Human Resources
Human resources, or HR, manages the employee life cycle, including recruiting, hiring, onboarding, training, performance management, administering benefits, compensation and firing. Regardless of a company’s size, it needs an effective human resources department to manage workforce labor, company policies and ensure legal compliance.In this article, we explain what human resources is, how an HR department operates, the skills needed to succeed in this area and common human resources jobs.Key takeaways:The primary functions of a human resources (HR) department include recruitment and staffing, training and development, compensation and benefits, employee relations, legal compliance and corporate image.
Individuals who work in HR typically have strong people skills and enjoy helping others succeed.
Common HR jobs include records specialists, human resources assistants, compensation and benefits specialists, recruiting managers and human resources directors.
Human resources oversees employment-related functions of a business or company through several duties and responsibilities, including:
· Recruiting and interviewing candidates
· Laying off or firing of employees
· Management of company benefits and pay
· Managing and executing disciplinary actions
· Updating employee personnel files
· Onboarding new employees
· Organization and development of company culture
· Ensuring a company adheres to labor regulations
· Creating and implementing workplace policies
· Writing and revising the employee handbook
· Offering professional and personal counsel or support
Why would HR want to meet with me?
HR has a wide variety of functions, so the reasons for requesting a meeting with an employee vary. Below are some common reasons HR may want to meet with you:
-Ask you for help with a project
Sometimes, HR may request a meeting to invite you to take part in a specialized project that falls outside of your usual responsibilities. It's common for companies and businesses to search for ways to improve productivity and functionality by organizing new projects or ventures. If HR has requested to meet with you, it may be because a future or current project could benefit from your skills and talents.
-Inform you of changes in benefits
HR may ask to meet with you if your employer is experiencing changes to their benefits program. In this meeting, HR may want to discuss changes in health, dental or vision insurance, your enrollment in a new or altered insurance plan or your options for company-matched retirement accounts like a 401(k).
-Alert you to changes in compensation
If your employer needs to change your current compensation, HR will discuss these changes with you. HR may ask to meet with you if your employer is offering you a bonus or promotion or if they have to decrease your pay or offer you a lower pension. HR may also ask to meet with you to explain any upcoming changes to overtime pay, paid time off, paid holidays or extended leave policies. In a meeting about compensation changes, your HR Manager may explain the terms and conditions of these changes and how they'll affect your employment.
-Discuss the idea of transferring you
HR may ask to meet with you if you are being transferred to another department or position within a company. A transfer could be because of restructuring within the company, or because your employer believes you could excel in another role. In the event of a transfer, HR will discuss the terms of your new role such as job description, start date, training, compensation and benefits.
-Organize training and team-building
HR may organize and implement employee training and team-building practices. Often, training includes groups of employees based on their job performance or department within a company. Typically, training includes exercises and activities that promote effective communication, trust, team-building and skill development. These practices may take place during the workweek, on the weekends or during a company trip. If HR selects you to take part in a company training, they may ask to meet with you to discuss the logistics of the program and your involvement.
-Ask questions for an investigation
HR may request to meet with you during an investigation regarding employee problems such as disputes between coworkers or the violation of company policies and procedures. Even if you're not the central subject of the investigation, HR may call you in for a meeting to discuss any knowledge you have on the matter. This could include anything you've heard or witnessed regarding the investigation.
-Conduct a performance evaluation
Performance evaluations are a common practice among employers, usually on a recurring schedule. If HR has asked to meet with you, it may be time for your next performance evaluation. During a performance evaluation, HR and other members of management meet with you to discuss your overall performance in your role, areas where you can improve and any outstanding achievements or moments you've excelled since your last performance evaluation.HR may also request to meet with you to offer you praise or congratulations on recent accomplishments or situations in which you've performed above and beyond your duties.
-Discuss termination or layoff
Sometimes staff reductions may be necessary, though difficult, decisions made by your employer. HR handles terminations, layoffs or furloughs because of unforeseen circumstances or financial struggles. It is often the responsibility of HR to evaluate positions within a company and decide which are necessary and which can be temporarily or permanently ended. If HR has asked to meet with you, it may be to discuss your termination, furlough or layoff. If this is the case, HR typically outlines the reasons for the end of your employment and the terms and conditions of your departure.Sometimes, HR may present you with a severance letter that offers a detailed description of any severance pay, extended benefits, outplacement services or other forms of support after your employment.Related: Termination vs. Layoff: What's The Difference?
-Be honest in your answers
If HR has requested a meeting with you to discuss an ongoing investigation involving another employee, it's important to remain honest in your responses. Even if you have a good working relationship with the employee in question, be honest about any information you may have regarding the incident or topic of investigation. Your honesty and willingness to assist in the investigation show your employer your reliability and that you value the well-being of the company.
-Do your best to stay positive
When HR requests to meet with you, it's easy to feel uncertain or nervous about the reason for the meeting. Try your best to remain calm and positive. Often, there is little you can do to interpret the cause of the meeting request, but remember there are many reasons HR might want to meet with you.
-Be sure to own your actions
If HR has requested a meeting with you to discuss a problem in your behavior or work performance, it's important to take ownership of your actions. Consider the points your HR manager or employer raises about your performance and reflect on ways you can improve. Showing a willingness to learn and correct behavioral or performance issues shows your employer your accountability and ability to accept constructive feedback.
-Consider requesting examples
If HR has approached you with issues or concerns about your behavior or performance and you're unsure of instances in which those issues have arisen, consider asking for specific examples. Understanding the exact ways in which your behavior or performance hasn't been satisfactory can help you improve in those areas in the future. Often, HR managers and employers appreciate employees who will learn all they can to improve their job performance.
-Consider asking for help- legal representation is your right
If HR has asked to meet with you to discuss issues of unsatisfactory performance, consider asking for career training or personal coaching. Often, employers help employees who are struggling with career or personal matters in order to help improve their performance at work. Most employers appreciate an employee who can ask for help when they need it, and they'll be happy to provide whatever help possible.
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PROTECTING YOURSELF
-report to immediate supervisor
-always document
-email paper trail
-incident times, establish patterns
-gas lighting - (psychological manipulation of a person usually over an extended period of time that causes the victim to question the validity of their own thoughts, perception of reality, or memories and typically leads to confusion, loss of confidence and self-esteem, uncertainty of one's emotional or mental stability, and a dependency on the perpetrator 2. the act or practice of grossly misleading someone especially for one's own advantage)
-eye witnesses
-traps
-callouts
-dealing with narcism
WORKPLACE CONFLICTS
Workplace conflicts can sap energy from any small business. Resolving issues quickly and effectively – and helping prevent them from occurring again – is critical to smooth sailing. Business managers overall spend an estimated 40 percent of their time dealing with conflicts both big and small, so it’s no trivial matter.
It’s a fact of business life. Disagreements, disputes, and honest differences exist everywhere. For small business owners and entrepreneurs, the key is this: By treating conflicts as catalysts for increasing energy and productivity, you can turn them from negatives into positives.
Here are five ways to make workplace conflicts constructive:
1. Break the ice first
Most people are ready to complain, debate, or argue at the outset of any conflict. They’ve conjured up their best arguments and are ready to do battle – usually without giving the matter any careful thought.
Try to avoid addressing the topic of the controversy immediately. That can get people stuck in their positions. What you need is a way to open a conversation about a difficult issue in a non-threatening way. An icebreaker in this case is not idle chitchat, but a smooth transition.
For example, the ideal opener might ask for a person’s own take on something both work-related and positive. For example, if the conflict involves two workers involved in the same project, ask each of them how they became involved and what they hoped to achieve.
2. Don’t simply try to mediate.
Many business owners try to be neutral “third-party” mediators in workplace conflicts when in fact that’s not their role. Your obligation is to the interests of the business and others who work there, and you need a combination of skills, structure, and finesse to express (and impose) your own view on how things need to be. You are the boss, after all.
3. Listen closely and talk less.
Sometimes what you don’t say is more important than what you do. Good outcomes come from listening carefully to others. This sends a positive message that you are genuinely concerned. And it’s simply the best way to get to the bottom of what’s really going on. To get this going, try asking an open-ended question (not a yes or no). Then listen carefully to that person’s side of the story. Quickly re-insert yourself into the discussion if it turns negative.
4. Use positive language and encourage others to do the same.
Any frustrated business owner knows how easy it can be to slip into negativity after a conflict erupts. Always think before you speak. Remember, it’s a conversation, not a trial. If you keep the language positive, whoever you speak to will likely mirror what you’re doing.
Even the needs of the business can be expressed in positive terms, which will lead to a better tone overall. For example, you can say, “This is affecting the entire business, and we need to address it so we can get everyone focused back on our goals.” When you keep things positive, you can work toward great solutions efficiently and effectively.
5. Aim for SMART solutions:
Your goal is not just to defuse a situation in the near term, but also to come up with a sustainable answer to the problem. That’s where the SMART approach comes in. SMART means this:
- Specific: Be clear about who will do what, when, where and how.
- Measurable: Establish a way to tell that something has been done, achieved, or completed.
- Achievable: The solution should fit the situation and be doable by those involved. Don’t set anyone up to fail.
- Realistic: Check calendars for holidays and vacations; look at previous performance to predict future actions and allow time for glitches and delays.
- Timed: Set reasonable deadlines and target dates and provide necessary tools and support to meet those target
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