Human Resources / HR

What is Human Resources (HR)?

Human Resources (HR) is a department or individual within a company who is responsible for handling the company’s workforce needs, including leading the recruitment and hiring process, managing employee benefits, and dealing with potential legal issues such as harassment and discrimination claims.

Example

The hiring manager may make the final decision, but our Human Resources (HR) department manages the applicant pool and hiring process.

Frequently Asked Questions

  • What does HR do?Human Resources (often abbreviated to HR) handles all the work that goes into maintaining, tracking, and managing an organization’s workforce. Typical HR responsibilities include recruiting and onboarding new employees, managing payroll and benefits administration, keeping employee records and information organized, tracking attendance and timesheets, and ensuring that the organization is abiding by all applicable employment laws and regulations.</b
  • Does my business need an HR department?Almost all mid- to large-sized businesses will already have an HR department, as the work that goes into simply managing things like payroll and recruiting become a full time job in and of themselves – but for many smaller businesses with fewer employees and smaller budgets, they may wonder if it makes sense to have a formal HR department.The truth is, even small businesses will benefit from having a dedicated HR department, even if it’s just one employee. Not only does it take the strain of HR work off of busy entrepreneurs and managers, but it minimizes potential conflict and legal trouble by giving the organization a neutral 3rd party if employees have issues with harassment, labor law violations, and other concerns that put both the employee and employer at risk.
  • Does HR handle hiring new employees?Recruiting and overseeing the hiring process is one of the core roles of a Human Resources department. While hiring managers can and should be directly involved with the process of writing job descriptions, conducting interviews, and making hiring decisions, the hard work of managing recruitment efforts, soliciting applicants, keeping applications organized, scheduling interviews, and conducting onboarding typically falls under the HR umbrella.
  • How can HR work more efficiently?The best thing a Human Resources department can do to make themselves more efficient is invest in tools and platforms that help keep all their work organized. Having a Human Resource Information System (HRIS) can ensure that all day-to-day functions are centrally managed, an Applicant Tracking System (ATS) can keep recruiting efforts organized so good candidates don’t slip through the cracks, and a strong, defined Human Capital Management (HCM) strategy will ensure that your current employees are happy and working their hardest.

PEOPLE-CENTERED PLATFORMS FOR A CHANGING WORLD

The workplace is evolving faster than ever before thanks to new HR solutions, rapidly developing technology, ever-present digital security threats, and more, and you need a partner that will help your organization stay agile and on top of the moment.

From strategic talent management to the best onboarding technology, Rival offers secure platforms that enable people to thrive in a changing workplace. Contact Rival today to talk to an expert to see how we can help you attract the best talent and keep them on board and performing up to your expectations.

TALK TO AN EXPERT

Rival goes beyond traditional talent management to help our clients attract, retain, and align people to their business.