Initially, I thought that the work of HR was mainly focused on finding new potential employees for the organization, interviewing them, and offering their insights after the interview to the executives. I also noticed that in most organizations, HR also served as a mediator in the internal conflicts both between employees and between employees and managers of higher rank. Suffice it to say my impression of HR’s work before taking the course was rather stereotypic and superficial.
Over the years, the tasks of an HR have evolved greatly, I think. Globalization has reset many usual things and forced companies to restructure their processes, reconsider personnel trends, their strategies for managing human capital, and approaches to doing business. The companies began to apply a strategic approach to personnel planning to see each employee’s perspectives, which is a direct responsibility of HR managers now.
I have worked in the marketing industry for a while and noticed that HR managers had to pay great attention to the employee’s ability and willingness to improve their knowledge. Continuous education is crucial for digital marketing, and the companies I have worked with made it a strict demand in their managerial policy. Vrontis et al. (2020) add that digital-era technologies concentrate on HR management strategies like human-robot/AI collaboration, training and learning opportunities, job performance, and decision-making. My impression of HR’s work has changed a lot after I have learned how much there is actually to this position I have never thought about. I think I can say now that a well-developed HR department is a crucial element of any successful business.
Reference
Vrontis, D., Christofi, M., Pereira, V., Tarba, S., Makrides, A., & Trichina, E. (2021). Artificial Intelligence, robotics, Advanced Technologies and Human Resource Management: A systematic review. The International Journal of Human Resource Management, 33(6), 1237–1266.