HR Has Growing Pains Too

Evan Rodd, PayScale

I recently made a life decision that is both scary, and
exciting: I have taken the plunge and re-entered academia after some time away.
When I was younger, I was on track to earn a degree, but my focus was fuzzy and
I felt uncertain of the path I wanted to take. Had I stuck to my school guns, I
would have probably pursued a BA in music, or an arts-based field. I don’t mean
to bemoan these career paths, but given my current interests and ambitions, I’m
glad I made the decision to wait to go to school.

I was in a period of transitions—as I began to explore
various career options, I was fortunate to have the guidance of many different
mentors. Through their advice and past experiences I
have found the necessary skills to help shape a career path that feels right.
How lucky I was to have such positive influence during my personal evolution. Honoring
our individual paths gives us the ability and knowledge to work better
cooperatively. One person simply cannot have all the answers, and we must recognize
our individual strengths and weakness in order to achieve collective success.

I wonder where I would be now if I hadn’t been surrounded by
so much encouraging guidance? What if my mentors had shamed me for straying
from the path chosen by many? What if that advice and encouragement had never
existed? Would I be the person I am today? Would I be on the same path towards
career enrichment? Transition is scary, because the end result isn’t
instantaneous. It takes times to reach our goals, and sometimes the journey
from point A to point B isn’t as cut and dry as we are lead to believe.

Learn More About Our Compensation Software

GET A DEMO

 

What’s This Have to do With Human Resources?

Despite the many valuable functions of HR, it still receives
quite a bit of criticism in the business world. It has been labeled
inefficient, bureaucratic, and even unnecessary. Some say that HR doesn’t
contribute to success, or add value to an organization. Why is this?

HR and the surrounding profession is, much like myself, in a
period of transition. HR managers have realized that responsibility of talent
management and employment needs to be a collective effort, involving managers
as well. HR is there to help, and provide tools, but it can’t do all the work
alone. In an age where the pace of rapidly changing technology greatly influences
the pace of business, who is to say HR doesn’t experience the need for growth
as well?

Many companies are working to bring their HR departments
into the 21^st century by implementing new technology and systems
that streamline the HR process, offering better talent management and data.
Designing a compensation structure takes time, and while advancements in
technology have made this easier, but this type of development cannot happen
overnight.

Successful companies have also seen HR and management
working side by side more than ever, sharing common goals and allowing
management to focus on developing company culture while creating more open door
policies across all departments. It is naive to think that all areas of a
company will develop at the same pace, especially when implementing new systems
and procedures. This may very well be the year we see greater advancements in
HR technology than ever before. As wages increase across various industries,
the methods used to retain and develop talent will improve as well. As duties
are re-examined and re-distributed, there can be more room for creative
strategy and problem solving. This is a very exciting time, indeed.

Time will tell what the future holds for the progress of HR,
so make sure to arm yourself with a wide variety of knowledge, data, and tools.
Encourage development and collaboration, and success will surely come quickly.
Maintain a positive outlook, and listen to the advice of others when necessary.
This will not only contribute to your own achievements, but the future success
of your company.