Human Resources Roles Overview

Study Notes

Administrative roles of HR include tasks like managing employee files and databases, processing benefits claims, answering leave-related inquiries, and submitting regulatory reports
HR must perform these tasks efficiently, meeting the evolving needs of employees, customers, and government agencies.

HR functions are seen as staff roles, advising and assisting line managers in areas like resolving grievances, conflicts, employee selection, and training.
HR personnel managers provide reports, communication of policy guidelines, and information regarding labor laws.
Common responsibilities within the operational role of HR include:
- Recruiting
- Pre-employment testing
- Reference checking
- Employee surveys
- Time keeping
- Wage and salary administration
- Benefits and pension administration
- Wellness programs
- Record maintenance

HR manages various employee problems through:
- Discussions on work, career, supervisors, colleagues, health, family, financial, and social concerns
- Advising on minimizing and overcoming problems.

HR is expected to act as the company's welfare officer, providing and maintaining amenities like:
- Canteens
- Hospitals
- Creches
- Educational institutes
- Clubs
- Libraries
- Conveyance facilities
- Co-operative credit societies
- Consumer stores
Under the Factories Act, HR welfare officers oversee employee safety, health, and welfare.

HR plays a vital role in defining, developing, and delivering change initiatives in a timely manner.
These initiatives often focus on creating high-performing teams, reducing innovation cycle time, and implementing new technology.
HR helps translate organizational vision statements into meaning for employees.
They assist in replacing resistance with resolve, planning with results, and fear of change with excitement.
HR aids in identifying key success factors for change, assessing organizational strengths and weaknesses, and leading the process of making changes explicit.

HR's strategic role extends beyond simply adapting to business strategy or handling immediate issues.
HR must provide strategic services cost-effectively by building a competent, consumer-oriented workforce.
They are involved in both strategy formulation and implementation.
HR identifies external opportunities, develops HR-based competitive advantages, and closes gaps advantageously.
This can include creating specialized centers like excellent training, design, or automation centers.
When implementing strategies, HR ensures smooth restructuring of work processes.

HR Planning provides the right size and structure of human resources, forming the foundation for smooth organizational functioning.
It minimizes employment costs and mitigates disruptions in human resource development and utilization.

Reservoir of talent: ensures a pool of skilled individuals readily available for tasks.
Preparing for future need: helps train, motivate, and develop employees in advance to meet future demand.
Expansion or contraction: facilitates smooth scaling of operations by ensuring a steady supply of skilled workers.
Cost reduction: helps prepare HR budgets for each department, controlling manpower costs by avoiding shortages or excesses.
Succession planning: identifies promising candidates and prepares them for future promotions to ensure smooth transitions within leadership.

Forecasting: predicts future HR needs by analyzing past trends, using expert judgment, and applying mathematical techniques.
Delphi Technique: uses expert consensus, gathered anonymously through questionnaires, to forecast future requirements.
Mathematical Techniques: utilizes statistical and mathematical methods to predict HR needs, based on variables such as direct labor hours, sales projections, and past trends.
Qualitative and Quantitative Aspects: involve analyzing existing workforce, future demand, and job requirements.

Retention: strategies used to retain skilled and successful employees.
Trend Analysis: examines a company's history of employment to predict future needs.
Judgmental Methods: expert advice and experience are used to estimate labor demand.
Workforce Analysis: analyzes workforce losses due to various factors such as leave, retirement, death, transfer, and discharge.
Work-load Analysis: determines manpower needs based on planned output and job requirements.
Job analysis: identifies the skills and abilities needed to perform jobs efficiently.
Job description: a written statement outlining the duties and responsibilities of a specific role.
Job specification: details the education, skills, aptitudes, and experience necessary to perform a job effectively.