Charles Spinelli: An Overview of Human Resources
Human Resources, or HR, may very well be the most confusing department in the organization for some employees. According to Charles Spinelli, while everyone knows the department’s importance, few employees know why.There’s a big difference between a good HR department that contributes to the growth of an organization and a distant HR that operates somewhere near the basement archives to only pop up once a year for the annual company holiday party.
Today, Charles Spinelli shares facts and details of the HR department, what it does, or what it should be doing to meet the needs of the company’s employees.
In simplest terms, the HR department is responsible for managing the employee’s life cycle. It includes recruiting and hiring, onboarding and training, and firing employees. The department also administers employee benefits.
If you ask any employee what an HR department is, you’ll get an answer that mainly deals with some of the most uncomfortable aspects of work, such as HR violations, layoffs, and dismissal. However, the truth is that human resources exist to support employees. The department is quite literally a resource for humans, explains Charles Spinelli.
Below are some of the tasks your HR department is busy completing daily.
Recruiting candidates
HR understands the organization’s needs and ensures they are met when recruiting for new positions. It’s not like just putting up an ad on Indeed is enough. You’ll have to analyze the market and consult stakeholders. You’ll also need to manage budgets.
Once the role is advertised, you’ll need to do more research to ensure that suitable candidates are being attracted and presented. Recruiting is a massive and expensive undertaking. Charles Spinelli says that the right candidate can revitalize an organization; however, the wrong candidate can upend operations.
Hiring the right employees
HR arranges interviews, coordinates hiring efforts, and onboards new employees. The department also ensures all paperwork with hiring someone is filled out and that everything from the first day to all the following days is navigated successfully.
Processing payroll
Payroll is a challenge on its own, according to Charles Spinelli. Every payday must have taxes calculated as well as hours collected. Expenses need to be reimbursed. Raises and bonuses need to be incorporated. So, if you think it’s a chore doing taxes once a year, imagine what it’s like to be in HR to ensure they’re properly deducted every pay period.
Conducting disciplinary actions
This responsibility may be why HR tends to get a bad rap. When done inappropriately, disciplinary actions can lead to the loss of a valuable employee. It may even result in litigation or a tarnished reputation. However, when handled appropriately, disciplinary action can lead to an employee’s success.
For example, if a company notices that a particular employee is regularly late and continues being tardy even after receiving numerous warnings, HR could investigate why. It may also be an opportunity to extend benefits through counseling to the employee. HR may also offer additional resources to aid the employee’s punctuality.
Instead of taking on the added expense of dismissing and recruiting a replacement for that employee, Charles Spinelli says it could be a learning opportunity to boost their career.
Sometimes, though, disciplinary action isn’t the best course to take. It is when an employee should be let go. The best HR departments know when an employee isn’t the right fit for the organization and would probably be happier elsewhere. That is why HR has to develop a strong relationship with managers and employees to identify the cohesiveness and health of a team.
Policies have to be updated, or at least examined, yearly as the organization changes. HR’s job is to update policies officially and suggest changes when these policies no longer serve the company or the employees. Often, a policy should be updated as a reaction to an occurrence. Charles Spinelli notes that HR should always be part of making these decisions.
Maintaining employee records
HR should maintain their employee records. It is mandated by law. These records help organizations identify skill gaps to aid with the hiring process, analyze demographic data, and comply with regulations. The records also contain personal details and emergency contacts for every employee in the company.
Conducting benefit analysis
Staying competitive is a top priority when trying to attract the best talent. Charles Spinelli mentions that a promising recruit may choose to go with a different company even with lesser pay if the benefits are seemingly more attractive. HR should observe industry trends — to see if the benefits they offer are competitive.
Charles Spinelli shares important information on human resources in his blogs. Read them on this page.