For a business to run efficiently, it needs an organizational structure, the right workforce, and effective practices that ensure maximum collaboration. Since businesses are becoming competitive with time, they need professionals to hire and align the workforce and retain them with maximum productivity. This is where the human resource (HR) department comes in.
Generally, it seems that HR’s sole role is to recruit new people into the company, but that’s just a common misconception. With time, HR has become a multifaceted department that does much more than recruitment. HR professionals are responsible for everything from shaping the company culture to ensuring employees meet organizational goals.
Let’s dig deeper to find out how the human resource department contributes to the success of a business.
In This Article:
1) Employee Training and Motivation
For any business to succeed, you must work on its most important asset — the employees. Over time, people might feel their role has become repetitive and unchallenging when they are mostly just performing the same tasks repeatedly. Businesses need to keep their employees motivated by giving them opportunities to learn and grow.
HR ensures that employees are regularly provided with opportunities for training and learning so they feel they are progressing in their careers. These training programs are highly beneficial in keeping employees updated with the latest industry trends and preparing them for senior roles in the existing organization. Even the HR department can be encouraged to advance their education and skills. For instance, aspiring HR leaders can enroll in an online masters in human resources program, and the company can cover a portion of their tuition fees or provide breaks to study.
2) Talent Acquisition and Retention
Hiring for a business’s success means attracting and sourcing the right people, which is much more than onboarding the first person that comes your way. The HR department develops an extensive talent acquisition and recruitment strategy that targets relevant individuals. These candidates are then put through a series of tests and interviews (designed by HR), so only the most relevant ones are shortlisted.
HR recognizes the need for talent and creates job descriptions, which circulate on different platforms to source candidates. Relevant candidates are shortlisted for the hiring process. Since candidates are on the lookout for a company offering an attractive package, HR works to provide them with a job opportunity that is difficult to turn down.
3) Working on Employee Engagement
Employees expect their companies to reward them for their contributions. Motivated and engaged employees are more productive and open to taking on challenging roles in the workplace.
HR works to create engagement opportunities for the employees. These can be company lunches or corporate trips that give everyone the time to unwind, relax, and connect. Company-sponsored events feel like a treat and can prevent burnout and job dissatisfaction.
Besides these ventures, HR provides financial rewards and incentives to boost employee morale. Even if financial reward is not an option, HR can work on giving non-monetary recognition. It shows that the company values the employees’ hard work and encourages other employees to work harder.
4) Create a Diverse Workplace
Modern businesses must promote diversityto attract new talent and open collaboration doors. The human resource department creates a diverse and inclusive environment to welcome talent. The department strives to create a company culture where all employees are treated equally regardless of their background, race, and gender.
A culture like this promotes employee satisfaction and creates a positive image of the organization.
HR can create organizational regulations that promote an all-inclusive environment for everyone within the company. When businesses accept and appreciate employees while respecting their cultural, ethnic, or religious values, employees feel valued and respected. They are most likely to stick with a company like this for a long time.
5) Satisfactory Compensation and Benefits
People work to earn, and businesses must offer a satisfactory amount for their hard work along with other benefits.
HR experts create a competitive and negotiable compensation package that fits the company’s budget and attracts talented resources. The compensation package contains different benefits like health insurance, pension schemes, retirement plans, increments, leaves, bonuses, and pretty much anything else that the company can offer to its potential employees.
The compensation and benefits are designed to satisfy the employees without going overboard with the company budget.
6) Promoting Company Vision Through Workplace Culture
The workplace culture of any organization defines its core values and principles. It also showcases how the company wants its employees to assume roles and behave at work. Senior management defines their expectations and communicates these to the HR department. These personnel then create policies and set an organizational culture that aligns with those expectations and the company’s goals. For instance, if a company wants the culture to be one where every voice is heard regardless of position, then the HR must make sure every employee follows this.
7) Emphasize Work-Life Balance
Due to their job role, HR professionals are often considered to be those who just want to make employees work without having a work-life balance. But that’s really not the case. Modern HR practices place a great emphasis on work-life balance. Employees are encouraged to opt for casual leaves, work in a hybrid model, and take breaks during the day. Additionally, there is a growing focus on not working after checkout and on weekends.
HR also introduces employee wellness programs such as fitness classes, gym memberships, walking and hiking challenges, standing desks, and more. A healthy and well-rested employee is going to be more productive and will contribute quality work to the organization’s success—and who doesn’t like that?
The Human Resources Department is responsible for recruiting new talent and ensuring that it stays in the company. They play a pivotal role in a business by ensuring company goals are met through effective organizational policies and sourcing the right talent.
A company with a professional HR can retain its employees and foster a mutually beneficial working culture. Similarly, businesses with an HR department that listens to feedback and works on it can make employees feel safe and heard, ultimately contributing to better productivity and motivation for the role.
