I posted this query on LinkedIn Answers. Here are the answers I got.
In twenty-five words or less, what is the mission of HR, either in your company or in general? Why is it so hard for us to pin down? What is HR called on to do UNIQUELY to help the company thrive? Want to take a stab at wordsmithing it? Thanks!
Liz Ryan
Don Nwose
Pharmaceutical Physician
HR's mission is/or should be to make your current job and company, the best that you have ever had and prepare you for the next best job.
Messages from Don Nwose
Chris Hall
Technologist
Where I work HR seem to be actively doing as little as possible. So much of what they previously did has now been switched over to self 'self service' type systems. Unfortunately it places the onus on everyone else to operate in areas where we don't know the process or legal side of things.
Eric Di Benedetto
Professional angel investor in software start-ups
Build a talent supply chain
Messages from Eric Di Benedetto
Henk-Jan Wesselink
HR Manager Central & Eastern Europe
Liz, very good question. Normally I say (just as generic): helping the business be more successful. But that is not unique. The particularity of HR is that is the only funtion fully dedicated to the company's most valuable resource: employees (duh). (ok, ok, except when you're e.g. in the steel industry). An picture that comes to mind is: "HR = parents of the company". It's a bit lame and needs a lot of work, but look at it: 1. create life (find and attract the right people) 2. nurturing it (training and development) 3. being the judge / setting the rules / disciplining and praising where needed (that is obvious) 4. letting go 5. supply housing, shelter, being in charge of the house etc... Ok, anyone who can make this a bit smoother and crispier? best regards, Henk-Jan Wesselink
Benjamin Teh
Recruitment Manager - ASEAN/ANZ
one word - "retention"
Harish Nair
Founder & Principal Consultant, Ragnar & Rearden [Consultants in Executive Search]
I believe the primary mission of HR is create and sustain an environment that allows individuals and teams to bring their highest talents and skills to their respective jobs. HR has to get the buy in and time and attention from the top management in creating policies, processess and systems which can create an open, non-intimidating and talent rewarding environment. HR then has to implement the same diligently. This will lead to an enviornment which constantly challenges embedded beliefs about the business and its customers, leading to break-thru performance for the company as a whole. HR needs to then sustain and rejuvenate this environment continuously.
Mohammad Usaid Abbasi
Assistant Engineer - ASIC Design @ Virage Logic Corporation (usaidabbasi@hotmail.com www.agloco.com/r/BBFG4464)
Continuously monitors employees brain, give feedback to managers for making work-experience pleasant, suggest new activities to increase the bonding and understanding between various groups and within the groups, clarify the queries regarding employee benefits, give the new-joinees an overview of the work-environment and ethics, do every effort to retain the employees, make appraisal program a transparent one and above all make the employee feel that he/she is at the right place and is very valuable for the company……
James Amoroso
Food Industry Expert with 25 Years' Experience in Company & Industry Analysis and Consumer Sales & Marketing
Identify the needs of the organisation. Define and implement the appropriate organisational structures and culture. Recruit, retain and develop talent that is compatible with those needs, structures and culture. (Mission statements are easy... It's the execution that the tough bit!) Hope that helps.
William Uranga
Senior Director of Staffing
Finding, equipping, and motivating the right people for the right roles at the right time in the organization
Kirti Seth
Chief Operating Officer at Evolv Management Services
For the employee - to create an organisation where they want to be; for the organisation - create an employee pool that has what it takes.
Lakshman Pillai
Chairman, CEO and Chief Architect of Lpcube - a Knowledge Management Company
Best Answers in: Organizational Development (1)... see more, Enterprise Software (1) see less
Find right talent and help them grow while "collectively" developing the business
Chris Aiken
President, Business Development; VP, Project Development for SimpleMosaics.com
HR's job is to find the right talent, help equip that talent to suceed, and to retain that talent. The company's CYA Division.
Sanjeev Gadre
Vice President - Marketing, Subex Azure Ltd.
Best Answers in: Personnel Policies (1)... see more, Telecommunications (1) see less
To recognize that people spend more than 50% of their waking time operating in the "organization environment" and therefore strive to make this time fruitful and enriching both at a professional and personal level.
Damon Billian
Marketing Manager, Community Development
The real answer, at least outside of finding talent, is to protect the company.
Messages from Damon Billian
Asokan KB
Human Resources Generalist
Hi Liz, Good question! The prime objective of the HR is to maximize the return on investment from the organization's human capital and to improve the productive contribution of individuals while simultaneously attempting to attain other societal and individual employee objectives. Ensure priority to initiatives and policies that will enhance the motivation and morale of employees and the cultural sanctity of workplace. This is fundamental to enhance collective effectiveness. While "We fuel the company's growth." is also a good mission statement for HR...I would suggest HR can create any suitable mission statement by keeping the above objectives in mind. After all, the statement should be in good English...with cream. Best regards, Asokan
Matthew Roazen
Chief International Counsel at Alfa Bank
Make sure that when a good employee goes down the elevator tonight, he comes back up the same elevator tomorrow morning.
Tom Bruno-Magdich
Personal and Professional Development Consultant
The mission of HR is to tend to the garden. People turn organisations into living, organic systems. They need regular care and attention to grow.
Jan Witschge
Principal consultant at Logicacmg
Assign (recruit, place, develop, retain, transfer) the right people (talents, knowledge, skills, drive) to the right place (position, role, responsibility, tasks, challenge) at the right time (organisation demand, ambition) to optimally serve the organisation's objectives. All else is derived from that.
Cindy Morton-Ferreira
Owner, Performance Logic
Hi Liz It was interesting reading through the different answers and the views that were expressed. There is a clear difference between Vision and Mission and a mission is a precise description of what an organisation does. I have just come out of doing a strat session with a HR division... and firstly to that HR has become out dated as it is associated in peoples minds as just the place to put a number services... therefore our session led to HR becoming known as Human Capital management - which gives a better understand that the Capital of an organisation is based on their most important assets - the Humans.... We worked on mission and out of that session came a number of key elements: Firstly HC should meet the following services: Have a solid foundation that helps to understand and is responsive to the company's needs and the employee needs. HC is the centre of any organisation and if this department sets it straight- it will filter through to the rest of the company and bring great success. HC should be professional, approachable and provide solutions. Great discussion can lead from this. Thanks Cindy
Martin Focazio
Strategist
The role of HR: Connect people to places they want to be.
Martin Czebotar (1st,last name[at]patmedia.net)
Six Sigma black belt / Quality Manager / Auditor / Polymer Chemist
To assist in training development of employees and keep management from getting sued!
Tina P
Alternative Dispute Resolution Professional
I think Apple's HR motto is just that a motto - it in no way describes the responsibilities of HR. HR is called on to called to do the following uniquely to help the company thrive : 1- serve as gateway to attract, recruit, and retain talent based on the organization's staffing needs 2- ensure that the organize adheres to state and federal workplace regulations 2- protect the company from legal action from external and internal groups (e.g. discrimination claims, ADA claims, OSHA claims) 3- represent the company externally (sometimes with outside counsel) at legal proceedings
Clarification added 13 hours ago:
the list SHOULD read: 1- serve as gateway to attract, recruit, and retain talent based on the organization's staffing needs 2- ensure that the organization adheres to state and federal workplace regulations 3- protect the company from legal action from external and internal groups (e.g. discrimination claims, ADA claims, OSHA claims) 4- represent the company externally (sometimes with outside counsel) at legal proceedings
Karl Laird
Global Learning & Development Specialist
HR provides the leadership that attracts, develops, manages and retains the talent needed to effectively realize a firm's mission and business objectives.
Anand Balaji
Solution Architect at Evolving Systems
To put it very briefly, while the employees are the ones that fuel the company's growth, it is HR's mission to fuel the employee's growth.
Harshwardhan Gupta
Experienced Machine Designer, Writer, Speaker, Mentor
To keep a balance between the employees' greed and the employer's greed! Harshwardhan
Kevin Hill
Corporate Executive/Business Transformation Leader
Service Team for the internal client
Ray Dix
Semi-Retired Former Director
Liz, I think Damon Billian got it right -- recruit and avoid lawsuits. Ray
Jay Hemmady
Technology with a commercial and strategic focus (TopLinked.com)
HR's mission/motto? "We are the people who bring in the people and stand alongside them to make us so successful"
Eileen Bonfiglio
To mitigate risk for the business.
Gemma Toth
Human Resources Professional
HR's mission is to serve as the "bridge of communication" for the organization. It is a bridge between employees and managers, between stakeholders and the company, between lawyers, vendors, insurance carriers, etc. We provide the bridge where the employee enters and exit. If we can make each end of the bridge a positive work and trusting relationship then you create one of the best place to work...a bridge where people don't mind crossing.
eric mixon
product integration & positioning
firstly, and probably more obviously it starts with recruitment, hiring the right people for the right job. then the development of training programs, these can vary from minimal to quite extensive, and of course building and maintaining employee morale and motivation, by far the most complex.
Adam Lamentowicz
GT Consulting-Owner; Petro Carbo Chem-Project Development Manager
HR is about having right people in the right position in the right time in the organization and ensuring they are managed and motivated well... IF HR delivers this, the rest will happen by itself.... almost by itself...;)
Andrew Foote
Snr. Consultant - HR Management Consultancy
Hi Liz, Great question - good opportunity to define HR today. I'd suggest a comprehensive general mission (25 words) to be: 1. Monitor engagement. 2. Know your patient/hospital. 3. Tactical comms. 4. Responsiveness. 5. Spot & retain star talent. 6. C-level credibility. 7. Teach core policy. 8. Anticipate trends. 9. Offer support & facts. 10.Embrace technology.
Mitch Krayton
Digital Wiz, Voice Over Artist, Professional Speaker
In my experience, HR is an administrative function that serves as a gate keeper for all that apply within. As compliance officers they file lots of legal and policy documents. They are a central file for employment records. They write a lot of job descriptions but don't respond to most applicants.They have a lot of meetings, buy lots of training and take a long time to respond to the simplest request. I know I have lost a lot of HR people on this. And there are exceptions I am sure. But its my 25 words (er 72 words) and I am stickin' to it.
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