Hr Roles and Responsibilities

HR Roles and Responsibilities

There was a time when a person wanted to apply for a position, they came into the business, got an application and spoke with a manager, depending on the interview they started the next couple of days. With the ever-changing process of human resource management, the extent of its power goes beyond just applying for a position, but extends into maintaining and growing in a position. With the bounds continually being pressed and blurred, so are the responsibilities of the people who are the foundation of management. Being pulled in several different directions, human resources and its organizations must figure out a balance to benefit itself and it's employees. From technology, diversity, globalization, ethics and e-business, human resources seems to be on a never changing yet emerging road. This paper will examine those trends and their changing roles.

"Globalization requires HR professionals to work not only across geographic borders, but national, cultural, ethnic, religious, functional, organizational, time, distance, legal, financial, historic, economic and political ones as well" (Glade, Myxter, and Digh, 2005). Because of the multiple jobs now available through outsourcing, HR professionals and the profession itself should know and understand the parameters of international relationships and the fact that being able to extend human resource reach across county lines, state line and international lines has been a task that continues to build.

With growth comes advanced technology and vice versa. The ability to accomplish more quickly has been something that human resources has grown in. Years ago, HR was considered doing interviews, "pushing papers", and checking references. With the advancement of technology background checks can be done in a matter of seconds, typing tests are completed and skilled individuals are sought after to oversee the continued development of the human resource department. Wisconsin State University documents that "...human resources management will be impacted significantly in the future by changing technology. These changes will occur within the HR function itself but also in terms of the issues HR will need to manage within the organization as a whole" (2005).

Sexism, ageism, diversity based on sexual orientation, marital status and gender identification, are all parts of the diversity that human resources has to struggle to balance. This has been a topic of concern and discussion in many companies dating back to its exploration in the 1960's. With the heavy weight of penalties and lawsuits that can follow because of the lack of observance, many companies have taking the chance to focus specifically on educating staff and management alike on the fine lines of political correctness. The more businesses grow, the more people are added to the company. With the increase in people comes the increase in different characters and diversity. "With the prospect of aging baby boomers retiring and the desire to reflect the increasingly diverse U.S. population, employers will have to rely on minorities more than ever" (Ruiz, 2006). What was once a trend has become the thing that is necessary in order to function in the workplace, as seen by Affirmative Action laws.