Having a team that is jointly working on the business’s goal is great, but who’s working to look after the employees’ goals? This is where the Human Resources department or HR of a company come in. The HR team are tasked with drafting up policies like leave and contract agreements, professional development plans and requirements as well as managing the hiring and employee exit processes.
For example…
Take Shelly from the Marketing team, she is having a baby. There are lots of things to organise including a baby cot, car seat, pram et cetera, but at work, she needs to let the Human Resources department know about her pregnancy and then organise for leave after the birth. A HR department typically has a range of policies that might apply in such a situation such as requests to work reduced hours, a non-physical work request, maternity and other kinds of leave. Her contract may also be consulted to look for further entitlements such as the ability to work from home or taking leave at half pay.
