A company's human resources department is one of its most important teams. Without a reliable HR staff, certain day-to-day procedures can be difficult to handle. In many enterprises, the HR department is considered an element of top-level management and participates in strategic meetings to detail future initiatives. Below is an analysis of the HR staff's top functions and how they affect an enterprise's everyday operations.
Recruitment
According to the Houston Chronicle, recruitment is an essential aspect of HR. This task requires in-depth coordination with management to identify open positions and the qualifications that should be sought in prospective candidates. Once openings have been found, recruiters create listings, generate leads, vet candidates and interview applicants. These procedures are necessary for finding the best workers to strengthen the company's staff. Additionally, the implementation of a human resources information system with applicant tracking can efficiently enhance recruitment and vetting procedures.
Social media has improved recruitment procedures for many HR departments. LinkedIn is a valuable resource that representatives can use to find potential candidates and initiate contact. What's more, social networks have simplified vetting because HR professionals can find key background information by performing cursory searches.
Payroll reporting
In larger enterprises, there is an employee tasked with using payroll processing software to manage compensation for the entire staff. HR still plays a role in payroll management in that the department handles reporting procedures. This task includes asking workers to review their paychecks, update W-2 forms and monitor benefits packages. By ensuring that all employees have submitted updated information and are receiving their correct wages, the HR department eliminates any potential reporting issues and some legal liabilities.
The HR department can also generate payroll reports for management to review. The data shows upper-level executives and HR representatives how compensation is being distributed and whether the enterprise is compliant with state and federal laws.
Performance management
Finally, many companies also use their HR staff to ensure that employees are performing up to expectations by creating annual employee reviews. A key aspect of this responsibility is communicating with management and staff members about current practices, work expectations, goals and possible improvements to improve workplace satisfaction and productivity.
Further, the HR department is also an ally to employees by assisting with problems like in-office bullying and sexual harassment. Additionally, the team manages attendance so workers know how many sick and paid time-off days they have available.