The Functions of Human Resources Departments, Research Paper Example

Human resource (HR) departments are found in virtually every type of public and private organizations. Businesses, government agencies, charitable organizations, and any other organization that employs people is inherently tasked with managing employees in some capacity. Among the most readily –apparent functions of HR departments is to hire and maintain employees; beyond that, however, HR departments are also responsible for a wide range of other tasks and functions. Among these include providing training, oversight of relevant benefits such as health insurance, coordinating interactions with labor unions and other employee organizations, and cultivating the ongoing professional development of all members of the organization. In the 231^st century, HR is presented both with challenges and opportunities pertaining to social media and other information and communication technology; such technology is now incorporated into every aspect of HR functions, from recruitment and headhunting to pre-employment background investigations to ongoing communication and interaction with employees. The following paper provides an overview of some of the key functions and responsibilities of HR departments.

Recruitment

Among the most basic and fundamental functions of HR is the recruitment of employees and other members of an organization’s staff. There are a variety of measures by which the overall success of any organization can be assessed; its ability to find, hire, and keep effective employees is certainly among the primary factors to consider when making determinations about the relative success and value of an organization (Martin, 2010). The human capital of any effective public or private organization compromises a significant percentage of the organization’s value (Martin). The value of such human capital is determined by how well employees perform their functions, the scope and scale of the training and professional development time and money the organization invests in its employees, and the degree to which organizations are able to cultivate and maintain an effective roster of employees (Martin).

The recruitment processes for any given organization have evolved and expanded considerably in recent decades; while many organizations may still place advertisements for available positions in the classified sections of newspapers, such an approach is clearly insufficient in the information age, when millions of people are active on personal and professional social media platforms ranging from Facebook and Twitter to more employment-specific sites such as LinkedIn. These platforms can be used in much the same manner as traditional classified ads, by offering the opportunity for an organization to post job listings, but they also present a wide range of other opportunities for HR managers and staff who are seeking new employees. By using sites such as LinkedIn, individuals and organizations can develop a professional network of like-minded people and companies that allow HR recruiters to exponentially extend the news of job openings to a virtually unlimited number of people, and to reach out to and target specific individuals for recruitment (Anca-Ioana, 2013). In this context, recruitment becomes a far more active process than the passive approach of placing a classified ad and waiting for a response, while hoping that the right person or person sees the advertisement and, more importantly, responds to it.

Employee Training and Professional Development

For all but the most basic and simplest of jobs, freshly-recruited employees must undergo at least some form of training.  Even for low-skilled positions such as janitorial work or other unskilled or low-skilled manual labor, new employees are typically presented with some form of orientation and training materials. Orientation sessions may involve classes in which new employees are provided with employee manuals or handbooks which cover the rules and regulations of the organization, as well as with information packets or other materials that explain the organization’s health insurance programs and other employee benefits (Martin). More specific orientation sessions may introduce the employees to the workspaces, tools, and people the employee will be using or interacting with during the course of the work day. Positions that require specific skills may make it necessary for new employees to undergo more rigorous training as they become familiar with the processes involved in performing their duties.

Beyond these basic iterations of introductory training and orientation, most organizations must develop processes for the ongoing professional development of their employees (Anca-Ioana). For those employees who work with machinery, for example, they may have to be certified on a regular basis to ensure that their skills continue to keep pace with the responsibilities of their jobs.  Organizations with sales people or sales teams, professional development might include everything from training in general sales techniques to more specific training related to the tools they will use or the products or services they are required to sell to customers or clients. As an organization makes changes or advances to their product offerings or services, employees must be trained to keep abreast of these changes (Ramona & Anca, 2013). At administrative levels, professional development may include leadership training, training related to public, private, or regulatory oversight of the activities of an organization, and other training processes that are specifically tailored to suit the needs of employees and the requirements of the organization (Anca-Ioana).

Workplace Safety

Workplace safety is a vital area of HR function and oversight. Government agencies such as the Occupational Safety and Health Administration (OSHA) is responsible for ensuring that public and private organizations are adhering to legal restrictions, regulations, and other rules that are in place to mandate that organizations maintain safe workplaces for their employees (Martin). Other government agencies, such as the Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) are tasked with monitoring and oversight of organizations related to their possible effects on the public and the environment; for example, a company that manufactures or works with hazardous materials must comply with regulations that determine the safe handling of such materials (Martin). It is the role of the HR department to coordinate the interactions and communication between the organization and these outside agencies; further, it is the responsibility of the HR department to ensure internal compliance with safety regulations and other laws and restrictions. The HR department must ensure that all employees are aware of, understand, and comply with safety regulations, have access to appropriate safety equipment, and receive ongoing training about any changes to the regulatory or safety environment.

Organizational Planning

HR departments are responsible for coordinating virtually all aspects of organizational planning. Individual departments within a given organization may all have different plans for the short- and long-terms; for example, the sales team at an automobile dealership may be planning a new sales promotion, while the repair department may be preparing for an influx of repair orders based on a recall of a particular automobile.  While the planning being developed in the sales department is unrelated to the planning taking place in the repair department, both departments will utilize their available human capital and other resources to ensure that their plans unfold in an effective and efficient manner. In each instance, these planning processes will inevitably involve the HR department as the necessary resources are acquired and put in place (Ramona & Anca).

Summary

The various functions described herein are just some of the many different roles and responsibilities that fall under the purview of HR departments. The general functions of recruitment, training, safety, and regularity compliance are broadly applicable to most HR departments, but for any given individual organization the specific ways in which these responsibilities and functions will be implemented will vary depending on the specific nature of the organization. When considering these broad areas of responsibility and oversight, it becomes clear that the duties and functions of HR within most organizations extend into virtually every aspect of organizational operation.

References

Anca-Ioana, M. (2013). New Approaches Of The Concepts Of Human Resources, Human Resource Management And Strategic Human Resource Management. Annals Of Faculty Of Economics, 1(1), 1520–1525.

Li, H. (2014). The Development of a Human Resource Management System, 926, 4020–4023.

Martin, J. (2010). Key concepts in human resource management (1st ed.). Los Angeles: SAGE.

Ramona, T., & Anca, \. (2013). Human Resource Management-From Function To Strategic Partner. Annals Of Faculty Of Economics, 1(1), 1682–1689.