Role and Function of a Human Resource Department
Human resources (HR) are so much more than the traditional view of an administrative function within the organization. If properly developed and initiated HR can become a strong, strategic business partner. This paper looks at the purpose and role of human resources as a strategic partner as well as its impact on the responsibilities of an HR department.
Purpose and Role
As businesses evolve and grow so do the purpose and role of an HR department. Once traditionally thought of only as an administrative department, HR has grown to become a vital part in any strategic organization. The traditional role for HR professionals focuses on recruitment, selection, salary, benefits, training, evaluation, rewards, and discipline. In many organizations, executives feel that their managers can do the work eliminating the need for HR. Human resources can be applied to any activity within the organization (Nica, 2013). HR professionals focus on finding the appropriate balance of workforce supply and how efficient and productive the workforce is. Employees are now being recognized as a vital asset to an organization 's success and have extended the strategic role of a HR department (Anca & Ramona, 2013).
Responsibilities of the HR Department
From the traditional administrative department, human resources take on essential responsibilities to increase organizational performance. HR has begun to focus on employee development and
The HR department officials in most organizations perform as they should. In most cases, they also focus on achieving the right things. Human Resource departments focus organizing, controlling, and hiring employees in organizations. When organizations apply HR practices, the results are great client satisfaction, a good net margin, and reduced sickness absence (Richard and Johnson, 2001). Vermeeren et al. (2014) posit that there is a great relationship between performance and HRM. Most organizations use the human resource department to ensure that operations run smoothly.
Human resource is an appellation used in referring to the workforce of an organization or company. Human resource management is involved in the act of putting together employees in an organized manner to assure the objectives of the organization are achieved in a competent and experienced manner. Human resources are the most important services of any organization since they are the catalysts of non-human resources and the medium for developing competitive advantages and sounds of creativity. No organization can exist without a human resources department (Walsh, 2009). A company without an HR department would be reducing its operations and could collapse within a short amount of time.
Human resource departments today have a more distinct, calculated position within organizations, and human resource strategy influences the bottom line. “One of the challenges for HR leaders is convincing executive leadership teams that human capital is one of the most important resources in which the company can invest” (Mayhew, 2014, p.). Subsequently, “this return on investment is an essential part of the argument for including HR as part of an overall business strategy” (Mayhew, 2014, p.). Human resource departments utilize the information given to them from company executives and leaders, coupled with their respective expertise on all things personnel, and they plan and implement staffing concerns for the betterment of the organization. From preparing job analysis, to comparing inventory and forecasting, it is the responsibility of human resources to consider the objectives of an organization and fulfill those goals while operating the specific planning relative to HR.
In an era of organizational flux due to competition and globalization, companies and employees are faced with constant change. Leaders must be able to adapt to change as the environment shifts. HR has been known as the organizational change agent, administrative expert, and employee advocate. More recently they have been regarded as business strategic partners for many organizations. In order to be successful and remain competitive in today’s market, Human Resources (HR) must be considered a strategic partner if an organization wants to flourish. Top executives today commit significant resources to ensure that their company’s functions are capable of rapid change and achieving their
The role of a Human Resource department is ever changing in today’s volatile business environment. Over the years HR have become strong strategic partners within an organization by providing functions such as recruitment,
The role of a Human Resource department is ever changing in today’s volatile business environment. Over the years HR have become strong strategic partners within an
Bhagria, A. (2010). Roles and Functions of the Human Resource Department; Young HR Manager. Retrieved May 4, 2014, from
Human resource helps in recruiting the most efficient employees for organizations. They support the use of training and development to improve individual employees as well as the whole organization. They make sure that the training given to the employees is effective and they support any changes that are essential for the improvement of the workplace (McLagan and Suhadolnick 1987). Human resource development now has evolved from just training to development of the whole organization or individual (Chalofsky and Lincoln 1983; Gilley 1998; Harris and DeSimone 1994; Kenny 1982; Nadler and Nadler
The current function of HR can be defined as supporting “the delivery of the organisation’s strategy and objectives through the effective management of people and performance” (Taylor & Woodhams, 2012; 22). This definition is furthered by a CIPD survey (2007; 2-3), which indicated that the key functions of HR are: recruiting and retaining staff, progressing performance management to maximise the value of employees and increasing employee engagement.
The role of the human resources (HR) department can play a significant role in the success and achievements of an organization. The department, which has evolved from the
Human Resource management has a high impact on the overall organization being managed. HR management makes certain that human talent is used successfully and resourcefully to accomplish organizational goals. As an organization core competency, human resources has distinctive competencies that generates high value and sets apart an organization from competitors in areas such as productivity, quality and service, employee skills, and innovative changes. HR management activities can be grouped into categories which include strategic HR management; equal employment opportunity; staffing and talent management; compensation and benefits; and employee and industry relations. This paper will
Whether an organization consists of five or 25,000 employees, human resources management is vital to the success of the organization. HR is important to all managers because it provides managers with the resources – the employees – necessary to produce the work for the managers and the organization. Beyond this role, HR is capable of becoming a strong strategic partner when it comes to “establishing the overall direction and objectives of key areas of human resource management in order to ensure that they not only are consistent with but also support the achievement of business goals.” (Massey, 1994, p. 27)
The objective of the Human Resource Department is to design management systems to ensure human talent is maximized to effectively and efficiently achieve organizational goals. HR has seven functions that are intertwined. These functions are global, environmental, cultural geographic, political, social, legal, economic, and technological. Human resource management has the potential to drastically impact the success and effectiveness of an organization. Human Resources has heavily focused on recordkeeping and paperwork. It has often been considered a clerical and low-level administrative department. In most organizations, Human Resources is looked upon as the employee mediator in the organization. They tend to be the voice of the employee, building company morale and putting out fires involving crisis management. The problems they deal with are both employee work-related and not work-related. HR strives to ensure fair treatment for all employees. They work with varying departments throughout the organization in order to create and implement necessary programs and policies. HR works with equal employment opportunity and other laws, to ensure compliance. They work to fill current job openings by processing applications, interviewing, and training. They answer questions regarding benefits and wages and address safety issues. The expansion of technology and outsourcing have drastically transformed the
The field of human resources (HR) plays a critical role in the performance and success of organizations. As organizations have become increasingly more complex, the effective management of HR has become even more important. The traditional perception of HR as only an administrative office is no longer valid. Instead, contemporary HR is directly involved with the internal organizational structure, business operations, and variety of functions carried out by employees on a daily basis (Reed & Bogardus, 2012). HR functions impact the organization’s strategic planning, improvement processes, and goal achievement. Six core bodies of knowledge provide the foundation for all of these HR functions. These areas are: strategic
Human Resource department always has a challenge that is to ensure employees are motivated and committed to the organization with honesty. Human Resource department can act as a service provider for the employee and treat employees the same way organization would like them to treat their customers.HR conducts cultural events and dj nights for employees to bond.