Human resources in most organizations start as a one-person show before becoming an established department. The reason HR departments in most organizations are an evolution product instead of a solid plan is difficulties and budget constraints in staffing and setting up an HR department. Companies where this scenario applies should consider reassessing their HR departments and turn it from a disorganized department into an established one. These are a few necessary steps to take to make your human resource an established department.
Modify the Human Resource Perspective
The starting point to taking your HR department to another level is to change the perspective about how HR professionals should work. For a successful HR department, adopt an attitude that views it as not just an administrative department. While the HR department is responsible for administrative duties such as hiring new workers and processing payroll, companies should realize that their HR departments are there to serve workers. Your HR department should participate in short and long-term planning meetings to represent worker’s views as the company works towards developing practices and policies to create a dedicated and motivated workforce that can help raise the odds of achieving business objectives.
Maintain Control and Monitor HR
Companies can now use a balanced scorecard to track the performance of their HR and ensure its activities align with their objectives. The scorecard uses benchmark metrics such as subjective assessment and percentage or ratio calculation to measure the performance of each goal related to the HR. For example, startups can use their first-call resolution percentage and turnover ratios along with human resource software for small business to assess whether the human resource department is meeting customer service and workers’ turnover reduction goals or not. Analysis of the results of a survey on employee satisfaction can also help determine the impact of the HR department in meeting interdepartmental communication goals.
Hire a Human Resource Generalist
An enterprise that has over 40 workers should consider hiring an HR generalist instead of delegating its staffing and recruitment tasks to untrained workers. Human resource generalists are highly trained and knowledgeable in handling different HR duties and can help streamline the operations of an HR department. Incorporating an HR generalist whose primary focus is on workers improves not only the human resource department but the overall business as well. Potential benefits of hiring an HR generalist includes increased productivity, morale, satisfaction, and ultimately improved profitability and lower turnover rate.
Align Business Objectives with HR Goals
Of course, for a successful HR department, companies should set human resource objectives that align with their future business plans and vision. The objectives of the HR department should add value to the bottom line of the business as well. Analyze your long-term business goals, mission statement, and plan before setting HR department objectives. The basis of establishing the targets of an HR department should be on the findings of this analysis. HR department goals that align with the purposes of the whole organizations will ensure continued focus on achieving long-term goals. Organizations that focus on providing outstanding customer service, for example, should include workers’ training, development, and retention as part of their HR objectives. Develop cost-effective hiring practices and set up training programs if your small business intends to grow by 20 percent every year.
Human resource departments provide both strategic and administrative services. As such, it is critical for businesses that want to thrive on developing efficiencies and effectiveness on all aspects of their HR departments. After that, understand the core values of your business and combine the knowledge of your HR staff to influence the direction, ability to perform, and goals of your business. However, take time to understand your business since each area requires a unique set of HR support and resources. It is also vital to know the direction that the business is taking, its cultures, and vision, and involve the HR staff in decision-making.
