Pratyush

  • 2019-12-02

Chapter 1: HR Practices & HR Activities

Sustainable development requires human ingenuity. People are the most important resource. Organisations across the world have realised the human mind is the fundamental resource.

Human Resource department has been in hot debates on the topic HR Best practices. It has been reinventing itself with evolving ecosystem. It is the idea that there are universal HR principles that provide companies with optimal business performance, regardless of which organisation or industry they are applied to.

Moreover, It’s important to align HR goals with the overall goals of your organisation, so that the HR, business, and strategy departments are all on the same page.

When you are able to combine the ideas which fits the best to your organisation and the best practices, you are practicing "Strategic Human Resource Management"

Some HR strategies have been around a long time and are entrenched in HR as “best practices” despite little proof that they contribute to company goals or performance.

HR practices involve the strategic operations of HR. They form the foundation and guidance for managing the company’s employees and should coordinate with the executive business plan. Some examples of HR practices include:

  • Setting the mission and goals of the HR department
  • Planning, organizing, and managing the HR department
  • Measuring the effects of programs
  • Creating programs to improve the quality of the work environment
  • Developing talent and future leadership
  • Conducting motivational programs
  • Working with management for ongoing performance evaluations
  • Overseeing employee advancement opportunities

In contrast, HR activities are the daily activities to implement the strategies determined by HR practices. They allow the mission and the goals of the HR department to be carried out. HR activities may include: 

  • Payroll
  • Surveys
  • Recruitment and selection
  • Training and development
  • Compensation and benefits
  • Employee and labor relations
  • Retention
  • Safety and health
  • Employee attendance and time off
  • Overtime

Simply saying "HR practices look at what is needed and why its needed for the organisation, however HR activities focuses on how its getting implemented. Optimum human resources involves an understanding and integrated approach to HR practices and HR activities.

If your organization is dedicated to HR best practices and tries to follow these principles, you could see higher employee retention and happier employees who contribute their best. The HR practices of your company can be the highlight of your business by implementing flexibility and training within the HR department.

In my career, I have seen many HR Best practices implemented by my leaders and few that I implemented in my organisation. Lately, I learnt how to put it into 3 buckets and look at the broader picture. I put these best practices in three categories: Find, Grow and Keep.

I will be coming up with chapter 2, with more details on Find, Grow and Keep strategies.