Six Key Human Resources Tips for Your Business

Human resources (HR) departments are the cornerstone of any business. Their success will filter down to create a streamlined and organized process, helping their business long-term. So getting it right is important.

HR departments deal with a wide range of things from the strategy concerning people management, to training and succession planning. Here are a few key tips to help your HR department.

1. Don’t rush your recruitment process

When recruiting for your organization, be sure to go through a standardized process. Do not rush your recruitment priorities if you want to get a top candidate -- one that can hit the ground running and who has scope for future growth. Start by crafting a top quality job description that highlights the key skills and competencies needed for the role to help you extract the right candidates. At the interview stage, double-up with a colleague so that you can share feedback and run a 1st, 2nd, or even a 3rd stage interview process if need be.

2. Does your HR strategy work?

Make sure that your HR strategy works for your business. A strong, workable HR strategy is one of the core fundamentals of your organization. A clear strategy is key to the success of any business. It provides direction, allows the business to grow in times of change, and defines accountabilities. Your HR strategy can be pivotal for decision making if it is adaptable, flexible, and well prepared. Implementing your business strategy correctly is essential to building a solid framework from which to plan your long-term goals.

3. HR systems

It has never been more important to get your data systems in place. The world is now watching companies’ actions regarding personal data and any failure to comply with regulations or act ethically will result in public outcry. There are a lot of areas to cover with regards to historical databases and what will be allowed, and what won’t be allowed e.g. photographs. IP addresses and IMEIs (International Mobile Equipment Identity) can be considered personal data. Do your homework and have the right systems like SAP SuccessFactors in place to manage your HR needs and your data.

4. Update your training materials

Make sure that your existing training methods are up to scratch. Reassess your existing training content to determine its relevancy and analyze whether or not the methods still work. If they don’t, then make the necessary tweaks; Research the latest training methods and align that with the company goals and mission. Video-based technology, virtual reality, and augmented reality, are just a few examples of new tech that can enhance the learning process.

5. Employee handbook

You should have an employee handbook. You won’t necessarily need a physical copy - a digital one would suffice. But either way, one should exist to cover the key areas of your business. Disciplinary and grievance procedures should be well thought out.

Additionally, the employee handbook is important because it offers legal protection. A badly managed situation could end up being extremely embarrassing for the organization. The handbook is the place for your business to lay out policies that employees will have to adhere to. Those policies should be clearly explained. Your handbook should include but not be limited to:

• Employee benefits
• Sick leave and holidays
• Unpaid absences
• Hours of work
• The probationary period
• The dress code

The handbook shouldn’t be too long, take the precise and clear approach. It should be regularly updated but it is also a good idea to keep copies of older versions in case you need to refer back.

6. Investigate ways to use new tech

New tech comes in various forms, but one that is very often talked about is artificial intelligence (AI), and for good reason. This technology has the potential to completely transform the way we work. How industries use it will depend on many factors, but it definitely has a place within HR. However, before you start this process, you’ll need to interrogate your existing systems and prepare them for its implementation.

If you would like any more information or to discuss how we can help with your recruitment processes, get in touch with one of our specialist HR consultants today.