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The role of HR has evolved significantly over the years. In the past, HR was focused only on hiring and making sure paychecks were sent to the right employees. Today, HR plays a much broader role in the strategic goals of a company. These following improvements can help your HR department meet your company goals.

Focus On Talent Already Within The Company

Too often, HR focuses on recruitment alone while spending very little time keeping recruits happy. There should be a regular assessment of the review and recognition processes, such as awards for your years of service that are used in your company. Focus on the ability of everyone in your team to progress, not just the top performers. Think about the long-term prospects of a staff member and what he or she must do in order to get there.

Not only should HR focus on developing personalized methods of training employees, but they should focus on developing personalized methods of managing employees. The good news is that personality assessments can be used to determine methods that can more effectively manage your employees. For example, if an employee is more emotional, it would make sense to check in more often to see how he or she is doing. However, if the employee is more thought-based, it is more important to focus on providing your employee with details that will allow you to inform him or her about his or her progress.

Rely On Referrals

While there are many tools at an HR department’s disposal, the best way to attract talent is through employee referrals. Staff members understand the demands of the organization and will have a better sense of whether a recruit is right for the job based on his or her personal knowledge of the individual. When using platforms such as CareerBuilder, make sure to understand whether the platform you are using is the type of platform that is used most often by the talent you are trying to attract.

HR professionals must understand the culture that they are hiring their employees to be a part of so they can then locate talent that will fit well within the culture and love it. It is also necessary to identify and utilize the best talents of your employees. For example, if an employee has great soft skills, you will want to place him or her in a position where these skills can be best utilized. Otherwise, not only will you not be making the best use of your resources, but your employee might also become resentful that he or she is not allowed to grow. It is also essential to make sure that all employees understand company goals and that they are kept informed about how their actions affect the achievement of these goals.

Gather Workforce Data

The modern HR workforce needs to use analytics to gather data about the workforce that can then be presented to business leaders. External workforce segment data and company-wide talent must be translated into figures that can be presented to management. One of the best ways HR can add value is by reducing the amount of administrative work that business leaders need to perform, increasing productivity.

The main reason why HR has become so much more important is because technology has provided HR with the tools necessary to manage employees more effectively with great analytics. However, if your HR department is not using these tools, there is little reason for the elevated status. However, with these improvements, and with the right technology, your HR firm will help you achieve your business goals.

By JP George

About the author

JP George grew up in a small town in Washington. After receiving a Master’s degree in Public Relations, JP has worked in a variety of positions, from agencies to corporations all across the globe. Experience has made JP an expert in topics relating to leadership, talent management, and organizational business.

Featured image via Yayimages.