EM: Difference Between HRM and HRD

HRM vs HRD

HRM stands for human resources management, which refers to the art of managing all aspects of the human work force at a company or organization. HRM aims at providing an optimal working environment for employees to fully and freely utilize their skills to their best to achieve the company’s intended output. As human resources management usually applies to big companies and organizations, it has sub categories, among which is HRD, which stands for human resources development. This is a component of HRM that focuses on ‘nurturing’ employee’s skills. Because the process of hiring new employees can be long, expensive and cumbersome, most companies employ the strategy of HRD to promote longevity of employees within the company because through this an employee is likely to progressively scale up the managerial ladder.

Human resources management of a company is often an independent department of its own composed of various sections including recruitment and retention, performance and appraisal management, HRD and compensation sections. But HRD does not only focus on development of skills but also focuses on the personal development of employees. Because peoples’ needs and expectations are ever growing and changing this section of HRM is specifically there to help employees cope with such and prepare them for future uncertainties.

Generally speaking, professionals working within the HRM department must have excellent people skills although this is more so with those particularly working in the HRD section. The HRD section needs to have professionals with impeccable people management skills as they need to be able to realize talent within people from a cross section of backgrounds. The HRD section is concerned with identifying strengths and weaknesses among different employees and devising training means that aim at making those skills complement the other.

HRD aims at developing a superior workforce so that the company and individual employees may achieve their work goals in the customers’ service. It can take on a formal approach as in a classroom or laboratory training in a case where it may apply. It may also take the informal route where an employee receives coaching or simple mentorship from his superior, usually a manager.

Summary:
1. HRD is a sub section of HRM, i.e. HRD is a section with the department of HRM.
2.HRM deals with all aspects of the human resources function while HRD only deals with the development part.
3.HRM is concerned with recruitment, rewards among others while HRD is concerned with employee skills development.
4.HRM functions are mostly formal while HRD functions can be informal like mentorships.