HR Jobs – How Important Are Human Resources Departments To Businesses?

With many companies looking to save money and become more efficient, figures indicate that some firms view HR departments as somewhat less than essential. But should human resources jobs be considered as being so disposable?

Do HR departments justify their worth?

Research from KPMG found that just 17 per cent of businesses consider their HR department to justify its worth to the company. So companies can easily cut back on its human resources staff without seeing any downside, right? Wrong.

In reality, the role of HR is arguably more important than ever. With pay freezes commonplace across many businesses, workplace moral is falling and therefore workers in human resources jobs are needed to ensure that employees remain engaged with their company and duties.

The KPMG findings indicate that the problem lies in the role that HR departments are currently being made to play. The solution is to focus on three key areas: who HR manages, how the department carries out its tasks, and what its role is within the business.

"If HR truly wants to add business value and enhance its reputation, it must push well beyond the basics and shift its focus to understand the most critical roles and levers in an organisation's value chain," the report states.

The changing nature of HR

The changing role that technology plays within HR should also not be underestimated; KPMG's research found that 69 per cent of surveyed companies already provide mobile or web-based HR platforms. This allows the department to produce work more efficiently and creates an alternative communication outlet for staff within the business.

Further to this, Vanessa Robinson, head of HR practice and development at CIPD, noted that professionals in human resources jobs are in a "unique position" to be able to spot the dynamics within a company that could present themselves as either risks or opportunities for achieving sustainable goals.

This reaffirms her believe that people in HR jobs need to show initiative, ask questions and show a ‘business savvy' attitude in order to successfully fulfil their duties.

Ms Robinson concluded: "Although cost management and belt-tightening in the current economic climate are still the primary focus for the majority of organisations, HR needs to look beyond these immediate priorities for opportunities to truly add business value for the long-term."

Exciting challenges

So, rather than this being a time for human resources staff to worry about their employment status, it is actually an exciting period for people in HR jobs, with the prospect of new challenges, responsibilities and experiences on the horizon.

For help with your HR job search, contact C&M Travel Recruitment.