Which of the following is a central function of human resource management?

Recruitment is a central function of human resource management because it involves identifying and attracting candidates to fill job vacancies within an organization. This function is foundational to HR management, as it ensures that the organization has the right talent in place to meet its business needs. Effective recruitment strategies can lead to better employee fit, higher retention rates, and ultimately contribute to the overall success of the organization.

In the broader context of HR management, while training and development, performance evaluation, and payroll management are all important functions, they typically follow the recruitment process. Training and development focus on enhancing employee skills after they have been hired, performance evaluation assesses employees' work after their recruitment, and payroll management deals with compensating employees for their work. Therefore, recruitment stands out as the crucial initial step in the employee lifecycle, making it a central function of human resource management.