Your people are your greatest resource. The most successful businesses regard their employees as being central to their business success. These businesses look after their employees, treat them fairly and develop a positive working relationship. In return, employees become fully invested and focused on achieving the business goals. It sounds easy but of course this isn’t always straightforward. Managing employees can be very rewarding but also very challenging. So how can HR help?
What exactly is human resources?
Human resources (HR) is the umbrella term used to describe the management and development of employees in a business. Traditionally, HR focused on the hiring, firing and the old-school annual pay review. Nowadays, HR has developed the expertise to cover so many more areas. HR encompasses all aspects of employee management, employment law compliance, employee development, attraction & retention strategies, and employee engagement – all of which are pivotal in building a positive working culture.
The importance of a positive working culture
Positive workplace culture is no longer a nice-to-have. This is what attracts the top candidates and retains your best employees. Creating a positive workplace culture isn’t always easy and takes time. Workplace culture is unique to every business. It will require a varied approach and it needs consistent nurturing.
Why is HR so important?
In small businesses, HR is easily overlooked. Many entrepreneurs get their businesses off to a flying start, but struggle with people management as the business starts to flourish. People Management can take up a lot of time and can require specific HR skills. Therefore, sometimes the focus on people can easily get lost in a company. This can become a costly mistake for a business especially if it results in disputes, legal action, high turnover levels or low morale.
Aswell as putting the HR legal framework in place, HR also play a key role in developing and strengthening a positive workplace culture, finding the right balance between creating a positive happy workforce and developing a successful, productive business.
While the value of HR isn’t always immediately apparent, it’s no secret that HR is key in the long term success of your business.