How a human resource department can transform the way your organisation works

“You need to have a collaborative hiring process.” – Steve Jobs

This is probably one of the greatest quotes on HR management by possibly the most inspirational figure. Steve Jobs knew the importance of the hiring process and believed in a collaborative system, which became one of the important factors in helping him succeed and make Apple the leader in the world of technology.

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Often, startups tend to ignore the importance of setting up a human resource department. Their misconception, that the human resource department is an additional expense and having a HR manager is only important after the organisation reaches a certain number of employees, often creates drastic and uncontrollable situations. A human resource department creates unimaginable wonders within the organisation. Their role is no longer limited to hiring new talent but has become much more than that.

“Human Resources isn’t a thing we do. It’s the thing that runs our business.” – Steve Wynn

Today, human resources play a dynamic role in startups and business organisations. Creating and holding the staff is an important task and often ignored by the managers and founders. The HR department’s first job is to tackle this issue and bring the worthy talent in the organisation with the right payscale and job profile. They look after the employee grievances through appraisals and performance evaluation. A human resource team is especially skilled in keeping the order in the organisation and making sure that every employee is playing their role efficiently in the company.

Human resource development ensures that every employee undergoes the proper training before being allotted the work that will suit their talent. They make sure that the work process is smooth and helps the company function without creating any damage or discontent. According to Ben Horowitz and Shannon Schiltz (head of technical talent at a16z), the HR is the extension of the founders, their vision, and how they want to build the company. At the same time, HR is the voice of the people as the CEO cannot be connected to each and every person.

By being the voice of the people in the company, the HR department takes the responsibility of handling employee grievances. They are practically the face of the organisation because it is impossible for the top management address every issue. HR managers should be skilled in making quick decisions and stand up to it.

Apart from hiring and talent acquisition, an HR’s job is also to make sure that the employees stay motivated through various programs and initiatives. Gone are the times when conventional HR practices used to be the most important concern of the organisation. With the changing work environment, there is a need to come up with new initiatives to help the employees stay focused and motivated. The human resource department keeps planning these initiatives. These programmes can be as small as personally wishing every employee a happy birthday on the group email and can be as huge as an offsite team building exercise. Even a small gesture by the HR department means a lot for those who are part of the organisation. While it adds to their productivity by making them feel a special part of the company, it also leads to a good name for the company as well.

The human resource department shapes the organisation the way its founder envisions it. Establishing a work culture is an important part of their job. This work culture may include recreational activities like team outings, annual cricket matches, or a simple rangoli competition during diwali. These activities and their planning are very important and the HR department makes sure that they don’t miss out on anything. You must have heard about ‘bring your pet day’ in the office. Such initiatives create a work culture in the office that set a trend in the long run when a team of 30 becomes a huge office of 300.

Human resources play an important role in the growth of the company. A company’s worth is noticed by how efficient its HR team is. Having a functioning HR department also helps your organisation stand apart among your competitors.