No matter what size a business is, or what sector it operates in, with time it inevitably evolve. Throughout a typical business lifecycle, a company will experience different phases of growth, which will include new members joining to meet the demands of the time. The department in charge of assuring everything goes according to plan when recruiting, hiring, and managing employees is the Human Resource department. Whatever sector the business operates in, from brick and mortar retail to cutting edge online companies such as eKrona, having a strong HR team has many advantages.
Implementing An Organisational Culture
All companies have their own culture and values. With a continuous stream of employees entering and exiting the business, it can be difficult for a company to keep control of this. To help reinforce and lock in what the business stands for, human resources play a critical role.
The department will help create guidelines that employees can easily familiarise themselves with. This will help steer how communications, actions and interactions take place in the business which results in achieving the intended “company culture”.
Continuous Training and Development
No matter how far up the corporate ladder an employee is, and how old they are, they always require further training. This is especially important when an employee arrives from another company – as each business has a unique way of doing things, even when they exist in the same sector.
All policies and procedures in place must be expressed thoroughly so every employee knows what’s expected of them. The human resource department is typically in charge of communicating this. Whether this consists of onboarding new members or enhancing current ones, companies that have great HR teams see an increase in efficiency by implementing effective training and development methods.
Dealing With Conflicts
It’s human nature for conflicts to sometimes arise, however, how they’re dealt with can determine how severe the problem becomes. HR can help act as a mediator for both parties to try and resolve the problem. The better and more experienced the HR, the quicker disputes are resolved, one way or another.
If conflicts aren’t handled correctly, they can easily escalate, with very negative consequences. Conflict leads to loss of focus on key business functions. This invariably leads to loss of sales, and staff morale quickly dips. Sometimes disputes can easily result in long and potentially costly tribunals.
Promoting Good Health and Safety
When a business hires employees, they are responsible of keeping them safe, both in the place of work and in performance of their duties. To achieve this, the human resource team will be responsible for ensuring necessary precautions are in place and ensure correct practises are communicated and followed. They’ll make sure that all necessary equipment is available and training is provided.
When health and safety aren’t taken seriously by businesses, there can be major consequences. For example, inappropriate equipment that results in an injury can turn into a costly legal case, which also has an impact on the image of the company.
Hiring the Right Staff and Keeping Them Happy
From businesses that are growing to those that need to replace someone who’s leaving, HR is in control. To ensure the right members are recruited, an effective HR team will have procedures in place to find the best talent for the role. However, once hired, contact with new employees doesn’t stop there.
It’s down to the HR department to make sure work conditions for all employees are favourable, along with helping them with any concerns or issues that may be impacting their work. A good example of this is mental health issues. Unfortunately, they impact millions of individuals. However, with a supportive HR team, staff who deal with these will feel cared for, minimising the impact it has on their work.
