Devolution and the management of Human Resources: Evidence from the retail industry

A study involving three large retail chains has found that store managers responsible for people management tend to neglect ‘softer’ HR policies.

The notion that line managers should take on operational HR roles has been steadily interwoven into descriptions of the HRM approach. Research has shown us that responsibility for HR practices is increasingly falling to line managers. The general tendency has been to devolve tasks such as selection, training and career development.

There is also evidence to suggest that many line managers lack the skills and time to take on responsibilities, while some of them still see such tasks as the HR department’s job. There is also a concern that HR could become purely budget-driven. This is particularly pertinent, because few organisations seem to monitor or evaluate the standard of HR practices after responsibility for them has been devolved.