The 10 keys to success in an HR department

Key ideas that favor the good performance of Human Resources departments.

The Human Resources department of an organization is one of the basic aspects that allow the company to function well.

However, there is often an overly simplistic view of the tasks that take place in it, assuming that everything boils down to selecting personnel, training from time to time and taking care of certain administrative tasks related to workers.

Nothing could be further from the truth. Within an HR department there can be (and in fact always are, in the case of medium-sized and large companies) varied and sometimes very complex work processes, given that they have to do with the element that contains the most potential in any organization: people.

With this in mind, you will find throughout this article a series of basic principles to be taken into account by any HR department..

Keys to a successful HR department in a company

These are some of the most important elements for a well-functioning HR department to cover all areas of work in an organization.

1. Putting a lot of emphasis on occupational risk prevention

It's not just a matter of complying with regulations: a place where workers spend a lot of time cannot afford not to take care of their integrity in every possible aspect..

Not to say that if a workspace is perceived as intrinsically threatening because of the conditions in which it is located, little or nothing can be done to compensate for that in terms of satisfaction and willingness to have a team mentality.

2. Do not forget the importance of informal relationships

The informal relationships that people in an organization establish with each other are as important, if not more so, than the formal relationships that remain on paper. are as important or more important than the formal relationships that remain on paper, embodied in the structure of the organization chart.The informal relationships established between people in an organization are as important as, or more important than, the formal relationships on paper, reflected in the structure of the organization chart.

Forgetting this facet of the reality of companies means turning our backs on the dynamics that give rise to the working environment, the emergence of conflicts in the workplace, the flow of information used to work, etc.

Therefore, a good understanding of these relationships helps both to detect opportunities and to detect problems in time, for examplePromotion systems in which the same people are always promoted, ways of working that encourage conflict and the spread of rumors to damage someone, influential people who have a work philosophy that is too intrusive, etc.

3. Do not assume that all incentives must be economic.

It is true that enhancing economic incentives is usually a relatively safe bet, in the sense that it does not normally produce new problems if there are not already problems.

However, it is sometimes an inefficient expenditure, and assuming that by default all incentive systems must be based on this is a missed opportunity to connect with workers or to build community from incentives that can be as from incentives that can be just as, if not more, stimulating than those based on cash. Other options adapted to the values and sources of motivation of the people who make up the organization should also be considered.

4. Go beyond job interviews

Interviews are not the only resources available to Human Resources professionals when carrying out personnel selection processes; fortunately, there are many tools that can be adapted to different needs..

5. Develop good performance evaluation methods

There are no magic recipes: each organization must apply its own ways of evaluating the performance of workers, taking into account their characteristics and objectives in terms of productivity goals. There are, however, a number of criteria and principles, there are a series of criteria and principles that HR professionals can use as a starting point to establish their own formula..

6. Have an efficient database system in place.

It may seem simple, but failures in this aspect mean losing a lot of room for maneuver and agility when it comes to managing information about workers.

7. Having a good job analysis method in place

Job analysis is useful for many things. For example, to know what profile of candidates to look for when issuing job offers and selecting people, to detect ergonomic or workflow failures in a team task chain, or to foresee the possible risks of such tasks.

8. Create goal-oriented training plans

HR departments that really help to meet the needs of an organization and its staff are not content with creating training programs that "sound good": they make sure that these learning and/or training initiatives respond to specific purposes that fit the context in which they work.

In other words, they must be designed with in mind the functions that, upon completion, those who have undergone this preparation process must be able to perform.

9. Knowing how to establish the right communication channels

In many organizations, when containing many people, it is common to make the mistake of assuming that all workers will end up spontaneously learning everything they need to know to do their job well, or to get involved in the activities taking place in the company.

This is a serious mistake that constantly causes problemsInstead of patching things up once misunderstandings have occurred, make sure that a system of constant and fluid communication is already part of the structure of the organization.

10. Do not forget the small details of administrative management

Yes, it is true that part of the tasks that take place in an HR department consist of seemingly simple tasks based on what is commonly known as "paperwork". However, it should not be forgotten that if this area of work is not mastered, everything else is impossible.

For this reason, it is necessary to have professionals prepared to know what to do at all times in this aspect, without leaving room for ambiguity and to trust that everything is fine even if it is by chance.

Do you want to train in Human Resources?

If you are thinking of specializing in the field of Human Resources or in any of its sub-divisions, you will surely be interested in knowing about the Master's Degree in Selection and Talent Management of the University of Malaga (UMA)..

In this program of professionalization and post-university specialization it is possible to learn everything related to the processes of selection, training and creation of organizational development, with the collaboration of managers from many of the main companies with presence in Spain: Leroy Merlin, Meliá Hotels International, Telefónica, Randstad, and more. You will find more information about the Master's program on this page.