The HR Function
The HR function (also: human resources function, human resources department, HR) is indispensable in management and leadership. The Complementary Management Model has significant implications for the design of its role and its contributions in companies and other organizations.
Tasks and Activities of the HR Function
The HR function plays multiple roles in organizations. If we divide management into three areas—constitutive, strategic, and operational management—the HR function contributes to all three areas. In the constitutive field, it often acts as a driver in the development and implementation of a normative management model and other formalized HR tools, and can also provide impetus in relation to other normative issues (e.g., compliance or stakeholder analyses). In the strategic field, it is usually responsible for human resources strategy and sometimes also provides input on the business strategies to be chosen (especially from a human resources perspective). In the operational field, the HR function is one of several management actors according to the Complementary Management model. Together with the other actor roles, it is responsible for fulfilling the canon of HR management tasks. It does this on the one hand by administering management instruments, and on the other hand by actively providing HR advisory in the sense of “HR co-management”.
Effective human resources management means supporting line managers.
Design and Administration of HR Instruments
The development and management of formalized HR tools encompasses tasks ranging from design and evaluation to administration and consulting. Depending on the complexity of the tool—such as salary systems, HR information systems, or forms—different areas of expertise are required. These activities should primarily be concentrated in the HR function, while other actors are usually only involved in the application of the tools. Human resources instruments are often criticized for becoming too bureaucratic and hindering good management and leadership. This is usually caused by inappropriate, overly rigid, or unevaluated procedures that are not adapted to management tasks. This can be remedied by closely aligning them with management routines, allowing sufficient scope for decision-making, and conducting regular reviews based on feedback. In this way, HR tools can actually serve as effective support for management – in line with the Complementary Management Model, which provides a good theoretical basis here too.
HR Co-management: The HR Function as a Compensating Entity
According to the Complementary Management Model, the HR function should actively intervene in the management process when necessary, i.e. if line managers are not fulfilling their management responsibilities. In this sense, HR advisory means ensuring that all management tasks are fulfilled for all employees. The HR manager assesses whether the line manager is fulfilling their duties and (only) takes compensatory action in the event of deficits. This intervention takes place within the framework of established advisory-related routines, such as through dialogs, and can be described as HR co-management. Although it is common in practice, it is rarely explicitly named in practice or dealt with scientifically. Where management and leadership is successful throughout the organization, HR advisors are usually involved as compensatory co-managers.