Do You Know the Primary Functions of an HR Department?

 For an ordinary person, the HR department only takes charge of employee recruitment for an ordinary person, processes requests for leave with (or without) pay, and is the department where employees submit their resignation.

However, the HR department performs various tasks to make sure that the organisation has the structure and capability to meet business requirements by effectively managing its employees. Even if the people in the HR department have different specialities, they may perform additional functions. To ensure that the company runs smoothly and efficiently, the HR department is tasked to handle a few primary functions.

Key functions of the human resource department

Each day is a hectic day for the HR department, as it ensures that the employees are performing well; they are happy and productive and work in harmony. HR work consists of large and small tasks that are part of the main functions of the department. Many of the repetitive tasks of HR can now be efficiently handled by an HR system, such as:

• Finding the right people to fit the job. HR takes care of recruiting and filling the workforce requirement of a company. Aside from this, the HR department is in charge of recruiting the right talent to fill a newly created position or a vacant position. They have to understand the job requirements, but more importantly, they have to ensure that the candidate can fit into the organisation’s culture. In the execution of their tasks, the HR department advertises job postings, finds potential candidates, screens applicants, and conducts the preliminary interview. They coordinate with managers in selecting the final candidates.
• Maintaining a safe environment in the workplace. Safety in the workplace is a corporate responsibility. Under the law, employers have to provide a safe working environment for its staff. HR takes charge of this responsibility by providing workplace safety training and maintaining a record of workplace fatality and injury reporting. Aside from this, a safety and risk specialist usually works with the benefits specialist to create programs for workers’ compensation.
• Managing relationships between employer and employees. In most companies, the relationship between employer and employees is usually peaceful. However, there can be some friction due to misunderstandings between workers and miscommunication between an employee and a direct manager. Thus, the HR specialist’s task is to strengthen and maintain relationships within the company by measuring job satisfaction, resolving workplace conflict, and monitoring employee engagement. If there is a labour union, the HR department is also in charge of labour relations.
• Benefits and compensation. It is not the manager of your division who decides how much compensation you receive. The task also falls under the jurisdiction of HR. The department sets the compensation structures. They study current compensation packages to recommend the right pay structures to management, retirement packages, and group health coverage.  
• Compliance with labour laws. You feel secure in the workplace because the HR department complies with labour laws. You enjoy safe working conditions and fair employment practices because the HR department works hard at ensuring your safety and comfort.
• Training and development. It’s mandatory to provide employees with the right tools they need to achieve success, and it is the task of the HR department to provide extensive training to new employees to help them learn the company’s structure and policies. The HR department assesses programs to provide the right professional development and leadership training.

Now you know that the HR department is not an ordinary department of a company. It is a pivotal department that makes sure that an organisation has a full complement of employees that can work together to achieve the company’s growth and success.