Why Companies Should Invest in the Training of Their HR Staff

What is a job applicant's first interaction with a company? Whether online or offline, it is most likely with your business's human resources department.

Your HR department is a vital element in your company operations. However, apart from handling job applications and employee compensation, what exactly do HR professionals do?

An overview of HR functions:

Traditionally, the HR department was viewed by employees and some managers as the people responsible for hiring and firing employees. But the modern HR department does a lot more than that.

Recruitment and on boarding:

One of the primary responsibilities of the HR department is responding to the workforce needs of a company. Recruitment involves receiving and screening applications, testing and interviewing applicants, and selecting the best candidates for the job.

Once a suitable candidate has been chosen, the HR department ensures that the new hire is properly on-boarded in order to help him or her acclimate to the organization and prevent issues that may arise during a new employee's initial days.

Employee job satisfaction:

Keeping top performers within the company is even more critical than hiring them. Your company's HR department contributes significantly to keeping you and your co-workers happy in the workplace through different activities that encourage engagement and satisfaction.

Most HR departments initiate and implement benefits and policies that make it easier (enjoyable even) for employees to come to work. It can be as simple as providing daycare services or rewarding top performers with incentives.

Conflict resolution:

When conflicts arise between employees and their managers or even among the employees themselves, the HR department steps in to mediate and resolve issues that can disrupt the harmony within the workplace.

Employee development and training:

A company is only as best as its employees. And in an evolving workplace, it is critical for companies to provide their workers with the training they need to upgrade their skills. The HR department works together with different departments to find suitable opportunities for the training and development of your company's employees.

Paperwork and legal compliance:

The HR department is also mostly responsible for ensuring that the company adheres to established industry and legislated laws and practices that protect the rights of workers.

The department also handles the paperwork related to a diverse array of employee information, from contracts to employee evaluation.

Challenges faced by HR departments:

HR departments face unique challenges that other divisions in your company do not have to deal with. What are these?

One of the most challenging tasks an HR department has to face is finding the right candidates for available posts. This task can get more challenging in industries where highly qualified professionals are fewer.

In order to surmount this challenge, HR professionals should know how to find and identify the right candidates using a wide variety of platforms. Once the ideal candidate has been found, they will need to undertake the necessary steps to keep that new hire happy and satisfied with his or her job.

Laying off or terminating employees is another challenge that is unique to HR departments. Apart from the emotional aspect of this task, the HR department should make sure that the proper steps are undertaken to avoid legal issues that can potentially arise. Missteps can lead to potential violations of labor laws and even the tarnished reputation of an organization.

Finally, a big part of the burden of retaining top talent rests heavily on the shoulders of the HR department. In industries where talented employees are highly prized, HR professionals must find ways to keep these top performers satisfied and prevent them from being poached by competitors.

The importance of training your HR personnel:

Although the HR department is primarily responsible for training and development initiatives, HR department staff also need to be equipped with the knowledge and skills they require to perform their jobs well.

Investing in HR courses is critical for the department to keep up with recent trends in your industry, changes in legislation, and other challenges.

Training for individual HR professionals will vary, depending on their expertise and area of specialization. A good starting point would be a training course that covers the basics of recruitment, including compensation and benefits, labor laws, performance and management, training and development, employee engagement, succession planning, and termination and exit interviews.

Your employees are your company's greatest assets, and the task of managing these assets can be tricky and full of challenges. Add to that the challenge of the evolving business landscape with technology at the center. 

In order to help your HR practitioners, it is critical for your company to equip your HR department staff with the knowledge and skills needed to perform their various tasks efficiently.