There are a number of challenges to modern human resource management, including managing diversity, minimizing sexual harassment, proper firing and others. However, three factors that are the most challenging because they can minimize or reduce problems like these are recruitment, retention, and training. In an era of increased competition, cost-cutting and the need for talented human resources to retain competitive advantage, more and more organizations are recognizing the importance of sound recruiting. Such competition among firms for recruiting the best and brightest job candidates means new methods of recruiting must be employed to have an advantage over other firms. Because of this, more organizations are relying on technology to help recruit employees. The use of electronic technologies are no longer cost prohibitive. Such methods save recruiters from wading through paperwork, while saving the form money compared to print advertising and other conventional methods of recruiting. Such methods also enabled a firm to reach out to passive candidates as well as those actively seeking employment. However, recruiting through such technologies requires staff development to train recruiters to take advantage of electronic technologies and software to find new candidates. Such methods are expected to increase in use in future, and those firms that rely on traditional more costly and more limited means of recruiting may not be able to compete with those who take full advantage of electronic technologies, the Internet, and recruiting Web sites. Recruiting practices often succeed when they involve sound screening practices like drug testing, criminal background checks, personality and attitude measures and other tools to ensure the hiring of quality candidates.
Just as challenging as recruitment is retention. Turnover is extremely costly to an organization. Maintaining high rates of retention involves the creation of a happy...