5 Primary Roles of Human Resource Management


When it comes down to it, the Human Resources department can often times be viewed as a company’s heart. Without it, the organization will cease to exist, and if it isn’t effective, the organization is bound to struggle. The human resources department is responsible for the hiring, developing, training, protecting, and retaining the employees of a company. These critical members of your company strive to ensure that their coworkers and company flourish.

While it may sound like an exhausting job (an it certainly is), being a member of the Human Resources team also has its perks and benefits. According so several recent studies, HR personnel around the world report greater job satisfaction when compared to other office professionals. If you are a real "people person", are interested in how a company works, are a good coach, and up for a new challenge every day... then HR just might be the perfect career option for you. 

That being said, the term “Human Resources” can mean a lot of things. There are various roles in the HR world, and choosing the right one for yourself or your company can be challenging. So, if you are genuinely interested in a career in HR or are looking to hire someone for your company, here are the 5 primary roles of Human Resource Management: 

1. Generalist

As the name suggests, the Generalist tackles general administration and deals with a variety of challenges on daily basis. One day you might be working with accounts payable, another day you'll be explaining health benefits plans to your coworkers, and another other day you might be sorting out an employee conflict. If you have a sharp mind that can adapt to different situations and come up with solutions, then you have the Generalist gene.

2. Recruitment, Talent Acquisition, & Planning

“Recruitment” and “Hiring” are the two words that usually come to a the average person's mind when they hear of Human Resources. This role revolves around just that. Recruiters look for talented individuals from the market, and try to acquire them for their own organization. The word “talent” here means the skills and experience of candidates that are relevant to the organization. 

3. Learning &  Development 

HR does not only focus on recruiting. After recruitment, comes the learning and development stage of employees. Throughout one’s professional career, the employee should ideally keep growing, learning and acquiring new skills and expertise. The Learning and Development (L & D) experts do just that. They help employees discover their hidden strengths and work on their existing ones. Some technical know-how that is relevant to your field may come in handy. 

4. Employee Relations 

An Employee Relations (ER) professional’s main aim is to make the business grow in a healthy way, by motivating employees, sorting out their problems and handling conflicts, all of which can greatly hinder a company’s growth if left unattended. It’s a fairly challenging job, as it would require handling fresh challenges on daily basis – The most difficult thing being dealing with different employees and communicating with them. 

5. Performance & Reward

For any person to work with maximum efficiency and produce results, some sort of motivating factor is essential. Without any reward to look forward to, it is very unlikely for the employees to be productive. In comes the Reward Analyst, the HR professional responsible for reviewing employee performance and managing the rewards that are to be given. They are also responsible for generating salary sheets and deciding which package is the best when hiring someone, by comparing it with the market. 

And it goes without saying that if you are running a startup or a small business, YOU might end up becoming the entire human resources department of your company. You'll have to proudly add that to your many hats and learn as you go, learn from an industry expert, or outsource duties where possible. 

Aaron Abbey is a professional academic writer and research analyst in the UK. 





I hope you enjoyed this article about the various roles in human resource departments for hiring or career interest purposes.

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