Human resources is an important part of any organization, playing a key role in the strength and vitality of its workforce. While working in human resources can vary between organizations and roles, the overall goal of the field is the same: to support employee recruitment, retention, engagement and overall productivity.
What Does Human Resources Do?
According to the U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics (BLS), human resource managers and human resource specialists work to coordinate the administrative functions of an organization and work across all aspects of recruiting, hiring and maintaining a strong workforce.
A human resource job description may include the following, according to the BLS:
- Linking an organization’s management with its employees
- Planning and overseeing employee benefit programs
- Serving as a consultant on human resource and employment law issues
- Overseeing an organization’s recruitment and hiring processes
- Conducting new employee orientation
- Handling staff issues including mediating disputes or directing disciplinary actions