An M.B.A student from Australia recently asked me: “Is HRM (Human Resource Management) only practiced by top officials like CEO’s and other policy makers of an organization, or is it – can it also be practiced by employees at some other level lower than upper management?” I thought it was a good question and very topical in light of what’s happening in the corporate world today.

“Whose job is it? Who is responsible for training in your organization – management or employees? “Right sizing” in recent years has put added pressure on an organization, and it’s management to insure they have the right person doing the right job. With the constant roll out of new technologies, rapid change is becoming the norm. In the past HRM was a function of the Human Resource Department.

In some respects the HR Department was seen as a necessary evil. They completed the paperwork, walked the new hire through the orientation program, and then passed him or her over to the department manager. Today, HR is seen as an equal partner often given full status afforded all Executive Vice Presidents, including a seat around the board table. HR must play a key role in the organizations long-term strategic plan because they need to understand where the organization is headed to ensure that the workforce has the skill set to reach that goal.

However, it’s a real catch-22. Here’s the billion-dollar question: “How do we as a company provide the training that our workforce will need to ensure it’s long term viability, yet do it in the confines of a limited budget?” Answer: Become a learning organization. Make training everyone’s responsibility not just the role of the HR Department. Managers, supervisors, and team leaders need to become coaches. A portion of everyone’s re-numeration should be tied to training. Employees also need to understand that they too are responsible for their own training. It shouldn’t be “what have you done for me lately” but rather “what have you learned lately.”

I read an article recently about Jack Welch and his tenure at General Electric. Jack felt that part of the success at GE was attributed to what he called the “Vitality Curve”. His managers had to promote the top 20% of their people each year, they got to keep 70%, but they had to terminate the bottom 10%. I make it a point to talk about Jack’s 20-70-10 rule in all of my management workshops and leadership development programs. It always makes for a great debate. Like his policy or not, it certainly drives the message home that your role as a manager is to teach someone something. I think it also says to the employee that you best hit the ground running and keep learning if you want to be a part of that organization.

Shareholders need to realize that generating profit for profits sake doesn’t guarantee the company will still be there tomorrow. Employees need to understand that their only guarantee of job security is their level of knowledge. The more they know, the more value they are to the organization. The question for management is how much of your company’s future are you willing to give away for a short-term gain? Human Resource Management: Whose job is it; Your Company’s or Yours? A great question indeed. I hope you know the answer.

Mr. Brian Smith is a Certified Trainer, Management Consultant, College Professor and CEO/President of Brinley Consulting & Training Ltd. and its subsidiary Power Link Dynamics. Brian has worked and consulted with a number of organizations in the public and private sectors. He understands first-hand some of the challenges you face, after having spent 27 years as a General Manager for a major Canadian retailer and as an owner/operator of his own small business.