Issues in Human Resources
Introduction
Human resources activities are not mere accessories to keep a company going. On the contrary, they play a major role to make companies function well. Moreover, like any other major component, human resources have issues that continue to remain in a daily basis in every institution, organization, or company. This paper will likewise evaluate three of the major issues at human resources.
Body
It was observed that most issues in human resources revolve around staffing or the recruitment, motivation, and rewards for employees (Manley & Forsyth, 1996). Furthermore, other issues in human resources include the development of leaders, and the discrimination within the workplace (University Alliance, 2016).
Inadequate staffing or inefficiency in the recruitment, motivation, and rewarding of employees continue to plague human resources. This issue is among the major problem since an inadequate staffing puts the operations at risk (Price, 2000). In addition to this, it had been noted that inadequate staffing causes excessive pressure in the workplace and may cause the enthusiasm of the employees to decline. This may likewise lead to reduced productivity (White, 2014).
Many had emphasized that it is the task of human resources to attract and recruit new employees. However, in reality, human resources find it more difficult to retain existing employees by providing them the proper motivation and rewards that does not put the company's profitability in jeopardy. Employees keep the company running and growing. They provide the necessary skills and time to make the company productive and competent in the market. It is upon the successful retention of employees that companies grow. It is important that the human resources department is able to provide all three. Additionally, there should always be a record of the combinations of the three to make sure that suitable packages are enjoyed by the employees that are considered as valuable assets (Sheehan, 2013).
Furthermore, in my opinion the human resource department should also provide the employees with something to cling to. This means that the employees should be provided with something, like stellar employment packages, that are not found in other companies. In addition to this, employees should also be treated as valuable assets and not machines, that is, it should be acknowledged that they are important. This strategy also entails that the human resource department should be considerable and sensitive to the needs of their employees, be it in their medical or personal needs. Moreover, the human resources department should be able to do this without compromising the company’s mission and vision.
Development and Learning of Employees
Employees should be well developed and learn continuously to ensure that the workforce is highly efficient and profitable. However, there may be instances when the learning process and development upon recruitment halts. This is problematic since the company had invested on a single employee, and it would be a waste if the investment does not grow into a valuable asset. Although some of the responsibility for the professional development and learning should be shouldered by the employees, it makes sense that the human resources department should share the responsibility for many operations in the company rely on their skills (Sheehan, 2013).
There are many methods by which the human resource department may address this issue and one of them is providing trainings. By doing this, the human resources department could ensure that the workforce is skilled and productive. Additionally, assessment examinations may also be conducted to help the employees assess their skills and likewise develop the necessary skills on their shortcomings. Lastly, the company may also adapt a competency based income scheme wherein the employees may be highly motivated to earn skill sets and make themselves better and more valuable to the company (Sheehan, 2013).
Employees, just like any humans, may develop and learn to become more valuable and productive. If the company allows their employees to stop learning and developing, there is a possibility that the employees will lose their enthusiasm. By providing the employees with room for growth, it is also likely that retention of employees will be high.
Discrimination
It is true that there have been less restrictions on the type of people that may enter a company. This brings in many talents, skills and potential leaders, but it may also bring in issues, especially regarding discrimination within the workplace. Discrimination may arise due to demography, sexual orientation, age, or sex, among many other reasons. It is likewise important for the human resource department to eradicate issues regarding discrimination in the company to ensure that the employees are focused on being productive. Additionally, a working environment that promotes a harmonious relationship within the workforce is also more productive, enthusiast, and leaves room for growth (Sheehan, 2013).
There are already present policies and laws that address discrimination, but the challenge lies in demonstrating that the company is intolerant of any form of discrimination. In addition to this, it should also be made known that even people with higher ranks in the company are not exempted on following such policies (Sheehan, 2013).
Discrimination within a company may put in jeopardy the ability the human resources department to retain employees. If the company fails to provide a workplace free of discrimination, then an employee would probably be unhappy and affect his or her negatively. In addition to this, the company itself should be free of any discrimination on the employees. They must keep in mind that it is the skills and knowledge that get things done, and not any categorization.
Conclusion
The functions of human resources are important in the company. Addressing the issues that continue to persist in this field will likewise ensure that the company will be able to operate at its maximum potential.
References
Manley, F. & Forsyth, S. (1996). Human Resources Issues: A Critical Concern for CEOs. The Educational Record, 77(4). 42.
Price, C. (2000). Issue Update: A National Uprising. The American Journal of Nursing, 100(12). 75-76.
Sheehan, J. (2013). Top 10 Issues For HR Teams & How To Fix Them. Retrieved March 3, 2016, from http://www.hrzone.com/community-voice/blogs/jamessheehan/top-10-issues-for-hr-teams-how-to-fix-them.
White, S. (2014). Inadequate Staffing Levels are Primary Cause of Workplace Stress. CGMA Magazine.
