International HR Professionals Day: Celebrate Your HR Teams
“Let me check with HR.” “Talk to HR, they’ll fix it.” “Should I tell HR about the incident?” Every day, someone, somewhere, is relying on their HR Department. From company to company, there may be different or more responsibilities for the HR employees. They may even go by different names like People Operations or Employee Experience team.
Whatever the title, International HR Day on May 20th highlights the many ways HR professionals serve as the backbone of organizations. Quite a few initiatives and workplace functions go through HR, such as wellness programs, employee relations, and legal issues. They play a vital role in any company and HR Professionals Day is the perfect time to celebrate them.
HR stands for Human Resources, and it is fitting for a large portion of what they do. For example, if you have ever been hired or fired, you have definitely met someone in HR. Additionally, they may handle parts of the interview and recruiting processes and cover most of the onboarding process. From introductions to department staff to payroll and taxes, the Human Resources department handles it all. HR handles all reported incident or claims of mistreatment.
Beyond adminitrative duties, the Human Resources department ensures that companies maintain positive workplaces with the proper staff. They find ways to increase employee engagement, handle risk management, and ensure workplace safety is always a priority. Their job is to make sure that any toxicity is weeded out and handled appropriately for all parties involved. To accomplish this, they incorporate conflict resolution tactics and effective communication skills. However, they deal with humans and human emotions, which aren’t always great.
The HR Department May Not Always Be Glamorous
HR Professional Day highlights the employees who handle the happy side and the dreary side of workplace dynamics. Their jobs are stressful and demanding. HR leaders have to deal with people all day, and some of those interactions are not positive. People complaining about workplace treatment, harassment, unfair hiring or firing practices, and missing pay are usually not smiling and cheerful. These tough conversations end up with HR, and some employees are less than thrilled with how they’re handled. This can sometimes isolate HR employees from their coworkers.
Because of their duties to uphold company culture, they may appear to take the company’s side. This sometimes makes employees feel that HR does not have their best interests at heart. According to a BBC interview, “Steve Browne, chief people officer for a Cincinnati, Ohio-based restaurant chain with more than 1,000 staff, sees some HR departments focusing too heavily on legal aspects of the role – in other words, defending the company from getting sued.”
This type of mindset is not wrong, especially since most HR departments are run with a company focus rather than a people focus. This can lead to significant distrust toward the HR department in the workplace. To be clear, not every HR professional you meet will advocate against you. It has just been seen frequently amongst employees with a workplace grievance. There are times when HR may attempt to alleviate the situation, and the “guilty” party gets upset and retaliates. This just worsens the entire situation.
HR Handles Policies, Laws, and Compliance
However, some companies don’t have a dedicated HR team or anyone to handle workplace disputes and complaints. This can easily create a toxic atmosphere and a tense workspace. HR representatives actively make decisions every day that aim to enrich the lives of employees and empower them at work. At the same time, they ensure the company doesn’t succumb to any financial or legal issues.
They monitor that everyone is compliant with laws and company culture. Every state has different labor laws and business acumen that they have to follow. Tulane University Law School states “HR managers have to know what laws shape their workplace. Some of the laws and regulations that HR professionals have to know are:
- Age Discrimination in Employment Act (ADEA)
- Americans with Disabilities Act (ADA)
- Fair Labor Standards Act (FLSA)
- Family and Medical Leave Act (FMLA)
- Occupational Safety and Health Act (OSHA)
- Employee Retirement Income Security Act (ERISA)
- Equal Pay Act (EPA)
Tulane goes into more detail about the variety of laws and regulations that HR professionals need to know. It is in-depth, on top of their other job duties. However, it isn’t just HR’s role to know these laws and regulations, but to make sure those laws are followed by everyone. It is no small feat to be part of human resources. The important work they do is often overlooked or confused with that of another department.
Human Resource Professionals Wear Many Hats
Some Human Resource associates handle training, onboarding, and payroll. While others juggle a daunting number of tasks for the entire company. I have worked jobs where HR handled onboarding, including providing key resources, explaining benefits, and conveying rules and company culture. On the other hand, I’ve worked jobs where HR did all of that and way more. They managed training, organized company events, held one-on-one meetings with staff, and were involved in every department. In fact, they were deeply involved with all facets of the workplace, from conflict management to career growth. Ultimately, Human Resource teams play a pivotal role in any company and do incredible work to keep the company afloat.
Course Careers dives into the lengthy list of responsibilities HR professionals face day to day and from company to company. Specifically, they state that “HR sits at the intersection of business strategy, legal compliance, and daily employee experience. The HR department works with everyone from executives setting compensation budgets to individual employees navigating workplace issues.” They take on quite a bit and keep most companies afloat.
Legal issues and understaffing are two huge concerns for a company. They may not be part of the finances, but they do directly affect a company’s finances. Like I’ve stated before, some HR employees also oversee a company’s finances. They have to ensure payments go where they’re needed and funds are accounted for properly. With all these duties it makes sense that HR Professionals need to constantly stay sharp and continuously develop their skills. International HR Day is a perfect time to evaluate what your HR team needs.
SHRM Annual Conference & Expo
SHRM stands for the Society for Human Resource Management and is the largest human resource professional association. More specifically, the purpose of this organization is to advance HR teams with best practices and skill development. Also, it aims to provide HR professionals with cutting-edge tools, exclusive networking opportunities, and insight into the newest trends. As a result, it arms the backbone of the company with the best tools to properly defend, train, and empower your workplace is crucial. They play an integral role in the company, from a business perspective and an employee perspective.
The SHRM Annual Conference & Expo is a powerhouse event that puts HR professionals front and center. Through this event, it provides them with everything needed to succeed and stay current in today’s workplace. The Leaders Institute has attended SHRM for the past few years and can say firsthand that it is an incredible experience for all industry professionals. Furthermore, SHRM boasts sessions that will support HR professionals’ daily tasks, engaging them in top-tier programming with a tailored learning path focused on skill-building and competency-driven HR education.
This is a perfect opportunity for Human Resources professionals to cultivate strong professional relationships with peers. They also have access to an incredible panel of guest speakers, including Oprah Winfrey, Michael Phelps, Kelly Clarkson, Al Roker, and even Joe Biden. They display innovative HR products, services, technologies, and solutions. This special event provides everything HR professionals need to reach their goals and is a great way for them to be prepared for anything thrown their way.
Show Appreciation on International HR Day
Ultimately, HR Professionals Day is not just a day to acknowledge your HR professionals. Of course, it is a day to recognize everything they have to do, all the responsibilities they take on, and the difficult decisions they make every day. However, it is also a time to check on them. Ensure your HR personnel are equipped with the proper tools to get the job done. Also, ensure they are kept up to date with industry trends.
Human Resource professionals are the backbone, and sometimes the shield, for most companies. Use Human Resource Professional Day to make sure your HR team is armed and prepared to take on every challenge. In addition, give them access to resources, such as SHRM, to support their professional development. This will help them gain new skills and find industry-leading solutions. But most importantly, treat it like an HR appreciation day. Make sure your HR department, team, or person understands that you see their value, their tireless days, and their stressful responsibilities. Show that you appreciate them.