ABSTRACT
While the construction industry is becoming more innovative in its management practices, there is a lack of critical debate about the implications from an SHRM perspective. The latest management techniques and ideas are often embraced without enough thought for those who will have to implement them and they are often imposed from the top down, with little consultation. It is important to recognise that any new idea needs people’s commitment and acceptance if it is to be implemented effectively, without adverse effects on employees’ morale, motivation and industrial relations, which could undermine any short-term improvements achieved. This chapter explores the potential impact of the latest management trends being adopted in the construction industry from an SHRM perspective. The aim is to encourage the reader to apply SHRM thinking to contemporary management ideas and techniques in order that the human dimension is embedded within any drive for performance improvement. This should lead to more balanced solutions in which organisations work towards performance improvements in a spirit of cooperation with employees, rather than merely imposing new ways of working upon them.
