Functions of HRM

Globalization, the process of integrating a business's operations and strategies across a wide array of cultures, products and ideas, is having an impact on the role of human resource managers. Once concerned with the impact of local issues on employees, human resources must now consider the effects of workforce diversity, legal restrictions and the interdependence between training and professional development on the organization. As such, the five main functions of global human resource management are vital concepts to the strategic operation of a business.

Recruitment

Attracting, hiring and retaining a skilled workforce is perhaps the most basic of the human resources functions. There are several elements to this task including developing a job description, interviewing candidates, making offers and negotiating salaries and benefits. Companies that recognize the value of their people place a significant amount of stock in the recruitment function of HR. There is good reason for this -- having a solid team of employees can raise the company's profile, help it to achieve profitability and keep it running effectively and efficiently.

Training

Even when an organization hires skilled employees, there is normally some level of on-the-job training that the human resources department is responsible for providing. This is because every organization performs tasks in a slightly different way. One company might use computer software differently from another, or it may have a different timekeeping method. Whatever the specific processes of the organization, human resources has a main function in providing this training to the staff. The training function is amplified when the organization is running global operations in a number of different locations. Having streamlined processes across those locations makes communication and the sharing of resources a much more manageable task.

Professional Development

Closely related to training is HR's function in professional development. But whereas training needs are centered around the organization's processes and procedures, professional development is about providing employees with opportunities for growth and education on an individual basis. Many human resource departments offer professional development opportunities to their employees by sponsoring them to visit conferences, external skills training days or trade shows. The result is a win-win: it helps the employee feel like she is a vital and cared-for part of the team and the organization benefits from the employee's added skill set and motivation.

Benefits and Compensation

While the management of benefits and compensation is a given for human resources, the globalization of companies in the twenty-first century has meant that HR must now adapt to new ways of providing benefits to an organization's employees. Non-traditional benefits such as flexible working hours, paternity leave, extended vacation time and telecommuting are ways to motivate existing employees and to attract and retain new skilled employees. Balancing compensation and benefits for the organization's workforce is an important HR function because it requires a sensitivity to the wants and needs of a diverse group of people.

Ensuring Legal Compliance

The final function of human resource management is perhaps the least glamorous but arguably of utmost importance. Ensuring legal compliance with labor and tax law is a vital part of ensuring the organization's continued existence. The federal government as well as the state and local government where the business operates impose mandates on companies regarding the working hours of employees, tax allowances, required break times and working hours, minimum wage amounts and policies on discrimination. Being aware of these laws and policies and working to keep the organization completely legal at all times is an essential role of human resources.