Human Resources and the Bible - Essay Sample

Introduction

One of the books that are printed and read the highest number of times is the Bible, considering that it offers many life lessons to people. An example of such an area is with regards to human resource management, which is mainly about dealing with people in business, including the recruitment process, appraisal, training, remuneration, and motivation. The major intention of a human resource manager is to develop the employee both personally and professionally. The Bible offers a number of scriptural instances that can be used when dealing with people at the workplace, especially in relation to the continuity of the great commission where Jesus instructed his disciples to continue preaching the word of God after he resurrected and before ascending to heaven (Abimanyu, Santra & Vijesh, 2012). The scripture can be an effective tool for human resource managers as they can use the same when guiding employees towards achieving the goals of the company and advancing the great commission.

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First and foremost, human resource managers can allocate tasks to employees depending on the skills that they have as that is one of the guarantees for the success of the company. According to the King James Version (KJV) in Luke 16:10, the word states that a person who can be trusted when given to take care of something small can also be trusted when given more. At the same time, when a person cannot manage the little that they are given it is more likely that they will also not handle the much that they are given (King James Bible, n.d.). Verse 12 of the same chapter also states that one cannot be given property to take care of when they were untrustworthy with the property they had earlier on. In that case, managers need to assign tasks based on how they have handled the same or any other related activities in the past. During the announcement of the great commission, Jesus trusted his disciples to continue spreading the gospel as they had done that before, and that is why he also entrusted them with the task of doing the same after his departure. The manager needs also to treat the employees in such a way that he or she can trust them to handle their duties with minimal supervision (Abimanyu, Santra & Vijesh, 2012).

Secondly, a human resource manager could rely on scripture when it comes to HR planning. Planning is one of the most essential activities for the manager considering that it offers a future overview of where the company is headed. The management needs to make it clear to the employees that the company is headed in a given direction and that they ought to work in a way which would ensure that happens. From the book of 2 Corinthians 9:6, a person who plants seeds in a manner that is sparing would also have a harvest that is little. At the same time, one who does the same while broadcasting a lot of seeds will get a huge harvest at the end of the season (King James Bible, n.d.). This verse is very clear with regards to planning ahead, as one who takes their time to do so would be successful at the end of the day, while those who do not would fail in what they do. The HR manager needs to create plans that would guide the employees so that they carry out their duties in a professional manner, unlike the case where they will have to work with no direction. Planning is also effective as it helps in anticipating some of the issues that the company may face in the future (Abimanyu, Santra & Vijesh, 2012). The pharaoh of Egypt chose a person who would oversee the harvest and save some that would be used during the great famine. The fact that there was a plan meant that they successfully survived through the famine.

Thirdly, the process of recruitment and selection is one that has been highlighted in the Bible. At some point, Jesus himself had to select those that would help him in his quest of spreading the gospel of the Lord. He did his selection based on the traits which he felt would make them the best disciples. It was for that reason he went for fishermen, as he knew they would become fishers of men. The fact that they knew how to catch fish would make it easier for them to "catch" people with the gospel (King James Bible, n.d.). The recruitment team in the HR needs to have a target group of the people whom they would wish to be employees of the company. The selection process should be on the basis of merit at all times, and should not be biased. It is also worth noting that Jesus chose a tax-collector as one of his disciples, as it was not about what they were doing but rather who they were in the inside. The interview process can be effective with regards to determining the people who can work in a way that is aligned with the overall goals of the company (Henley, 2015). During the great commission, Jesus asks those that he has selected to go to various places and spread the word of God. He gives them clear instructions regarding what they are required to do. Employees need to be aware of what is expected of them based on the instructions from the management. It is only then that they can carry out their duties diligently (King James Bible, n.d.).

Fourthly, one of the tasks that the HR needs to handle is with regards to determining the wages of all the employees. Payment for services rendered is an issue that is sensitive for many people, and tampering with that demotivates workers (Henley, 2015). In the book of Leviticus 19:13, the word states that one should not withhold the wages of a person who has done some work past one day as that would be like robbing or ripping them off (King James Bible, n.d.). While it is metaphorical to mean that wages need to be paid fully at all times, it is essential that the HR plan ahead so that they get to know how they are going to compensate employees for the work that they may have done within a given period. Malachi 3:5 offers the same sentiments, where the Lord promises to come to the rescue of the employees who have their wages withheld (King James Bible, n.d.). At the same time, God promises that he would bless the employers who would honor their workers and pay them in a timely manner. It is essential that workers receive their wages in a timely manner as that would also guarantee hard work and success on their part. Besides that, timely payments motivate the employees to work harder as it would make them feel appreciated and wanted in the organization (Henley, 2015).

Another aspect that has a relation to the issue of wages and payments is employee compensation, where any employee that has been dismissed or sent off from their place of work needs to leave with some payment in the form of compensation (Roberts, 2015). Deuteronomy 15:13 states that when one sends away a worker, they need to do so while bearing in mind that they have to give them something for all that they have done. The next verse continues to state that such an employee should be given a sheep, grains of food, and wine as a way of compensating them for their work. From the Bible, it is a way that one receives blessings for appreciating a person for what they have done, irrespective of reasons behind the dismissal (King James Bible, n.d.). However, any form of payment needs to be done depending on the performance of the employee. Colossians 3:25 reiterates that anyone who does something wrong should be paid for their wrongdoing, while those who put in hard work ought to be compensated handsomely. The management needs to carry out this action irrespective of the reputation of the worker, as that would show others that they have to put in their best to get a handsome compensation at the end of the day (Roberts, 2015).

Finally, HR management can refer to the bible with regards to employee welfare and safety. It is the duty of the department to ensure that all the workers are safe and that they have a workplace environment that is best suited for working. Leviticus 25:39 states that one should not force a neighbor who is poor to work for them as a servant, as that is the choice of the neighbor (King James Bible, n.d.). This verse implies that an employee needs to only do the work that was described to them during the recruitment process, and should not be forced to do any other task that they are not willing to handle. Verse 41 of the same book and chapter indicates the need for the employer to take care of the family of the employee by issuing them with benefits of various forms, as that would be indicative of taking care of the welfare of the worker (King James Bible, n.d.). While members of the family may not get a wage, they can benefit through health insurance covers offered by the company. They can also benefit through holiday trips As a result, the employee will also feel satisfied and be motivated to work harder. An employer should not mistreat their employee as that would be disastrous for the business. God made everyone in His own image, which is an implication that all people should be treated equally at the workplace. It is the work of the HR to ensure that happens, and anyone who mistreats the other ought to be punished (Roberts, 2015).

Conclusion

In conclusion, the scriptural readings in the bible are essential when dealing with humans in a company as a human resource manager. Employees are the greatest assets that a company can have, and the Bible offers various ways of dealing with them humanely. The success of the business is highly dependent on the way managers treat the employees. When the management trusts and values what the employees do it would translate to motivating the workers in such a way that they would work hard for the success of the business. Jesus is the best example of a human resource manager who treated his people with the utmost respect. He trusted his employees and that is why before he left he entrusted them with the task of spreading the gospel. He believed that they would deliver irrespective of the challenges that were ahead of them. In the same manner, HR managers need to get the right employees and trust that they would carry out their tasks effectively to realize the goals of the company.

References

Abimanyu, N., Santra, H., & Vijesh, R. (2012). The Bible and HRM: A HRM oriented study of Bible. HRM And Bible, 1(1). Retrieved from https://www.scribd.com/doc/84733291/Bible-and-HRM

Henley, W. (2015). Biblically Based HR Principles - Center for Christianity in Business (CCB). Retrieved from https://hbu.edu/center-for-christianity-in-business/2015/04/30/biblically-based-hr-principles/

Project Gutenberg. King James Bible. Champaign, Ill.

Roberts, G. (2015). Christian scripture and human resource management (1st ed.). Basingstoke: Palgrave Macmillan.