July 5th, 2023
7 Key Functions of HR You Learn in College
Human Resources is an important department in companies across the country and much of what you learn in a college HR program is immediately transferrable to entry-level positions in the field. Workforce recruitment, training, and development, and the administration of benefit plans are all components of Human Resources. Consider the 7 functions of HR that you can learn in college:
Talent Acquisition
Talent acquisition is a key component of a successful business and a main function of an HR team. As an HR recruitment professional, you are responsible for connecting with different departments in your organization, assessing their needs, and trying to find job candidates that meet their requirements. An HR program teaches you how to properly find, vet, and align employees to positions in your company. You learn how to conduct interviews and how to ask the right questions of recruits and the department heads who are looking to hire.
Workforce Development
Another key function of HR is talent development. It starts with orientation but goes on to training programs, workshops, and continuing education. And employee evaluations help determine successes and gaps in that development. They also ensure that employees are given the tools they need to grow and rise within an organization.
Employee Retention
Acquiring new personnel is only part of workforce development. Nearly half of HR professionals cite retention as their top workforce challenge. An HR program will emphasize the importance of employee engagement, incentives, and promotion tacks to ensure workers are motivated and satisfied. Having a comprehensive plan for employee retention gives current star performers an incentive to stay and can also serve as a recruiting tool, as potential candidates will get insight into the care the company has for its employees.
Compensation and Benefits
The compensation and benefits division of Human Resources matches position against salary and benefits to ensure other employees get what they deserve out of the company. You learn how organizations develop and implement employee benefits programs which include wellness programs, retirement plans, insurance policies, and incentive pay.
Workplace Ethics
An HR program should also teach business ethics and their relevance to any organization. Ethical thinking around company values, behaviors, and decision-making sends a message about your organization and everyone who works there. Implementing a strong code of ethics for employees to follow can help improve employee performance, reduce the risk of conflict among coworkers, improve productivity, and help grow the bottom line.
HR Data Analysis
Data analytics within the HR space give you key information regarding employment trends. The most common data used in the HR space is people analytics, which takes data from candidates, to recorded employee issues, to see their impact on the goals of the company. This data can be leveraged to justify hiring decisions, identify top performing applicants, assess risk of turnover, and allocation of resources to different teams.
HR Optimization
Technology is a pivotal part of operations in most HR departments to best optimize workload. Advancements like people analysis and performance management tools make it easier for HR representatives to source the best talent, track performance metrics, and develop improvement plans for the business.
Are you interested in a career where you can bring the best out of your coworkers and have a direct impact on business success? The Human Resource Management Degree Program at Limestone University can help you develop the skills you need to find entry-level work for an HR career. needed to be successful in these positions. Request info now to learn more.
Bachelor of Science (B.S.)
In the Bachelor of Science in Human Resource Management program, students learn to manage the development of employees in organizations and to provide related services to individuals and groups. Students study personnel and organizational policy, human resource dynamics and flows, labor relations, gender roles, civil rights, and human resources laws and regulations.
