There are many factors impacting work and learning specifically in Canada. How workers are involved or participate can affect outcomes for the employee and employer. Social and economic are two factors that influence education, learning, training and work. In this essay, I will provide examples of why social and economic context must be considered when understanding work and learning. I will also examine assumptions frequently made by Human Resources Management (HRM) and their perspective on the purpose and outcomes of learning and the critiques that challenge these perspectives.
Understanding the social context for work and learning contains many variables. Life experiences, level of education, age, ethnicity and language, gender and
HRM is known to negate employees that may have mutual interests in one company with employees in another organization. HRM’s primary function, to some critiques, is to ensure there is minimum compliance within organizations. Some critiques say a “company’s products (e.g. cigarettes) or use of natural resources (e.g. clear cut forestry), and might argue that all HRM does is ensure workers’ compliance in these “harmful” company activities” (Spencer, B., & Kelly, J. (2013). Understanding the Human Resource Management/Corporation Connection. In An Introduction Work and Learning (p.2). Toronto: Thompson Educational Publishing). Some criticisms with HRM also include; involving employees in company undertakings, the purpose of HRM supports disparaging activity such as “most work in modern society is dehumanizing, that the competitiveness of modern organization’s leads to the development of less fulfilling social relationships” (Spencer, B., & Kelly, J. (2013). Understanding the Human Resource Management/Corporation Connection. In An Introduction Work and Learning (p.3). Toronto: Thompson Educational Publishing). HRM policies are impacted by internal and external pressures. Internal impacts include organizational objectives and financial strategies while external pressures include economic and social contexts. In order for HRM to be successful it requires