Human Resources: Then and Now
Human Resources: Then and Now
It has become a common sight to see a town composed of both major retail and restaurant chains, along with a small town square with local businesses on every side. A town requires both to fully function and prosper. A town without the major franchises of the modern world can be left behind and suffer from a lack of outside or tourism based income and unemployment rates. Without the small town square supporting local businesses, the residents can lose control of their hometown economy as it continues to grow expediently. Though for some, such economical growth would be a welcomed change, some towns such as Deland in eastern Florida thrive on the sense of art, culture, and history that only that small town feel can deliver.
While Deland is home to some major retail stores such as Wal-Mart and Lowes Home Improvement, it also has a more residential and artistic side to it as well, A part of town where the local populace can live a comfortable life either operating or supporting their small businesses. Rather you go down to the square to find a local shoe store, or browse the aisles at Wal-Mart for the latest trends, one thing remains constant. Both companies are bound by the same modern business practices and regulations.
Big or small, every business has these regulations in place to protect them, and most of them have a competent human resources department either in the company or outsourced to companies such as Vision H.R. They guarantee that employees are safe in an work environment, and are taken care of when the unexpected happens. They protect employees financially, making sure they get paid for the work they do, and not undercut by a corporation. An employee can express themselves and their believes without discrimination, (given it is done in a professional and respectful manner). Likewise, it helps to protect a business as a whole.
Where Human Resources was once concentrated with new employees, their workload has increased over the years. In the beginning, they were in charge of recruiting new employees and making sure they understood the safety and work regulations along with proper procedures. They made sure the employee had a firm understanding of his job and how to go about it. Further training was usually left to the head or the department that the employee would be working in.
In today’s world though, it has become common practice to have an employee or department be efficient in multiple areas instead of specializing in one single job. A grocery worker may stock the shelves, but also be a replacement in the produce or freezer departments. Likewise, human resources still hires and trains new employees, but they also perform other tasks. Tasks such as counseling and training management while also keeping the entire company up to date on new laws and regulations. In some companies they can even deal with conflict in the work place.
This vital department is only becoming more important to the workplace. Rather outsourced or within the business itself, human resources is an essential and demanding position. Without the human resource department hard at work, the entire company would feel the consequences and overall be a more stressful job regardless of your position on the corporate ladder.
