What can HR do for you?

Kori Frederick Interrobang Click here to read more Interrobang articles written by Kori Frederick Published: Monday, November 25th, 2013 Most people have likely heard of Human Resources, but many of those people probably cant really explain what a human resources department actually does. Katie Cornelius is currently a student in Fanshawes Human Resource Management post-graduate certificate program. By the end of this program, she will be able to work in a human resources department in her preferred field. Cornelius explained that the human resource department is so much more than just people behind office doors who fire you. Human resources is the engine behind a company, Cornelius said. When it comes to the implication of performance appraisals and the manner to which they processed, or to the training of a new program within the company, the human resource department takes care of it. For the most part, these are the typical duties that youd think of when you think about your workplaces human resources department. But human resources is everywhere. They are not just there for the upper management team or the people high up within the company. The human resources department is there to help every employee in a company. That means if you are in an entry-level position or are the CEO, the human resources department can help you. Your human resources manager knows about benefits and compensation throughout the company, as well as the resources to provide each employee with advice regarding this, Cornelius explained. This means that if you are in need of benefits or compensation for whatever reason, you can go to your department for sound advice. There are sometimes more serious issues that arise in a workplace. For example, if you are feeling overworked or feel that you are being treated poorly, the human resources department is who you can go to for advice. Issues that arise within your place of employment, such as harassment, violence or discrimination, are also dealt with through the human resources department, Cornelius said. There are a number of laws in place that protect employees against violence and harassment in the workplace. If this does take place, [the employee] must first report the harassment to their employer or their human resources representative, and it is now the responsibility of the employer or representative to take action, whether it is legal or disciplinary . The most commonly known thing about human resources is that the people working there are the ones who hire you, fire you and pay you. Make use of this department to help you with anything you may be dealing with at work. You dont have to be subjected to anything that you feel is inappropriate in the workplace. Cornelius said, Although we do take care of the payroll, hiring and firing, the job is much deeper and has many different layers. Even if you think that your concern is of low importance, there is absolutely no harm in going to the department and expressing your concerns.