Role of Line Managers in Relation to That of HR Professionals:

1. Recruitment and Selection: The line managers search and recruit qualified applicants to

boost organizational effectiveness and efficiency.

2. Training: Line managers do provide suitable trainings to the employees so that they can

perform their work according to their job description.

3. Performance Appraisal: Line managers assess employee performance and behaviors

and later provide feedback to the employees.

4. Employee Engagement: Line managers focus on employee’s strengths and weaknesses

and encourage them in open communication through meetings and discussions so that

they can involve themselves more to their work.

5. Setting Standards and Parameters: The line managers should be clear about the

quality, accuracy and timeliness of work expected from the employees.

6. Monitoring Performance of The Employees: Line managers monitor the performance

of the employees more closely to identify whether they are working according to their job

description or not.

7. Managing Remunerations and Salaries: According to the job descriptions and

specifications, line managers fix the salary structure of the employees.

8. Providing Encouragements and Aids: Line managers do provide extra benefits and

bonuses to the employees who are performing well in the organization for further

motivation.

The HR Activities That are Devolved to Line Managers:

1. Large Number of Employees to Manage: The reporting employees for line managers

are increasing day by day and as a manager they have to take the responsibilities (safety,

productivity, hygiene factors etc.) of their employees.

2. Decision Making: The higher authorities are now allowing line managers to make most

of the decisions by themselves so that faster decisions can be made to tackle different

situations.

3. Freedom to Experiment: Like higher authorities of an organization, line mangers also

now have the freedom to experiment which allows them to engage with HR processes

more frequently to think beyond the borders of the organization (Currie and Procter,

2001, p.57).

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4. More Responsibilities to Reduce Costs: Now a day, line managers performing many of

the tasks of higher executives as the organization wants to reduce the cost by reducing the

number of employees.

5. Flexibility to Perform HR Work: Organization is now trying to give flexibility to the

line mangers that has the will to perform HR work enthusiastically or work as a helping

hand in HRM.

6. The Expansion and Reduction of The Workforce: Now a day, higher authorities have

given the line managers the power to expand or reduce the number of employees for the

welfare of the organization.

7. Goal Setting: Line managers are now able to set the goals for their subordinates and

supervise them to achieve those goals within the given time limit.

8. Administrative Roles: Line managers now do perform administrative tasks to help the

HRM department in making proper decisions.

The Areas Where Line Managers Need Support:

1. Proper Flow of Information: Proper information is needed from higher authority as

sometimes it becomes difficult for line managers to perform their work for lack of

information.

2. Appropriate Training: Before assigning HR activities, proper training to the line

manager will allow them to understand HR processes more deeply and to work on their

own (Mohrman and Lawler, 1998, pp. 443-4).

3. Proper Remuneration: As line managers perform extra task for HR department, they

should be remunerated for their extra activities.

4. Joined Up Thinking: While making the HR policies, it is important to involve the line

managers so that they can also give their opinions about the policies.

5. Internal Communications: Internal communication plays an important role to retain and

develop talents. Line managers need some proper guidance from higher authorities as

sometimes it becomes difficult for line managers to supply key information to the

employees.

6. Involvement in Employee Interviewing: Line managers should be involved in the

interviews while recruiting employees so that they can improve their interviewing skills

as well as express their demands and requirements of any recruitment.

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7. Proper Knowledge about HRM: Sometimes line managers are getting less involved in

HRM activities as they not knowledgeable enough and do not have the proper skills to

perform it.

8. Team Work Process: Line managers do have a bunch of employees to manage but

sometimes they do not know how to manage those employees. So, in this issue, the line

managers do need help from higher executives of the organization.

The Way HR Professionals can Ensure That Line Managers Undertake These Activities

Effectively:

1. Remove The Barriers: The article says sometimes HR policies and processes are

become so complex for Line managers to understand. For this reason, policies and

guidelines should be formed at the point of view of Line Managers so that they can

perform HR activities effectively.

2. Put Yourself in Their Shoes: The changes due to involve in new HR activities that the

line managers would be facing sometimes become tough to handle for the HR managers.

So to avoid the resistance, the HR manager should make the line managers understood

about the benefits of the HR.

3. Communicate Changes Clearly: Communication between the HR manager and the line

manager is very important regarding change management. The line manager should be

involved practically so that they can work smoothly.

4. Obtain Senior Sponsorship: It is very important to let the top management know that

involving line managers in HR activities is not only another HR initiative rather it will be

beneficial for the whole organization. The briefing about the line managers association in

people management should be stated clearly.

5. Reinforce Positive Behavior: Rewarding positive behavior and sanctioning negative

activities can make the managers perform well. To ensure that proper setting of standards

and objectives are important. Moreover, performance review should also be done

properly.

6. Equip Managers with Skills: To perform activates in a proper way the HR managers

should provide Line managers with required documents, materials and procedures for this

reason.

7. Demonstrate The Benefits: Showing the benefits of doing better in people management

is very much crucial. To know the performance level employee survey, 360 degree

feedback, absence data etc. can be used.

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8. Keep Going: Observation of the performance of the line manager is necessary.

Supporting the line manager through routine operational task can reduce possibility of

mistakes. Moreover, the benefits are greater if both line managers and HR mangers work

together regarding HR activities.

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References:

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needs-to-partner-with-line-managers-to-join-up-talent-management-strategy/

Dalziel, S., & Strange, J. (2007, September 20). How to engagae line managers in people

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