In this article, the key focus is knowing all about human resources, from qualifications needed for human resources to the function of human resources. By decoding the word human resources itself, one can understand that it’s about utilizing human talent as a resource to benefit the organization. This department is concerned with the whole employee cycle from recruiting to firing and everything in between.
What is human resources?
Under this department of human resources, hiring, training, requirements, selection, removal process, employment benefits, salary negotiation, ethical and standard practices, etc., all comes to play. One can say that the human resources department is the backbone for an organization. And any organization concerned with well being of its working members will definitely have a dedicated human resources
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There are no specific qualifications needed to get a job in human resources. But any knowledge in the form of education or work experience in the same department may help a long way. Without formal qualification, you might be assigned an assistant role since the human resources department is concerned with continuous development. You will be expected to take more degrees or training as you progress in your career. Apart from the qualifications, some skills you need to possess which can contribute to a more successful human resources career include excellent communication skills, interpersonal skills, the ability to understand the different set of people and understand their differences, a creative approach to organizational functions, etc.
Responsibilities of human resources
The primary responsibility of human resources are –
- Staffing
When new applications are submitted for a new role in the organization, it is the human resources department that takes care of staffing. The first step in this process is identifying who is talented and qualified enough in the recruitment process. Then based on work experience, a filter should be made between the applicants. Another important part of staffing is negotiating the salary to meet the expectations of both the company and employee. Writing employee contracts and as well as terminating them is under the control of human resources. All this recruiting process should be done ethically without any bias.
- Development
How do you develop a building? Starting from the base, constant construction and planning and hours of labor, and hard work lead to a strong building. Similarly, an employee must be constantly developed in form for training. After getting selected for an organization, one has to undergo training to suit their new role. The responsibility of a human resources department is to provide training opportunities. Training can be manual, educational, technology, etc. After the training process, it is important to get feedback because there is always room for more change.
- Compensation
Compensation can be defined as cash or non-cash benefits given to an employee of the organization by the employer for the service they provide. As mentioned earlier, salary distribution and salary negotiation come under the human resources department. Salary depends on legal requirements, the role you are playing, sometimes it can be performance-based or based on your professional qualifications. One of the main things that human resources have to take responsibility about is meeting the legal expectations of both the organization and employees.
- Safety and health
The safety and health of the employees also come under the human resources department. Negligence of safety of the employees, especially in the mining sector, has been in the news for a major chunk of time. Due to this and many more situations, the government of respective countries has initiated more stringent laws and orders to protect the employees. For example, safety hats, safety boots, face cover, etc. Should be provided for construction employees. With the pandemic situation, mask, sanitizing agents, temperature checks etc. would also be considered under safety and health. Apart from this employer is also needed to check health insurance and pay for any medical expenses due to injury related to the job.
- Employee and labor relations
This can be termed as a core function of the human resources department. Human resources are expected to stand up for the rights of the employees. In any organization, individual differences may come out in the form of disagreement. This can be between two employees or between the employee and employer. These differences must be handled in an ethical and peaceful way by the human resources department. Women and men may face harassment in the workplace, which can be physical, emotional, mental, etc. All this claim of harassment should also be considered by the same department. Employee welfare is the core issue the human resources department should be mainly concerned about.
Why is HR important to every organization?
Earlier times human resources department had limited scope of hiring and firing, but now it has an overall hold in the reinforcement of work culture and encouraging employees to be more productive. A special set of skills is needed to understand and work with the staff and look after their needs. Apart from this human resources department is concerned with harassment claims as well. How the claim is handled, precedes the reputation of the organization and portrays the image which impacts the mind of the consumers. So it is important to have a dedicated team to look after the needs of the organization.
Major goals of human resources –
- Recruit workers
Every day thousands of applicants apply for different roles in an organization. The initial work of the human resources department is to sort this application, evaluate the qualifications, schedule interviews, and final select the best-suited employee for the role.
- Hire the best quality employees
One needs to look beyond the resume and understand the employee if she/he fits into the environment provided and take up the role seriously. Some might be more qualified education-wise, and some might have more work experience.
- Train Recruits
After recruiting the huge task is to train the new employees, to make them understand working conditions and job requirements.
- Promoting diversity
It is an important and controversial issue that diversity is promoted in an organization. That equal opportunities, equal chances, and equal pay are given to everyone irrespective of their gender, race, religion, etc.
- Taking care of employee needs
From pay scale to holiday management, everything comes under the human resources department. If the employee is not happy, it will reflect in their work and affect the organization.
- Scope of improvement and its need
No organization is perfect; there is something that can be improved. At times it is important to take feedback from the people contributing to the organization.
- Retain workers
As much as recruiting is Important, it is equally important to keep the employees in the organization and keeping them happy. If the employees are content, it will reflect in work and eventually in the business. All this contributes to overall performance and profit.
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How to negotiate salary with human resources?
Salary is an important aspect of any job. But meeting your expectations as well as the interviewer’s expectations might be difficult in certain situations. Here are some tips on how to professionally negotiate your salary.
- Know your worth
Never underestimate yourself and keep your worth on your mind. Your worth maybe a lot more than you think.
- Keep it professional
There are good chances that the negotiation may not end in a fruitful way. Even then, keep your values and manners intact. The use of unprofessional words and actions is not acceptable and does not give a good impression of the candidate.
- Explain the trend, market values, etc
Depending on-trend and the market, the value of a job may tend to change. Cite examples while negotiating.
- Do your research
Known the background of the company, the role you are applying for, and the salary was given to the candidate doing the same job. Impress the interview with your knowledge of the company’s history and the department you are working for.
- Look out for the benefits.
Do not just focus on the salary offered by the employer; lookout for security benefits, holiday benefits, and others.
- Ask for the final offer letter.
Many people have experienced a problem of receiving a low salary than finalized in the Interview. So politely ask for a final offer letter with the salary decided for you.
- Do not immediately accept the first offer.
If you jump to a conclusion and accept the offer immediately, you will never know how much more were they willing to pay for the same job. Be positive and try negotiating.
- Negotiate if necessary
If you are satisfied with the offer, leave the negotiation part. But it is recommended to negotiate because the first offer will be much lower than the offer you receive later on.
- Show your confidence
The interviewer notices everything from your sitting posture, the way you speak, eye contact, body language, etc. Be confident in yourself and try to negotiate with facts.
- Be polite
Greetings and smiles can go a long way. Use words like “thank you,” “based on my research,” “I am looking forward to work for this organization,” etc to make a good impact.
- Understand the person who is sitting across the table.
Sometimes there are limits on what an employer can offer for a certain position. Putting yourself in their shoes can sometimes make the negotiation process a bit easier. If the interviewer likes you, there are more chances they are willing to give you a better offer.
How to send a resume to human resources?
A resume can make a huge impact on the person who is recruiting employees. A resume should have more numerical facts and less of elaborate sentences. You can either email them or directly submit the resume to the concerned office.
Human resources interview questions
Any basic interview will start with basic general questions to break the ice. Name, family background, educational background, hobbies, interests, etc. These are some of the questions you can expect if you are looking to work in the human resources department-
- What got you interested in the human resources field?
- Do you have any prior experience in the human resources field?
- What is the best thing about working in human resources?
- How have the trends changed in human resources?
- What scope do you see in the human resources sector in 5 years?
- Why do you choose this company?
- Do you think this company can provide the right environment for you?
- Describe your best qualities that make you fit as a human resources manager?
- What qualities and skills make you fit as a human resources manager?
- Have you ever hired a team?
- Do you have any prior experience in resolving conflict in an organization?
- Describe your educational background, which makes you qualified for the human resources position?
- On what basis do you plan on recruiting employees?
- Describe yourself in five words?
- Do you have any strategy for cost reduction?
Salary in human resources
Salary differs for different roles and responsibilities; for example, a human resources manager can earn up to 7 lakh a year. For a human resources recruiter, the maximum salary can go to 13 lakh per annum.
Conclusion
The HR department is a rapidly growing industry with immense scope for young talent. For the people who like working in the core of the Organization, this is a very suitable sector. It is also ranked as one of the best careers on the list.
FAQ
- Are PR and HR the same?
Answer – No, Public relations is concerned with the outside public of the organization, whereas human resources are concerned with the employee cycle and rights.
- Can an organization function without a separate HR department?
Answer – Yes, an organization can function without a dedicated human resources department. But with more expansion and more employees, it might get difficult to manage. And most organizations concerned with well being of their employees and their rights will have a separate team.
- Can I get into human resources without any degree qualifications?
Answer- yes, you can start working as an assistant, human resources employee at the most basic level and, with experience, get into a more serious position.
- Do human resources managers get highly paid?
Answer – with experience, your pay will increase. A fresher can expect a decent salary if not a high salary.
- How good is the scope for HR in India?
Answer- yes, the scope is expanding more and more. And with the view of a pandemic, human resources has become an important aspect.
By, Dhivya