Importance of Human Resource Management

An organisation cannot build a good team of working professionals without good

Human Resources. The key functions of the Human Resources Management
(HRM) team include recruiting people, training them, performance appraisals,
motivating employees as well as workplace communication, workplace safety,
and much more. The beneficial effects of these functions are discussed here:

(1)Recruitment and Training:

This is one of the major responsibilities of the human resource team. The HR
managers come up with plans and strategies for hiring the right kind of people.
They design the criteria which is best suited for a specific job description. Their
other tasks related to recruitment include formulating the obligations of an
employee and the scope of tasks assigned to him or her. Based on these two
factors, the contract of an employee with the company is prepared. When
needed, they also provide training to the employees according to the
requirements of the organisation. Thus, the staff members get the opportunity to
sharpen their existing skills or develop specialised skills which in turn, will help
them to take up some new roles.


(2)Performance Appraisals:

HRM encourages the people working in an organisation, to work according to
their potential and gives them suggestions that can help them to bring about
improvement in it. The team communicates with the staff individually from time
to time and provides all the necessary information regarding their performances
and also defines their respective roles. This is beneficial as it enables them to
form an outline of their anticipated goals in much clearer terms and thereby,
helps them execute the goals with best possible efforts. Performance appraisals,
when taken on a regular basis, motivate the employees.



(3)Maintaining Work Atmosphere:

This is a vital aspect of HRM because the performance of an individual in an
organisation is largely driven by the work atmosphere or work culture that
prevails at the workplace. A good working condition is one of the benefits that the
employees can expect from an efficient human resource team. A safe, clean and
healthy environment can bring out the best in an employee. A friendly
atmosphere gives the staff members job satisfaction as well.


(4)Managing Disputes:

In an organisation, there are several issues on which disputes may arise between
the employees and the employers. You can say conflicts are almost inevitable. In
such a scenario, it is the human resource department which acts as a consultant
and mediator to sort out those issues in an effective manner. They first hear the
grievances of the employees. Then they come up with suitable solutions to sort
them out. In other words, they take timely action and prevent things from going
out of hands.


(5)Developing Public Relations:

The responsibility of establishing good public relations lies with the HRM to a
great extent. They organise business meetings, seminars and various official
gatherings on behalf of the company in order to build up relationships with other
business sectors. Sometimes, the HR department plays an active role in preparing
the business and marketing plans for the organisation too.
Any organisation, without a proper setup for HRM is bound to suffer from serious
problems while managing its regular activities. For this reason, today, companies
must put a lot of effort and energy into setting up a strong and effective HRM.
The highest reward for work for a persons toil is not what they get for it but
what they become by it John Ruskin


Functions of Human Resource Department


1. Recruitment

By far the most important of all the duties covered by the human resource team,
recruitment takes up a large chunk of the company's priorities. Recruitment
begins with making the company's presence felt in the job market by advertizing
vacancies, participating in job fairs, or hovering around the university circuit.

Choosing the appropriate people from a large pool of applicants is a tremendous
responsibility. This involves an acute sense of perceptiveness while sifting through
the hoards of applications that come a company's way.

After the shortlisting procedure is over, the HR department moves on to the task
of scheduling and conducting interviews. Here, the HR managers have to assess
the candidate on various levels, right from their educational qualifications and
talent, to their character traits. They may also have to apply various methods of
evaluation to zero in on the right people for the job. Conducting background
checks on the selected candidates may also come under the aegis of the HR
department.


2. Motivation

An important task that the HR department executes is motivating the employees
to excel at what they do. Motivation for the employees, comes mostly in the
monetary form. The HR department has to evaluate employee performances, and
devise an appropriate rewarding system. This can include the following -
Equities
Bonuses
Increments
Awards

Complimentary vacations
Flexibility in working hours
The HR team, through its motivational programs should seek to maximize
employee retention statistics, and instill a sense of bonding among the
organization and the employees.


3. Planning Growth

The HR policies, ideally, should be working in tandem with the company's policies.
However, this may not always happen. Nevertheless, the HR department has to
ensure that there is minimal conflict of interest, and that everyone contributes to
the overall success of the company.

Human resource is the biggest asset of any organization, and it is up to the HR
team to make the most of it by implementing training programs to better the
employee performance, and ensure that each employee strives to utilize his/her
optimum ability. This can be done by promoting interaction among the employees
that results in a healthy exchange of ideas and cultivates a good working
environment. Also, employees must be encouraged to be more proactive when it
comes to devising ways to increase the output.

4. Implementing HR Policies

HR policies cover employee safety and welfare. The HR team has to oversee all
aspects of rendering a safe and healthy environment for the company. This
includes periodic checks of all equipment, materials, and work spaces.

They also have to implement various employee welfare schemes that offer
assistance to employees at different levels. These may include
maternity/paternity leave, work-from-home options, insurance schemes,
employee welfare funds, recreational activities, etc.

Promotions, transfers or expulsion of services are also tasks handled by the
human resource department. Promotions are conducted and are predominantly
based on the overall performance of the individual, accompanied by the span or

tenure he/she has served the organization. The human resource department also
looks at lowering the attrition rate in the company by introducing policies that
offer a good working environment with suitable remuneration.


5. Establishing Fair Work Culture

It is usually the HR team that has to deal with and sort out employee grievances.
At times, if situations get aggravated, the company or the employee may take the
legal discourse to settle disputes. An important function of the HR department is
to iron out the disputes and differences in an amicable manner, as far as possible.
However, complaints involving malpractice, treachery, fraud, harassment, etc.,
should be dealt with in the appropriate manner, in line with the company's policy.

The HR department has to ensure that discrimination of any kind does not exist in
the workplace. The employees and members of the management should be made
aware of the existing anti-discrimination policies. They have to see to it that every
person working for the organization is treated on a fair and equal platform.

The HR department functions with the primary aim of motivating and
encouraging the employees to prove their mettle and add value to the company.
This is achieved via various management procedures like workforce planning and
recruitment, induction and orientation of hired task-force, employee training,
administration, and appraisals.