Main processes of a human resources department

The processes of a human resources department must primarily consider the staffing needs of the company. When expanding the number of personnel, clear objectives must be defined. The processes in this area refer to the fundamental strategies used by HR leaders to ensure successful employee life cycles and work experiences.

<<<Human Resources: personnel selection flow>>>

While technology is a necessary ally to optimize talent recruitment processes, the most important process begins when a person joins the company, making personnel retention actions key to maintaining stability and ensuring the success of any business.

The HR team is a decisive tool in determining the course of action for a company. Processes serve to organize changes within the work environment and lay the foundation for effective development of employees' skills. In this article, we aim to recognize the main processes of a human resources department and the contribution they make to scalable management of a company.

Processes of a human resources department

There are several common processes in all companies that have a human resources department. These processes follow an intricate path that requires strategic planning. While HR professionals establish each process according to specific parameters and objectives, they are all interdependent.

1. Recruitment.

Starting from the publication of a job offer, the recruitment process includes a series of actions to attract profiles that fit the needs of the offer.

2. Selection.

In a specific stage, the selection process functions as a filter for candidates who have shown interest in the offer, submitted their resumes, and passed the interview. Based on their skills, qualifications, experience, knowledge, and teamwork abilities, the best profiles for the position will be chosen.

3. Hiring.

Once the HR team selects candidates for a position, a specific profile is chosen, and that suitable person is formally hired.

4. Onboarding.

This process is an employment preparation stage aimed at ensuring the worker's integration occurs in the best possible way, collaborating to facilitate a smooth transition.

5. Compensation management.

This process includes all aspects of payroll management, salaries, benefits, and incentives. It is an important stage for negotiating with talent in order to retain them through an appealing proposal of work, remuneration, and rewards.

6. Performance management.

Once the new employees are hired, the focus of HR shifts to analyzing their performance and finding ways to meet their needs, stimulate productivity, and motivate them with rewards to get the best out of them.

7. Employee relations.

This process also encompasses talent retention, so it is important to be mindful of the work environment, especially in today's competitive and fluctuating business landscape. The objective of this process is to create a pleasant working environment with opportunities for growth, development, and job stability. A positive work climate generally ensures better mental well-being, reduces the likelihood of conflicts, and increases the chances of strengthening relationships among employees.

<<<Employee experience: effective performance review>>>

The importance of processes in a human resources department

Human resources processes serve as the arteries of an organization, carrying lifeblood to each area to nurture the overall health of the company. Through a systemic approach, HR professionals can promote processes that flow efficiently and effectively, driving employee engagement in the company's issues and business, and enhancing daily performance.

Without processes, the HR department would make personnel selection based on subjective and improvised criteria that have nothing to do with the company's direction. Symptoms of this lack of processes include, for example, the inability to provide consistent training to hired individuals and the absence of a standardized way to onboard a new employee, always conducting it differentially.

This variability will result in different individuals being onboarded with different processes, making it difficult to gradually and uniformly transmit the company's culture.

How to properly manage human resources processes

Now that we know the most prominent processes in every HR area, we have compiled a series of practices to improve process management, in order to add more value to business objectives.

1. Review objectives.

HR professionals must regularly verify that the process objectives align with the organization's most significant goals. Reevaluating through a series of goal-oriented questions allows the HR department to ensure progress is made in the expected direction.

2. Implement an automation tool for the department.

Process automation in human resources streamlines tasks within each process. Technology serving people facilitates communication between executives and employees in fundamental processes such as onboarding, offboarding, and employee transfers.

3. Incorporate a process management approach.

Evidence-based management methods can enhance the productivity of employees in the HR area. Consistently applying a system can contribute to tracking progress, identifying areas for improvement, and redesigning current practices in an organized manner to achieve a higher level of efficiency.

While a framework offers structure and guidance, when dealing with people, essential human qualities within the process, such as critical thinking and an open or flexible mindset, must be preserved.

4. Address the needs of employees.

Employees can provide valuable sources of advice, experience, and information on how the HR area can improve aspects of each process and provide relevant solutions according to each specific need. Considering all possible scenarios is part of the daily challenges faced by the department for optimal talent management over a longer period.

<<<9 tips for a successful employee onboarding process>>>

In a nutshell, the processes of a human resources department can be summarized in 7: recruitment, selection, hiring, onboarding, compensation management, performance management, and employee relations. Each of these processes aims to ensure that the newly hired personnel embrace the company's culture and adapt to its requirements while also accommodating the needs of the workers. Only by incorporating formalized processes and technology that optimizes them can a true symbiosis between individuals and organizational structure be achieved.