The HR department is a critical part of many businesses but there can often be some confusion about what they really do. Many employees will run into them when they first start with the company or if there are problems. In between, it can be easy to be confused about what they do. So here are six examples of things that are taught in all HR Assistant Training Programmes as key parts of the role.
Career planning
As the people that help you start your career with the company, the HR department is also the place to go to help develop and plan your career. While the aim of the department is to help with business grow and succeed, it is also about helping employees fulfil their potential and be happy in their roles. That’s why the HR department can be one of the ones to turn to in order to learn about career advancement and planning.
Help you manage your manager
One of the top reasons that people leave a job is due to a clash with their manager. But there are ways to get help with the situation and to stop the problem before it reaches this stage. That’s where the HR team can help – by approaching them for advice and tips, you can find a new way to manage your manager and be happier in your role. Don’t just complain, though, use them to seek ideas and solutions.
Help with help for personal problems
While HR training doesn’t involve any kind of counselling or legal areas outside of what they need for their role, HR departments can help with getting help for personal problems. Often companies will have processes in place to deal with issues, to get staff help with problems or other ways to overcome adversity. You can approach them confidentially for help on where to get this help as well as letting the company know what is going on.
Medical issues advice
Likewise, if you have medical problems and are worried about how this will impact your job, HR are the people to talk to. Yes, they will have to report things you tell them if it applies to your job – for example if you tell them you are pregnant or have a medical condition that could make doing your job dangerous. But they will also let you know how to handle the condition, what your options are and what your rights are regarding the condition.
Whistleblowing
HR is often the people you talk to if you have found some serious problem and want to be a whistleblower to bring it to someone’s attention. Big companies may have anonymous tip lines, but most companies will simply ensure that there is someone in HR that staff can turn to. This might be about things like safety violations to problems with online security measures. They can authorise an investigation into the matter and ensure you don’t face repercussions for making the statement.
Help manage employees
As a manager or owner of a company, the HR department is your right hand in dealing with your employees. They help you ensure that you are compliant with the rules, that you are covering all your legal obligations but also that you have a happy workforce – or if not, what might need to be done to remedy the problem.
HR help
If you are thinking about looking at a career in HR, these are some of the things that you will be expected to deal with. You are there as the referral point for staff to help deal with problems, get advice and keep things working smoothly for the business.