Curious About HR Roles? Understanding the Difference Between HR and Corporate HR

Hi,

I was concerned to know what the role of a Corporate HR is. Can anyone brief me on the difference in the roles of an HR and Corporate HR?

Deepali

Hi Deepti,

The difference between HR and Corporate HR can be defined as follows:
HR may operate at the plant level or may be restricted/responsible for a particular location only.
Corporate HR refers to the individual working at the corporate level and handling centralized HR activities.
For example, if a company, let's say "A," has offices at 5 locations in India with the head office located in Mumbai, the HR professionals working at the head office are typically responsible for core HR activities such as Manpower Planning, Policy Implementation, etc. These policies are applicable across all locations. On the other hand, HR professionals at specific locations are responsible for implementing these policies at the plant level where they are stationed and handle the day-to-day HR activities.

I hope this clarifies the distinction between HR and Corporate HR for you.

Regards,
Shreeram

Hi Deepali,

The difference between HR lies in the level of functioning. While HR is business/plant specific, functioning at the circle level, Corporate HR works at the headquarters level. They are involved in policy making, manpower planning, budgeting, approvals, etc., based on the requirements of the circle office HR.

Through Circle HR, you gain exposure to implementing policies, execution, and employee relation management, whereas Corporate HR would help you learn more about designing policies, interacting with different circles, understanding trends, and ensuring the overall welfare of the organization.

Poornima

Hi Deepali,

There are no specific qualifications to be a part of Corporate HR. Experience and a high level of result orientation would win you the position.

Poornima

Hi Poornima,

Thanks for the information. I would like to know what is the minimum number of years of experience as a good performer is generally required to be a corporate HR?

Deepali

Hi,

We can divide activities of HR functions at plant level and corporate level. At plant level, the skill set of an HR person should be different from the corporate level. At the corporate level, mainly coordination work and policy framing may be the focus, with recruitment also playing a role. However, at the plant level, the focus shifts to implementing policy, managing various employee situations, dealing with government authorities, labor and administrative laws, and coordinating training and development activities.

Anuj

Hi Sisodia,

How can we differentiate between an HR and corporate HR in an IT company where we don't have a plant or labor?

Deepali

[color=darkblue]Deepali, the difference between Corporate HR and HR (Unit HR or Location HR or Zonal HR or Regional HR) arises when there is more than one office for one particular company…when one company is spread over multiple locations.

Corporate HR is more into Strategies, Policies, Procedures and they take decisions, which are in the interest of people at large and affecting everyone in the organization. They are involved in aligning HR with Business and more towards overall Organization Development.

HR (Unit HR or Location HR or Zonal HR or Regional HR), other than Corporate HR are more towards implementation of those policies, and maintain HR activities at unit Level. Corporate HR is more towards "Human Resources Development" and Other HR is more towards "Human Resources Management".

Another difference is Corporate HR is at Macro Level and other HR is at Micro Level. I hope I have clarified your doubt. This difference in itself, also suggests skill sets and competencies required for both.

If you, still have any doubts we can discuss offline and you can mail me at [Login to view]

Regards

Sanjeev Sharma

Hi Sanjeev,

Are you saying corporate HR functions are HRD functions and HR functions are HRM functions? Is it true? Then I would say that HRD is a sub-system of HRM, and both corporate and HR functions are part of HRM.

Thanks,
ANUJ

Hi, Sanjeev,

Are you saying corporate HR functions are HRD functions and HR functions are HRM functions? Is it true? Then I would say that HRD is a sub-system of HRM, and corporate and HR both are HRM functions.

Anuj,

Human Resources Management and Human Resources Development are two different things, and one is not a subset of another. HRD is done at the macro level, while HRM involves most of the routine work, such as following processes and procedures. As the term "CORPORATE HR" suggests, it implies that the company has more than one branch or office, and one of these branches or offices is a corporate office, hence the term Corporate HR.

If a company has 25 offices in India, one of those offices will be the corporate office. There will be a Locational HR Manager in each of the 25 locations. There might be a Zonal or Regional HR Manager taking care of 5-7 such locational offices. Corporate HR will be responsible for all 25 locations, whereas Regional HR will handle his region, and Locational HR will manage his location.

Corporate HR will not be involved in the day-to-day "Human Resource Management" details. They will make decisions affecting all employees across all locations, ensure uniformity in processes and procedures, work towards aligning HR with the business, and oversee overall organizational development.

I hope this clears your doubts.

Regards,

Sanjeev Sharma

Dear Deepali,

Corporate HR mainly involves framing policies under one roof, and the HR personnel employed at various locations execute these tasks. In short, Corporate HR is like the pizza base, and HR is akin to the mayonnaise applied within that framework.

Dear Member,

Most of the responses to the questions are definitely to the point. The HR function is typically confined to one location, where HR policy implementation impacts the plant level and any sub-branches it may have.

Corporate HR: It's relevant to the MNC culture and operational implementation effects on the business to the boundaries of their extent. It affects the entire pipeline of business reach.

Regards,
Yandamuri

Hi,

I have a very good experience in production and also coordinating in HR & administering activities. Now, I would like to shift my career completely to HR (I have acquired an MBA in HR). Please give suggestions on this. Is it the right decision?

Regards,
Kumar

Hi Deepali,

Corporate HR plays a significant role in planning, monitoring, coordinating, controlling, implementing, and ensuring the proper execution of all its tasks and roles at the plant level through its HR Department. The HR department works solely at the plant level and is responsible for that particular plant or location. The role of Corporate HR is universal throughout the entire organization.

The HR Department at the plant level acts as the eyes and hands for Corporate HR, serving as the crucial link that enables Corporate HR to feel the pulse of every part of the organization.

Bibhutosh

Hey, I would like to know what's the importance of Corporate HR to the manufacturing unit of a company in particular?

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In a manufacturing company, Corporate HR plays a crucial role in ensuring the smooth functioning of operations. The Corporate HR department is responsible for various functions such as recruitment, training, performance management, and employee relations.

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Having an effective Corporate HR team in place can help in maintaining a skilled workforce, ensuring compliance with labor laws and regulations, fostering a positive work culture, and promoting employee engagement. By aligning HR strategies with the goals of the manufacturing unit, Corporate HR can contribute significantly to the overall success and productivity of the company.

Also, I am a little confused as to who does the manpower planning - is it corporate HR or unit HR. A unit HR can better forecast the need for manpower... that's what I think. Can you guys please clear this doubt?

Thanks
Regards
NK