If you’re like most people, the phrase “Human Resources” summons up an image of someone sitting at a desk, wearing headphones, and talking on the phone.
But what do HR professionals do?
And is their work important to your business?
In this article, we’ll look at HR’s essential functions and show you how they can help your company thrive.
What is an HR department?
Human resources (HR) is a company’s department responsible for all things related to employee management
This includes recruiting, hiring, training, and benefits administration. HR is also responsible for ensuring that the company complies with all applicable employment laws.
In larger companies, HR may be divided into sub-departments such as payroll, benefits, and compliance. Smaller companies may only have one or two HR employees who handle all of these responsibilities.
Regardless of size, all companies need HR to effectively manage their employees.
What Are the Main Objective of Creating an HR Department?
Human Resource is a critical function for any company. But what are the main objectives for creating an HR department?
There are many, but five of the most important are to attract and retain top talent, ensure legal compliance, and manage employee relations. Let’s take a closer look at each of these objectives.
1. Every Employee Is Treated Fairly:
Human resources professionals play a vital role in ensuring that employees are treated fairly and equitably in the workplace.
They are responsible for developing and implementing policies and procedures that promote a positive work environment and protect the rights of employees.
Additionally, HR professionals work to resolve conflicts and address concerns that may arise. By maintaining an open-door policy with employees and fostering a culture of respect, HR professionals can help create a fair and equitable workplace for all.
2. Employee Benefits and Compensation Programs:
Compensation and benefits are essential components of any employee management program. They can help to attract and retain talent, motivate employees, and improve productivity.
However, designing and administering these programs can be complex and time-consuming. This is where HR professionals can play a vital role.
By working with managers and executives, HR professionals can help develop compensation and benefits programs aligned with the organization’s overall strategy.
This involves conducting regular surveys of comparable businesses to ensure that pay rates remain competitive and working with benefit providers to negotiate favorable rates for employees.
They can also help to ensure that these programs are fair and equitable, providing employees with the incentives they need to perform at their best. In short, HR plays a critical role in managing employee compensation and benefits programs. Without their expertise, these programs would be far less effective.
3. Employee Relations:
Employee relations is another key area of responsibility for HR professionals. They are responsible for maintaining positive relationships between employees and management.
This includes handling employee concerns and complaints and resolving conflicts that may arise. Additionally, HR professionals work to improve communication between employees and managers.
By fostering respect and open communication culture, HR professionals can help create a positive work environment and improve employee morale.
4. Develop Policy With Recent Laws & Regulations:
As the world of work rapidly evolves, it is essential for HR departments to keep up-to-date with the latest laws and regulations. Not only does this help to ensure compliance, but it also allows HR professionals to proactively develop policies that support the changing needs of the workforce.
They work closely with the legal team to ensure that all policies are up-to-date and compliant with current legislation. The HR team also consults with other departments to get their input on new policies before they are put into effect.
In addition, the HR department regularly reviews existing policies to ensure that they are still relevant and effective.
The human resources department can help create a safe and compliant workplace for all employees by staying up-to-date on current laws and regulations.
5. Hire Qualified Staff:
Qualified staff is a great asset of any company & in this sector, HR department plays a great role. This process begins with developing a clear understanding of the organization’s needs.
Once these needs are established, HR professionals can begin identifying and screening potential candidates, conducting interviews, and extending job offers.
In other words, they are the front line for finding and vetting potential employees. They play a vital role in ensuring that only the most qualified candidates are hired.
The HR department is also responsible for onboarding new employees and orienting them to company culture and policies.
By performing these essential functions, the HR team plays a critical role in ensuring that an organization has the talent it needs to thrive.
Are There Any Drawbacks of an HR Department?
Human resources departments are responsible for a wide range of employee-related tasks, from recruitment and training to benefits administration, 401k tracking, compliance with employment law and many more. While an HR department can be a valuable asset to any business, there are also potential drawbacks to consider. Some of them are:
1. Bureaucracy:
In the early days of HR, the department was responsible for managing employee records and benefits. However, as the workforce grew, so did the bureaucracy of HR.
Today, HR is often bogged down by red tape and bureaucratic procedures. This can lead to frustration among employees, who may feel that their concerns are not being heard or that they are being treated like just another number.
In addition, the bureaucracy of HR can make it difficult for the department to be responsive to change. As a result, many companies are rethinking their HR strategy and moving towards a more streamlined approach.
2. Maintaining Safe Distance:
A majority of multinationals’ employees perceive the HR manager as a challenging position, but the actual fact is that it is not. Managing human resources is not as simple as it seems.
The company makes sure that every employee is provided with the necessary job description information, specifically detailing the job duties and behavior needed to run the company.
Similarly, the HR manager must also maintain a safe distance from his or her workers to be effective with corporate decisions.
3. Costly:
The human resources department is responsible for a number of important functions, from recruitment and training to benefits administration and employee relations. As a result, HR departments are typically one of the largest operational costs for businesses.
There are a number of reasons for this, including the need to maintain a staff of skilled professionals and the overhead costs associated with running an HR department.
In addition, HR departments are often required to comply with a range of government regulations, which can add to the cost. As businesses strive to control costs, the human resources department is often an area where they look to make cuts.
However, doing so can jeopardize the ability of a business to attract and retain talent, which can have a long-term impact on the bottom line.
Final Thought
The human resources department plays a vital role in any business or organization. From hiring and onboarding new employees to managing employee benefits and compliance with employment law, the HR team performs a wide range of essential functions. While there are potential drawbacks to consider, such as the cost of establishing an HR department, the benefits often outweigh the costs. In short, an HR department can be a valuable asset to any business or organization.