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December 27, 2019

5 Reasons Why You Need an HR Manager

While it is important to have a good relationship with your direct manager, there are times when you might feel comfortable discussing matters with someone in the organization who is trained and experienced in dealing with certain issues. In most cases, you would be looking for the HR manager of your company. There are many areas in which an HR manager can be of benefit to the employees of an organization. By offering a single point of contact for employees, the HR manager can serve as a bridge between the employees and management. Here are 5 fundamental reasons why any organization should appoint a professional HR manager.

Planning new processes

An HR manager possesses a good understanding of the human side of organizational rules and processes. They can tell when a proposed change of rules and processes will affect employees negatively. Thus, they can plan for workarounds so that employee resistance and apprehensions can be overcome before the changes are implemented. The HR manager typically begins by understanding the rationale for the proposed change and the period for which the current systems have been in place. They then find talking points for how employees can be brought on board to adopt the new plans in order to meet their career goals.

Compliance with the law

Human resource matters are closely entwined with the law. There are a host of laws and regulations that the organization needs to comply within areas such as recruiting, interviewing, promotions, punitive actions and employee termination. The situation becomes more complex when organizations operate in multiple territories and jurisdictions. An HR manager is trained in the legal implications of HR actions and can protect the organization from unnecessary lawsuits and claims by employees against it. It can also ensure that the organization meets the employment laws of the state, federal and territory jurisdictions without falling short of any mandatory requirements.

Managing exit interviews

The HR manager is trained in carrying out exit interviews in a professional and unbiased way. Typically, employees are reluctant to disclose their real reasons for leaving an organization because they might not want to risk their chances of returning to their old jobs. Or they might just want to leave everything behind them. In the absence of such explicit views, the HR manager can deduce the problems and challenges that might have caused dissatisfaction with the workplace. They can ensure that the issues are brought to the senior management’s notice and appropriate changes are made to avoid similar instances in the future.

Promoting positive communication

There are several instances in the HR process when effective communication is necessary. Such instances include performance appraisals, disciplinary procedures, grievances and workplace conflict. The direct manager or supervisor of an employee may have a primary responsibility to address such issues but might not be trained in promoting open and productive communication between the affected parties. HR managers are trained in methods of conflict management and dispute resolution. They can ensure that every side of the story is heard and that employees are encouraged to make claims that can be substantiated. In this way, the HR manager sets the tone and standard for acceptable methods of communicating with each other in the organization and promoting better workplace relations.

Eliminating bias in employer-employee relations

Employer-employee relations suffer when bias creeps into them and affects the decisions made by a manager or supervisor. This can result in unfair appraisals and dismissals as well as deep resentment within the workforce. An HR manager can serve as a bridge or moderator between the two parties and raise legitimate questions to ensure that the manager’s decisions are based on objective criteria and performance-related issues rather than personal bias or preferences.

Conclusion

A competent HR manager can be of great benefit to the organization and can help to improve relations between management and employees. It can be an effective conduit for communication between both parties while balancing the interests of both against each other. Employees and the organization can experience tangible improvements in terms of productivity and conflict resolution when they are able to work through an HR manager.