Human Resource Management (MGT501) VU

Lesson-10

LINE AND STAFF ASPECTS OF HRM

After studying this chapter, students should be able to understand the following concepts:

A. Line and Staff Aspects

LESSON OVERVIEW
After reading this chapter student should know the basic concept of authority, different types of the authority
and difference between the line and staff hangers. Although most firms have a human resource department with
its own manager, all other managers tend to get involved in activities like recruiting, interviewing, selecting, and
training.

A. Line and staff aspects of HRM

I. Authority
Authority is the right to make decisions, to direct the work of others, and to give orders.
Authority refers to the rights inherent in a managerial position to give orders and expect the orders to be
obeyed. Authority was a major tenet of the early management writers, the glue that held the organization
together. It was to be delegated downward to lower-level managers. Each management position has specific
inherent rights that incumbents acquire from the position's rank or title.
Authority is related to one's position and ignores personal characteristics. When a position of authority is
vacated, the authority remains with the position.
The early management writers distinguished between two forms of authority.
a. Line Authority
b. Staff Authority
c. Functional Authority
Let’s have brief view about the different types of authorities.
a. Line Authority
Line authority entitles a manager to direct the work of an employee. It is the employer-employee authority
relationship that extends from top to bottom. A line manager directs the work of employees and makes certain
decisions without consulting anyone. Sometimes the term line is used to differentiate line managers from staff
managers. Line emphasizes managers whose organizational function contributes directly to the achievement of
organizational objectives.
b. Staff Mangers and Staff Authority
Staff managers have staff authority. A manager's function is classified as line or staff based on the organization's
objectives. As organizations get larger and more complex, line managers find that they do not have the time,
expertise, or resources to get their jobs done effectively. They create staff authority functions to support, assist,
advice, and generally reduce some of the informational burdens they have.
c. Functional control
The authority exerted by a personnel manager as a coordinator of personnel activities. Here the manager acts as
“the right arm of the top executive.”

II. Line versus Staff Authority

1. Line Versus Staff Authority – Authority is the right to make decisions, to direct the
work of others, and to give orders. Line managers are authorized to direct the work of subordinates. Staff
managers are authorized to assist and advise line managers in accomplishing their basic goals. HR managers are
generally staff managers.
2. Line Managers’ HRM Responsibilities – Most line managers are responsible for
line functions, coordinative functions, and some staff functions.

III. Cooperative line and staff hr management:

In recruiting and hiring, it’s generally the line manager’s responsibility to specify the qualifications employees
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 Human Resource Management (MGT501) VU

need to fill specific positions. Then the HR staff takes over. They develop sources of qualified applicants and
conduct initial screening interviews. They administer the appropriate test. Then they refer the best applicants to
the supervisor (line manager), who interviews and selects the ones he/she wants.

IV. Line Manager

Authorized to direct the work of subordinates—they’re always someone’s boss. In addition, line managers are
in charge of accomplishing the organization’s basic goals.
Line Managers’ Human Resource Management Responsibilities
1. Placement
2. Orientation
3. Training
4. Improving job performance
5. Gaining creative cooperation
6. Interpreting policies and procedures
7. Controlling labor costs
8. Developing employee abilities
9. Creating and maintaining departmental morale
10. Protecting employees’ health and physical condition

V. Staff Manager
Authorized to assist and advise line managers in accomplishing these basic goals. HR managers are generally
staff managers.

¾ Responsibilities Of Staff Managers

Staff managers assist and advise line managers in accomplishing these basic goals. They do, however, need to
work in partnership with each other to be successful. Some examples of the HR responsibilities of staff
managers include assistance in hiring, training, evaluating, rewarding, counseling, promoting, and firing of
employees, and the administering of various benefits programs.

VI. Human Resource Manager:

An individual who normally acts in an advisory or staff capacity, working with other managers to help them deal
with human resource matters. One general trend is that HR personnel are servicing an increasing number of
employees. The human resource
manager is primarily responsible for HR E x e c utiv e s , G e ne ra lis ts &
coordinating the management of
human resources to help the S p e c ia lis ts
organization achieve its goals. There is
a shared responsibility between line
managers and human resource VP
VP
INDUSTRIAL
professionals. HUMAN RESOURCES
RELATIONS
*1 & *2
The recognition of HR as a legitimate *1 & *3

business unit has made it highly

strategic in nature and more critical to
achieving corporate objectives. To MANAGER,
COMPENSATION
MANAGER,
TRAINING &
MANAGER,
EMPLOYMENT
succeed, HR executives must & BENEFITS DEVELOPMENT
*3
*3 *3
understand the complex
organizational design and be able to BENEFITS *1--Executive
*1--Executive
ANALYST *2--Generalist
determine the capabilities of the *3 *2--Generalist
company’s workforce, both today *3--Specialist
*3--Specialist
and in the future. HR involvement in
strategy is necessary to ensure that human resources support the firm’s mission. The future appears bright for
HR managers willing to forge a strategic partnership with other business units.

VII. Distinguish among human resource executives, generalists, and specialists.

a. HR Executives
Executives are top-level managers, who report directly to the corporation’s chief executive officer or the head
of a major division.
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 Human Resource Management (MGT501) VU

b. HR Generalists:
Generalists are people who perform tasks in a wide variety of human resource-related areas. The generalist is
involved in several, or all, of the human resource management functions.
c. HR Specialist:
Specialist may be a human resource executive, manager, or non-manager who typically is concerned with only
one of the functional areas of human resource management.

Key Terms

Authority: Authority is the right to make decisions, to direct the work of others, and to give orders.
Executives: Executives are top-level managers, who report directly to the corporation’s chief executive officer
or the head of a major division.
Generalists: Generalists are people who perform tasks in a wide variety of human resource-related areas. The
generalist is involved in several, or all, of the human resource management functions.
Line Authority: Line authority entitles a manager to direct the work of an employee.
Specialist: Specialist may be a human resource executive, manager, or non-manager who typically is concerned
with only one of the functional areas of human resource management.

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