Hiring and Firing - What Else Does HR Involve?

If you’ve ever sat for a job interview before, there’s a good chance you’ve met a HR manager. HR, or Human Resources, is an important division of a business, overseeing the hiring (and firing) of employees. But what else does a HR manager actually do?

There is so much more to HR management than most people generally assume. In any given Human Resources team, there is a group of people working hard to make sure all the working intricates of a company are in good working order, leaving employees to focus on what they’re best at – the job they were hired for!

Human Resource management also helps managers, supervisors and executives that don’t have the time or resources to deal with the issues, policies and recruitment that come along with HR management. We’ve rounded up some of the bigger tasks HR management does involve to give you an understanding of the Human Resources world. If your business does not have an HR manager, our HR consultants can assist you and your business with all of the below. 

Recruitment

The most obvious, and probably what most people think of when the term HR comes up, is the hiring and firing of employees. HR management does generally involve hiring employees, but it also involves a whole lot more in this area. HR managers will liaise with employers to identify the needs of possible employees, create a job description and profile that will be needed to be filled, and then use that information to assess and eventually hire employees. After the hiring process, it’s then about getting their paperwork and orientation completed.

HR managers also perform the background checks, contacting references and informing applicants of their conditions of employment. 

Resolving Issues

When there’s a conflict in the workplace that needs special attention, an employee will generally go to the HR department or HR manager. HR managers are different from managers and supervisors for one main reason – they are advocates for employees. Harassment issues, conflicts, unresolved co-worker issues and more, are all dealt with in the HR department. They ensure a safe workplace for employees, and a lot of them work with unions in making sure employees are satisfied with work arrangements, benefits and policies. They also ensure that employees are not working in unsafe working conditions. The HR department or manager would be an employee’s go-to to resolve these issues.

Policy Advisement

Just like issue-resolving, it’s the HR manager’s job to ensure the safety and wellbeing of the employee’s workplace. This can include advising directors and managers of the best safety practices and policies to put in place, including sexual harassment policies, OHS policies, and putting in reviews to make sure any issues that have arisen, do not transpire again.

Employee Training

As HR managers do see the issues that crop up within a business, they are also in a great place to recommend and conduct training for employees. There is a whole range of employee training that may be applicable to a company, and it will be determined by what conflicts and issues they may have had recently. Whatever it is though, HR will be the people behind it, making sure all employees can get the right training for their workplace. Training can include workplace safety, upskilling, harassment understanding training, conflict resolution training and a whole lot more! HR managers identify issues before they become bigger problems and can provide the right tools to employers and employees to deal with them ASAP.

As you can see, there is certainly more than meets the eye when it comes to HR. Human Resources management is a critical part of any business and a working cog in a corporate machine. HR managers and workers must utilise their valuable skills such as resourcefulness, business-minded, negotiation skills, and organisation to ensure everything runs smoothly.

If your business needs assistance with any of the above, please get in touch with Preston HR today. We can customise packages to suit you.