|
It has never been easy to
be a human resources professional, particularly on the
management side. So often they have to walk such a very
thin line...and they need to know and be responsible for
so much. The challenge is quite comprehensive and to
follow is a laundry list that hopefully covers most of the
things HR needs to know:
EMPLOYEE RELATIONS:
Assuring that all employees are treated fairly and that
they know what fair treatment is.
LABOR RELATIONS: An
added challenge if the company is unionized. In these
cases the resident HR staff needs to service both
constituencies (union and non-union).
EMPLOYEE CONCERNS:
Years ago, employees rarely shared their concerns outside
of the company with anyone inside. That has changed
dramatically today and discussion on just about any topic
is fair game. The HR person today needs to have a
sympathetic ear and a fat rolodex loaded with appropriate
referrals for employees with problems.
DIVERSITY ISSUES: Just
about all companies have workforces that are quite
diverse. In addition to dealing with a multitude of
languages, HR professionals need to deal with a wide
variety of cultures, customs and sometimes -- conflicts.
BUSINESS PARTNER: There
was a time when the HR professional could put his or her
noses to the grindstone and deal primarily with
operational issues. Today that same person needs to fully
understand the business side of things. He or she needs to
be able to read a balance sheet and make a meaningful
contribution as a member of the executive team.
GLOBAL VIEW: HR
professionals today need to be very much aware of what's
happening beyond the boundaries of the company, the state
they are in, the country and the world.
TECHNICAL PROFICIENCY:
There are many components of the HR function and to be on
top of their games, these practitioners need to have more
than a passing interest in and knowledge of:
- Compensation plans,
- Benefit programs,
- Training and
development,
- Organizational
design,
- Labor and employee
relations,
- Human resource
information systems, and
- Staffing.
There's a lot to do in
HR, as you can see. Just when most HR professionals think
that they've got it aced, a tragedy like the one that
befell us in September happens.
The HR professional,
faced with such a challenge, has to think and react
quickly -- to the needs of the employees and their
families, to the company itself and to the public at
large. No one ever said that it was easy, but the HR
professional seems to relish the challenge.
bgatti@gattihr.com
|
