The human resource department supports an organization’s goals by recruiting, hiring, training and managing employees to fill roles in the company. Professionals working in the human resource department conduct and lead meetings with prospective employees, current workers and management staff to create strategic plans and meet the needs of the company.
Staffing Requirements
Human resource managers work with managers in various departments in an organization to determine the company’s staffing requirements. The human resource professionals determine the company’s staffing needs using sales forecasts and input from department managers and supervisors. Human resource managers must develop a strategic plan to recruit and hire employees with the skills and experience the organization needs to meet the company goals.
Interviews
Human resource professionals meet with prospective employees to assess the qualifications and skills of potential new hires. An employment interview is an opportunity to meet with an applicant, discuss the duties of the job and company benefits, and go over the individual’s resume or application. Department managers also meet with applicants, but the human resource manager conducts the first screening of potential employees. In addition, human resource managers conduct exit interviews with employees leaving the organization. The exit interview is an opportunity to meet with employees to discuss the worker’s experience in the company. Information from an exit interview can help the human resource manager pinpoint problems the company may have retaining workers.
New Employee Orientation
Human resource workers conduct new hire orientation meetings on the first day or within the first few days of a new worker’s employment with the company. The human resource department uses the orientation meeting to explain company policies and procedures within the organization. New hires may learn about sick time and vacation policies, parking, breaks, holidays, dress codes and disciplinary issues.
Training
Companies may be required to conduct mandatory training for all employees during the year. For example, the Occupational Safety and Health Administration requires companies to conduct safety meetings on various issues, such as blood-borne pathogens, lockout tagout procedures and personal protective equipment. The safety requirements depend on the nature of the work the employees perform on the job. Sexual harassment and workplace diversity are also topics that human resource employees cover in training meetings.
Benefits Meetings
The human resource department must conduct meetings with new hires to explain company benefits such as health, disability and life insurance. The meeting gives the new workers an opportunity to review the various benefits available, which provides the necessary information for making an informed decision. An open enrollment meeting, conducted once each year, allows workers currently enrolled in benefits plans to make changes.
