November is a time to remember what we’re thankful for – and your HR team does more than you even know! Here are four big reasons to be thankful for your Human Resources department.
1. They help managers hire the best people
From crafting job descriptions and scanning resumes to pre-interviewing, HR plays a major role in the hiring process. They can test prospective applications for qualifications and even do personality assessments.
The ultimate goal in hiring is to find the best fit in terms of qualifications and culture. The more appropriate the fit, the more likely the employee is to be a great hire for the long term.
2. They maximize retention
HR departments can be experts at the factors that lead to good retention rates. From onboarding to the first performance review, employees need to know what is expected of them. They need to know company policies. The more expectations are clearly set, the more likely employees are to feel they are fair and to strive to meet them.
Employees who report high job satisfaction are not likely to look elsewhere. HR policies that maximize job satisfaction are helping retention.
3. They keep you up to date with evolving policies
Keeping up to date with policies can be a full-time job. The government, society’s expectations, and evolving laws and regulations are just some of the players in setting policies and procedures that govern workplaces.
Just look at the evolving conception of sexual harassment over the past several decades, or Oklahoma’s new medical marijuana law, for two major examples of situations and actions that require an up-to-date and clear policy. HR departments can conduct team training to make sure that managers are apprised of new policies or new interpretations of standing policies. Keeping up to date helps your company manage risk by letting employees know what is acceptable and what is not acceptable.
4. They perform background checks
Background checks consist both of talking to past references and checking an employee’s background for such factors as veracity and criminal violations. They can be extremely time-consuming for managers to perform. Some managers may even be tempted to skip background checks. Perhaps they don’t know what’s involved, aren’t sure of how to proceed, or aren’t aware of the necessity.
Background checks are necessary to ensure a safe workplace. They increase the chances of well-qualified employees being hired. HR departments are professionals who know the best practices in background checks.
Barracuda Staffing & Consulting – Help for Your HR Department
It’s not uncommon for busy HR departments to need help with all of the tasks above. We can help, with comprehensive HR consultations, risk management techniques, advanced personality scans, and team training. Contact our team today to get started.