What is the role of HR in business today? From my point of view, it is similar to the role of water in cooking, and indeed in the process of human life. Let's have more detailed look on such a point of view.
Imagine a dinner table at some function. So many different dishes are present, each of them catches the eye and attracts you to come and have a bite. You take a piece, put it in the mouth and ... then everything depends on what your taste buds and those, responsible for this matter, brain cells tell to you at the moment. Now have a look back into your memory to the last time, when you were searching for job and, therefore, were browsing through the websites or newspapers related to the employment issue. Likewise, companies of any industry or sector in the market draw our attention to the unique offers and opportunities to their employees, putting the bright ads everywhere. But what really happens, after you become a part of the team, can be quite a different story.
One might ask, how's all mentioned above is connected to the HR? Let me show, how. If creation of the beautiful ad refers to HR in one way or another, but selection from the entire mass of applications the most suitable candidate is his immediate task. Not only select, keeping constantly in mind the "war for talent", but also properly allocate and retain to a maximum beneficial to both parties time. Time, which will give desired profit to the company, and proper compensation and satisfaction of his own professionalism to the employee. Are you still in doubt, where the direct link to the business is? I've already mentioned, HR in a company is like the water in the process of cooking. Often this part is the most basic, and at the same time, it's not the most noticeable. In the corporate sector, sales and marketing take greater responsibility for profits and growth for the company itself. In cooking, the delicious taste of a dish, most likely, would be assigned to some specific spice or ingredient. But if we look at the rootcause, the other side of the coin can be seen. Imagine for a moment that you're going to cook the dinner. To prepare the rice you need water, cooking the curry is also impossible without it, after all even to wash vegetables, becomes a global problem, if access to the source of liquid is blocked. And depending on the number and proportions we can obtain either seethe or surprisingly crisp rice.Varying consistency of water in curry gives a choice to serve it either with chapatis, or just add to chaval. Now let's have another look at the corporate. If you are planning to start a business - what process will be one the first priorities? Of course, recruitment. And how can we do it without own HR specialist, or without the professional from the recruitment agency? What kind of people will be recruited and how effective they will interact with each other, directly affects the profitability position and growth of the company in the market. HR identifies and aligns the goals of employees to achieve company targets, which enables both sides to form a clear mutual expectations. Water makes up 70% of the human body and it's hard to survive without consuming it for more than a day. Some companies also save by eliminating HR from its budget, the only question is whether such actions are profitable in the long term. The blood, that carries nutrients and oxygen and supplies them to every cell, consists also from water to its great extent. The formation of thrombus or profuse loss may lead to lethal outcome. If the company has "thrombophlebitis" in internal communications or a low retention rate of the staff, we can assume that the business is already "stands with one foot in the grave."
Where the unique value of water is understood you can see the reverent attitude of the population to this resource of life. Nowdays with the help of educational programs and projects related to the subject, attitude towards water varies in a positive direction. The same thing is happening in the field of human resources. Perception of HR in the corporate sector is changing from "let's have,then we'll figure out what for" to the full recognition of its importance and direct impact on the successful profitability an progress of the company.
You bring up an interesting idea. However, in the companies that I worked for, HR was only responsible for the contractual part of the employment process. It makes sense that you get interviewed by Senior Engineers if you're in Engineering and by the Sales folks if you're a Sales guy. I'd be very skeptical if only HR had to decide about my application.
ReplyDeleteAnd to pick up your example of founding a company: if I'd start an enterprise, wouldn't I be the one who knows best what I want to accomplish? Without question, professional HR personnel might advise to that matter. However, by using that proxy, I'd first have to explain my vision to HR who in turn can explain it to my potential employee. Doesn't sound like a necessity to me.
Cheers, Jan