Human Resources is a difficult department to be in. It is also one of the most important parts of our modern workforce. What do I mean by this, and why are they so critical? Well, it is a bit complicated, but worthwhile information to know.
It all begins with understanding what this department is in charge of. Once you sort that out and have it situated within your company, then you should be in a position to start enhancing it as well. There are some additional resources about this here if you are curious, https://www.investopedia.com/terms/h/humanresources.asp, though I will be going over it in a bit more depth as well.
What is HR?
Put simply, it is the part of a business that handles the hiring process as well as any employee benefit programs that you offer. Obviously, this makes it one of the most important sections of any organization. Unfortunately, a lot can go wrong there as well, so we should always do our best to keep an eye on it to ensure nothing unsavory happens.
This is likely part of why some laws have been implemented across the country to ensure that the hiring process is an equal one. That means that those who apply cannot be discriminated against for religion, gender, sexual orientation, race, ethnicity, or other factors that cannot be controlled such as financial background. The system in place might be imperfect, but it is certainly better than nothing.
Human Resources is responsible for upholding these standards, and that is where things can get tricky. You might assume that anyone applying for these positions understands this, but it never hurts to be safe rather than sorry. That is where human resources compliance training comes into play, as it can act as a sort of safeguard – not to mention, it is required in many parts of the country in one form or another.
Why it is Important to Understand
The first thing that I would like to highlight here is that every company should have an HR department. This is true whether you have two employees or five hundred – no matter your size, it is going to be vital. Wondering why? I understand that question, especially for those who have smaller businesses that might not feel they need to have a Human Resources representative.
Much of it comes down to the services that they provide. Obviously, there is the matter of screening during hiring. They examine any resumes and CVs that are sent in and determine who would be a good candidate and who would not be. Typically, they handle the interview process as well.
Because of the sensitive nature of these duties, though, training them is going to be rather paramount. You see, our subconscious biases can be hard to detect at times. Unlearning those behaviors and shifting to a more positive attitude takes a lot of time and work.
Offering training about compliance and the legal aspects of this could be one way of assisting with this aspect of the difficult job. You can find some additional resources for this on this website if you are finding yourself stuck on how to begin. There is no shame in that, considering how much goes into entering that career field. Those of us who have not done that may not know what to cover versus what not to spend time on.
This is likely a factor in why external programs have been developed to help tackle this issue. While most HR reps have degrees in the field, a lot has changed in the United States and the entire world in the past few years, let alone when we look at the last decade or two. Some of the information covered could very well be outdated at this point.
Little refreshers here and there are beneficial in this aspect. Additionally, once they have been properly trained, there is a potential for them to proctor further presentations for other employees. Part of the goal is to lessen your own workload, right? So, this can certainly be one perk of implementing programs such as the ones I have discussed today.
What are the final takeaways, then? Well, it is a bit complex, as you have probably gathered from what has been covered in this blog post. In general, though, if you walk away with any new knowledge, take with you the importance of having one of these departments for your organization.
When they are properly trained, they are a strong asset for any business. Even if you want the ultimate final say in new hires, they can at the very least screen out candidates who would not be a good fit in the slightest. Saving time and energy for more important issues is just the icing on the cake, though.
