How Can I Strengthen Our HR Department and Make a Real Impact in My New Role?

Seeking Suggestions for Enhancing HR Department

I need suggestions and ideas on how to be an effective HR manager, as I have recently joined a new organization. What could I do to make a difference and make the HR department an important one, as it is not very strong here? I want to take initiatives to enhance the HR department's value in the eyes of both employees and the employer. Please suggest ideas.

I have tried to regulate daily attendance, manage leaves, enforce business attire, and I am currently working on revising salaries since it has not been done for a long time. What else could I do? Please provide me with ideas and suggestions.

I would be very thankful.

Regards,
Xunaira

Dear Xunaira,

I appreciate your zeal towards making changes and wanting to learn about HR.

Ideas for Enhancing HR Effectiveness

Here are a few ideas that might require a bit of effort, but once they are implemented, they will bring about positive changes:

• Think about training programs such as team building and leadership for all departments since they bring people from all departments under one roof.

• You could review all standing orders and HR policies and perhaps seek an outsider's perspective on them. Many changes could be implemented if necessary.

• If you want people to take notice of you/HR Dept, you need to make it work, and in any business, the most important word is "money." Ensure to participate in budget and finance meetings and provide your input. Human resources also play a role in budgeting, and you need to take a stand when situations arise.

• Focus on statutory compliance for your company - ensure all acts and laws are being adhered to. Labor laws, in particular, are causing significant challenges for employers today.

There are many more aspects you could consider. However, these are just some ideas that came to mind.

Best of luck!

Regards,
Aditya Joshi

If you want to create a strong HR department, forget all the theories that were taught in your MBA class. Instead, get passionate about people and earn their respect by being genuinely concerned about them. Once you have earned that respect, slowly work on helping them develop their skills and address their professional needs.

You must keep your management in the loop with this approach, or else they may think you are a bad hire. It will take you approximately a year to get things in place. The Government of India has many people-friendly policies that you can perhaps look at. Your job must be to make employees more productive and happy at work. That way, you will be busy creating a strong HR department.

However, please remember that your own salary increments may not be favorable all the time. The management will be immune to what you do if they see that things are going smoothly. Moreover, the company survived without an HR department or you, all the while.

Good luck. If you need any help, let me know, and we can help your company gear up.

Regards,
Saurav Das

[Email Removed For Privacy Reasons]

Corporate Strategic Consultants

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Thank you very much for the ideas; these are very strong ideas to work with. I have started working on developing the SOP of HR because previously there were none to refer to, and I hope that by developing these, I will be able to create an HR manual that will be effective for the future and provide a benchmark for evaluations. Any sample SOPs would be very helpful and welcomed. 

Challenges with Employer Engagement

One problem I am facing is that the employer is not interested in the welfare of the employees. They take the employees for granted, which is diminishing the morale and motivation of the employees. I have tried to convince the employer of how important motivated employees are, but they are not receptive to it. In the meantime, I believe they will see me as a more people-oriented person compared to the last HR person at the company who was always trying to please the employer at the expense of the employees' legal and rightful rights.

I would appreciate any suggestions on how to deal with this issue.

Thank you.

Regards,
Xunaira

Developing SOPs is a very good step. This will reduce a lot of conflicts and confusion. You must have seen people intruding in your domain; SOPs will solve this problem. I am also working in an organization where there's no concept of SOPs. However, I am trying to get some help on that as well.

Secondly, the problem you are facing is really very important for employees and their motivation. If you are not having any employee welfare programs and policies, employees are likely to switch to another company. You see, everywhere they will get the money (pay), but the plus point is the benefits, the welfare programs for the employees.

Suggestions:

For that, you can explain to your management that insurance programs are very important not only for the employees but also for them. If they face any accident or any sickness, they definitely need healthcare. Health insurance is the best and most economic solution for that. Plus, the employees will be more productive and motivated. If the employees are not getting any insurance from the company, they will have more excuses for illness, etc.

You can also give them some examples of other leading organizations that offer more employee welfare programs and policies.

Regards,

Sumaira

HR Assistant