What is HR’s Role in the World of Remote Working?

Human resources is an area that can often come across as the inherent victim of comedy on the internet. Unlike a more noticeable role such as a program developer, salesperson, or analyst, understanding the role that HR has within a business can often be difficult to understand. As the world has changed, there has been a question lingering – when everyone is working from home, what is the role of human resources in the modern workforce?

While it may seem difficult to value, an HR professional can provide immense benefits to business operations, in areas such as training, retention, and legal. Let’s discover how a qualification such as a Master of Human Resource Management can open doors to working in HR, and how it can make a positive impact on the teams that you work with.

What do HR Professionals do?

HR often seems like the equivalent of a black box on a flight. You know that it’s inherently useful for something, but if you’re not versed in aviation safety, you may not understand why it’s vital. Human resources can often feel like that at times – with the work occasionally feeling clandestine and secretive when compared to other teams within a business.

Human resources aren’t really that secretive – simply misunderstood. Working in human resources, you’ll often be involved with improving the lives of employees – whether that be through the provision of career support and development within a firm, the provision of educational opportunities, the discovery, training, retention, and remuneration of new and existing hires, or the support of conflict resolution and whistleblowing activities. Overall, HR is a wide and diverse area of a business – while it may appear to be a simple profession, it can be far more complex for the well-versed professional.

As Workers Leave the Office, HR is Still Essential

As workers abandon the office for the comforts of remote or hybrid learning, it can be difficult to imagine a place for the modern HR professional. Incredibly, and somewhat wrong, some individuals think that because they’re working from home, suddenly, human resources isn’t necessary to do their job.

However, that couldn’t be further from the truth. With responsibilities for a wide range of people and culture-related activities, human resources is still essential, even if people aren’t physically in the office anymore. After all, employees may still require assistance with contracts, training, recruitment, and ongoing financial requirements such as payroll and legal obligations.

Areas Where HR is Still Crucial

HR will still be crucial for years to come, even if there are no longer people in the workplace. Worker attrition is commonplace, particularly as many look to transition into new careers after a difficult few years. As a result, having human resources professionals that can navigate the complexities of recruitment and talent-seeking to find the best individuals for an organization can be an incredibly powerful asset.

One area of corporate operations that is often understated is the difficulties in finding and retaining new talent. With more than half of all Australian businesses experiencing recruitment difficulty in an environment hampered by severe skill shortages, having professionals that can identify, attract, and retain talent that works within your company culture can be incredibly powerful.

Expect HR to Remain Vital for Years to Come

With the advent of nascent AI in the workplace, HR will find often find themselves as the creator, gatekeeper, and enforcer of company protocol regarding the use of AI tools as a supplementary tool within the workplace. As this evolves in the workplace, it will become imperative for HR to not only attract new talent but tackle new ideas in this evolving space.

Overall, the role of the professional must evolve in a way that takes on new technologies, embraces new ideas, and transforms old practices into new applications in this brave new world. Regardless of if employees are working from home, or in the office, there will always be a requirement for employees that are there to support them. If you’re looking to take the next step into a human resources career, consider exploring a career in the field. It can be rewarding, and it can be a first step to making a difference in the lives of your colleagues.