If the American rendition of The Office is anything to go by, HR is the worst. While the general dissatisfaction with HR staff in most companies certainly isn’t as bad as it’s portrayed in the popular sitcom, the reality of the matter is that HR tends to get a bad rep. Usually, HR team members are perceived as human CCTV systems in the office, monitoring everyone and everything, noting stuff down in their notepads and unexpectedly calling employees into their office from time to time.
So, you can understand why these are not the most beloved of colleagues. But what if you shifted the focus from Employee Management and tracking to the benefits your HR staff could bring to other team members and your brand in general? Here’s what you can do to unlock the true power and potential of your HR sector to propel your brand forward as a whole.
Leverage HR technology to improve efficiency
Human resources used to be all about manually tracking the performance of team members, making extensive reports by hand (a tedious and costly process), and addressing every issue and resolving every problem as it comes up, usually one at a time. While there’s nothing wrong with that method, it’s important to note that your HR staff could be much more productive and much more efficient in their work with the help of tech-based solutions.
However, it’s imperative that you not only find the best HR software to fit your company’s size and needs, but also to treat this integration as a learning process and investment, and not just as a chore you’re going to dump on your HR staff. There are many benefits of HR software, ranging from easy report creation and automatic archiving, efficient employee performance tracking and management, better financial management, all the way to improve recruiting and onboarding efficacy.
Prioritize Seamless Employee Onboarding
Speaking of onboarding, this is another area of your HR sector where you can make some effective changes. Optimizing the onboarding process means less financial waste, improved productivity for the new employees, and a greater ROI potential, so all the more reason for your HR staff to streamline the process as much as possible. The key here is to fully equip the new employees to assimilate themselves into your office culture and workflow, from day one if possible.
You can leverage HR software for this purpose as well, but beyond the technical mumbo-jumbo your new employees need to learn, you should emphasize a more personal approach in which your HR professionals will guide new team members during the onboarding phase. Focus on instilling your company’s culture in your new employees as soon as possible using your HR staff so that they can become productive members of your team faster.
Read More: AI for Recruiting from Ideal Now Available for Purchase on SAP App Center
Tap into the Most Lucrative Talent Pools
Your HR sector is not just instrumental in employee management or onboarding, it plays a crucial role in the Talent Acquisition process as well. Usually, this process will entail the creation of a few social media ads and that’s it – you wait for talented individuals to apply. But is that the most effective way to obtain the top talent in your industry? Certainly not, and you can use your HR staff in a much more proactive way.
Nowadays, it’s all about expanding your search to all talent pools and reaching talented individuals who search for jobs for people with disabilities in particular, as these types of niches are some of the most lucrative places employers can look. People with disabilities and other minority groups represent some of the best-hidden talent pools in the world, and professionals from these groups can not only improve your company’s image but boost your employee retention rate over the years as well. With that in mind, make sure your HR staff takes a more proactive approach to talent acquisition to maximize your brand’s potential.
Use Performance Management to Make Calculated Decisions
When it comes to managing the day-to-day office life and tracking the performance of your employees, your HR staff can do a much better job than your overworked team leaders. Remember, these professionals are equipped with the necessary technology and training to identify common employee pain points, and most importantly, address them in a healthy, non-threatening way. If you allow your HR professionals to interact with your team members in an attempt to help them and maximize their own potential, you will soon notice a surge in office-wide productivity and happiness.
Inspire Employees to Trust and Confide in HR Professionals
And lastly, you need to build a culture among your employees that look favorably on your HR staff. When you build a company culture on the pillars of honest communication, transparency, equality, and trust, and sprinkle in a few educative sessions on the role of HR in their lives, you can easily break the barrier between them and inspire your team members to confide in your HR department. This will, in turn, help you build a healthier work environment and a thriving workforce.
Final Thoughts
Human Resource is an inextricable part of every organization, yet its true potential is often unexploited. Use these tips and insights to take your HR sector into the 21st century, and create a department that has a tangible role to play in the long-term success of your business.
