Human resource employees don’t just look through resumes and select the best. And they don’t just recognize poor work and hand out pink slips. They are responsible for a wide array of business functions across the entire company. They are representatives of every employee within the organization. They help employees grow and provide feedback if they are falling behind.
When an employee has a question about benefits, they go to HR. When someone needs safety training, HR can help. If a manager needs a temporary employee when one of their team members is going on vacation, they’ll ask HR. Keep reading to learn some of the many functions of HR and why it’s crucial for your business.
Recruiting and Onboarding
Sure, HR hires employees for open roles, but there is so much more to the process. First of all, they must recruit qualified candidates that make a good fit for the role. This involves knowing the type of employee they should hire. Do they need someone full-time, part-time, on a temporary basis, or as a contractor or freelancer?
HR is responsible for writing job descriptions, which explain responsibilities for the role as well as experience required. They work directly with the manager and employees to ensure that the job description accurately summarizes the position. Using HR analytics helps them write job descriptions that are spot on by providing data-driven insights about the skills, qualifications, and performance metrics associated with specific roles. By analyzing employee performance, turnover rates, and other workforce data, HR can identify the traits and qualifications that are most relevant to success in a given position too.
Once an individual is hired, HR then has to onboard them. Onboarding ensures that new employees understand their role completely, enabling them to become productive faster. They learn about company culture and get introduced to coworkers. They may be matched with a mentor who will give them a tour of the office and answer any questions.
Payroll and Benefits
The HR department is in charge of handling payroll too. This means that they track attendance, ensuring that timesheets are accurate. They need to keep up with minimum wage changes and provide raises as needed or deserved, as per supervisor suggestion. HR staff prints out checks or manages direct deposits, handing out payslips to managers to give to employees. They also need to know the total payroll cost for the entire company.
HR determines and manages the benefits a company offers to its employees, such as health insurance or retirement programs. They evaluate the value of each available benefits program and select the most competitive one. They communicate with benefit suppliers, setting up information sessions for new or current employees. They must understand the program inside and out in order to assist employees who are having difficulty enrolling. HR also tracks paperwork and enrollment periods for benefits.
HR may be responsible for determining and tracking perks, as well. They question employees to find out what they’d like the company to add. HR then communicates perks to employees and educates them on any rules or regulations associated with the perk. For instance, employees may be able to bring a pet to work on a specific day. However, the pets may be limited to those that do not require a cage or terrarium. So, no gerbils or snakes, please.
Training and Development
Training and development is an important aspect of a company’s growth and success. With the right employee training programs, companies see better retention, motivation, productivity, and creativity from their staff. Plus, training helps grow a positive company culture, which improves retention and attracts top talent. The HR department is responsible for ensuring employee development is successful.
To support employee growth, HR must first identify employee needs by conducting assessments, analyzing performance, and simply asking for feedback. It’s important to know what skills employees have and what skills they lack. Then they can create learning development plans with specific goals and timelines that meet the needs of each team member. HR managers find or make available resources such as online courses, workshops, and mentorships to help with employee development.
Additionally, HR recognizes individuals who can potentially move up into different roles or across roles to another department. They provide support to these employees, offering career development, training, or exposure to the new position. HR provides ongoing guidance as they engage in the learning process. They help workers track progress, offer them resources, and provide feedback. HR is a crucial part of employee development, and when done right, they can create a culture of continued growth.
The Function of HR
The HR department does so much more than just hire and fire. They are an important piece of an organization, whether it’s a multimillion-dollar corporation or a small business. HR employees have the skill and knowledge to deal with every aspect of employee relations. They answer questions about time off, develop perks that employees love, and help to create a culture of learning and growth.
Employees appreciate the role HR plays in an organization. Without it, they would have nowhere to go with grievances or inquiries. But thankfully, a good HR department manages the organization’s greatest asset: its employees.
