Human resources professionals have many roles within an organization. They are responsible for formulating strategies that focus on recruiting and retaining top employees as well as overseeing projects that promote company-wide productivity. Most human resources departments control the overall operations of a business, making the department a key component of a company’s success in achieving its objectives.
Training and Development
Human resources specialists often are charged with creating training programs to strengthen the quality of work within an organization. The Bureau of Labor Statistics indicates that “enhancing employee skills can increase individual and organizational performance and help to achieve business results.” The role of human resources in training and development includes assessing training needs, creating training manuals, facilitating instruction and ensuring training objectives have been met.
Employee Acquisition
An organization’s human resources department is responsible for many aspects of hiring and developing employees. According to the Society for Human Resources Management, employee acquisition and retention strategies are vital to the success of a company. Human resources managers implement these strategies to reduce turnover, improve employee skills and increase overall company production.
Project Management
Deliberate planning methods often are overlooked when conducting a company project. According to the CUPA Human Resources Journal, “project management can be a critical tool for the HR organization in meeting and institution’s strategic goals.” Human resources involvement in project management helps companies remain organized by outlining project goals, identifying costs and benefits and assessing the risks of the project.
Compliance Management
Human resources managers handle the labor relations and dispute resolution operations of a company. Their role is to ensure that the organization is familiar with government regulations in regard to wage, labor and equal opportunity requirements. Strict compliance management can help a company avoid lawsuits and liabilities when disputes arise between employers and their employees.
Cost and Quality Control
Human resources specialists help businesses conserve costs when developing compensation packages, benefit materials and employee assistance programs. Further, technological advances increase the need for highly developed training programs that HR representatives are most qualified to implement. Human resources managers also are responsible for quality control, which is directly related to the successful accomplishment of company goals.
2016 Salary Information for Human Resources Managers
Human resources managers earned a median annual salary of $106,910 in 2016, according to the U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics. On the low end, human resources managers earned a 25th percentile salary of $80,800, meaning 75 percent earned more than this amount. The 75th percentile salary is $145,220, meaning 25 percent earn more. In 2016, 136,100 people were employed in the U.S. as human resources managers.
