Human Resources' Responsibilities of the Work Environment

Skillfully executing the many and varied responsibilities of human resources can result in a positive and productive work environment. In general, your HR department functions as a first line of defense against employment-related litigation, serves as an employee advocate and provides vital management support. As your business needs change, so too might the specific duties assigned to your HR department. However, the conventional responsibilities of human resources stay relatively constant. Your HR staff shoulders many employment responsibilities so you as business owner or manager can concentrate on other important aspects of your business.

Critical to your business's success is HR personnel's ability to keep your organization fully staffed. To accomplish this task, HR must sufficiently promote your open positions in the various media available, such as newspapers, online and radio. Interviewing applicants is a consequential responsibility of your HR department. HR staff members are also responsible for hiring a sufficient number of employees to ensure staffing objectives are fulfilled. After they have hired an appropriate number of qualified people, HR professionals are responsible for retaining them.

For your employees to work at high levels of competency, they must first receive essential information about your business and their particular jobs. It is HR staff's responsibility to provide your employees with company induction sessions and -- working with management -- job-training opportunities. As employment continues, human resource personnel are responsible for affording chances for employee growth, such as implementing and monitoring job transfers and developing programs supporting employee advancement. Conversely, your HR department oversees employee issues that may require demotion.

A chief responsibility of your HR department entails ensuring your work environment is a safe one by establishing safety rules and confirming they are being followed. This includes adequately posting chemical warnings and making sure safety meetings are regularly conducted. Human resource staff members are also responsible for maintaining an elevated employee morale, accomplished through regular communication with employees and uplifting activities such as company social occasions. Human resource professionals provide employment counseling when necessary and act as confidential sounding boards for employee issues.

Your HR department is a significant element of support for your management staff. Human resource personnel assist management in performing and maintaining accurate employee performance reviews and other work-related data, and they offer guidance in employee discipline and accompanying documentation. Should a manager need to release someone from employment, your HR staff is responsible for providing applicable paperwork and ensuring the handling of this management function occurs smoothly and legally.

Depending on the size of the department, human resources personnel may be responsible for performing administrative tasks such as preparing payroll, overseeing health benefits and monitoring workers' compensation issues. Your HR department is responsible for maintaining a departmental budget and may also be directly involved in strategic planning for your business.