The best tools and resources available to modern HR departments.
The landscape of human resources has changed since its inception. Here are the tools to help you adapt.
CEO and Cofounder of LeapGen, Jason Averbrook, told Fast Company, “A lot of organizations are still running HR that same way; focusing on risk, focusing on compliance, focusing on the transactional side of it, but there’s a whole new era, and things like unions and pensions and transparency of the workplace have changed.”
If this is true, what should modern human resource management look like? Best practices in HR now include more technology than ever before. Here are 3 key ways (and some of the best modern tools) to drive human resource management.
Start with Software
One of the best practices in modern HR is to allow technology to help your company meet its goals. Automation can create better processes which can lead HR departments to get more things done more effectively. The best software for any group will depend on the tasks and processes that are taking up the most time and/or which areas HR employees are obviously not being effective in. Whatever the need, there is plenty of software dedicated to human resources.
Apps such as Jobr are an ultra-modern way to help with recruitment, matching potential employees with employers. Indeed has become an affordable way to increase the quality of candidates and help manage applicant tracking. Software also exists to help HR in the areas of employee productivity, benefit and payroll administration, onboarding, and task management. In short: modern human resource practices include modern software. Learning what the tools are and then how to use those tools are the first steps to better management of human resources.
Emphasize Engagement
The complexity and importance of human resource management has grown over the years. It no longer is simply about issuing paychecks and focusing on compliance with workplace laws. Recruitment remains highly important, but so does retaining the best talent. This begins with relationships between companies and their employees. HR is the cornerstone in managing these relationships and fostering trust and loyalty in the workforce to keep recruitment costs down.
Employee engagement can come in many forms. One HR strategy is to use programs such as Motivosity to show employee appreciation for a job well done in the form of small monetary bonuses. Another program called Workstars encourages peer-to-peer recognition to encourage both communication and engagement. Some companies create productivity-boosting office environments by depending on open offices and furniture such as standing desks to increase employee morale and showcase an investment in health and wellness. It all depends on company goals, values, and budget, but no matter what tools you use, building a culture of engagement is one of the most crucial modern human resources practices.
Frequent Feedback
Soliciting feedback is just as important in HR as offering recognition to employees. Most companies are moving away from the annual review as the only time that employees encourage candid feedback. One way to assess how employees are feeling about their company is to check out Glassdoor, an online review site for employees to post anonymous feedback about their workplace. Some companies actively pursue feedback through programs such as CultureIQ, which helps employers create surveys and aggregate the data they collect from their employees. Feedback can even be gathered by applying for a spot on the Best Places to Work, which can help HR departments understand what employees think they are doing right, where they might need to grow or change, and potentially earn community accolades along the way.
An effective HR department must employ modern tools to drive human resource management. When you find out what human resource practices your business could implement to be more successful, there are plenty of tools available to help your business along in its journey.
