

Design/methodology/approach

The approach adopted in this study was designed to overcome all the limitations specific to the systematic literature reviews and bibliometric studies presented in the Introduction. The full texts of papers were analyzed. The text-mining tools detected first clusters and then trends, moreover, which limited the impact of a researcher's bias. The approach applied is consistent with the general rules of systematic literature reviews.

The article makes a threefold contribution to academic knowledge. First, it uses modern methodology to gather and synthesize HRM research topics. The proposed approach was designed to allow early detection of nascent, non-obvious trends in research, which will help researchers address topics of high value for both theory and practice. Second, the results of our study highlight shifts in focus in HRM over the past 19 years. Third, the article suggests further directions of research.

Research limitations/implications

In this study, the approach designed to overcome the limitations of using systematic literature review was presented. The analysis was done on the basis of the full text of the articles and the categories were discovered directly from the articles rather than predetermined. The study's findings may, however, potentially be limited by the following issues. First, the eligibility criteria included only papers indexed in the Scopus and WoS database and excluded conference proceedings, book chapters, and non-English papers. Second, only full-text articles were included in the study, which could narrow down the research area. As a consequence, important information regarding the research presented in the excluded documents is potentially lost. Third, most of the papers in our database were published in the International Journal of Human Resource Management, and therefore such trends as “challenges for international HRM” can be considered significant (long-lasting). Another – the fourth – limitation of the study is the lack of estimation of the proportion between searches in HRM journals and articles published in other journals. Future research may overcome the above-presented limitations. Although the authors used valuable techniques such as TF-IDF and HDBSCAN, the fifth limitation is that, after trends were discovered, it was necessary to evaluate and interpret them. That could have induced researchers' bias even if – as in this study – researchers from different areas of experience were involved. Finally, this study covers the 2000–2020 timeframe. Since HRM is a rapidly developing field, in a few years from now academics will probably begin to move into exciting new research areas. As a consequence, it might be worthwhile conducting similar analyses to those presented in this study and compare their results.

Originality/value

The present study provides an analysis of HRM journals with the aim of establishing trends in HRM research. It makes contributions to the field by providing a more comprehensive and objective review than analyses resulting from systematic literature reviews. It fills the gap in literature studies on HRM with a novel research approach – a methodology based on full-text mining and a big data toolset. As a consequence, this study can be considered as providing an adequate reflection of all the articles published in journals strictly devoted to HRM issues and which may serve as an important source of reference for both researchers and practitioners. This study can help them identify the core journals focused on HRM research as well as topics which are of particular interest and importance.

Human resource management
Text-mining

Piwowar-Sulej, K. , Wawak, S. , Tyrańska, M. , Zakrzewska, M. , Jarosz, S. and Sołtysik, M. (2023), "Research trends in human resource management. A text-mining-based literature review", International Journal of Manpower , Vol. 44 No. 1, pp. 176-196. https://doi.org/10.1108/IJM-03-2021-0183

Emerald Publishing Limited

Published by Emerald Publishing Limited. This article is published under the Creative Commons Attribution (CC BY 4.0) licence. Anyone may reproduce, distribute, translate and create derivative works of this article (for both commercial and non-commercial purposes), subject to full attribution to the original publication and authors. The full terms of this licence may be seen at http://creativecommons.org/licences/by/4.0/legalcode

1. Introduction

The human resource (HR) function has evolved over the years from serving a purely administrative role into one that is more strategic in character. Today it is believed that the mission of human resource management (HRM) is to support the organization in achieving its objectives by developing and implementing HR strategies that are integrated with a company's business strategy, promote staff development, foster a positive employment relationship, promote an ethical approach to people management, and care about the environment (social and natural) ( Ehnert, 2009 ; Braga et al. , 2021 ).

In practice, HRM means providing continuous solutions to a wide array of problems occurring in employee-employer, line worker-manager, and employee-employee relations and also in contacts with, e.g. trade unions. Human behaviors, feelings and attitudes are determined both by the personal characteristics of individuals and by the impact of the environment. The shape of HRM is significantly influenced by such factors as, e.g. the demographic and technological transformations ( Greiling, 2011 ; Silva and Lima, 2018 ), and globalization ( Gerhart and Fang, 2005 ).

HRM has evolved as a professional and academic discipline in parallel with both planned shifts in global considerations and unplanned phenomena such as, e.g. epidemics. For researchers it is crucial to identify, define, explain, and help practitioners understand the key factors which have an impact on HRM. Another of the researchers' roles is to formulate practical guidelines on how to manage people in different circumstances and outline areas of future research. HRM thrives on the contributions made in other fields that it assimilates and applies in practice. It unscrupulously builds on theoretical developments made earlier in related disciplines ( Boxall et al. , 2009 ). Finally, the researcher endeavors to provide an overview, comparisons, analyses and syntheses of previously published findings ( Paul and Criado, 2020 ).

The theme of trends in HRM has been addressed in numerous publications (e.g. Cooper et al. , 2020 ; Madera et al. , 2017 ). Their authors have employed various approaches to identify such phenomena, including systematic literature reviews. Articles offering a traditional overview provide a quantity-oriented (i.e. meta-analytical, systematic) approach together with descriptive or qualitative elements. Jointly, they develop a theoretical background, highlight irregularities in existing findings, integrate the findings of a wide variety of publications and in general provide other researchers with an up-to-date understanding of the discipline, frequently prepared by leading specialists ( Palmatier et al. , 2018 ). In most cases, the documents selected for analysis were based on titles, keywords and abstracts only. Unfortunately, they contain only around 8% of all research findings ( Blake, 2010 ). In order to gain a deeper insight into such a body of knowledge authors have often turned to the by-hand review method (e.g. Cooper et al. , 2020 ).

Conventional systematic by-hand literature reviews are sometimes characterized by errors in article selection, possible simplifications and potentially incomplete and not universal results (subjective, impressionistic descriptions), In response to these shortcomings, in recent years a number of new alternatives have emerged. One new approach that has attracted increasing attention is bibliometric studies. This method applies dedicated IT tools to gauge trends in articles. They examine academic material from both an objective and qualitative perspective for the purposes of identifying, organizing, and analyzing information in a specific research field ( Capobianco-Uriarte et al. , 2019 ). As far as trends in HRM are concerned, Markoulli et al. (2017) presented a summary of previously published traditional and narrative reviews and on its basis created a science map and defined clusters based on keyword co-occurrence analysis and the VOSviewer software tool.

Bibliometric analyses can be treated as a platform for writing an entire article or can be used only as preparation for the groundwork for further in-depth content analysis and qualitative descriptions. In turn, a text mining toolset can help identify research trends and select papers which are in line with a particular trend. Moreover, a full-text analysis of publications using a text mining toolset enables researchers to obtain higher-quality results than when using only keywords, such as in the case of VOSviewer analyses ( Kobayashi et al. , 2018 ). As a consequence we decided that it was worth adopting a methodology based on full-text mining and a big data toolset in order to identify trends in HRM research. We believe that big data and analytics help not only companies function but also researchers in a highly data-driven world ( Kobayashi et al. , 2018 ).

The purpose of the study was to detect trends in HRM research presented in journals during the 2000–2020 timeframe. The following research question was asked: how are the interests of researchers changing in the field of HRM and which topics have gained in popularity in recent years?

The paper is organized as follows. In the second section we describe the HRM research trends identified in previous studies. Here the focus is on the context in which authors were operating when analyzing HRM issues. The third section is devoted to the research method employed for the purpose of this study. Then we present the results and discussion. The article ends with conclusions, including limitations and areas of future research.

The article makes a threefold contribution to academic knowledge. First, it uses modern methodology to gather and synthesize HRM research topics. The proposed approach was designed to allow early detection of nascent, non-obvious trends in research, which will help researchers address topics of high value for both theory and practice. Second, the results of our study highlight shifts in focus in HRM over the past 20 years. Third, the article suggests further directions of research.

2. Trends in the HRM research identified in previous studies

In their search for HRM research trends authors of this study firstly used the Scopus database and a search strategy based on such terms as: trends in human resource management/HRM, trends in research on human resource management/HRM, human resource management/HRM trends, intellectual structure of human resource management/HRM. The searching process covered titles, abstracts and keywords and was limited to articles written in English. The search produced 37 documents. Then the authors also searched for additional articles in Google Scholar.

Most of the articles were devoted to the trends identified in HR practices in companies (e.g. Dubravska and Solankova, 2015 ). One of such trends is HRM digitalization ( Ashbaugh and Miranda, 2002 ). Table 1 presents a list of HRM trends identified in the research (related to academic work) conducted by different authors.

It can be concluded from the above that researchers employed different approaches to defining and identifying these trends. Research trends may be associated with research topics (e.g. Özlen, 2014 ), research methods (e.g. Pietersen, 2018 ) and the general characteristics of the academic domain (e.g. Sanders and De Cieri, 2020 ). Although a number of authors have provided traditional literature reviews of trends in HRM, Chae et al. (2020) , for example, focused only on the local (Korean) research trends and used only keyword analyses. Others focused on a specific sector ( Cooper et al. , 2020 ), industry ( Madera et al. , 2017 ) or region ( Wood and Bischoff, 2020 ). There are also articles that outline the evolution of research in particular journals (e.g. Pietersen, 2018 ). Others address specific problems, such as international HRM (e.g. Sanders and De Cieri, 2020 ) or green HRM ( Yong et al. , 2020 ). The most visible trends identified in previous studies and associated with research topics were strategic HRM, HR performance and employment/industrial relations. The first topic was addressed in eight works while the remaining was the subject of five publications.

3. Material and methods

The approach adopted in this study was designed to overcome all the limitations specific to the systematic literature reviews and bibliometric studies as presented in the Introduction. The full texts of papers were analyzed. The approach applied is consistent with the general rules of systematic literature reviews ( Tranfield et al. , 2003 ) and consists of several steps, which are presented in Figure 1 .

3.1 Selection of journals

Thousands of articles covering HRM can be found on both Scopus and the Web of Science. For the sake of the present analysis, it was necessary to define inclusion criteria in the meta-analysis.

The main topic of the journal was related to HRM,

The journals were indexed in Scopus and WoS,

The journals have a high SNIP index value (the limit value is set at 1 - status for 2020; full values are presented in Table 2 ),

Full versions of the article were available,

The articles were published in the years 2000–2020.

A total of 8 journals met the above criteria ( Table 2 ). The full texts of the papers were downloaded from academic databases. No duplicates were found. Only research papers were included, while editorials, calls for papers, errata and book reviews were excluded.

All the metadata were removed from the papers. The titles and abstracts often contain catchwords designed to increase readership. As a consequence, only the texts of papers minus their titles, keywords, abstracts and references were analyzed in this study. Additional bibliographic information that could be useful in the analytical process was downloaded from the Crossref database. Each paper was converted into a text file and then into a bag-of-words model for the needs of automatic analysis using computer algorithms. The algorithms were created using Python libraries, such as grobid, nltk, scikit-learn, hdbscan, and scipy ( Pedregosa et al. , 2011 ).

3.2 Search for the most important terms

w i j – result for term i in document j ,

t f i j – number of occurrences of i in j ,

d f i – number of documents containing i ,

N – number of documents in the corpus (set of documents).

The TF-IDF method is not a mathematical model. It requires extensive computation, cannot be used to discover synonyms and ignores multiple meanings of words ( Zhang et al. , 2011 ). However, in the case of research papers, these problems have a minimal impact due to the more precise language used by researchers.

3.3 Identification of thematic groups (clusters)

The TF-IDF model presents each paper as a multidimensional vector. The number of dimensions is equal to the number of keywords used in the analysis. In the next step, all the vectors were compared to each other, which led to the discovery of clusters.

As mentioned in section 3.2 , the TF-IDF model does not analyse synonyms and ignores multiple meanings of words and phrases. In scholarly texts, it is rarely a problem. Even in HRM, where the number of synonyms can be perceived as higher than in other areas of management, the impact on the results should be negligible.

There are two main approaches to clustering: partitioning and hierarchical clustering. The former can be applied when all the corpus elements must be included in one of the groups. This induces data noise, as not even similar elements have to be included. The latter allows some elements to remain outside the clusters. The clusters become much more homogenous. This constitutes a better approach when it comes to identifying trends. Multiple hierarchical clustering methods are available, e.g. meanshift, DBSCAN, Optics and HDBSCAN (Hierarchical Density-Based Spatial Clustering of Applications with Noise) ( McInnes et al. , 2017 ). HDBSCAN is characterized by the least number of limitations. It takes each paper (vector) and checks at what distance it can find similar publications. Then it compares the results, and the densest areas are detected as clusters. Unlike some other methods, the clusters lack permanent density or a fixed number of elements. The only parameter that the researcher needs to establish is the minimum cluster size. The best value can be determined through a series of experiments.

In the present study, the authors carried out a set of experiments using different minimum cluster sizes. The highest value detected was 20. Lower values lead to a much higher number of clusters. Moreover, general phrases not directly related to HRM played a significant role in the discovery of these clusters. With the minimum cluster size set to values greater than 20, the number of clusters was significantly lower. That led to general results based on the most popular phrases only.

The entire sample was divided into groups of papers published in 5-year overlapping periods starting with 2000–2004 and ending with 2016–2020. Each paper was assigned to all the groups into which it fitted. Cluster analysis was performed for every group separately, and the results were used to identify trends.

Cluster analysis was performed on each group separately, and the results were used to discover trends. Approximately 30 clusters on average were identified for each five-year period. However, for a trend to be identified at least two similar clusters had to be discovered in successive periods Therefore, many unrelated clusters were excluded by the algorithm. Such behaviour is expected, as it removes noise from data. Usually, only one-third of clusters meet the conditions to form trends.

The number of papers published in each year is presented in Figure 2 . A slight decrease in the number of articles can be observed compared to 2018–19, which may have been a result of the Covid-19 pandemic.

3.4 Identification of trends

Long-lasting trends that existed and evolved during the studied period,

Declining trends which came to an end during the studied period,

Emerging trends which began during the studied period,

Ephemeris trends that began and ended during the studied period.

3.5 Interpretation of trends

The results delivered by the algorithm must be checked through further studies. The algorithm can detect mergers or splits in trends. We decided, however, that the final decision should be left to researchers. At this stage, trends should also be named, interpreted and described. The interpretation phase should help highlight changes within trends and try to predict their future evolution.

4. Results and discussion

The analyses, performed by researchers using automatic algorithms and further verification, led to the discovery of 42 trends presented in Table 3 . These trends are ordered according to the year of their first occurrence and their duration. It is worth emphasizing that the year in which a trend was observed does not indicate that the idea behind it emerged at the same time. Rather, it shows when a subject began to increase in popularity among researchers. Furthermore, the number of identified trends is much higher than the results from previous studies presented in Section 2.1 Table 4 .

The use of tracking revealed the evolution of clusters, and made it possible to identify trends. The analysis led to the discovery of the types of trends presented in Section 3.4. Of the 42 trends, 4 were long-lasting, 5 declining, 17 emerging and 16 ephemeris in character. One possible fact to note is that “strategic HRM”, which was a prevailing trend in previous studies, is not directly presented in the results obtained using text-mining analyses. However, it is included in the “architecture and changing role of HRM” trend.

At this point it is worth emphasizing that sociologists of science have examined the principles governing the selection of topics analysed by researchers, and noticed that it may result from a trade-off between conservative production and risky innovation ( Bourdieu, 1975 ). The main problem when choosing research topics is deciding whether to continue topics fixed in the literature or take the risk of exploring new, hitherto unknown themes. Trend a analysis offers an indirect solution based on strategic ambidexterity. This is not only because it allows us to observe disappearing themes that continue to be exploited, but also to identify those topics, in which there is a growing interest (exploration).

Long-lasting trends are not homogenous and change over time. The evolution of trends can be tracked using keywords of considerable importance in subsequent years. The importance of keywords was evaluated using the TF-IDF algorithm and averaged for each cluster. The TF-IDF formula was presented in the Methodology section. It should be noted that the TF-IDF score has to be calculated for each phrase in each paper. In this study, over 150,000 phrases were identified in over 6 thousand papers. That resulted in a significant number of calculations made by the algorithm, which cannot be presented in the paper. A comparison of cluster keywords reveals new topics within trends. The evolution of trends may lead to the disappearance of earlier topics or to their parallel development. Declining and ephemeris trends are associated with issues that are of less interest to researchers, have been resolved or were eclipsed by changes in a researcher's approach to the object of their study. The disappearance of certain trends is a normal phenomenon in science. Such a disappearance can be predicted to a certain degree when the average number of papers decreases.

Since we identified many trends, only a few examples will be described below. One example of a long-lasting trend is “Diversity Management”, which covered the entire 2000–2020 timeframe. The articles that discussed this trend focused on effective diversity management, its impact on organizational performance (e.g. Choi et al. , 2017 ), team performance ( Roberge and van Dick, 2010 ), knowledge sharing ( Shen et al. , 2014 ), innovation ( Peretz et al. , 2015 ), and the various factors which impact upon its effectiveness. Some papers discussed only one form of diversity in the workplace, e.g. age diversity ( Li et al. , 2011 ), gender diversity (e.g. Gould et al. , 2018 ) or ethnic diversity (e.g. Singh, 2007 ).

One sub-trend that can be observed within the above-discussed trend is age management', which falls within the 2005–2018 time range. The papers assigned to this sub-trend focus on HR practices towards older employees (e.g. Kooij et al. , 2014 ).

One example of a declining trend is “new and traditional career models”. This trend, which was observed in the years 2000–2019, highlights the fact that the weakening of organizational boundaries has increased career freedom and independence from previously constraining factors. The papers which examined this issue provide conceptual knowledge of different career dimensions. For example, a shift has taken place from objective to subjective careers. Individuals have to make sense of their careers, because they can no longer depend on their employers ( Walton and Mallon, 2004 ). Individual cultural, social and economic capital builds a field of opportunities for pursuing a career ( Iellatchitch et al. , 2003 ). Simultaneously, two major kinds of boundaries to the “boundaryless career” have been identified: the competence-based boundary (industry boundary) and the relation-based boundary (social capital boundary) ( Baghdadli et al. , 2003 ).

In the last two decades, increasing environmental awareness has pushed researchers towards addressing the issue of HRM as a strategic tool for making companies sustainability-driven organizations (e.g. Podgorodnichenko et al. , 2020 ). One of the emerging trends identified in our study is “Green and sustainable HRM”. This trend focuses on the environmental responsibility of companies (e.g. DuBois and Dubois, 2012 ) or/and achieving simultaneously social and economic goals (if the triple bottom line concept is discussed) (e.g. Ren and Jackson, 2020 ). The results, in the form of behavioral changes, have also been examined (e.g. Dumont et al. , 2017 ) and the contribution of HRM to company sustainability has been discussed in the context of different countries (e.g. Alcaraz et al. , 2019 ).

Finally, one example of an ephemeris trend is “HR certification”. The discussion on this trend was initiated by Lengnick-Hall and Aguinis (2012) . They applied a multi-level theory-based approach to investigating HR certification. They tried to assess the value of HR certification for individual HR specialists, their organizations as well as for the HR profession as a whole. The main topic addressed in later articles devoted to this trend was the value of HR certification (e.g. Aguinis and Lengnick-Hall, 2012 ). The value of HR certification has been linked with shareholder value ( Paxton, 2012 ). The link between organizational values and HR certification is another issue that has been addressed. Organizational values are treated as a key antecedent to the use and pursuit of HR certification ( Garza and Morgeson, 2012 ).

Table 3 presents only those periods during which specific trends were active, but provides no information on their dynamics. This can be observed by looking at the average number of papers per year (ANPY) in consecutive periods. Table 4 presents all the trends active during the last year of the study. They were divided into three groups according to whether the ANPY was decreasing, increasing or stable in recent years. To depict the relative strength of these trends, table shows the average number of papers published in the final 5-year period.

It can be concluded that trends with an increasing dynamic coincide with the trends defined in the literature. For example, “flexible employment from the perspective of HRM” corresponds with “employment relations” distinguished by Markoulli et al. (2017) and “the HRM process, the changing nature of HRM, and precarious employment relations” in the typology developed by Cooper et al. (2020) . “Diversity Management” is related to “organizational culture” ( Özlen, 2014 ). “Employee participation” may be associated with “employment relations” ( Cooke et al. , 2019 ) and “organizational commitment” ( García-Lillo et al. , 2017 ). The latter occurs both in the presented typology and in previous ones. “leader–member exchange” should be included in “behavioral issues” ( Özlen, 2014 ). Finally, a trend characterized by an increasing dynamic is “green and sustainable HRM”. Green HRM was an independent subject of analysis in a study by Yong et al. (2020) .

5. Conclusions

5.1 contributions and implications.

The present study provides an analysis of HRM journals with the aim of identifying trends in HRM research. It makes contributions to the field by providing a more comprehensive and objective review than analyses resulting from conventional systematic literature reviews as well as by identifying 42 different trends. It fills an existing gap in literature studies on HRM with a novel research approach – a methodology based on full-text mining and a big data toolset. As a consequence, this study can be considered as providing an adequate reflection of all the articles published in journals strictly devoted to HRM issues and which may serve as an important source of reference for both researchers and practitioners. It can also help them identify the core journals focused on HRM research as well as those topics which are of particular interest and importance.

As the study covers a period of over 20 years it should come as no surprise that some trends emerged and declined over this time. However, our study creates an opportunity for reviving research topics which combine old trends with new ones, and at the same time take into account the interdisciplinary nature of HRM as a field of research. Some researchers have observed that success can often be achieved by adopting a tool from another research area or through a new way of analyzing old problems that brings new insights and solutions ( Adali et al. , 2018 ).

Finally, we observed the emergence of a number of trends during the studied period that are still active. In particular, green and sustainable HRM is not only an emerging trend but also developing rapidly. It is worth mentioning here that while many articles have focused on green HRM issues, they have not been published in journals that specialize in HRM but in journals devoted to environmental issues. One possible future challenge for researchers may be to estimate the proportions between HRM articles published in HRM journals and those featured in other journals.

Practitioners interested in the evolution of the field can find in this paper areas of HRM that require improving in their own businesses or which can be treated as a platform for introducing innovations in HRM (emerging trends). The information contained in this paper can also be utilized as a source for evaluating the performance of sub-fields in a HRM research domain and for adjusting research policies with regard to funding allocations and comparing research input and output ( Gu, 2004 ). The editors of journals may take into account the results presented in this paper when making decisions regarding the direction, scope, and themes of their journals.

5.2 Limitations

First, our eligibility criteria included only papers indexed in the Scopus and WoS database and excluded conference proceedings, book chapters, and non-English papers. Second, only full-text articles were included in the study, which could narrow down the research area. As a consequence, important information regarding the research presented in the excluded documents is potentially lost. Third, most of the papers in our database were published in the International Journal of Human Resource Management, and therefore such trends as “challenges for international HRM” can be considered significant (long-lasting). Another – the fourth – limitation of the study is the lack of estimation of the proportion between searches in HRM journals and articles published in other journals. Future research may overcome the above-presented limitations. Although we used valuable techniques such as TF-IDF and HDBSCAN, the fifth limitation is that, after trends were discovered, it was necessary to evaluate and interpret them. That could have induced researchers' bias even if – as in this study – researchers from different areas of experience were involved. Finally, this study covers the 2000–2020 timeframe. Since HRM is a rapidly developing field, in a few years from now academics will probably begin to move into exciting new research areas. As a consequence, it might be worthwhile conducting similar analyses to those presented in this study and compare their results.

Workflow of the methodology used in this study

Number of papers in the years 2000–2020

Trends in HRM research identified in previous studies

HRM-related journals included in this study

Trends in HRM research in the years 2000–2020

Activity of long-lasting and emerging trends in recent years

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Understand How to Select a Human Resources Research Topic

Generally, the topic that you pick will play a significant role in the success of your research paper. So, when it comes to writing a human resources research paper, first, make sure to pick an ideal topic by following these steps.

Determine your area of interest

In the beginning, put some effort into identifying the human resources research area that you have strong knowledge and interest in. Working on a research topic from a passionate area or theme will help you conduct research with a lot of excitement and satisfaction. The HR research areas that you may consider are recruitment and selection, workplace compliance and safety, risk management, career development, etc.

Conduct a Preliminary Search and Gather Ideas

After finding out your field of interest, conduct a basic search and gather unique human resources research ideas. To collect research topics, you may read the latest credible materials such as magazines, journals, and published research papers that are relevant to the theme you have selected.

Narrow down the list

Once you have collected various human resources research titles, analyze them all and find out whether they have a good research scope and are feasible to complete the research process before the deadline. Never pick HR research topics that have limited or no research scope. Also, narrow down the list by ignoring the research topics that are already discussed and the ones with fewer sources for references.

Perform analysis

Analyze all the shortlisted research ideas and pick a topic that is unique, researchable, and contains a lot of sources and facts to prove a thesis statement. Most importantly, the topic that you give preference should match your university guidelines and align with your needs. Furthermore, the topic you select should allow you to achieve your goal.

Consult with your supervisor

Once you have selected a topic for your human resources research paper, discuss it with your supervisor and get their approval for the topic. By using their experience and subject knowledge, they will share some insights on whether the topic you have chosen will help you create wonders or not.

List of the Best Human Resources Research Topics

In case, you are unsure what human resources research paper topic to choose, take a look at the list published below. The list will provide you with 100 fascinating human resources research topics that are worth exploring.

Simple Human Resources Management Research Topics

Explain how HR helps companies stay competitive in a global market.
Analyze the most effective team-building strategies.
Suggest a simple and effective way to resolve interpersonal conflicts.
Examine how the agile method helps.
Suggest some best methods for disciplining employees.
Discuss how to resolve interpersonal conflicts.
Explain how to manage international employees.
Analyze the latest innovations in human resource management.
Explain the role of a human resource management system in job selection.
Discuss how to monitor productivity and performance in Human Resource management.

Interesting Human Resources Research Topics

Explain how to manage equal-opportunity employment.
Focus on the steps to improve the long-term retention of employees.
Explain how big data is useful to human resources.
Examine the importance of HRM in the healthcare industry.
Analyze the role of data analytics in ensuring constructive job selection.
Evaluate the satisfaction level of employees in the hospitality sector.
Focus on the key components of recruitment and labor markets.
Elaborate on compliance management in HRM.
Take a look at compensation management in HR management.
Why should HR consider conducting regular audits?

Engaging Human Resources Research Topics

Explain how to prevent unfair discrimination against LGBT+ employees.
Analyze performance appraisal essentials and bonus payments.
Explain the role of HR in helping employees maintain the right work-life balance
Explore the importance of job analysis in HRM.
Explain the role of HR in preventing OSHA violations
Elaborate on the significance of KPI in HR management
Explore the role of HR in ensuring the psychological well-being of employees
Focus on factors that may hinder how HRM works.
How to sustain the odds of employee attrition rate
Explain how to guide employee appraisal in the business.

Excellent HR Research Paper Topics

Explain how to handle overqualified employees or applicants.
Discuss the role of HRM in combating sexual harassment in the workplace
Explain how to attract ideal employees.
Examine the risk factors associated with employee retention.
Discuss the pros and cons of 360-degree feedback in HRM.
Elaborate on the 3T’s of leadership competency in HRM
Prepare a research paper on the LMS.
Focus on fun Friday activities and the role of HR
Explore the role of HR in the employee termination process.
How HR can utilize the fullest potential of AR and VR in the workplace?

Human Resources Research Topics on Recruitment

Analyze the importance of recruitment, selection, and training of employees.
Elaborate on the major requirements of recruiting a fresher in an organization
Examine the biggest issues in recruitment and employee selection.
Focus on the best and worst time to recruit a new employee.
Take a look at the best platforms to recruit on.
Analyze how HR evaluates a newly recruited employee.
Suggest best practices for improving employee retention.
Examine the dos and don’ts of criminal background checks.
Explain the selection process in HRM.
Analyze what makes recruitment a vital part of the HR management system.

Also Read: 200 Captivating Human Rights Topics To Consider

Unique HR Research Ideas on Talent Management

Analyze the principles of talent management in HR.
Prepare a detailed research paper on the onboarding process of employees in a company.
Examine the correlation between performance and talent management.
Elaborate on succession planning with examples.
Take a look at various talent acquisition strategies.
Focus on the talent management approaches followed by MNCs in the USA.
Write about the talent management process in small and medium enterprises.
Explain the role of recruitment in talent management.
Prepare a research paper on corporate talent management.
Focus on different talent management tools.

HR Performance Management and Appraisal Research Topics

Examine the legalities associated with the process of employee performance management.
Take a look at some good performance appraisal activities and practices
Focus on the different types of performance appraisal slabs in HR management
Explore the role of communication in ensuring a streamlined appraisal cycle.
Describe the benefits of having performance standards.
Prepare a research paper on the link between reward system and performance management
Focus on the essential elements of trait-based appraisals.
Write about the performance appraisal approaches followed by corporate companies.
Examine the impact of on-the-job training on employee performance.
Analyze the advantages and drawbacks of automated performance management systems.

Human Resources Research Topics on Risk Management

Examine the different types of risks that HR managers have to handle.
Focus on risk management when working from home.
Analyze what role HR takes in risk management.
Explain when HR should take legal action.
Elaborate on the latest trends and practices in risk management.
Write about the risk identification process in the HRM field.
Address the various risks and healthcare issues in the Workplace.
Explain how to identify bullying in the workplace
Focus on HR risk management in the ‘#metoo’ movement.
Explain how to respond to a legal action taken by an employee.

HRM Research Paper Topics on Career Development

Discuss the key elements of creating leaders among employees.
Explain how career development is beneficial for both employees and companies.
Examine the best approaches and practices for on-the-job training.
Take a look at the professional certification training for employees.
Analyze the pros and cons of leading professional development sessions.
Write about the must-have training and development program for all employees.
Explain how active professional development affects productivity.
Examine the impact of cross-training on organizational efficiency
Focus on the key skills that all employees should develop.
Explain the role and significance of HR management in career development.

Workplace Safety Topics for HR Research Paper

Analyze the most critical issues in worker protection and workplace safety.
Examine the effects of not following workplace safety.
Explain how to ensure all employees follow health and safety protocols.
What are the most concerning elements affecting worker protection and workplace safety?
Explore the role of an HR manager in enhancing worker safety and protection standards.
Explain how to build a diverse workplace.
Explain the preventative steps to be taken for workplace hazards.
Discuss how to identify workplace vulnerability in terms of safety and protection.
Explain how to prevent workplace violence.
Examine the benefits of a diverse and inclusive workplace.

Final Thoughts

From the list suggested above, choose any topic related to your passion and begin writing your human resources research paper. If you need expert help with human resources management research paper topic selection, writing, and proofreading, call us immediately.

At greatassignmenthelp.com, we have a team of highly skilled HR professionals and subject matter specialists to offer excellent online human resources assignment help at an affordable cost. According to the guidelines and requirements you share with us, our scholarly writers will create and deliver a plagiarism-free human resources research paper ahead of time. Furthermore, by getting our HR research paper help , you can improve your subject knowledge and enhance your grades.

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What Are the Best Research Topics in Human Resources For 2022?

Human Resources is one of the highly chosen subjects with essential topics suitable for the business-minded people only. The basic components vital for production in any economy are Land, Capital, and Labor. Human resource deals with management, recruitment, administration, and training of employees, the labour. If you are a student enrolled on a course in Human Resource Management or any behavioural science courses from UAE, USA, UK, Singapore, Australia or any other, you are supposed to write various human resource management assignments like research papers, essays, term papers, dissertations, research reports, and thesis. However, the most critical parts start with searching for one of the best Human Resource Research Topics.

80+ Human Resources Research Topics for 2022

If you are looking to write an excellent HR research paper topic, consider our HRM research paper help here at casestudyhelp.com.

We provide students with a list of varieties of HRM research topics related to

Recruitment and selection,
Risk management,
Career development,
Performance management,
Workplace safety and so on.

Here are the essential tips for choosing a good HR research topic to help you identify the best topic for writing an excellent HR research paper.

Tips for Choosing Current HRM Research Topics:

Whenever you are assigned a research paper assignment , your first step is to find an enticing topic, which is undoubtedly not an easy task. For this, you need to do thorough research online and find an endless list of topics to choose from. But with Case Study Help, you get the opportunity of saving time.

We have shared a few tips to keep in mind during the research and selection of HR Project Topics for MBA Students. Here are tips to spot a good HR research paper topic.

Choose a topic as per your interest area and expertise of the subject your interest.
Always choose a topic you have strong knowledge of as it will not consume too much of your time and struggle.
The HRM research paper topic should always be informative and exciting to the readers.
Avoid picking a broad topic as you may not be able to cover all the main points before the deadline.
If the topic is too broad, cut them short into subtopics and focus in detail.
The research topic should support you to do extensive research.
The topic should contain appropriate content from credible sources to support your excellent idea.
The topic must be sensible, and it should help you organize the points coherently.
Remember your professor’s guidelines and choose a unique research topic that aligns with them. Only such issues will boost your scores.
Instead of selecting an uncommon or rarely asked topic, go with the latest and trending human resources research topic.

HR Topics For Research Project 2022

Selecting human resource research topics is often challenging for a person in human resources. Simply selecting the title and proceeding to write it will not work in 2022. Meeting the pace with the trend that keeps changing and getting a good grade, your research paper must be original and well researched. Writing a research paper is a very structured and analytical method.

For this reason, Case Study Help offers the best support to management students and professionals in HR, offering the latest human resources research projects in 2022 and HR Project Topics for MBA Final Projects 2022. These HR project topics comprise a wide range of Human Resource fields like Employee Recruitment, Organizational Culture, Employee Satisfaction, etc.

Have a look at them:

Study and analyze the gender equality in the workplace at ABC company.
Examine the employee performance appraisal process and its impact on employee satisfaction in the ABC organization.
A study of the stress management model implemented in the ABC organization.
An analysis of the effects of organizational culture on the employee’s behaviour.
Study and analyze the stress level of employees working in the banking industry.
MBA HR project report studying the job satisfaction of employees in private companies.
Reviewing the performance management in Starbucks.
Study the analyze the future trends in the recruitment process worldwide.
Comparative study and swot analysis of human resource management (HRM) in the global industry.
Study of increment, promotion, appreciation and reward policy of the organization.
Studying the human resource management (HRM) functions and their effectiveness.

List Of Informative Human Resource Management Research Topics

There is a massive variety of possible human resource topics for writing an excellent research paper, so everyone will likely find some characteristic of it they enjoy. We present a list of the best human resources research topics in various categories.

The impact of the non-financial and financial aspects of employees’ rewards.
The significance of risk management under the human resource department.
Effective employee training strategies for analyzing hard skills and soft skills
What are the scopes of long-term employee training courses?
How does employee training help any organization in overcoming the economic crisis?
Process of improving inefficient employee selection process through training.
Effective Employee training strategies to maximize production,
Implementing Effective reward techniques for enhancing employee loyalty.
What do you mean by the reward management process in human resource management?
Why does employee training matter for any organization?
The significant role and responsibilities of employee trainers and managers
Is it reasonable to give a reward for improving performance?
What are the types of employee rewards that can help improve performance?
Analysis of reward management strategies in an organization.
Study on performance management in different stages.
The latest trends and techniques to use for employee performance improvement.
The significance of performance management in marketing.
Different approaches to retrain employees based on performance analysis.
Finding out the essence of a reward system for a start-up company.
Comparing the role of rewards on workforce motivation.
Examining the reward system in developing economies in a country.
What are the real-life objectives behind performance management?
What are the Employee performance management strategies that human resource managers must be aware of?
The benefits of employee performance management in the current scenario.
Crucial fundamentals of employee performance appraisal.
Effectiveness of employee performance appraisal in multinational companies.
How is money an effective employee motivation tool?
How employee motivation increases innovation and creativity in a company?
Why should human resource management motivate and inspire employees?
The role of the HR subdivision in motivating employees for work.
How can the human resource department motivate employees in the work environment?
Analyzing the motivational level of workers in public and private companies
Unique methods a company can accept to avoid wages and hours issues
How do we maintain safety at the workplace?
What are the problems that disturb attendance and timekeeping among company employees?
What are the ways to resolve annual leaves disputes in an organization?
How does diversity management affect business growth?
Comparing diversity and discrimination problems in an organization.
Diversity management skills every human resource manager to know.
How can a positive corporate culture impact a company’s growth?
Analyzing the organizational culture of an organization.
Corporate culture strategy every human resource manager must be aware of.
The organizational culture theory
An overview of management change and leadership
A step-by-step guide to employee appraisal in a company
Why do the SaaS approaches and cloud-based apps matter in human resource management?

Significance of Human Resource Management Case Study Assignment Help

Case Study Help is one of the best Assignment Help providers to present some of the interesting topics for writing an excellent research paper with round the clock by subject area expert writers and deliver the best quality assignments. We always help students secure A+ grades in assignments like case studies, research papers, dissertations, etc.

Interesting Topics for HRM Research Paper

How do practical training and development affect job performance?
What is the significance of performance-related pay matters in motivating employees?
How important is motivating an employee to influence the organizational output?
The challenges human resource managers face when motivating employees.
How does performance management have an impact on organizational success?
HRM strategies for addressing skill shortcomings.
Examining the effect of selection and recruitment practice on a company’s growth.
Assessing the efficacy of employee reward strategies for a manager.
List of factors that affect workers’ productivity in a company.
Can an organization use a flexible work policy as a retention and recruitment tool?
Various methods of improving employee productivity.
The connection between sustainable employee performance and knowledgeable management.
Investigating the HR Management methods that will enhance a company’s success.
Using the best HR practices to enhance employee commitment and retention.

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Pls. Contact us anytime, tell us about your topic, and get a 100% plagiarism-free MBA/HRM Research Topics with impeccable grammar and formatting.

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119 Human Resources Essay Topics & HRM Research Topics

Are you looking for human resources essay topics? Our extensive list of research topics in human resources management is made especially for HRM students! You can use these trending ideas for inspiration when writing your human resources essay, research paper, or research project.

🏆 Best Human Resources Essay Topics

✍️ human resources essay topics for college, 🔥 hot human resource management research paper topics, 🎓 most interesting hrm research topics, 🆕 new human resource management topics for research paper, 💡 trending human resource management project topics, 🙂 simple hr topics for research project, ❓ hrm assignment questions.

Google HR Practices & Google HRM
Ratio-Trend Analysis in HRM: Example & Techniques
Human Resources Management in Google
Role of Department of Marriott Human Resources for Employees
Google Company: International Human Resources Management
The Role of HRM in Career Management
Best Practices in Business and HRM
Human Resources Management: External Influences Like any sphere of management, human resources management can face external influences. There is a wide range of such influences, including political, economic, and social.
Selection Process in Human Resources Management The selection process presents the complex chain of actions that companies have to make in order to hire people. It involves many stages to select an employee.
Human Resources Management and How It Is Affected by Globalization and Technology? HRM functions have been widely affected by the changing trends around the world: various parts of the world are integrating, newer technologies and better concepts are evolving.
Computer Zone Company’s Human Resources Management Human resources management is one of the core aspects that can affect the development of organizations. This paper includes a brief analysis of the issues Computer Zone, Inc. has to address.
Theories and Practices of the Compatibilities Within Diversity, Equality and HRM The following paper shows a critical analysis of theories and practices of the compatibilities within diversity, equality and HRM.
Chinese Bank’ Human Resources Management The paper analyses HRM through an examination of new approaches, recruitment and selection, monitoring and rewarding at the Industrial and Commercial Bank of China.
Human Resources Management in Projects Team leaders should ensure they understand their team so that they can have responsive motivational policies and strategies.
Peter’s Pizza Restaurant: HRM Overview This paper gives a short overview of the current state of employees at Peter’s pizza and gives recommendations on how to improve and retain the human resources at the restaurant.
HRM Strategies and Psychological Atmosphere of the Team The HRM rules and principles are regarded as the coherent approach to the management the most valued principles of team activity within any organization or company.
Healthcare Human Resources Management and Changes Human resource management is a vital emphasis of management in organizations. This essay explores the significance of HRM in the context of the health care industry.
Connection of HRM and Legal Environment The paper states that HRM is affected by the legal environment in which it operates. HRM follows the rules and regulations of its organization.
Human Resources Management: Job Analysis and Job Descriptions The most fundamental building block of HRM, job analysis, is a systematic way of collecting and analyzing information concerning the jobs’ context, content, and human requirements.
H&W Produce Firm’s Human Resources Management This paper aims to use the results of a job analysis for the position of “salesperson” at the organization H&W Produce to draft a new recruitment and selection program.
Human Resources Management in Global Business All HRM practices, including staffing, training, and development, should align with the venture’s overall business strategy.
Business and Economics: Intercontinental Human Resources Management MNCs live in a dynamic and uncertain context, which calls on them to focus on intercontinental human resources management (IHRM).
HRM Software for Business and the Affordable Care Act The Affordable Care Act has its strengths, as well as weaknesses. The reason for it is the complexity of the law, which causes different challenges.
HR Management Skill Set in Health Care It is necessary to note that an HR manager is expected to have an outstanding knowledge of the industry, and some aspects are incredibly valued by employers.
Legal Aspects of Human Resources Management The paper discusses such legal aspects of HRM as union solicitation, alleged discriminationreviewsarassment, state remedies, etc.
Irish Healthcare System: HR Management and Financing The management of the healthcare sector requires using not only adequate leadership practices and approaches to monitoring employee performance.
Developing as an Effective HRM HRM should be knowledgeable in workplace psychology and approach communicating successfully with a diverse range of people.
Bushwood Count: Strategic Human Resources Management and Leadership As the labor markets get more and more competitive, Human resources become a key determinant of how successful business is going to be and how long it will last.
HRM Importance for a New Healthcare Organization Healthcare facilities that operate as businesses need Human Resource Management to ensure sustainable and efficient operations.
Human Resource Practices and the Managerial Activities in the HRM The article is found to be a good one as it covers in-depth analysis of the human resource practices and the current trends.
Human Resources Management and Organizational Culture Organizational Theory and studies focus on the systematic explorations of and analysis of how people as individual and as groups function within organizational operational frameworks.
HRM Strategy: Agency Carers’ in London The aim of the research is studying variables such as nurses, working conditions, career growth, remuneration, age, and the duration of workforce on their impacts on the turnover.
Personnel and Human Resources Management Human resource management arm of an organisation has the responsibility of developing an organisation’s workforce to enhance productivity through training and development.
Healthcare Technological Trends and HRM Strategies Today our world is developing extremely quickly mainly due to the enormous technological development. This paper analyzes technological trends in the sphere of healthcare.
HRM Functions, Policies, and Practices
Can HRM Improve Schools’ Performance?
Gaps Between HRM Plans and Implementation
Best Fit and Best Practice in HRM
Examining HRM Initiatives Utilized by Modern Companies
HRM and Critical Social Science Analysis
HRM Project and Employee Attrition
HRM: Maintaining Positive Employee Relationship
HRM and Employment Relationships
Changing Psychological Contract Implications for HRM
Comparing Different International HRM Strategies
HRM Practices and Culture in South Africa
Connection Between HRM and Strategic Management
Examining the Mediating Role of Engagement: HRM
Equal Employment Opportunity and HRM
HRM Strategic Planning Process
HRM Regional Staff Outline
Best Practice and High Commitment HRM
HRM Policy and Increasing Inequality in a Salary Survey
HRM Practice and Firm Performance
Corporate Culture and HRM in Germany
Work-Life Balance HRM
HRM Systems and Firm Performance: The Mediation Role of Strategic Orientation
HRM and Key Philosophies
Effective Planning and Organization in HRM
Employment Relationship and HRM
HRM and Performance: Achievements, Methodological Issues, and Prospects
HRM Strategy for Expats Assignment
Connection Between HRM and Human Resource Development
HRM University Systems and Their Impact on E-HRM
International Human Resource Management Bbm Program HRM
HRM Issues Diversification Strategies
HRM Practices and the Singapore Labor Force
Frontiers, Intersections, and Engagements of Ethics and HRM
HRM Practices and the Within-firm Gender Wage Gap
Difference Between Personnel Management and HRM
HRM, Vocational Training and Educational Programs
Employee Selection the Role of HRM in Finding the Right Candidate
HRM and Organisational Performance
Uncovering Competitive and Institutional Drivers of HRM Practices Assignment
HRM, Culture and the Multinational Corporation
HRM and Organizational Performance Measures
HRM: Employees Are Our Most Important Asset
Factors Affecting HRM Practices
Implementing Devolution and Strategic HRM
HRM and the Changing Nature of Organizations
Economic Restructuring and HRM in Hong Kong
HRM for Cultural Integration Management
Government Needs Proper HRM Practice for National Development
Current and Future Role of HRM in Strategic Planning
HRM Practices Align With Business Strategy
HRM for Hospitality and Tourism Industries
Future Challenges and Ethical Dilemmas in HRM
Effective HRM and Its Impact on an Organisation
HRM and Its Role in Corporate Strategy
HRM Reflective Learning Exercise
HRM Strategies and Labour Turnover in the Hotel Industry
International HRM and Ethical Leadership
Link Between Csr and HRM
Eating Habits and Academic Performance of HRM Students
What Is the Difference Between HRM and HRD?
How Is Xiss HRM in Comparison With Tiss HRM?
Does Alignment Elicit Competency-Based HRM?
How Can Effective HRM Contribute to the Profits of an Organization?
What Are Some of the Main Features of HRM?
How Does the Choice of a Company Strategy Affect HRM?
How HRM Control Affects Boundary-Spanning Employees’ Behavioural Strategies and Satisfaction?
How Will These Changes to Employment Legislation Affect HRM Function?
What Is the Relationship Between the Level and Modality of HRM Metrics?
What Is the Difference Between Domestic HRM and International HRM?
What Are the Main Factors and HRM Procedures That Have Contributed to the Success of Google?
What Is the Significance and Importance of HRM in the Global World?
Why Has Work-Life Balance Become a Key Issue in HRM?
What Is the Relationship Between HRM and HRIS?
What Recruitment Selection Approach Adopted Order Achieve Practice HRM?
How Did HRM Evolved in History?
What Are the Seven Functions of HRM?
What Is the Relationship Between HRM and Organisational Strategic Direction?
What Are the Core Influencers and Factors for Germany’s Unique HRM?
What Are Some of the Current Practical HRM Issues?
What Are the Host Country Effects Influence HRM in the Multinational Enterprise?
What Are the Types of HRM Strategies?
What Is the Relationship Between HRM Practices and Employees?
How High‐Commitment HRM Relates to Engagement and Commitment?
What Are the Three Main Areas of HRM?

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These essay examples and topics on HRM were carefully selected by the StudyCorgi editorial team. They meet our highest standards in terms of grammar, punctuation, style, and fact accuracy. Please ensure you properly reference the materials if you’re using them to write your assignment.

This essay topic collection was updated on December 27, 2023 .

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Hum Resour Health

HRM and its effect on employee, organizational and financial outcomes in health care organizations

Brenda vermeeren.

1 Erasmus University Rotterdam, PO Box 1738, 3000 DR Rotterdam, Netherlands

Bram Steijn

Lars tummers, marcel lankhaar.

2 PwC, PO Box 8800, 3009 AV Rotterdam, Netherlands

Robbert-Jan Poerstamper

Sandra van beek.

3 Actiz, PO Box 8258, 3505 RG Utrecht, Netherlands

One of the main goals of Human Resource Management (HRM) is to increase the performance of organizations. However, few studies have explicitly addressed the multidimensional character of performance and linked HR practices to various outcome dimensions. This study therefore adds to the literature by relating HR practices to three outcome dimensions: financial, organizational and employee (HR) outcomes. Furthermore, we will analyze how HR practices influence these outcome dimensions, focusing on the mediating role of job satisfaction.

This study uses a unique dataset, based on the ‘ActiZ Benchmark in Healthcare’, a benchmark study conducted in Dutch home care, nursing care and care homes. Data from autumn 2010 to autumn 2011 were analyzed. In total, 162 organizations participated during this period (approximately 35% of all Dutch care organizations). Employee data were collected using a questionnaire (61,061 individuals, response rate 42%). Clients were surveyed using the Client Quality Index for long-term care, via stratified sampling. Financial outcomes were collected using annual reports. SEM analyses were conducted to test the hypotheses.

It was found that HR practices are - directly or indirectly - linked to all three outcomes. The use of HR practices is related to improved financial outcomes (measure: net margin), organizational outcomes (measure: client satisfaction) and HR outcomes (measure: sickness absence). The impact of HR practices on HR outcomes and organizational outcomes proved substantially larger than their impact on financial outcomes. Furthermore, with respect to HR and organizational outcomes, the hypotheses concerning the full mediating effect of job satisfaction are confirmed. This is in line with the view that employee attitudes are an important element in the ‘black box’ between HRM and performance.

The results underscore the importance of HRM in the health care sector, especially for HR and organizational outcomes. Further analyses of HRM in the health care sector will prove to be a productive endeavor for both scholars and HR managers.

One of the main goals of Human Resource Management (HRM) is to increase the performance of organizations [ 1 ]. Pfeffer [ 2 ] emphasized the importance of gaining competitive advantage through employees and noted the importance of several Human Resource (HR) practices necessary to obtain this advantage. Huselid [ 3 ] stressed the use of an integrated and coherent ‘bundle’ of mutually reinforcing HR practices over separate ones. Notwithstanding the substantial volume of research on the link between HRM and performance, the exact nature of this relationship within the health care sector remains unclear [ 4 ]. This can be considered problematic, as studying HRM in the health care sector and its effect on performance has both practical and academic relevance [ 5 ].

However, performance is not a concept that can be easily defined and conceptualized. According to Guest [ 6 ] it is better to use the concept of ‘outcomes’ instead of performance. One can then distinguish three different outcomes: 1) financial outcomes (profits, net margin, market share), 2) organizational outcomes (productivity, quality, efficiency, client satisfaction) and 3) HR outcomes (employees’ attitudes and behaviour) [ 7 ]. Dyer and Reeves [ 7 ] noted that HR and organizational outcomes are more proximal outcomes, for example, closely linked to the HR practices adopted by an organization, whereas financial outcomes are more distant, as they are less likely to be directly affected by HR practices. Moreover, specific HR outcomes are often used as intermediate outcomes that bridge the ‘black box’ between HR practices and financial or organizational outcomes [ 8 ].

This multidimensional perspective of outcomes seems especially relevant for health care organizations, as financial outcomes are certainly not the only - or even primary - objective [ 9 ]. Notwithstanding the large amount of research on HRM in health care, few studies have explicitly addressed the multidimensional character of performance and linked HR practices to various outcome dimensions [ 4 ]. In this article, we therefore add to the literature by examining several outcome dimensions of health care organizations. The research question we will address is as follows: ‘ To what extent are HR practices in health care organizations related to multiple outcome dimensions?’

First, we will provide a brief background on the link between HRM and outcomes with a specific focus on the health care sector. Next, we will develop several hypotheses. Thereafter, the methods and results of the data analysis are provided. The article ends with a conclusion regarding the effects of HRM on various outcomes in the health care sector.

HRM and outcomes

Studying the relationship between HRM and performance outcomes is an important research theme [ 1 , 10 , 11 ]. In an overview article, Boselie et al . [ 12 ] identified the main research issues within the field. These primarily concern the conceptualization and measurement of the central concepts and several theoretical issues about their relationship. These issues remain important in the contemporary debate [ 1 ]. The concept of performance has been discussed above. HRM is commonly defined as a set of employee management activities, but there is no consensus regarding which HR practices should be included in a ‘comprehensive HRM checklist’ [ 12 ]. Even more important is the question as to whether one should examine discrete HR practices or employ a systematic HRM approach. According to the systems approach, one should regard interrelated HR practices that affect performance as a ‘synergistic whole’. In this study we follow the systems approach, as this was proven valuable in earlier studies [ 13 ].

In addition to conceptualization, there are also important measurement issues concerning HRM. Does one measure HR policies at the company level (for instance by asking HR managers) or at the individual level (practices as experienced by employees)? Nishii and Wright [ 14 ] refined this issue by distinguishing among intended, actual and perceived HRM. The notion behind this is that there may be differences within organizations among the HR policy designed by the HR department (intended HRM), the HR practices implemented by line managers (actual HRM) and the perceptions of employees (perceived HRM). This study focuses on perceived HRM, following the Thomas Theorem: if men define situations as real, they are real in their consequences [ 15 ]. Thus, if employees believe that specific HR practices are employed in the organization, they will act according to that belief.

An important theoretical issue that has dominated the field in the last decade concerns the precise nature of the mechanism linking HRM and performance outcomes. This issue is called the ‘black box’, i.e., the mediating link between HRM and performance. In recent years, many suggestions have been made regarding the nature of this ‘black box’ [ 14 , 16 ], but most scholars emphasize the perceptions and experiences of employees as the main linking mechanism [ 12 ]. HR practices forge a psychological contract between employer and employee that in turn affects these perceptions and experiences. In this article, job satisfaction is used as a mediating variable linking HRM to various outcomes [ 17 , 18 ].

HRM and outcomes in the health care sector

In the last two decades, several studies on HRM and performance have been conducted in the health care sector [ 19 , 20 ]. In their review of health care studies, Harris et al . [ 4 ] concluded that HR practices are often related to patient oriented performance outcomes. They also noted the importance of conducting additional research on the ‘black box’ issue. Furthermore, many health care studies relate HRM to organizational and HR related outcomes [ 21 - 25 ]. However, studies focusing on financial outcomes - which have been extensively addressed in the private sector HRM literature - seem rather scarce.

This study focuses on the Dutch care sector (home care, nursing care and care homes). Its contribution concerns two elements discussed in the literature. First, we apply a multidimensional performance perspective, and we will therefore consider three outcome dimensions: financial, organizational and HR. This is innovative because although many health care studies have analyzed care - an organizational outcome - and HR outcomes, financial indicators have received much less attention. Moreover, we are unaware of health care sector studies that have examined the relationship between HRM and these three outcome dimensions simultaneously. The second contribution concerns the ‘black box’ issue. Many studies use employee attitudes as an outcome variable. However, an important interpretation of the ‘black box’ implies that employee attitudes will mediate the link between HRM and performance [ 13 ]. Using job satisfaction as indicator of employee attitudes, we will test whether this holds for all three outcome measures considered in this article. This leads to the following three hypotheses:

H1: job satisfaction mediates the relationship between HR practices and financial outcomes in health care organizations.

H2: job satisfaction mediates the relationship between HR practices and organizational outcomes health care organizations.

H3: job satisfaction mediates the relationship between HR practices and HR outcomes in health care organizations.

Before discussing our data, it is important to shortly describe the structure of the Dutch health care sector. In general, the Dutch health care system can be described as a mix of public and private provider agents, mainly based on public funding [ 26 ]. More specifically, Dutch health care is divided into short-term care (‘cure’-sector, for instance provided in hospitals) and long-term care (‘care’-sector, for instance provided in nursing homes). This research focuses on organizations that provide long-term care. This includes organizations providing home care, somatic care and psychogeriatric a care and is mainly financed using public funds. Next to this, citizens also pay a relatively small private fee.

A central explanation for the limited number of studies focusing on objective and multidimensional outcome data is that such data are difficult to collect. This study has the advantage of being able to use data from the ‘ActiZ Benchmark in health care’. This benchmark was developed by ActiZ - an important Dutch employer association - in cooperation with PwC - for the period 2010 to 2015. The benchmark measures and compares the performance of three different health care sectors (home care, nursing care and care homes) and contains employee data, client data and financial performance data. We analyzed the data gathered from autumn 2010 to autumn 2011. In total, 162 organizations participated during this period. This is approximately 35% of all organizations providing home care, nursing care and care homes in the Netherlands ( http://www.zorggegevens.nl ).

The data will be analyzed at the organizational level. Thus, data collected at the employee or client level will be aggregated. Other variables, such as financial performance indicators, do not need to be aggregated, as they are (only) available at the organizational level. With respect to financial outcomes, we will consider the net margin. With respect to organizational outcomes, we will focus on client satisfaction, and absence due to sickness will be considered to capture HR outcomes. Job satisfaction - which also can be regarded as an (proximal) HR outcome - will be used as a ‘black box’ variable mediating the relationship between HR practices and outcomes. The measurement of HR practices is discussed below.

First, most financial performance data on health care organizations are publicly available and based on annual reports. This information is stored in databases (available at http://www.zorggegevens.nl and http://www.jaarverslagenzorg.nl ) (in English: healthcare information and annual reports). We discussed this information with an accountant from PwC. To gather employee data, a questionnaire was distributed to all employees, and a total 1 of 61,061 individuals completed the survey, resulting in a response rate of 42%. Only the responses of employees with direct interactions with clients were used in our analysis (job functions such as nursing, care, client-related domestic support and occupational therapy), due to their relationship with the organizational outcome (client satisfaction). This resulted in a database of 48,145 employees. Within this employee database, each question was answered by at least 90.7% of the respondents. Of the valid respondents, 92% were women. This is consistent with Dutch averages for employees in home care, nursing care and care homes, which is predominantly a female profession [ 27 ]. As age is subdivided into categories in our study, we could only say something about the predominant age category. The predominant age category is 46 to 55 years (36.9%) which suggests that the average age is slightly above the average age of 41 years [ 27 ]. Clients were surveyed using the Client Quality Index (CQi) for long-term care [ 28 , 29 ]. The CQi employs a stratified sampling method, through which an independent agency surveys a representative client sample for each organization. Three groups are constructed: home care clients, somatic care clients (in nursing homes or care homes) and psychogeriatric care clients (in nursing homes or care homes). Home care clients are asked to complete a survey; somatic clients are interviewed using a survey as a guide. For psychogeriatric clients (suffering from cognitive issues such as dementia), an authorized representative completes a survey.

To ensure the comparability of the employee data with the client and financial performance data, we only included organizations with information in all three databases. This resulted in a database with 85 organizations.

Measurement

The dataset constructed as described above has the potential to increase our understanding of the relationship among HR practices, job satisfaction and outcomes. However, it also has limitations. The data are not gathered with academic objectives in mind; instead, its primary goal is to be practically useful for the organizations involved. This implies that items used in this study are only partly based on validated scales and existing theory. To determine the reliability of the scales, we have computed reliability statistics where possible. Cronbach’s Alpha is used as a measure of reliability. It indicates how consistently the observed variable measures the latent dimension (prescribed norm is > .70).

HR practices

The employee questionnaire contains five indicators that are often used in HRM and performance research: training and development, performance related pay, teamwork, job design, and autonomy. In the overview article by Harris et al . [ 4 ] the measurement of HRM in health care is discussed. They stated that HR practices that should be adopted in HRM systems incorporate high performance work practices found to have had a positive effect on performance in other sectors (the so-called best practices) without derogating the specific health care context. The first two indicators included by us are the most frequently used in research [ 12 ]. The other three also score relatively high on the list of the most common practices (ranked 5, 10 and 11) [ 12 ]. However, HRM and performance research exhibits little consistency in the selection of HR practices to measure HRM. Boselie et al . [ 12 ] analyzed 104 important HRM and performance studies and identified as many as 26 different HR practices used in different studies. No single agreed, or fixed, list of HR practices or systems of practices exists to measure HRM [ 30 , 31 ]. Nevertheless, a certain consensus regarding the measurement of HRM has emerged in the academic literature on HRM and performance during the last decade. More than half of the articles published after 2000 made use of AMO (Ability, Motivation and Opportunity) theory [ 30 ]. AMO theory proposes that an HRM system should be designed to meet employees’ needs for skills and motivation and, after meeting those needs, provide them with opportunities to use their abilities in various roles [ 32 ]. The underlying idea is that employees will perform well if they have the requisite abilities, when they are motivated and when they obtain the opportunity to profile themselves [ 32 ]. By using the five HR practices indicated above, all three dimensions of AMO theory are covered. Lepak et al . [ 33 ] have listed concrete HR practices that influence employees’ AMO. In this respect, training and development are expected to improve employees’ abilities (A), performance related pay is an HR practices to motivate employees to perform (M), and teamwork, job design and autonomy are HR practices that are considered as opportunities to perform [ 30 ]. These five HR practices are also regularly part of the measurement of HRM in health care studies [ 21 , 24 , 34 ].

Training and development was measured using three items. A sample item is: ‘My organization pays enough attention to my career’. Responses were given using a five-point Likert scale (‘totally disagree’ to ‘totally agree’). All standardized loadings were greater than .5. Cronbach’s alpha was .77.

Performance related pay was measured using one item: ‘My organization provides additional financial rewards to employees with exceptional performance’. Responses were provided on a four-point Likert scale ranging from ‘never’ to ‘always’.

Teamwork was measured using two items. A sample item is: ‘Our organization encourages me to work together with other work units/teams or individuals within the organization’; (four-point Likert scale, ‘never’ to ‘always’). All standardized loadings were greater than 0.5, and they were all statistically significant. Correlation between the two items is .547 ( P < .001).

Job design was measured using three items. A sample item is: ‘My tasks are clear’ (four-point Likert, ‘never’ to ‘always’). All standardized loadings were greater than 0.5, and they were all statistically significant. Cronbach’s alpha was .85.

Four items were used to measure autonomy . A sample item is: ‘I can make decisions independently’ (four-point Likert, never to always). All standardized loadings were greater than .5, and they were all statistically significant. Cronbach’s alpha was .76.

As stated above, we followed the systems approach and therefore combined the five indicators into one HR system variable. As our analysis is at the organizational level, we aggregated the employee data. In this type of analysis, only variables with sufficient variance across organizations are included. To determine whether the data could be aggregated, the intraclass correlation (ICC) was computed. Aggregation is permissible when the variance between groups is larger than the variance within groups. For all HR practices, aggregation was permissible: training and development (F = 11.400, P < 0.01), performance related pay (F = 20.455, P < 0.01), job design (F = 7.728, P < 0.01), teamwork (F = 14.240, P < 0.01), autonomy (F = 8.391, P < 0.01), as was the overall HRM variable (F = 9.667, P < 0.01).

Job satisfaction

Job satisfaction was measured by one item: ‘I enjoy going to work’ (F = 6.586, P < 0.01) (five-point Likert, ‘never’ to ‘always’). Nagy [ 35 ] noted that measuring job satisfaction with a single item ‘is more efficient, is more cost-effective, contains more face validity, and is better able to measure changes in job satisfaction’.

Financial outcome

The net margin is defined as the ratio of a firm’s net profits to its total revenues. It indicates what share of each euro/dollar earned is translated into profit. It is stated as a percentage:

Organizational outcome

The organizational outcome is measured by focusing on client satisfaction. Clients were asked about their satisfaction with the treatment they received. This indicator consists of five items. A sample item is: ‘Do the caregivers have enough time for you?’ (four-point Likert, ‘never’ to ‘always’). We must note that the Association of Client Quality only provides aggregated scales, partly because of privacy issues. Thus, the reliability statistics and ICC cannot be computed. However, the robustness of the CQi - which is most often analyzed at the organizational level - shows that aggregation seems appropriate [ 25 , 26 ].

The HR outcome measure considered is absence due to sickness. Absence due to sickness can be considered a key HR outcome as the decision of employees to be absent affects the available human resources and is a critical success factor for the continuation of work processes within the organization (for example, see [ 36 ]). Absenteeism due to sickness is calculated in percentages, using a standard formula developed by Vernet [ 37 ]. In brief: for every employee, each day he/she calls in sick is multiplied by the part-time factor and disability factor pertaining to that day. These days are then summed and divided by the total number of working days. Maternity leave is excluded. This is calculated for the organization as a whole.

Control variables

We also included control variables, such as gender (1 = female) and age (1 = up to 25 years; 2 = 26 to 35 years; 3 = 36 to 45 years; 4 = 46 to 55 years; 5 = 56 years and older). Furthermore, we included diversity of care to determine whether the relationship among the variables differs for organizations employing a diverse set of care activities as supposed to more specialized organizations. It ranges from a minimum of one to a maximum of six as there are six different forms of care in our sample: hospital care, extramural residential care, extramural personal care, day activities, maternity care and youth care b .

Method of analysis

The hypotheses were tested using structural equation modeling (SEM) with Robust Maximum Likelihood estimation. SEM allows us to test the full conceptual model simultaneously. Furthermore, SEM allows us to simultaneously analyze the direct and indirect relationships among the independent and the dependent variables. Finally, SEM also enables us to compare different models [ 38 ]. We used AMOS version 21 IBM SPSS (see http://www-03.ibm.com/software/products/nl/spss-amos ) to develop the SEM model.

As our hypotheses include mediation effects, we employed bootstrapping [ 39 ]. This method estimates the parameters of a model and their standard errors strictly from the sample without reference to any theoretical sampling distribution. In our study, we created 200 samples (with replacement) from the available observed sample.

Results and discussion

Table 1 presents the means, standard deviations and correlations of the variables. As perception variables are measured on various scales (1 to 5 or 1 to 4), we recoded them into a 1 to 10 scale to ease interpretation. The results show that employees perceive a relatively large number of HR practices (M = 6.08 on a 1 to 10 scale). Employees are on average satisfied with their jobs (M = 8.15). Client satisfaction is also quite high: 8.63. With respect to absence due to sickness, the average score is .06 (6%). Finally, the average value for the net margin was .03, showing that for each 100 euros of revenue, 3 euros accrue as profits. Furthermore, the correlations show that HR practices are related to the outcomes as expected. For instance, HR practices are positively and significantly related to client satisfaction. As some of the bivariate correlations are in the medium to high range, we conducted multicollinearity tests. The variance inflation factor (VIF) values were all well within the acceptable range, with the highest being 2.05 [ 40 ]. Thus, our results are not adversely affected by multicollinearity.

Means, standard deviations, and correlations (N = 85)

a P < .05; b P < .01.

To test the proposed relationships, a structural equation model was developed, as shown in Figure 1 . Only the statistically significant relationships are described ( P < .05). The numerical scores on all lines indicate standardized regression coefficients (beta), and the scores in brackets are the explained variance. The overall model fit was tested using several indices. The model fit values were CMIN 24.146 (df 19, p .191) and .962 (comparison fit index (CFI)), implying that the model had a very good fit. Additionally, the root mean square error of approximation (RMSEA), with a value of .057, also indicated that the model had a good fit.

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Result of Structural Equation Modeling.

We can now discuss the hypotheses in detail. First, we tested the hypothesis that job satisfaction mediates the relationship between HR practices and financial outcomes in the Dutch care sector. The results show that this indirect effect is not statistically significant (see Table 2 ). We therefore reject the first hypothesis concerning a mediating effect. This could imply that the effect of HR practices on financial performance is direct and not mediated by job satisfaction. The results indeed show a positive and significant relationship between these variables (β = .267, P < .05), implying that a greater use of HR practices is directly related to improved financial outcomes.

Indirect effects of Human Resource Management (HRM) on outcomes mediated by job satisfaction

The second hypothesis proposed that job satisfaction mediates the relationship between HR practices and organizational outcomes. The results show that this is indeed the case. Therefore, our second hypothesis is supported by the data.

Finally, we tested the hypothesis that job satisfaction mediates the relationship between HR practices and HR outcomes in the Dutch care sector. The results indeed show that the indirect relationship between HRM on the HRM outcome sick absenteeism is significant. Therefore, our third hypothesis is also supported by the data.

The final step in the analysis was the examination of the control variables. In organizations with more female employees, clients are more satisfied with the delivery of services. Moreover, the percentage absence due to sickness is lower in these organizations. With respect to age, the results show that absence due to sickness is higher in organizations in which the average age is relatively high. Finally, the diversity of care is positively associated with absence due to sickness. In other words, organizations engaging in a diverse set of care activities have more absence due to sickness than more specialized organizations.

Finally, model validity was achieved through cross-model validation. Camilleri [ 41 ] suggests pursuing cross-validation in three phases. In the first phase, the data are divided into two data sets. One dataset consists of a random selection of 20% of the data collected from respondents; the second dataset consists of a random selection of 80% of the data collected. In the second phase, SEM via path analysis that calculates the structural fit index (measured by R 2 ) is conducted for both datasets. The third phase consists of examining the differences between the calculated structural fit indices obtained for each dataset. The extent of model validity is determined by the similarity in the variance accounted for by each dataset. The results of the cross-model validation are presented in Table 3 . As the differences in the explained variance are small, the cross-model validation provided satisfactory results.

Results of cross-model validation showing R 2 for the three samples

The main contributions of this study to the literature on HRM and performance in the health care sector concerns the use of a multidimensional performance perspective. In this respect, we examined three different outcomes: financial (net margin), organizational (client satisfaction), and HR (sickness absence). The analysis includes job satisfaction, which can be regarded as a ‘black box’ variable: a mediating variable connecting HR practices and performance.

The results confirm the basic notion that HRM and performance within the health care sector are linked. Our final SEM model shows that HRM is - directly or indirectly - linked to all three outcomes. When organizations apply - according to their employees - more HR practices, this is associated with greater client satisfaction, less sickness absence, and a better net margin. With respect to organizational and HR outcomes, the hypotheses regarding the mediating effect of job satisfaction are confirmed. This is in accordance with the perspective that employee attitudes are an important component of the ‘black box’ between HRM and performance. In this respect, our study showed that higher job satisfaction is associated with higher organizational performance. More specifically, in line with the assumption, our research showed a positive association between employee satisfaction and customer satisfaction because if employees are satisfied with their jobs, they are likely to behave toward customers in ways that yield positive service experiences. A more extensive use of HR practices leads to more satisfied employees. This greater satisfaction ‘reflects’ on the clients, as satisfied employees will do more for them [ 42 ]. Moreover, satisfied workers are less likely to call in sick than less satisfied workers.

HR practices are directly related to financial outcomes, although the explained variance is small. Furthermore, we found that job satisfaction does not mediate the relationship between HRM and net margin. As we mentioned in the introduction, financial outcomes are a distant outcome of HRM. In fact, the literature about strategic management informs us that organizations can use different strategies to achieve their objectives [ 43 ]. In addition to a high performance strategy, organizations can also employ a low cost strategy [ 44 ]. Boxall and Purcell [ 45 ] describe the ‘mass service market’ - which includes care - as a ‘service market with some quality differentiation’. Organizations can follow various strategies to become (financially) successful. One possible strategy implies investing in employees, which will likely result in more satisfied employees. Another strategy implies cutting costs, which will result in reduced investments in employees and (most likely) less satisfied employees. The finding that HRM has a direct effect on financial outcomes may be because a low cost strategy also implies the use of certain HR practices, for instance performance management. It can thus lead to financial success without positively affecting the satisfaction of employees.

We conclude this article by presenting some limitations. An important limitation of this research - but also of many other studies in this area - is the hidden assumption that the same mix of HR practices will work for all organizations. Therefore, the inclusion of HR strategy in research designs will be an important addendum.

The possibility of considering various data sources (employee, client and ‘objective’ performance data) is an important - and unique - advantage of this study. However, it also has some drawbacks. The scales used are not based on previous academic literature. In further research, validated scales should therefore be employed. Moreover, a disadvantage of using secondary data is that not all the desired research concepts were covered in the data.

A further limitation is the sample size. Although the underlying dataset is large, the data were aggregated at the level of 85 health care organizations. This could be considered quite low. However, Bentler and Chou [ 46 ] recommended a ratio of sample size to free parameters of at least 5:1. In our analysis, the model tested was simple, and the ratio of the number of free parameters to the number of cases did not fall below under 5:1. Related to this, several studies using SEM with a small sample size are available [ 47 - 49 ]. Nevertheless, future studies might attempt to replicate the findings using larger sample sizes.

Furthermore, the results of this study should be interpreted in light of the study’s context and sample. The study was conducted in the Netherlands, which features a social health insurance scheme in health care financing and a mix of public and private provider organizations in health care provision [ 26 ]. This is in line with other ‘Bismarck’ countries, such as Belgium, Germany and France [ 26 ]. It would be interesting to replicate our study to test the proposed model in other countries using different kinds of health care systems.

In conclusion, our empirical results underscore the importance of HRM in the health care sector. We can state that HRM makes a difference, especially for HR and organizational outcomes. Its impact on financial performance is less strong. Job satisfaction links HR practices and organizational and employee outcomes. In conclusion, further analyzing HRM in the health care sector will be a productive endeavour for both researchers and practitioners.

a In some countries this terminology is no longer used. However, according to the organization of the care in the Netherlands, ‘psychogeriatric care’ is supposed to be the correct terminology.

b In this variable, more distinct forms of care are included than are analyzed in our study. We use this variable, however, as a proxy for the complexity of the organization.

Abbreviations

AMO: Ability, Motivation and Opportunity; CFI: comparison fit index; CQi: Client Quality Index; HR: Human Resources; HRM: Human Resource Management; ICC: intraclass correlation; RMSEA: root mean square error of approximation; SEM: structural equation modeling; VIF: variance inflation factor.

Competing interests

The authors declare that they have no competing interests.

Authors’ contributions

BS, BV and LT have contributed to the manuscript by drafting the manuscript (all sections). BV has furthermore contributed by conducting the statistical analyses. RJP and ML have contributed by designing the datasets which form the foundation of the manuscript and by acquisition of data. SvB has contributed by drafting the manuscript and revising it critically. All authors approved the final manuscript.

Acknowledgements

The authors would like to thank the reviewers, Gulin Gedik, Sandra Leggat, How Lee, Mario Monteiro and Amani Siyam for their useful suggestions by earlier versions of this manuscript. The authors would also like to thank American Journal Experts for editing this manuscript.

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HR’s New Role

Peter Cappelli
Ranya Nehmeh

Though the human resources function was once a strong advocate for employees, in the 1980s things changed. As labor markets became slack, HR shifted its focus to relentless cost cutting. Because it was hard for employees to quit, pay and every kind of benefit got squeezed. But now the pendulum has swung the other way. The U.S. unemployment rate has been below 4% for five years (except during the Covid shutdown), and the job market is likely to remain tight. So today the priorities are keeping positions filled and preventing employees from burning out. Toward that end HR needs to focus again on taking care of workers and persuade management to change outdated policies on compensation, training and development, layoffs, vacancies, outsourcing, and restructuring.

One way to do that is to show leaders what the true costs of current practices are, creating dashboards with metrics on turnover, absenteeism, reasons for quitting, illness rates, and engagement. It’s also critical to prevent employee stress, especially by addressing fears about AI and restructuring. And when firms do restructure, they should take a less-painful, decentralized approach. To increase organizational flexibility and employees’ opportunities, HR can establish internal labor markets, and to promote a sense of belonging and win employees’ loyalty, it should ramp up DEI efforts.

In this tight labor market, cost cutting is out. Championing employee concerns is in.

Idea in Brief

The pendulum swing.

For decades, when U.S. labor markets were slack, HR focused on cost cutting, which meant squeezing employees’ pay, benefits, and training. But now that labor markets are tight, the challenge is to retain workers.

The New Priorities

HR must focus on keeping positions filled and preventing employees from burning out or becoming dissatisfied.

The HR function must educate leaders about the true costs of turnover, address employee anxiety about AI and restructuring, lobby for investments in training, rethink how contract workers and vendors are used, and strengthen diversity, equity, and inclusion efforts.

From World War II through 1980 the focus of the human resources function was advocating for workers—first as a way to keep unions out of companies and later to manage employees’ development in the era when all talent was grown from within. Then things changed. Driven by the stagflation of the 1970s, the recession of the early 1980s, and more recently the Great Recession, HR’s focus increasingly shifted to relentless cost cutting. Decades of slack labor markets made slashing HR expenses easy because it was hard for people to quit. Pay and every kind of benefit, including training and development, got squeezed. Work demands went up, and job security fell.

Peter Cappelli is the George W. Taylor Professor of Management at the Wharton School and the director of its Center for Human Resources. He is the author of several books, including Our Least Important Asset: Why the Relentless Focus on Finance and Accounting Is Bad for Business and Employees (Oxford University Press, 2023).
Ranya Nehmeh is an HR specialist working on topics related to people strategy, human capital, leadership development, and talent management and is the author of The Chameleon Leader: Connecting with Millennials (2019).

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100s of Free HRM Dissertation Topics and Titles
Research Aim: The research aims to examine the role of HR in creating a respected working environment and sustainable revenue growth. The study will identify current misunderstandings and disparities in understanding of topics such as sustainable development, corporate social responsibility, and the link between strategic human resource management and sustainable HRM through a comprehensive ...
A Systematic Review of Human Resource Management Systems and Their
Strategic human resource management (SHRM) research increasingly focuses on the performance effects of human resource (HR) systems rather than individual HR practices (Combs, Liu, Hall, & Ketchen, 2006).Researchers tend to agree that the focus should be on systems because employees are simultaneously exposed to an interrelated set of HR practices rather than single practices one at a time, and ...
80 Human Resource Management Research Topics
A List Of Potential Research Topics In Human Resource Management (HRM): The role of HRM in facilitating organizational resilience and adaptation post-COVID. Analyzing the role of HR in managing and preventing workplace harassment and discrimination. Examining the effects of the COVID-19 pandemic on employee well-being and mental health.
152086 PDFs
Explore the latest full-text research PDFs, articles, conference papers, preprints and more on HUMAN RESOURCE MANAGEMENT. Find methods information, sources, references or conduct a literature ...
Human Resource Articles, Research, & Case Studies
by Anna Lamb, Harvard Gazette. When COVID pushed service-based businesses to the brink, tipping became a way for customers to show their appreciation. Now that the pandemic is over, new technologies have enabled companies to maintain and expand the use of digital payment nudges, says Jill Avery. 02 Jan 2024.
Full article: Important issues in human resource management
In this fourth annual review issue published by The International Journal of Human Resource Management (IJHRM), we are delighted to present five articles that cover some of the important areas in people management in contemporary work settings. Our review articles cover topics that are less well-researched, compared with some popular themes, as ...
The employee perspective on HR practices: A systematic literature
1. Employee Perceptions of HRM as an Antecedent, Mediator, or Outcome. Nishii and Wright (Citation 2008) developed the SHRM process framework to unravel the link between HRM and performance to shed light on the processes through which HR practices impact organizational performance (Jiang et al., Citation 2013).The starting point of the SHRM process model is the concept of variation.
(PDF) Strategic Human Resource Management: A Systematic ...
Review, 1 (1), 99-110. Introduction. In light of the continued importance of SHRs in contemporary companies, strategic HRM. has evolved ov er the past 30 y ears into a distinct field of study ...
Introduction to Contemporary Research Perspectives in Human ...
Accordingly, the first chapter evaluates the alignment between organizational strategies, HRM and OB approaches, the relevance of research to advance the fields of HRM and OB, and identifies ten (10) research topics, which cover novel and emerging perspectives as well as developments within classical areas of HRM and OB.
Human Resource Management in the COVID-19 Era: New Insights and
The aim of this Research Topic is to provide a constructive and reflexive debate on HRM, bringing together current advances on the topic from a multidisciplinary perspective. Therefore, the Research Topic encourages studies from different domains as psychology, management, sociology, and related fields.
Human resource management
John P. Steinbrink. Using the results of a survey of 380 companies in 34 industries, this author examines three basic types of compensation plans: salary, commission, and combination (salary plus ...
Full article: Context and HRM: Theory, Evidence, and Proposals
In this article, we outline the need for HRM to take full account of context, particularly national context, and to use both cultural theories and, particularly, institutional theories to do that. We use research publications that utilize the Cranet data to show how that can be done. From that evidence, we develop a series of proposals for ...
Human Resource Management Research Paper Topics
Human Resource Management and the Range of Research Paper Topics. Human Resource Management (HRM) is an interdisciplinary field that integrates aspects of management, psychology, sociology, economics, and legal studies. It is the art and science of managing people within an organization to maximize their performance, well-being, and alignment ...
Human Resource Management Journal
Human Resource Management Journal (CABS/AJG 4*) is a globally orientated HRM journal that promotes the understanding of human resource management to academics and practicing managers. We provide an international forum for discussion and debate, and stress the critical importance of people management to wider economic, political and social concerns.
Research trends in human resource management. A text-mining-based
The purpose of the study was to detect trends in human resource management (HRM) research presented in journals during the 2000-2020 timeframe. The research question is: How are the interests of researchers changing in the field of HRM and which topics have gained popularity in recent years?,The approach adopted in this study was designed to ...
Top 100 Human Resources Research Topics and Ideas
Career Development Human Resources Research Topics. Risk factors in talent management. Talent Hunting vs. Talent Management. The impacts of technology on talent management. Trends of talent management in a globalized society. Talent management strategies in the hospitality sector. Google versus IBM talent management approaches.
Human resource management and the COVID-19 crisis: implications
Human resource management and the COVID-19 crisis: implications, challenges, opportunities, and future organizational directions ... which aims at broadening the scope of management research, by exploring the impact of the COVID-19 on HRM. ... They 'cover a broad range of topics and issues, from working time (hours of work, rest periods, and ...
(PDF) A review of human resources management research: The past 10
Amzi, F.T. (2011), "Strategic human resource management and its linkage with HRM effectiveness and organizational performance: evidence from India", International Journal of Human Resource ...
Top 80+ Human Resources Research Topics for 2022
We provide students with a list of varieties of HRM research topics related to. Recruitment and selection, Risk management, Career development, Performance management, Workplace safety and so on. Here are the essential tips for choosing a good HR research topic to help you identify the best topic for writing an excellent HR research paper.
119 Human Resources Essay Topics & HRM Research Topics
The following paper shows a critical analysis of theories and practices of the compatibilities within diversity, equality and HRM. Human Resources Management in Global Business. All HRM practices, including staffing, training, and development, should align with the venture's overall business strategy. Business and Economics: Intercontinental ...
HRM and its effect on employee, organizational and financial outcomes
Kabene SM, Orchard C, Howard JM, Soriano MA, Leduc R. The importance of human resources management in health care: a global context. Hum Resour Health. 2006; 4 (20):1-17. [PMC free article] [Google Scholar] Guest DE. Human resource management and performance: a review and research agenda. Int J Hum Resour Manag.
(PDF) The impact of Human resource management practice on
Having HRM practices. in place, would positively improve the firm's performance; such as, revenue r eturns, benefit, competitiveness an d. market share (Katou, 2008). According to Anwar, (2017 ...
Human Resources Research Topics and Ideas To Consider
Follow the below-mentioned tips and spot a good HR research topic. 1. Choose a topic matching your interest. 2. It is good to choose a topic that you have strong knowledge of because it will not ...
HR's New Role
Summary. Though the human resources function was once a strong advocate for employees, in the 1980s things changed. As labor markets became slack, HR shifted its focus to relentless cost cutting ...
SHRM
SHRM