Self-study 24 Task Read the text and answer the questions

Self-study 24

Task 1. Read the text and answer the questions.

Every business with more than just a few dozen employees has a human resources department. It may be only one person who handles all the human resources functions. Or, as in the largest organizations, there may be hundreds of professionals who specialize in just one functional area.

An HR department is tasked with maximizing employee productivity and protecting the company from any issues that may arise within the workforce. HR responsibilities include compensation and benefits, recruitment, firing, and keeping up to date with any laws that may affect the company and its employees.

Depending on the organization, its industry and size, there may be five, six, seven or more separate human resources functions. For our purposes, we’ll look at the five core areas: recruiting and staffing, compensation and benefits, training and development, talent management, safety and compliance.

In large organizations, these functions may be split. So where “safety” may not be a core human resources function for say, an accounting firm, blue collar organizations and those in healthcare and similar fields are more likely to have safety and compliance as separate human resources functions. 

There are many different types of human resources jobs but all of them allow you to work with people regularly.

An HR specialist is usually someone who has worked in the field for one to three years. In this role, you still focus on administration, payroll processing, and other administrative tasks but you might also deal with special projects, employee orientation, training, and pre-screen interviewing. HR Specialists possess a basic understanding of employment laws so they can better manage issues in the workplace.

An HR manager plays many different roles and must be competent in several areas.

What are the four competencies of an HR manager?

1. 
   Communication. Effective HR managers must be able to communicate with everyone in the workplace.
   
2. 
   Analytical and Critical Thinking. An HR manager must provide sound judgment and make decisions in various areas.
   
3. 
   Relationship-Building. HR managers must create a cohesive department that works collaboratively to achieve shared goals.
   
4. 
   Leadership. HR managers are responsible for creating strategic plans for their department and must be able to justify the elements of a strategic plan to management as well as direct the activities of the HR department.
   

1. 
   What does human resources department do? An HR department is tasked with maximizing employee productivity and protecting the company from any issues that may arise within the workforce. HR responsibilities include compensation and benefits, recruitment, firing, and keeping up to date with any laws that may affect the company and its employees.
   
2. 
   What do you think about competencies of an HR manager?
   

• 
  Communication. Effective HR managers must be able to communicate with everyone in the workplace.
  
• 
  Analytical and Critical Thinking. An HR manager must provide sound judgment and make decisions in various areas.
  
• 
  Relationship-Building. HR managers must create a cohesive department that works collaboratively to achieve shared goals.
  
• 
  Leadership. HR managers are responsible for creating strategic plans for their department and must be able to justify the elements of a strategic plan to management as well as direct the activities of the HR department.
  

3. 
   What is HR Manager’s role in an organization? What about HR specialist?
   

• 
  An HR specialist is usually someone who has worked in the field for one to three years. In this role, you still focus on administration, payroll processing, and other administrative tasks but you might also deal with special projects, employee orientation, training, and pre-screen interviewing. HR Specialists possess a basic understanding of employment laws so they can better manage issues in the workplace.