15 Key Roles and Responsibilities of HR Managers

The human resource department connects employers and employees to ensure that both can thrive in the work environment. HR managers are responsible for managing the employee life cycle from hiring to offboarding.

They also need to keep up with legal guidelines while drafting policies for running the company. With advancements in technology, the ever-evolving complex work of HR managers has become more accessible.

However, the Covid-19 pandemic has brought a new set of challenges for them. According to Forbes, about 40% of all the employees globally are working remotely, while 28.2% work a hybrid model as of 2023.

This means companies must manage a hybrid workforce with a new set of policies ensuring employee welfare, security, and development. 

What Does an HR Manager Do? Key Role of HR Managers

A company’s culture is mainly dependent on the way its HR department works. A good human resource manager is likely to work for the well-being of employees while keeping the organization’s goals in mind. So let’s have a look at other HR roles and responsibilities in today’s times. 

List of HR Duties and Responsibilities

Below are some of the significant roles and responsibilities of any HR manager:

• Handling Recruitment and Onboarding
• Tracking Employees’ Leave and Attendance
• Process Salaries and Remuneration
• Defining Workplace Policies
• Organizational Structure and Planning
• 360 Degree Performance Management
• Training and Development
• Creating Engaging Work Culture
• Conflict Resolution
• Rewards and Incentives
• Managing Employee Database
• Managing Employee Relations
• Performing Succession Planning
• Creating Safe Work Environment
• Managing Employee Benefits

• Handling Recruitment and Onboarding

With the growth of remote and hybrid work culture during the pandemic, the location is no longer a barrier. Companies can hire the best talent irrespective of any part of the world, which increases HR manager responsibilities. They need to set new recruitment and hiring strategies based on the changing needs. 

Besides creating job postings and conducting interviews for shortlisted candidates, they need to ensure smooth online or offline onboarding. They are also responsible for conducting background checks before hiring employees, no matter which country they work in. 

HR managers can use an applicant tracking system (ATS) to make hiring tasks easier and more effective. ATS helps filter out suitable candidates based on a job profile. This decreases the task of HR departments, and they do not have to go through thousands of resumes manually. 

Recruitment management software is also available in the market that helps with the entire process, starting from posting a job requirement across various sites and scheduling interviews to preparing offer letters. Even the onboarding tasks like document checklists can be set up with the help of this software.

• Tracking Employees’ Leave and Attendance

Another role of human resource management is to monitor attendance and track leaves of employees. The pandemic has led to many companies modifying their attendance and leave policies.

For example, many switched from fingerprint biometrics to other attendance verification methods like facial recognition. 

Whether employees are working from home or the office, HR managers have to decide the best way to manage the clock-in/out time, track overtime, late arrivals, etc. 

Attendance management systems can be easily integrated with finger-based, face recognition-based, or iris-based biometric devices. Its geofencing feature further helps track the attendance of field employees. 

Further, leave, and attendance management software enables employees to request leaves, and managers/ supervisors choose to cancel or approve leaves in a single click. 

• Process Salaries and Remuneration

Efficient and accurate calculation and dispersal of salaries is one of the most important tasks of HR managers. This involves considering the details like attendance, leaves, reimbursements, bonuses, taxes, and more.

To ensure accurate payroll processing, HR managers must be aware of the latest government laws and regulations for efficient payroll management. 

Payroll management software can reduce the complexity of payroll management to a significant extent so that HR managers can focus on employee engagement instead.

The software can be easily integrated with attendance and leave management systems to calculate paydays automatically. The solution adheres to the latest policies related to taxes, among others, to avoid any compliance issues. 

• Defining Workplace Policies

The workplace culture depends on the policies made by HR managers related to rewards and appreciation, working hours, leaves, regulations, pay, and incentives, among others.

Therefore, HR managers must be aware of the latest policies by the government in their location to define the best policies for the modern-day workforce. 

To ensure performance and productivity growth, policies should be examined frequently and updated wherever required. The change in workforce management policies was widely visible during the pandemic as companies worldwide modified the policies that were no longer relevant for remote employees.

The update in workplace policies becomes inevitable again during the transition to the post-pandemic world as the health and welfare of employees take center stage. 

HR managers and the leadership usually use HRIS (Human Resource Information System) to manage a company’s policies. HRIS maintains, manages, and processes employee data, policies, and procedures.

Modern-day HRIS also integrates processes like talent acquisition, recruitment, and so on. Since everything is tracked and recorded in an HRIS, this tool makes it easier to make decisions regarding policy making. 

• Organizational Structure and Planning

HR managers are responsible for building an organizational structure and maintaining its integrity. They develop strategies and models to meet the organizational goals related to each department.

Even after implementation, they take employee feedback to understand the success of different organizational strategies and how those can be improved. It is the responsibility of HR managers to ensure their plans are successful in the new environment.

The organization chart software lets HR managers create large and complex organization charts easily. The software provides flexibility and customization options, making it easier to plan the structure accordingly. You can also replicate the organizational structure for different branches of a company. 

• 360 Degree Performance Management

For higher employee engagement, HR managers conduct performance appraisals at regular intervals. Employees get 360-degree feedback on what they are doing and what is expected of them. Direct reports and peer performance reviews help identify strengths, latent skills, and issues with each employee. 

While 360-degree feedback is similar to traditional performance management and evaluates an employee’s performance based on their strengths and weaknesses, it is more effective. Feedback is given by multiple sources based on the employee’s actions and not just by their direct manager.

The assessment can be done by subordinates, peers, HRs, clients, suppliers, etc. The benefit is that it eliminates any bias, and employees are held accountable on every front. 

• Training and Development

HR duties for employee development involve initiatives like professional development programs, on-the-job training, webinars, etc. Training and development contributes to the healthy functioning of teams and the career advancement of employees. Such initiatives are critical for keeping your employees engaged in their roles. 

Popular LMS software solutions help create, assign, track, and manage training courses for employees from start to end. The software is quite helpful for the HR department to standardize and enhance the employee training experience. 

• Creating Engaging Work Culture

HR managers spend a significant amount of time creating an engaging work culture. They share the company values and vision with new joiners at the time of onboarding. Also, different activities have to be conducted to help employees feel valued and connect with organizational goals. 

Team building and recognition programs can keep employees in high spirits. The environment should be such that employees can freely express their opinions.

Now that employees are returning to work after the long stretch of remote work, they are likely to feel social anxiety. Hence, the responsibility of HR managers increases. 

Good HR software can assist you in all the initiatives to enhance employee engagement. The software helps in organizing and conducting different employee engagement activities, both for in-office and remote teams. 

• Conflict Resolution

It is one of the obvious roles of human resource management. Conflicts can arise between employees and management or among the employees due to the difference in opinion. An HR manager is expected to resolve such conflicts without biases. They can also take stringent actions if required.

HR software enables employees to raise issues online. It gives them a direct way to report their issues anonymously. HR case management software also enables HR managers to track the status of any ongoing conflict and suggest the best resolution. 

• Rewards and Incentives

HR responsibilities and duties in a company often include creating the best strategies to reward the performing employees and encourage them to achieve their best.

It can be simple words of appreciation, freebies, or monetary benefits like a bonus. An encouraging rewards program boosts the company’s reputation and helps in attracting new talent as well. 

Employee productivity tracking software plays a vital role in determining the performance of any employee in terms of work hours and deliverables. The software helps analyze how productive an employee is during working hours.

HRMS software further helps HR managers create an incentive program to reward high-performing employees based on pre-set metrics. 

• Managing Employee Database

HR professionals are responsible for storing employee records, including their personal data, salary data, medical claims, and so on. The employee-related data helps during rewards & incentives, skill gap identification, IT returns filing, etc.

Employee database management software enables companies to store, manage, and track all employee-related data digitally. In addition, it provides a variety of employee personnel fields such as name, age, designation, salary, length of service, and more so that HR professionals can refer to them whenever necessary. 

However, HR professionals should ensure that the software vendor takes adequate security precautions. The vendor should enable role-based access, and every change must be authorized. Terminated employees must be immediately restricted from the system. 

The software can have timeout features, where employees are asked to make frequent password changes. Keeping software up to date is necessary for firewalls and security patches to be effective. So, educating employees on phishing attacks, the importance of security protocols, and the like is essential.

• Managing Employee Relations

The role of the human resource manager is to maintain a positive relationship between employees and the leadership. They work with the employer to determine ways to ensure fairness and growth in the workplace.

HR professionals also take adequate measures to ensure employee satisfaction in terms of compensation, benefits, flexible work hours, etc. These perks help in creating a relationship of trust and understanding between the organization and employees. 

• Performing Succession Planning

HR managers play an important role in succession planning. They help business heads make the right decision in choosing a person for any role. Whenever there is a change in leadership due to retirement, sudden chronic sickness, immediate quitting, and the like, workers trained according to the development programs planned by HR fill in those roles. 

Technologies like HR management software enable managers to review employee performance and readiness accurately. This can be done in various ways based on scorecards, comparative ratings, and talent matrices. 

• Creating Safe Work Environment

HR managers ensure that every employee is safe at work with the help of risk management, training and guidelines for potential emergency scenarios.

It is their responsibility to see that no employee gets harassed, discriminated against, exploited, or intimidated in any form. All employees, supervisors, and managers should feel free to report any such incidents to HR. 

HR managers often adopt HR case management software to ensure that every incident or complaint is addressed and confidentially resolved relatively and transparently.

HR case management software tracks and manages employee interactions, gives help desk/self-service options to employees and simplifies operations related to any grievances, investigations, and more.

Related Categories: Payroll Management Software | Attendance Management Software | Leave Management Software

• Managing Employee Benefits

HR managers have to roll out mandatory and voluntary company benefits to deserving employees. While some are made necessary bylaws, others are decided by the company as an additional incentive to increase employee satisfaction.

These can include paid time off, gym reimbursements, health insurance, and so on. HR managers must have a clear understanding of all the benefit programs and their applicability. 

Benefits administration software helps HR managers efficiently manage employee benefits, such as health insurance, 401(k) retirement plans, and paid time off. The software can be easily integrated with HR & payroll to calculate net salary after considering the benefits.

The Importance of HR Roles in Organizations

Let’s be honest! We cannot state the importance of HR in an organization. Human resources are significant players in the success and growth of any business. There are multiple responsibilities involved in HR manager job descriptions. They are responsible for managing the organization’s most valuable asset – employees. They are involved in recruiting and hiring top talent, conducting performance evaluations, implementing training and development programs, and ensuring compliance with labor laws and regulations. 

HR professionals also take care of employee relations and resolve conflicts to promote a harmonious work environment. They are responsible for maintaining employee records, managing payroll, benefits administration, and ensuring legal compliance.

Furthermore, HR plays a key role in strategic planning and organizational development. They assist in setting goals and objectives aligned with the company’s vision and values. Below are some of the duties of HR manager: 

 HR managers in an organization perform: 

• Recruitment and Talent Acquisition
• Employee Relations and Conflict Resolution 
• Training and Development 
• Compensation and Benefits Administration 
• HR Policy and Compliance Management 
• Workplace Health and Safety Compliance
• Employee Engagement and Satisfaction 
• Succession Planning and Talent Management 
• Strategic HR Planning and Organizational Development 

Overall, the effective implementation of HR roles is crucial for attracting, developing, and retaining talented employees while cultivating a positive work environment that supports the organization’s goals. 

Key Takeaways

As we about to conclude the topic, here are some key takeaways to look at: 

• HR managers play a vital role in connecting employers and employees for mutual success. 
• HR managers are responsible for a wide range of tasks, from recruitment and onboarding to managing employee benefits. 
• HR software, like applicant tracking systems and payroll management software, can streamline HR tasks and improve efficiency. 
• HR managers are crucial in creating an engaging work culture, resolving conflicts, and promoting employee development. 
• They play a key role in succession planning, ensuring that the right people are ready to fill leadership roles. 
• HR managers prioritize the safety and well-being of employees, ensuring a safe work environment and addressing harassment and discrimination. 
• They manage employee benefits programs and use benefits administration software to streamline processes. 

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