The Human Resources department is the vital support of an organization. This is due to the numerous responsibilities that HR must manage in order to retain workforces. Without this efficient management, employees will be dissatisfied and work performance is likely to decrease. The role of HR works simultaneously with the goals of organizational leadership. When HR receives instructions from company leadership regarding how specific workforce plans need to be executed, HR works diligently to develop policies and procedures that are conducive with company performance strategies.
When these goals are accomplished, companies are able to maintain prominent status within their business industry. The quality of HR management and services also determine if a company will be viewed as an employer of choice. Here’s a brief description of the functions that several divisions in the HR department manage.
Payroll
This department not only handles the distribution of paychecks, but also manages timekeeping records. The payroll department ensures that tax deductions are correctly applied. Management of benefit cost deductions, vacation time, sick time, overtime, and tuition reimbursement expenses are also handled by the payroll department. HR accounting responsibilities work in conjunction with an organization’s operating accounting functions. Although the compensation and benefits division of HR determines position salaries, payment allocation is handled by the payroll division.
Recruitment and Hiring
HR Recruiters are responsible for hiring qualified individuals for positions in an organization. These responsibilities include posting jobs online and offline sources. Recruiters also post jobs internally to provide employees with opportunities to advance their careers. Attending job fairs are also a part of the responsibilities that recruiters do to reach out to prospective candidates. Recruiters also meet with department managers to assess their workforce needs.
In addition to hiring employees, recruiters must ensure that new hire and transfer paperwork is completed correctly. The process of managing position fulfillment, interviews, background checks, and new hire orientation requires a high level of competency. This ability to multitask can be performed manually and can be achieved at a higher proficiency level with the use of HR business software.
Employee Issue Management
Despite the acquisition of qualified employees and the retention of a workforce, conflict issues arise that need to be addressed by department managers and HR Employee Relations Professionals. Depending on the nature of the issues, employees will be given level warnings which also include termination. Although corrective action forms are filled out manually by managers, HR enters the infraction information into an HR software database. This information is placed into an employee’s e-file with other pertinent information related to job status, benefits and payroll data.
Types of Software
The incorporation of payroll and human resources software into the HRM function helps streamline processes and reduces paperwork. As a result, HR staff are able to manage responsibilities at a faster rate and can respond to inquiries with access to a broad range of data which is made available within seconds. Some of the popular payroll and HR software systems include:
- Peoplesoft
- Kronos
- Clear Company HRM
- Sage Payroll
These software systems can store large amounts of data and each department division HR staff can work simultaneously. Although some data may be limited, access to employee data within other HR divisions can be made available when information is needed to complete paperwork for various mattes.
Selecting the right HR software system depends on the needs of an organization. Analysis of a software system’s features can provide guidance as to which services are available within a package. Most software systems offer payroll, benefits, recruitment, employee relations, and IT functions while other only offer payroll processing functions.
Whichever software system is implemented, the benefits that are offered with these systems can accelerate HR management. As a result, accurate and detailed reports can be generated when requested. Although HR departments are organizations’ assistants, HR software systems provide assistance HR professionals need in order to meet company goals in a timely manner.