 HR management is about helping the entire organization understand & manage its people.  HR management consists of planning, attracting, developing, & retaining employees.  HR department is a staff department that advises & assists all other departments.  Large organizations have separate HR department that plans HR practices for the entire organization.

 Following is a list of common responsibilities of an HR department:  Determine the recruiting & selection process & conduct job analysis (job descriptions & specifications) for all jobs to aid managers in hiring.  Recruit candidates from mangers,select new employees; place job opening ads.  Conduct orientation sessions for new employees & train many of them to do their jobs.

 Develop the performance appraisal system & forms used by managers throughout the organization.  Determine compensation (pay & benefits) guidelines.  Develop employee health & safety programs, & assist in the termination of employees.

 Keep employment records & help employees to understand & use their benefits.  Participate in legal matters, including teaching managers the legal requirements they need to follow when conducting job searches & interviews.

 HR department need to ensure that everyone in the organization complies with the law.  The law tells organizations what they must & mustn’t do.

 Pre-employment Inquiries:  No-one in your organization can legally ask discrimination questions, either on the application or during interviews.  Here are 2 rules to guide you:  Be sure that every question you ask is job related.  Ask all candidates the same general questions.

 HR department develops the plans for the entire organization (numbers, benefits)  HR guides employees as they carry out the mission, strategy, & objectives of the firm.  Strategic HR planning is the process of driving the organization to meet its objectives.  HR department is to provide people with the right skills at the right time.

 Strategic HR planning determines the number of people & skills needed, but doesn’t specify how each job is to be performed.  HR planning must review information about the job itself.  Job design is the process for developing & combining the tasks & activities that include a particular job.  Job analysis is the process for determining what position entails & qualifications needed to staff the position.

 Job description identifies the tasks & responsibilities of a person.  Job specifications identify the qualifications needed to staff a position.  An essential part of job analysis is developing a realistic job preview (RJP).  The RJP provides the candidate with an accurate, objective understanding of the job.