It is quite complicated to describe the real functions of an HR manager today, given the development and transformation that Human Resources departments have undergone in recent decades.
In a relatively short time, these professionals have gone from basically dealing with recruiting personnel and handling employee bureaucracy to managing people, talent, and well-being in the broad sense of these words. Between one point and the other, an HR manager must take care of a wide range of tasks and responsibilities, and that is good news for employees whose companies are really involved in these aspects.
From this point of view, the Human Resources department’s work is quite complex today. It involves managing all those processes that do not have to do directly with the product the company makes or the service it offers to external customers but with the functions, tasks, and objectives related exclusively to the people in charge of that product or that service.
We are referring to internal customers, commonly known as employees. This is probably why we speak of human resources rather than economic, material, or technical ones. However, the traditional name of the department is an understatement, given its current functions.
The most important tasks performed by an HR manager
1. Fostering well-being in the company
Among other things, the job of an HR manager must include leadership over the corporate strategy aimed at fostering employee well-being. This objective can be achieved directly through deliberately targeted actions such as, for example, a comprehensive mental well-being solution like the one offered by ifeel to its employees. It must also be done indirectly by ensuring that well-being protection is transversally present in all processes and decisions.
2. Obtain, sort, and apply information
People generate a lot of information in our role as employees. In large companies, this information about the work being done and the characteristics of the people in charge multiplies exponentially. To prevent it from becoming unmanageable, or it cannot be used to make concrete decisions about motivation, commitment, or team cohesion, the HR manager must have the right tools to manage it.
3. Manage bureaucratic aspects of the workforce
Usually, no HR manager can get rid of the traditional, less poetic, and more administrative aspects of the job related to the management of recruitment processes, payroll, vacations, medical leaves, or other types of issues essential for the proper functioning of the team.
4. Talent attraction, development, and retention
Along with enhancing employees’ psychological well-being, working to ensure that talent flourishes within the company are one of the most important functions of an HR manager. Of course, it is not a function exclusive to this figure, but, once again, it is shared with any team manager. However, the HR department can lead, encourage and inspire the strategy and even play a leading role in some of its phases, for example, in everything related to personnel selection and the orderly and motivating development of a professional career within the company.
Challenges faced by HR Managers
In today’s dynamic and complex business environment, human resources professionals face several challenges that demand agile and effective responses for companies to thrive. These include:
| Challenges | Description |
|---|---|
| Digital Transformation | In an increasingly diverse and globalised world, implementing DEIB strategies has become a fundamental aspect of the human resources function. HR managers are crucial in creating an inclusive work environment where all employees feel valued and respected, regardless of their characteristics. |
| Diversity and Inclusion | Digital transformation has revolutionised how companies operate, profoundly impacting the work of HR managers, who now face the challenge of adopting and adapting to new technologies to optimise talent management within the organisation. |
| Change Management | Well-being in the workplace is crucial for achieving employee productivity, engagement, and satisfaction. HR managers play a fundamental role in creating and promoting a work environment that fosters the mental and physical well-being of employees and a healthy work-life balance. |
| Workplace Well-being | In an increasingly diverse and globalised world, implementing DEIB strategies has become a fundamental aspect of the human resources function. HR managers are crucial in creating an inclusive work environment where all employees feel valued and respected, regardless of their characteristics. |
The leading mental well-being solution
At ifeel, we know the importance of having an HR manager committed to the human factor and capable of inspiring the team for companies. We plan to help these profiles generate a work environment, a corporate culture, and care processes that favor sustainable productivity.
Our team of psychologists, experts in well-being in the workplace, has created a mental well-being program for companies that brings truly relevant benefits to the entire team, including those responsible for Human Resources.
Thanks to the integrated corporate well-being service we offer, the HR manager and their team can receive personalised, data-driven advice on improving the psychological well-being of the teams in charge. Try our program now to see how it could help you.
In addition, this program offers all company employees a complete mental health care service that they can use depending on their needs. Employees can access an online therapy service with one of our psychologists, specialised in cases like theirs, or they can interact with one of our professionals to receive emotional support in a more specific circumstance that concerns them.
In our Resources section, you can find different materials, such as Podcasts, HR Guides on various topics (e.g., the employee experience or how to design a good HR strategy), or Interviews with HR managers. In addition, we have a Psychosocial Risk Factors Template, which you can use to comply with the requirements of the Labor Inspection.
We hope you found this post about the functions of an HR manager interesting. If you want more information about our mental well-being solution for companies, you have to request it, and we will contact your team as soon as possible.
