HR is so important for business success
For small businesses and large corporations alike, the human resources department is important for business success. Human resources perform more duties than simply handling the open enrollment season once a year or processing payroll on a bi-weekly basis. Instead, this department helps to develop a company’s strategy and handles the organization’s employee-centered activities.
Budget Control
The HR department develops methods for trimming the costs associated with workforce management, thus curbing excessive spending and helping to save the company money in the long run. These methods may include negotiating better rates for employee benefits such as healthcare insurance. In addition, the HR department studies and analyzes employment trends, the labor market, and salaries based on job functions to ensure the company’s wages are competitive and realistic. Since some small businesses have strict budgets to which they must adhere, this function of the HR department is particularly helpful.
Employee Satisfaction
For better or worse, the HR department has the responsibility of determining whether employees are satisfied, not only with their supervisors but also with the job and related duties as well. Since it can be difficult to measure satisfaction as it is an ambiguous measurement at best, HR specialists must carefully design employee surveys, oversee focus groups and implement an exit interview strategy to determine how the company can improve about its employees. In other words, the HR department determines the causes and/or reasons behind employee dissatisfaction for current or previous employees and addresses those issues in the best way possible to boost morale and motivation throughout the company.
Training and Development
Human resource specialists conduct assessments for the company’s employees to determine the type of training and skills employees must have to properly and efficiently perform their duties. Although it is important to ensure that all employees have the qualifications and skills necessary to meet the demands of a position, new companies or businesses in the expanding stage may especially benefit from identifying training needs for existing employees. Companies often task this responsibility to the HR department because it is less expensive for these specialists to handle training and development than it is to hire more qualified candidates or additional staff. In addition, this strategy may also improve employee retention and thus reduce turnover.
Performance Improvement
Yet another responsibility of the HR department is the development of performance management systems. Without a human resources specialist to construct a plan that measures employee performance, employees may end up in jobs that aren’t suitable for their expertise and skills. Not only will this contribute to employee dissatisfaction, but individuals who consistently fall below the employer’s expectations for performance may sneak by on the payroll, thereby costing the company money on low-performing employees that are not helping the business to succeed.
From improving company morale and developing methods to ensure high-performance standards to resolving conflicts among employees and ensuring a company stays within its budget.
Without human resources management, companies would not be able to effectively recruit and retain employees, improve and enhance the organization, and they wouldn’t be able to maintain a healthy, accepting workplace culture and environment. Human resources management is so important to organizations that many call this department the heart and soul of a business.
Objectives of Human Resources Management
Human resources management is so important to organizations because there are many objectives of this department that can drastically improve or negatively affect the organization. One major objective of human resources management is to drive productivity by ensuring competent employees are hired and remain up to date with training initiatives. Another major objective of human resources management and why it’s so important to an organization is that it builds coordination between organizational departments.
Without proper human resources management at your organization, your departments will have a hard time working together which will cause your business to suffer. More important objectives of human resources management are ensuring employee satisfaction, staying up to date with societal and ethical models, and maintaining a healthy work culture, as well as a healthy work-life balance for employees.
HR Introduces Technology for the Workplace
HR supports the workforce by identifying and implementing technology and other tools that help employees collaborate, get information, and communicate with one another. An interactive org chart is an excellent example of modern technology that helps improve work environments by connecting coworkers and supports a range of other HR programs, from workforce planning to employee engagement and collaboration.
HR Helps Employees Achieve Their Career Goals
HR counsels employees about career paths within the organization, but it also provides tools that help employees decide which path to pursue.
By designing internal training and identifying external training providers, HR pros develop a curriculum that helps employees build on their strengths and address areas for development. HR also helps employees make connections, for example, by giving them access to an interactive org chart.
An interactive org chart shows the different roles within the company and offers employees a new way to learn about the various career opportunities that exist within the organization. Understanding a company’s structure can motivate employees on their path to land their dream job.
HR Supports Company Growth
Often, when there is a merger, acquisition, or major expansion, HR is a strong strategic partner for company leaders, helping to identify individuals and teams that may need to be reorganized, may need a new leader, or could be merged with another. These workforce planning activities can go smoothly as a result of HR’s knowledge of current employees’ capabilities as well as the challenges and opportunities associated with certain staffing decisions. Some of the actions HR takes to support company growth include:
Conducting succession planning and company talent reviews
Implementing workforce planning software that helps the company develop long-range staffing and reorganization plans
Identifying high-potentials who can take on expanded roles as the company grows.
Conclusion
A company is only as good as its people and the HR team is in charge of building and maintaining a strong team. A good Human Resource team with the right resources will help your company get the most out of your employees. If you haven’t yet recognized the importance of your HR team in your company, make that a priority now.
