Human resources management, when done efficiently, can provide your company with structure and help fulfill your business goals through managing its employees.
While that sounds great, it’s natural to wonder: “What does an HR department do exactly?”
HR department responsibilities cover six essential functions that are meant to help businesses and their employees. Read on to learn more about the key functions of an HR department.
Table of Contents
Recruitment
Recruiters who work at the company, rather than firms that provide staffing services, play a crucial role in bolstering the employer’s workforce.
Their HR department duties include advertising job postings, screening applicants, conducting interviews, and coordinating things with the managers that make the final selection of candidates.
They usually measure their success by the number of positions they manage to fill and the time it takes to hire candidates. Of course, it’s all about hiring the right candidates for each position.
Employer-Employee Relationship
One of the key HR department functions is to act as a bridge between an employer and employee in order to strengthen this relationship.
It performs this task through gauging employee satisfaction, engagement, and resolving any workplace conflict that arises.
Safety in the Workplace
It goes without saying that workplace safety is absolutely essential, and it falls to human resources management.
As stated by the Occupational Safety and Health Act of 1970, employers are under the obligation of providing a safe working environment for their employees.
The HR department gives workplace safety training and maintains records of fatality reporting and workplace injuries.
Benefits and Compensation
HR duties include setting compensation structures and assessing competitive pay practices.
HR may also discuss group health coverage with insurers and organize activities with the retirement savings fund administrator. HR employees may also take care of payrolls, though employers often decide to outsource such administrative functions.
Training
Employers must give employees all the necessary tools to succeed. For instance, giving new employees adequate orientation training to help them integrate into the company.
Some HR departments even provide professional development and leadership training. Leadership training may aid newly hired supervisors in handling performance management and employee relations.
On the other hand, professional development helps employees look for promotional opportunities and fulfill personal goals.
The HR department itself isn’t beyond being improved, quite the contrary. You can evaluate its performance thanks to a scorecard, so check it out.
Labor Law Compliance
The HR department has to ensure that the company complies with labor and employment laws. Not doing so give employees cause for workplace complaints on the grounds of unsafe working conditions and unfair employment practices.
HR employees must be familiar with federal and state employment laws, including Title VII of the Civil Rights Act, the National Labor Relations Ac, the Fair Labor Standards Act, as well as any relevant rules and regulations.
What Does an HR Department Do?
So, what does an HR department do? It plays a critical role in managing employees through the various tasks it performs.
In particular, it ensures that everyone is safe at work and that the company treats its employees fairly, as well as resolve conflicts.
Read more articles in our Business section to get more useful information on how to run your company.
Infographic created by Mowery & Schoenfeld, providing individual tax services
