ROLE OF THE LINE MANAGER

Line manager is a person who was direct responsibility for employees and their work. (Farmer M. 2008, p 04).Good example is a Tesco stores employs line managers for different departments, such as clothing, media or catering. The line managers are directly responsible for peoples work in their exact sector. Very often line managers playing role of HR in the company, that combination could save some money or even help to run different sectors more effectively but also could overload managers with work and responsibilities.

Line manager can be advantageous of being involved in HR activities, could help to reduce amount of work carried out by HRM or replace him/her when the person will decide to leave the company, so the new HRM could be selected internally.

Advantages of working line manager with HR are:

· Coaching, guidance and training

· Undertaking performance appraisals

· Dealing with discipline and grievances

· Carry out recruitment and selection

· Employee engagement (involvement and communication)

There also can be some disadvantages of both HR and line manager working together:

· Disagreements between HRM and line manager

· Line managers may not have required skills or experiences

· Bad communication between line manager and HRM

· Conflicts and bad decision making which may affect their work and relation between management and other employees

· Enabling the HR policies & practices or bringing them to life

To avoid conflicts between both of the managers there should be clearly stated what they are responsible for, otherwise they could deliver wrong information and make confusion between employees. (Blackboard, 2010)

Skills required by line manager:

· Managers should be able to find a solution when problem arises

· Allocate people in sector were they can use their skills

· Manage rotas, shifts

· Be able to budget- reduce cost of production

· Managers should be able to check work quality and monitor employee on daily, weekly or monthly basis

· They should have an excellence communication skills to deal with customers

· Managers should know how to be friendly and strict in the same time(CIPD,2009)

I strongly believe that I do have the skills to be a line manager, because of my 10 years work experience, dealing with difficult customers and employees. I am able to organise work very well as also monitor work process and its quality. I do like to work for people and with people. Studying HRM at New Bucks University can give me opportunity to become qualified HRM and make a big step in my career.

REFERENCES:

· Blackboard,2010,New Bucks University, People and Organisations, Power point slides, Week 14 intro to role of Line and HR Manager -online source

Available from

http://blackboard.bucks.ac.uk/webapps/portal/frameset.jsp?tab_id=_2_1&url=/webapps/blackboard/execute/launcher%3Ftype%3DCourse%26id%3D_186341_1%26url%3D

(Accessed 26 April 2010)

· CIPD, 2009, The role of frontline managers in HR – online source

Available from

http://www.cipd.co.uk/subjects/maneco/general/rolefrntlinemngers.htm

Accessed 27 April 2010)

· People & Organisations,2008, Second Edition, Marylin Farmer & Wendy Yellowley, Buckinghamshire New University, page 04.1.1