Sure, the human resources department is in charge of hiring and firing employees, but what else do they do? HR staff members actually have a myriad of responsibilities all involving taking care of a company’s employees. While some of their tasks are well-known, others are done quietly, without much fanfare. However, every project undertaken by the HR team responsibilities is important to the success of the organization.
1. Designing Company Policies
HR representatives must create and maintain company policies and procedures, including sick leave, development, and promotion policies. Policies are necessary to have consistent guidelines across the entire company, such as an onboarding process. HR may also be asked to develop new company policies to legally protect the company or to comply with state laws. These procedures are written in general terminology to prevent being interpreted as a contract.
The HR team responsibilities in this area include discussing policy changes with supervisors and employees before finalizing the document. They can get insight from the worker’s point of view through surveys and questionnaires. Then they can use HR analytics to determine the best path forward. Once the policy is in place, hold meetings to explain the meat of the procedure and why it was implemented. Encourage discussion and questions from employees before they sign off on the policy, stating that they understand and agree to it.
The HR team responsibilities don’t stop at policy creation. Creation is just one aspect of HR’s responsibility with company policies. You must also regularly review policy content to ensure it meets federal and state laws and the needs of the company. The company could be sued due to policies that inadvertently break laws. Therefore, it’s important to have a lawyer review the material before finalizing the document.
2. Developing a Safety Program
An effective safety program is necessary to prevent injuries and accidents in the workplace. Whether your business is a factory, warehouse, office, restaurant, or school, the HR team responsibilities include developing a detailed safety plan. When creating a safety plan from scratch, you’ll need a deep understanding of your industry’s requirements. A hotel requires different regulations than a shipping company. Use resources from OSHA and tap into the knowledge of other safety and HR professionals in your industry.
You’ll need to first identify hazards and risks within each role of the organization. Talk to your employees to uncover areas of concern. Address or eliminate dangers. For instance, the shop layout may be hazardous and simply rearranging machinery may be all that’s necessary. Other problems may be more difficult to change, such as the use of potentially dangerous machinery. Safety gear and intense training may improve safety conditions.
As you develop specific safety programs, make sure that they address all concerns you’ve uncovered through the help of your staff. Be sure to hold management and workers accountable for their own safety. A formal written policy should include information about personal protective equipment, electrical and fire safety plans, and an emergency action plan. Everyone should understand the evacuation steps and responses to various emergencies. Hold sessions to train the workforce on all policies, and hold refresher courses on safety standards regularly.
3. Maintaining a Positive Work Environment
HR is responsible for ensuring that the work environment is a positive one. Clear communication is essential to a good culture. Managers should fully explain policy details and changes to their staff through emails, meetings, or department-wide announcements. Additionally, clear communication means that employees should feel safe expressing their thoughts and concerns without fear of backlash. Anonymous suggestion boxes, for instance, encourage workers to openly lead discussions.
A positive work culture also supports work-life balance. An environment that values personal time creates employees that feel respected, which in turn, increases productivity. Flexible work hours, for instance, allow parents to take children to medical appointments or pick them up from school. In fact, 95% of employees who have access to flexible schedules felt that it improved their work-life balance. Employees will feel free to step away from their desk during the day. They may go for a brisk walk, take a few moments out in the fresh air, or meditate. This will allow them to recharge and tackle the rest of their workday.
HR should also ensure that workers have access to professional development opportunities to help maintain a positive workplace environment. The more you put into your employees, the more you will get out of them. Learning and growth is an investment in your organization’s future. Plus, when a company invests in their employees, they feel valued and nurtured, so they will put forth their best effort. Also offer the ability to change roles within the organization. Not only can employees rise through the ranks, they can switch departments and cross-train roles.
Little-Known HR Tasks
HR is responsible for many tasks within the organization, helping employees in a variety of ways. The HR team responsibilities include answering employee queries, setting up learning sessions, and organizing recognition ceremonies. However, HR’s responsibilities go beyond the well-known to include projects that are often unseen. They spearhead company policies and ensure that the workplace is a safe and happy environment. Their work is a continuous process. It requires committed HR team members, dedicated to the strength of the employees and the success of the organization.
