Why The HR Department is Critical to Business Success
Who do you think of as your organization's most valuable contributor? Did CEO, CFO, or COO come to mind? Although these leaders are vital elements of success, so are the unsung heroes of the HR department. They inspire a superior culture and deploy employment strategies that will make or break your organization. Here are a few reasons why this HR strategy is a secret to your success.
In the small business space, the HR department is a linchpin contributor to the success of your organization. Why? HR management acts as an ambassador to attract and retain superior talent. These experts navigate the legalities that govern the compensation and safety of your human capital assets. Their understanding of the ever-evolving landscape of federal and state regulatory statutes regarding workplace safety, compliance, benefits, wage and hour, and compensation is a critical and challenging part of the HR department's responsibilities.
When you successfully win new and more complex clients, the skills needed become even more crucial. In these situations, your HR experts must thoroughly understand federal regulations governing allowable compensation in order to construct creative compensation packages, which gives you a competitive edge in today's complex environment. Just as a General Manager of a professional athletics team must seek out and procure the best talent within the salary cap limits, businesses must have a strategy to retain the best talent to fulfill your government customers' expectations.
The role of doing HR well is a very complex and critical process to the success of your organization. Here are a few descriptions of desirable traits for your HR Expert:
1. The Experienced Expert
When you need a position filled at your organization, you are going to need high-quality job descriptions, have an active pipeline of candidates, interview for best fit, review credentials, and verify references. In many cases, HR departments do an adequate job at portions of these tasks, but they are often overwhelmed by massive amounts of administrative burdens and unproductive duties. Then you move onto matching the job description to the exact requirements of a government customer, which requires specialized experience working in the federal government marketplace. Additionally, if things weren't complicated enough already, the candidate you want to hire must be a great culture fit, in addition to meeting all of the professional qualifications. For this reason, your optimal HR expert must be adept at administering personality tests such as Myers Briggs, DISC, or 360 assessments, but even these are not fool-proof.
2. The Ambassador
Most professional organizations must recruit highly educated and skilled employees to include network systems engineers, scientists, and technicians. All of them must pass strict security clearance standards. It can seem like finding a needle in a haystack. These highly qualified candidates often have multiple opportunities with other companies. Your HR Expert must know how to sell the benefits of working for your company to the candidate and must be equipped with the proper resources. How you communicate your company's message to the candidate is the key to winning talent in the most competitive employment environment in recent history.
3. The Peacemaker
Even in the best of companies, disputes will surface. In smaller organizations, leadership handles these disputes. A great HR Expert, with training in this area, can be a life saver! It takes a great deal of skill to handle conflict in constructive ways that also adhere to employment laws. Settling disputes can seem like a thankless job, with no winners. However, the best HR experts seize these challenges as opportunities to nurture a culture of understanding and unity. A consistent strategy ensures that when conflict arises, those involved at least feel heard, respected, and treated fairly. When there is a clear commitment to handling disputes with fair and consistent policies, the overall morale of the entire company is better. An ambassador who follows this strategy can dramatically improve employee engagement and decrease turnover. No one wants to be a full-time referee, but the right HR partner is worth their weight in gold.
It's clear that your HR Expert is the glue that holds your company together. They are under-appreciated heroes. So if you have a fantastic HR professional who embodies these qualities, show an extra bit of appreciation. If you don't have an HR expert yet, because you are still growing, we can help.
For a first-class HR experience that will help you find the best solution for your needs, let's schedule some time to talk today.
About The Mission HR
The Mission HR is a leading partner in the PEO, HR, payroll, and benefits outsourcing marketplace. We provide a valuable service for small and medium-sized organizations and government contractors, serving as a trusted partner in integrated human resource (HR) compliance, risk management, employee benefits, employment practices liability insurance (EPLI), and payroll processing.