What Are the Duties and Responsibilities of HR Professionals

 

Responsibilities of HR Professionals

Figure 1  Duties and Responsibility

Human Resources departments are often misunderstood and unfairly categorized, especially in TV shows and other stereotypical portrayals, as team members that should be feared and are primarily responsible for cutting costs and firing employees.

The reality is, Human Resources departments have many valuable responsibilities, and they’re often caught in the middle of power struggles in a company. More importantly, they’re a critical asset when it comes to hiring, managing staff, and addressing disputes within a company.

The human employee is the greatest resource most companies have. The value of a single good employee to an organization is growing year over year and has been since the ’90s. Thus, establishing a solid team of people to manage that human resource has been a growing fixture of companies for decades.

 

HR Enforces Company Regulations

Figure 2 Policies

Compliance with policies, both internal and external, is of critical importance for most businesses.

Policies include:

• ·         Internal policies on employee ethics and behavior.
• ·         Internal policies on conduct, dress, and attendance.
• ·         Communications policies, both internally and externally.
• ·         External industry regulations, such as HIPAA.
• ·         External state or federal regulations, including anti-discrimination laws.

Whether the policies in question are internally devised and thus flexible, or externally enforced, HR is typically the central authority within a company that handles compliance. They are responsible for educating staff on policies, including the penalties for violations. They are also responsible for handling complaints and violations, including delivering punishments. Whether this results in a reprimand, a firing, or a lawsuit, HR is the central organization responsible for managing it or facilitating internal or external auditors in their investigations.

Investigates Internal Complaints

Figure 3  Investigation

Human Resources is often made out to be the enemy. Common advice during negotiations or discussions, from an employee’s end, is to “always remember that HR works for the company, not for you.” The truth is a little more nuanced than that.

The HR department is usually caught in the middle. Yes, they work for the company, but it is in both the company’s and their best interests to handle and solve internal complaints in an appropriate manner. Internal complaints, whether they’re related to managers abusing their power, sexual misconduct in the workplace, harassment, cyberbullying, need to be addressed.

HR Assists Employees with Career Development

Figure 4 Career Development

While it may seem, in some organizations, that HR serves the company more than it serves the employees, the truth should be the opposite. When employees are the single greatest resource available to a company – and with the sheer expense of turnover rising the more the employee’s value rises – it’s no surprise that many modern HR departments are focusing on employees. (Greenberg, 2019)

 

Thus, an HR department may be focused on:

 

• ·         Assisting employees in personal development.
• ·         Assisting employees in professional development and training.
• ·         Rewarding employees for their performance with bonuses and promotions.
• ·         Offering training and support for employees, managers, and more.

·         Adjusting roles and duties for accommodation, to facilitate the health and wellness of individual employees.

Conclusion 

The average Human Resources department has a lot more on its plate than many people might know. From every angle of the business, they help guide the direction of day-to-day activities, facilitating decisions, presenting feedback to executives, and pushing back against unrealistic expectations.

 

From the bottom up, they keep employees informed, healthy, and happy. They help facilitate everything from career development to personal health to internal feedback. From the outside in they help bring in high-quality candidates and ensure that the organization remains compliant with industry and governmental regulations.

 

From the inside out, they help guide and promote the company’s reputation, resolve issues that would otherwise become problems, and generally smooth over the wrinkles of a business’s public face (Greenberg, A., 2019).

 

References

Greenberg, A., 2019. What Are the Duties and Responsibilities of HR Professionals?. Responsibilities of HR Professionals, 1(5), pp. 54-56.