The Changing Role of HR - From People Management to Strategic Business Partner

Over the last decade, the role of Human Resources has changed tremendously. Gone are the days when it was all about people management - hiring employees, negotiating pay, managing payroll and settling disputes. Lately, HR has emerged as strategic business partner that assists in crucial business decisions and helps organizations succeed in the highly competitive market. It has also embraced technologies like Artificial Intelligence and Big Data to churn out business solutions that benefit the company and its employees in multiple ways. Let's have a look at the aspects that are being actively handled by HR professionals today, besides the usual ones.

Aligning Team Objectives with Business Needs

The business landscape is rapidly changing and this has urged the HR department to evolve and adapt to the changing business needs. There is a growing need for dynamic employee management which includes developing effective teams and assisting them to align their work with continuously varying market requirements. Today, the Human Resources is seen as a company's competitive advantage that directly influences the success of the organization. The department tactically manages the incoming and leaving employees and ensures that right people are engaged with the right jobs.

Effective Change Management

Organizational dynamics undergo frequent changes these days in an attempt to stay competitive in the market. Several aspects of the work environment change and the HR department is actively involved in ensuring that the changes are well understood and effectively implemented. Employees need to keep refreshing their skills and stay updated on the market trends. New technologies and procedures are emerging every now and then in the industries and to use them effectively, organizations need to make sure that employees have acquired the required skill set. Change could often be unsettling for an organization and not many people are comfortable adapting to change. HR plays a crucial role in change management and maintains a smooth transition, enhances employee involvement and minimizes interruptions. 

Employee Management

Human Resources is no longer the last resort for employees to settle disputes and handle negative situations. Today HR is focused equally on every employee issue, be it performance management, engagement, or relationship management. Supporting the employees, listening to their concerns, and building stable professional relationships in the organization are some of the most crucial jobs of the HR team. Work culture has undergone dramatic changes over the last few years and the HR department is now actively involved in managing employee expectations, maintaining clear communication, and keeping the employees satisfied. In fact the HR is even venturing beyond this to handle performance appraisals, provide career development opportunities, introduce reward system and more, suiting the needs of employees and the business. These are important aspects of retaining and motivating staff and promoting good performances that ultimately impact the business growth.

Combining Technology with People Management

Building an effective culture and brand for an organization requires focus on a number of aspects. Paperwork and manual tasks, often, aren't the best options to achieve things in this technology driven world. Human Resources are actively embracing technology to automate procedures and enhance efficiency and accuracy. In a bid to attain more in lesser time and make things more effective, HR professionals are adopting and getting familiarized with the more and more technologies that help them with meaningful insights for talent management. By utilizing important data, the HR is increasingly becoming more result driven.

HR, today, has a unique position in the organizations which is directly responsible for growing the business and bringing meaningful changes to it. Besides people management, it is now an important voice in the board room that predicts business success and formulates effective developmental strategies.