In Human Resources — by Dave Anderson
Not long ago, human resources was the department you would meet with on your first and last day on the job. They would walk you through new hire paperwork and show you around the office when you joined and conduct your exit interview when you were leaving. Between those two milestones, you might have brief interactions with the team to request days off or enroll in new benefits.
From the company’s perspective, HR was viewed more as a necessary overhead than a driver of success. They ensured the company followed labor laws and enforced the rules in the employee handbook. They were there to keep things running smoothly and prevent big problems from occurring.
In many ways, the HR team personified bureaucracy. However, that’s no longer the case. The role of HR has evolved to better serve both the company and employees.
The emergence of new technology is a big reason for the transformation of the HR profession. Traditional tasks like hiring, onboarding, preparing payroll, sharing benefits and more are largely automated by software. HR professionals are now free to focus on strategic work that aligns with the needs and wants of today’s employees and puts the business in a place to be a great employer. Let’s explore some new responsibilities today’s human resources professionals take on:
The median employee tenure is now only 4.2 years, according to the U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics. It will likely only get shorter as more millennials enter the workforce. This means recruiting, hiring and employee retention is more important than ever. Here are some ways HR helps:
Most companies now have a human resources leader who is part of the executive team. They ensure the company’s plans and decisions are fair, legal and properly communicated to the wider company. Here are a few responsibilities of HR leaders:
While it’s not solely their responsibility, modern HR professionals look for ways to improve business operations. They can form initiatives that help each employee reach their full potential so the company as a whole succeeds. Here are some ways HR improves operations:
Some companies have problems that affect only a portion of the staff. Those impacted are often not comfortable voicing their concerns so it’s up to human resources to be aware of issues that aren’t front and center. Here are some hidden problems HR takes on:
Modern HR professionals help their companies achieve its goal by ensuring every employee is treated well and supported.
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