People always have interesting perspectives on what HR does. Sometimes they are seen as babysitters, sometimes as the enforcer of policies, sometimes as a counselor. Certainly all of these elements have been present at one time or another in my HR career. Thankfully, though, HR is not doomed to be the humorless enforcer of policies!
I am really enjoying studying the Strategic Management section in my HR Certification Prep class, which has several pages on HR’s contribution to an organization. I wish every HR Professional could have just these few pages before their first day on the job in HR.
Human Resources can contribute on every level in an organization – at the very basic functional level, by tracking absenteeism or documenting training needs; at the department level, by working with supervisors to meet employees’ needs and offering advice to the supervisor in employee specific situations and providing appropriate forms; and then at the organizational level by measuring the return-on-investment for training classes or creating strategic goals in regards to employee engagement.
Human Resources is such a broad area, but it’s easy to get caught up in the day to day administration of policies and procedures and forget the real impact that HR can have in an organization when you are an HR department of one. Cascade can help – our training classes can give you the tools you need to get to the next level.
Elizabeth
