What is Human Resource Management?

In the past, many believed that there wasn’t much more to Human Resource Management than hiring and firing. What HR students are quickly learning is that this couldn’t be further from the truth. Human Resource Managers play a huge role in the operations of virtually every department within an organization. While their roles were once rigid, managers in the HR department have been granted more flexibility and the opportunity to give input on business decisions. Here’s some of what an HR manager does:

Recruiting a Skilled Workforce

An organization can only be as successful as its employees are talented. Some companies are dedicated to finding talent and other companies are more focused on quick hiring processes because of how high the standard turnaround rate is in the respective industry.

The organizations that tend to have the lowest hiring costs are those that spend the most money upfront. It might sound like a contradictory statement, but companies that invest in background checks that verify education levels and prior employment tend to find the most qualified and the more honest job seekers. Human Resource Managers will not just recruit, but run the pre-employment screenings and verify eligibility to work in the US.

Training New and Existing Employees

It’s a given that HR would be in charge of training new hires, but many aren’t aware that HRM professionals also help develop professional development training classes so that existing employees are able to garner new skills that they can use in the workforce. The department will take surveys, assess new business implementations, and come up with training opportunities based on weaknesses in the workforce and the direction the company is going in.

Employee Engagement Activities

Employee engagement is much more important than some would initially think. The fun contests and gatherings that an organization hold aren’t to waste time. Instead, these employee engagement activities are hosted by HR in an effort to combat the time wasters.

Studies show that more than 80 percent of employees in the workforce today are disengaged. This leads to a loss of production, increased absences, and increased workplace theft. According to Dynamic Signal, studies show that keeping employees connected can increase engagement scores by 25 percent. This is why it is HR’s duty to hold employee engagement events throughout the year where employees can interact with management and feel like a part of the whole.

Business Solutions and Process Improvements

Many companies are choosing to outsource the personnel that provides administrative functions for the HR department. This is a result of the changes in the HR management role. Sine HR Managers see how performance, training, production, and various other distractions can affect success within the organization, they are becoming more of a part of the strategic planning team where they help come up with solutions and improve processes that might not be working.

The modernized Human Resource Management function has changed the way that managers and executives look at the HR professional. Instead of being an administrative role, the HR manager is becoming more of a business partner and a legal adviser in business law topics. It is a diverse role where experienced professionals are able to perform various tasks throughout the day to keep the field interesting. A skilled Human Resource Management team can help organizations expand and grow.