Human resource department is the key to the smooth functioning of an organisation. It has kept pace with changing trends to meet demands of digitally-driven environment. Every year it gears up to face new challenges and 2019 is no different. Every organisation aims to discover new talent, develop and help in evolving it into efficient and effectual way in order to give a competitive edge to the organisation. Human resource department is responsible for handling a wide range of different functions within an organisation such as:
- Hiring and firing- HR manager’s prime responsibility is to hire fresh talent in the company by recruiting, screening, conducting interviews and hiring the best among qualified candidates applied for job.
- Training and development- HR department organise training and development programs in order to develop and hone the working skills of newly hired and existing employees.
- Compensation- HR department takes care of compensation given to employees. It makes sure the negotiated remuneration is given to the employees.
- Employee benefits- employee benefits such as health and dental insurance, long term care of disability programs, employee assistance and wellness programs are taken care by HR department.
- Employee relations- it includes participation of employees in every aspect of an organisation. It is a responsibility of HR management it maintains employee relations within an organisation and also settles the disputes between employees and management.
- Legal responsibilities- HR department is responsible for enforcing employment and labour laws to protect the rights of employees, provide them equal opportunities etc.
Human resource department has evolved over the years to discharge its duties more efficiently. In its pursuit of maintaining a hormonal relationship within in an organisation, it faces numerous challenges. With each passing year these challenges take new shape and form, let’s explore what new challenges 2019 has brought upon the HR department:
- Cyber security issues-like everything else, technology has also pro and cons. On one hand it helps immensely in creating efficient workplace and on the other hand poses cyber security issues. It is indeed a big concern and something HR department needs to be vigilant about and must take appropriate steps to curb it. Every year with digital advancement, cyber thieves come up with new advanced ways to pose cyber security threat. Therefore, is the biggest challenge that HR department must face and over come every year.
- Keeping pace with ever changing technology- technology is a fundamental part of an organisation in today’s world. It’s a great challenge for HR department to keep itself abreast with cutting-edge technology like smart devices, wearable, Artificial Intelligence etc. and adapt it to give competitive edge to the business in this digital driven environment. The HR managers are required to identify the technology best suited for their company, ways to employ it efficiently, risks and rewards involved in it.
- Hiring the best talent and retaining it in the business- hiring the employees and retaining them in the office, both are daunting tasks especially when competition outside is tough and everyone is out to lure the talent with best packages. End of every financial year, a lot of employees leave their jobs voluntarily in pursuit of better opportunities. In 2019, this challenge will hold its position; HR department needs to come up with ideas for promotions, flexible schedule, create a healthy work-life balance.
- Shape up the leaders- HR department has big challenge to take care of that is shaping up the leadership. Without right kind of leadership, companies often lag behind in the market and lose the opportunists coming their way. HR department needs to create innovative programmes to challenge the employees, keep them motivated and engaged to develop leadership qualities in them.
- Following the corporate laws established by the government- government keeps on altering corporate rules and regulations. It’s a challenge for HR department to keep tract of these changing and comply with them. For this HR department needs to employ different means to keep itself fully informed like subscribing to emails from department of labour, updating knowledge regarding industry by reading relevant industry blogs etc.
- Flexibility in working schedule- list of challenges 2019, this challenge of flexible working schedule rising gradually. As more and more employees are demanding flexible working options, freelancing and work from home. It is raising the alarm for HR department. Due to the demographics also it’s not easy to overcome this challenge. HR department needs to devise a plan which strikes a balance between work from office and home in order to bring harmony between management and employees regarding flexible working schedule.
- Charting up new policies to tackle employee safety, dispute, theft and violence- this remains a constant challenge for HR department to keep evolving the work place environment in order to take care of employee security, avoid dispute within organisation, keep proper vigilance against employee theft and keep tracks on the violence. Thorough assessment across the organisation to ensure that it has the proper policies, practices and procedures in place to elevate awareness, recognition and reporting of violence and immediate response by employer.
- Right people in right jobs-the foremost responsibility of HR department to ensure the right person holds the right office. Now, this poses a big challenge in 2019 as well. Since, there pays nepotism and favouritism a big part in an organisation which can harm its objectives. It becomes challenging for HR department to recruit or promote people on the basis of their merit.
From the inception of 2019, HR department is facing new challenges which demand strategic approach to tackle them. Some challenges are growing bigger each year such as cyber security, keeping pace with changing technologies etc. HR department needs to upgrade itself continuously to overcome these challenges and create a harmonious work place environment to facilitate growth of an organisation. HR department is not only responsible recruitment of employees but also safeguarding their rights and interest. This is also a big challenge for HR department as every year employee’s demands for better facilities keep on increasing. 2019 has brought new and old challenges for HR department with more intensity.
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