After spending 20+ years in the world of corporate HR I would say I've seen it all but I doubt that would be true. HR is one of those departments which on the one hand is considered to be the fun police and the other expected to sort out the most random of problems, when it all goes wrong. Managers ignore what you say half the time and then want you to wave your magic HR wand to sort out the employee issue.
However, this blog is not meant to be a woe is me post about working in HR, far from it, I love my job and believe that HR can add value to a business and should be more than an admin department for hiring and firing. HR should have their finger on the pulse of the latest employee trends, what do employees want from the world of work and how can that help the business? A good recruitment campaign combined with a strong employee proposition will act as a marketing tool for a business. Attracting and retaining good employees will strengthen any business, it costs money to recruit and manage underperforming staff. Understanding your people MI tells the story of your business, what is your staff turnover like, why do employees leave, why do they stay, what are absence levels like and what is the reason for absence? Are you competitive in the marketplace or would people rather work for your competitor?
On top of all of that company culture is high on the agenda, we live in an increasingly diverse world, employees expect more from work than just money. Flexible working, the right to switch off, compressed hours, working from home, making adjustments for all health issues, understanding neurodivisty and navigating employment laws, are just some of the issues manager face.
Do your managers know how to handle all these issues, are they confident when having conversations with their teams, do they understand the implications of getting it wrong? HR is the department who can provide support and clarity, advising on the right way to deal with the myriad of issues which can occur. HR at its best should be the moral compass working within the gray area, after all people problems are rarely straightforward.
Need help with any of the above, contact me to discuss.
