BCom Human Resource Management: A Modern Approach to People-Management
By Dr Hendrik Botha and Dr Janet Viljoen
Picture this: you are the Human Resource Manager at a small, Silicon-valley style tech start-up in Cape Town. You might rollerblade between your office and the canteen to take ‘stock’ with a colleague over a cup of coffee. Your role as HR specialist will primarily revolve around understanding the needs of the start-up so as to actively recruit the most qualified and tech-savvy individuals who can realise the company’s dream (vision and goals) while fitting into the culture perfectly.
It is a new dawn for Human Resource (HR) Management: no longer is “HR” only about personnel administration and “hiring and firing”. Today’s modern HR Manager is pivotal to the company’s strategic success, is fully involved in talent management, coaching, organisational development and is a leader in the creation of the organisation’s culture. The HR specialist is responsible for specifically delegated statutory and management advice, building teams of talent within the organisation and inspiring employee empowerment. The person who holds this position is enthusiastic, people-focussed, and participates in – and is inspired by – the strategic goals of the organisation. Stephen Hawking has been credited with noting that in the age of Artificial Intelligence and Machine Learning, “only the most caring, creative and supervisory roles will remain of importance”: in other words, the human element that does remain will become ever-more valuable and important to the overall business venture.
Another scene: you are part of the Human Resource Management team for a multinational with offices on every continent. You are used to taking calls at odd hours of the morning given the time difference between your base in Johannesburg and the headquarters in Brisbane, Australia. Your role includes oversight of legal compliance for all talent recruitment and appointment, but equally important is your team’s role in maintaining healthy employee-employer relations, cross-continentally.
Boston’s brand-new programme offering is the Bachelor of Commerce specialising in Human Resource Management (BCom HRM). It has been designed with the needs of tomorrow’s economy in mind, and it boasts bespoke modules that have been informed by careful research into the modern role of the Human Resource specialist: HR as strategic partner, employee advocate, and champion for change. Today’s HR Manager is situated front and centre of the executive team and it is to this specialist that leadership will turn for advice and business solutions that make best use of the most important resource the company has to offer: its talent.
It would be fair to say that the modern BCom graduate who holds a specialisation in HR is multi-talented. Not only have you assimilated the fundamental commercial acumen that the BCom degree offers you, but you’ve added to that a layer of crisp, clear people-management, understanding of team dynamics, and the management of metrics associated with performance goals. The foundation of a BCom degree is modules including Strategic Management, Financial Management, Economics, Business Ethics, Research Methods and Project Management. Boston’s core set of BCom modules included in the BCom HRM have a proven track record, with a supportive team of educators and exceptional learning material backing your journey toward successful graduation and entry into the workplace. To this we add the exciting modules specific to developing tomorrow’s Human Resource Manager, including Workplace Psychology, International HRM, Performance & Reward Management Systems, Human Resource Analytics, Employee Relations and Labour Law, and Organisational Development & Skills Administration.
What role do you see yourself playing in an organisation once you have graduated? Do you dream of positively influencing organisational culture, ensuring that individuals’ wellbeing is prioritised alongside their productivity? Have you ever dreamed of combining your love of all things commercial with your ability to engage people? This is the perfect qualification to prepare you for a role that is at once people-centred, and business-focussed. Ever wondered if you could combine your BCom with your ability to social influence? This is your opportunity.
Start your higher education journey today. You do not need to wait to “see what happens with COVID-19”. Rest assured that Boston has implemented the necessary steps to ensure compliance with the national regulations in place for Higher Education Institutions. In keeping with our student-centred approach to education, we are committed to ensuring, as new regulations become live at the different risk-assessment levels of national government, that we maintain clear communication channels with our students across various media platforms. Boston has also implemented several interventions to support the Department of Higher Education and Training’s (DHET) commitment to “Save the Academic Year, Save Lives.”
The journey doesn’t end with your BCom HRM… that is merely the beginning of your adventure into the fast movingl space that is the modern business-place. Further study is possible after completing your BCom HRM and the options are endless – your choices include postgraduate programmes in many commercial specialities such as Management, Corporate Governance or Leadership as examples, or deeper specialisation in Human Resource Management such as Labour Relations, etc. Don’t limit your vision: the step you take to apply today and register to start in July could be the first step toward your MBA degree.
Africa is ready for a new crop of leaders. Boston is ready to partner with you!
Chat to a training advisor on 011 551 2000 or visit www.boston.co.za for more info.
