They say, “It’s not the building or structure that forms an organization, but the people working within who transform a building into a progressive company. All the top multinational corporations that have sky-scraping head offices, jaw-dropping interiors, and work unfurled to global platforms are all because of the dedicated staff they possess. Along with good ideas, quality products, and services, you need a great team behind the business to make the operation run smoothly. This is where human resources play a vital role.
The presence of the HR department is an essential component of any business, regardless of its size. The emergence and speedy growth of offshore and outsourcing business activities have made the role of HR more vital. Globalization has resulted in many positive developments, but it has left many concerns for HR managers. Being such an important and vital role player in the organization, HR often faces challenges of wrong perceptions and usually gets disconcerted.
Let’s discuss some of these misconceptions together with the realities.
Misconception: What does Human Resources even do...?
Reality: HR is the most important part of an organization; it acts as the go-to between employees and employers.
From pitching a candidate as per the required specification, followed by selecting, interviewing, conducting orientation sessions, and even after being selected, if any complication or difficulty occurs, HR keeps on working, because their work is an ongoing process that never ends.
Misconception: HR is not a fair decision-maker!
Reality: HR cannot be partial, and every situation is not the same and equal.
Sometimes situations that employees deem unfair are within the boundaries of defined, acceptable workplace behaviors. This might result in making everyone a little upset. Different working styles, personality clashes, and changing economic conditions can most definitely trigger risk, and even the most sympathetic HR professional cannot change the hardline facts.
Misconception: HR is just the face of the company; they have no real power!
Reality: HR is the only person in the entire organization who acts as a “TUG” between the employer and the employee.
It’s usually interpreted in a manner that because HR is management’s puppet, they will not have the power to say or do something that is not in their favor. Eventually, any complaint registered with them would lead to the management being proved innocent and HR being perceived as unhelpful or unresponsive. It’s no small wonder that employees perceive HR isn’t on their side.
Being an Human Resource professional is a constant balancing act of being an employee advocate, maintaining compliance, and acting in the best interest of the organization. Employee relations must be handled with a strategic approach and a specific set of parameters. Infomatic Solutions is dedicated to this approach firmly and works in the favor of healthy employer-employee relations.
Finally, recruitment is all about gaining insights into the personalities of the employees and matching them with the organizational requirements. As mentioned earlier, by way of understanding the employees and their motivations and how well these stack up against organizational goals, HR performs the critical function of people enabling that is very much required in contemporary management practice.