Throughout modern business history, the human resources (HR) function has taken many forms and roles within organizations. In the earliest stages, HR was developed to support factories with the basic tasks like hiring, firing, and promoting safety protocols as new regulations became prominent. As time went on and unions were introduced, HR’s role became very paperwork and productivity focused. As technology improved, HR was tapped to help organizations source the best talent, implement competitive benefits and compensation, and help manage the increasing policies pertaining to workforce rights. Many business leaders, especially those who employed lots of people, understood that HR was required in some fashion, but was it really that important?
During my career as an HR professional, the perception and value of our expertise has not always felt very strong; until 2020 arrived. The COVID-19 pandemic tested the world as individuals and businesses like we would have never imagined. As we started to climb through the years 2021 and 2022, we felt a major shift in our workforce. Employee’s priorities changed; no longer was it acceptable to merely tolerate toxic work environments, low wages, outdated benefits and policies, or dead-end jobs. People wanted to experience more from the place where they spent almost 50% or more of their waking hours every week. This is what would become the era of the Employee Experience (EX). Can you guess who is equipped with the knowledge and expertise to help businesses navigate the unsettled waters of the workforce?
I think the term “human resources” can be interchanged with “human or people experts”. As some of the most empathetic members of an organization, HR professionals are prepared to lead the way and help find the balance between a successful business and a satisfied workforce. The reports are true, happy employees will in turn create happy customers. If that isn’t an excellent recipe for a bottom line, then I'm not sure what is. HR professionals don’t take the job for the fame or the glory, in fact, historically there is hardly any of that in our field. We do, however, take on the job because we want to help people. We understand this recipe and want to promote success for both business leaders and employees. After all, we are all human.
If you employ people, and you want to see your business thrive and achieve its goals, I would urge you to lean into your HR resources. Whether that be your current HR staff, starting a new department, or consulting with a third party like Mountain HR Consulting, we have the expertise to support you. Partner with your people team and see for yourself the importance and value add of human resources for your organization.
Sophie Joern founded Mountain HR Consulting after spending most of her professional career in the HR field. She brings a modern approach to her workforce strategies and is passionate about elevating the employee experience to help businesses achieve their goals. Visit Mountain HR Consulting and book a free consultation if you are interesting in hearing more about our service options!
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