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Human resources are the ones who hire and recruit employees they are also the ones responsible for advising senior staff on financial, planning and performance

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A human resource is a single person or employee within an organization and part of the overall personnel or workforce of that company.

Learn more about human resources so you can better understand their role in an effective organization.

What Is a Human Resource?

A human resource is one person within a company's overall workforce, with each person lending their skills and talents to the organization to help it succeed. Any person willing to trade their labor, knowledge, or time for compensation in an effort to improve the organization is a human resource. It doesn't matter if they're part-time, full-time, freelance, or contract employees.

Employees must be hired, satisfied, motivated, developed, and retained. A human resources department is the department that manages a company's human resources. Humans need more management than other resources and a different approach, so that's why it's useful to have an entire department devoted to them. Whether it's mediating interpersonal conflicts or setting up a retirement plan, the human resources department is trained to handle it.

Alternate definition: Human resources is the field that deals with managing people, pay, and training.

Alternate name: Human capital

Acronym: HR

How Does Human Resources Work?

The goal of human resources is to use a company's people most effectively. Human resources might deal with issues such as:

These areas each contribute to employee satisfaction and performance. By attending to these different concerns, human resources can ensure a high-functioning and effective workforce, which in turn helps the company reach its goals and objectives more efficiently.

The human resources department also ensures the company is adhering to labor regulations and works to keeps the environment free from harassment and other impediments to a strong workforce.

For example, imagine Chris is a sales rep for a company. Chris is one of the company's human resources: an employee. If Chris has concerns about her employee benefits or questions about an enrollment form, she would contact the Human Resources department for assistance. If Chris and another employee or manager have a conflict, the human resources department can help find a solution. And the department makes sure that Chris and the other members of her team are receiving appropriate training so that they can perform their duties efficiently.

Criticism of Human Resources

Some people take issue with regarding employees as "resources." In their view, to consider workers as human resources commodifies them and reduces them to a figure on a balance sheet, or a means to an end. Instead, they promote renaming "human resources" to better encourage the full development of the human workforce.﻿﻿

Alternatives to Human Resources

Many of the functions of a human resource may in some cases be executed by non-human resources. In other words, robots or computers sometimes replace human employees, especially in hazardous conditions or for repetitive tasks. This is called automation, and it can greatly improve efficiency.

For example, you may often find robots on production lines, such as for cars. Automating certain parts of the production can increase production speed, but humans are still needed for some tasks, especially those that involve critical thinking.﻿﻿

Human resources functions may also be executed by specialized departments or staff. Instead of a general human resources manager, there may be a compensation and benefits manager, a training supervisor, or an employee recruitment specialist. Such specialization allows for greater efficiency and, often, improved profitability.

Key Takeaways

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A human resource is a single person or employee within an organization and part of the overall personnel or workforce of that company. Learn more about human resources so you can better understand their role in an effective organization.

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Human Resources is about recruitment and selection, health, safety and well-being, performance management and remuneration, learning and development, employment relations and policy development.

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Kaitohutohu Pūmanawa Tangata

Alternative titles for this job

Human resources advisers are responsible for staffing in an organisation. Responsibilities include recruitment and selection, health, safety and well-being, performance management and remuneration, learning and development, employment relations and policy development.

Pay

Human resources advisers usually earn

Source: Human Resources Institute of New Zealand, 2017.

Job opportunities

Chances of getting a job as a human resources adviser are average due to increasing job numbers but high competition for positions.

What are the chances of getting a job?

Experience in certain areas boosts your chances

There is strong competition for human resource jobs, especially entry-level jobs. You can increase your chances of getting into an entry-level role by contacting employers directly, having a human resource management qualification and being prepared to take on a basic role in an human resources team and be flexible.

Human resources advisers with experience in internal recruitment, change management, and employment relations are in high demand for permanent and contract positions.

Job opportunities strongest in certain industries

Job opportunities for human resources advisers are best in:

professional services

government organisations

research and science

financial services

telecommunications

fast-moving consumable goods (supermarkets).

Organisations are looking for human resource advisers that can strategically improve engagement and capability and have experience in change management.

Types of employers varied

Human resources advisers may work for:

large organisations

government departments

human resources consultancies.

Self-employed human resources advisers work on contracts for small to medium-sized businesses.

Sources

Careers New Zealand research, March 2017.

Chris, T, chief executive, Human Resources Institution of New Zealand, Careers New Zealand interview, March 2017.

Ministry of Business, Innovation and Employment, '2006-2014 Occupation Data' (prepared for Careers New Zealand), 2015.

(This information is a guide only. Find out more about the sources of our job opportunities information)

Progression and specialisations

Human resources advisers may move into management positions such as human resources manager or training and development manager.

They may also specialise in an area of human resource management such as:

Employee Relations Adviser

Employee relations advisers help management, staff and union members to work co-operatively together, and manage the negotiation of employment agreements, personal grievances or disputes, and other employment issues.

Health and Safety Adviser

Health and safety advisers monitor workplace health and safety hazards, train employees on health and safety procedures, and investigate accidents.

Organisation Development Adviser

Organisation development advisers improve staff capabilities such as leadership, skills and culture.

Recruitment Consultant

Recruitment consultants work with candidates (people looking for work) and clients (employers looking for people to hire) to help match candidates to jobs.

Training and Development Adviser

Training and development advisers identify the learning needs of organisations and plan training based on these.

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Alternative titles for this job Human resources advisers are responsible for staffing in an organisation. Responsibilities include recruitment and selection, health, safety and well-being, performance management and remuneration, learning and development, employment relations and policy development. Human resources advisers usually earn Source: Human Resources Institute of New Zealand, 2017.

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Human Resources is the area within the business which deals with the human interatcation within the business. The Human Resources Function mainly deal face to face with employees in regards to their wellbeing support, pay , health and safety, recruitment, hiring and personal development. It is the function that analyses how to effectively manage people within the business and the work dynamic within the business

https://studiousguy.com/human-resource-management/

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Human Resources Definition - Entrepreneur Small Business Encyclopedia

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The department or support systems responsible for personnel sourcing and hiring, applicant tracking, skills development and tracking, benefits administration and compliance with associated government regulations - Entrepreneur Small Business Encyclopedia