What does it mean to work in a corporation? As an employee, you have certain responsibilities that you must uphold. In exchange for your services, you get perks. You may think that the situation is this linear, but that is not the case. Every business wants a team of employees who are loyal and bring in profit for them. To instill these feelings of loyalty, companies ensure they know what their employees want. After all, it wouldn’t make sense to spend money on facilities that employees never asked for instead of giving what they want. So, to ensure there is no communication barrier between the company and employee, Human resource management enters the scene. A human resource manager’s responsibility is quite vast. They not only hire the best prospective employee, but they must also train them too. While they are training, they must also make sure employees have a sense of appreciation and belonging. They are also responsible for ensuring that the company has all the latest technological advancements. Here’s how they make sure employees engage with the company:
1. Employee First Culture
Employees are used to being secondary to their company, which shouldn’t be the case. After all, employees are the gears that keep a company going. Today companies realize that humans are not merely resources, but resources are for humans. To further extend their support, there are various incentives provided to remote employees during the pandemic. The offers include but are not limited to weekly shoutouts, lunch deals, digital awards, or offering educational opportunities.
Moreover, there are plenty of opportunities available online for skills advancement and providing better support for employees. One of the best ways includes enrolling in an online MBA no GMAT AACSB to gain hands-on training on teamwork and leadership and improve labor and employee relations.
2. Flexible Work Schedule
Flexibility is essential for a good work environment. It means that those tasks that employees can do from home, let them. The more a company puts an employee’s comfort level at the top, the more productive the environment. Working from home also saves company resources and expenses since it cuts down unnecessary costs. Employees can also take care of their health better when they are at home trying to meet company deadlines. They also get better at time management and getting essential documents out of the way.
A survey of remote workers found that they work an average of 1.4 days more per month than those in the office, which translates to 16.8 extra hours each year! Additionally, these employees deal with distractions at work daily about 37 minutes less than their counterparts who are not working remotely–though both groups experience 27 total disruptions throughout the day
3. Introduction of Cloud Technology
Human Resource Management is also essential for introducing technological advancements into a company. It means if new software or computer is in the market, it’s the HR department’s job to find out if it’s beneficial for the company. For example, cloud technology has streamlined the way businesses do work. It has made it easier to share, edit and access documents and store them away. It has also made it easier for people to share videos and training manuals to visit whenever they want. In addition, cloud technology has made work relatively easier for employees. Now they don’t need to worry about mundane and time-consuming tasks such as sorting through every document to find the one they want. It has also allowed them to work remotely, which makes their work schedule flexible.
4. More Machine Learning and Artificial Intelligence
Machine learning and Artificial Intelligence have been great HRM tools. They allow HRM to make more logic-driven decisions using the data generated from these technological resources. It is easy to see that technology has leveraged business. It enables them to determine areas of weakness in the organization and remedy them immediately. It has allowed employees to be more productive since they help them research what aspects their consumers enjoyed. It has given them a sense of direction and pinpointed where they lack.
5. Diversity in the Workplace
Employee engagement also includes respecting employees who come from different backgrounds and have various traditions that make them who they are. Diversity helps businesses see different perspectives and learn to present culturally appropriate products. Diversity within the workforce also helps companies expand globally. They are more aware of what the international market holds for them. There is also an element of tolerance in the workspace. When people from different backgrounds work together, they learn to communicate, push aside prejudices and boost a collaborative environment.
6. Gender Equality in Workspaces
Even though women have made immense progress, whether in education or seeking employment, there is still much room left for improvement. There are issues of workplace harassment, less pay, less job security, and no maternal leaves. It limits their growth as a professional due to which most women are hesitant to seek employment. Therefore it is the job of the Human Resource Management professionals to make sure that every woman employee is treated fairly as their male counterpart. It means if they work the same amount their male colleagues work, they deserve equal pay. They should be allowed paid maternal leave, and if they pull overtime, they should get compensation accordingly. In the 21st century, it is high time for businesses to move out of gender biases and focus on what matters: happy employees and a growing business.
7. Employees as Brand Ambassadors
Employees are essential for corporate branding. It means they know how to reach out to consumers using technology such as designing creative ad campaigns. They know the workings of the business they work in and what features make the company stand out to the future goals. So, it would be a good idea to consider employees as brand ambassadors. They also know what marketing tactic is applicable when. For example, does a company need more social media presence or do they need more email marketing? Employees can answer that question. Therefore, Human Resource Management should make more employees into brand ambassadors and represent a company in the local and international markets. It can invoke deep feelings of both pride and loyalty towards a company.
8. Workplace Wellness
As much as a company cares about productivity, they also need to care about their wellness. Employees need a break while working that is different from them asking for a paid leave. The Human Resource Management should keep break rooms within the office that employees can use whenever they want. There need to be healthier meal options that allow them to take care of their health. There needs to be more physical activity in the office, such as yoga sessions and gyms. If an employee seems to be struggling, they should either visit a counselor or take up more training sessions.
The best companies for work-life balance are not known to be the most profitable. Put yourself first, and find a company with policies supporting your health needs! A 2017 study found that job seekers will accept up to 8% less in salary if it means they can have more flexible schedules at their workplace.
The Human Resource Management should also make it a point to walk through employees on what an employee wellness program looks like and any suggestions. As much as a company wants to get work done on time, it is far more costly and puts a company at a severe disadvantage if employees fall ill. Depressed, anxious, and employees with poor mental health are also bad for the company’s reputation.
So before an issue gets out of hand, a company should make an effort to take care of its employees. Don’t let employees hit the pinnacle of exhaustion since this is inhumane and violates employee rights. Instead, focus on looking after them and making them feel appreciated to keep up the company morale.
Wrap Up
Human Resource Management acts as an intervention between a company and its employees. They emphasize that the only way a company can progress is by looking after employees. It means looking after all the aspects governing an employee. There needs to be awareness in the work culture about employee wellness. Employees should have more flexibility to work and get the option of either working from home or at the office. There also needs to be more technology-based solutions to help employees do their tasks. Human Resource Management should also acknowledge workplace disparity situations and do their best to address them. Companies should also look into more diverse workspaces. All of these trends will help employees develop a stronger bond with the company.
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