Fallon, L. F. & McConnell, C. R. (2014). Human resource management in health care: Principles and practices (2nd ed.). Burlington, MA: Jones & Bartlett Learning.
- Chapter 1, “An Overview of Human Resources” (pp. 1–14)
- Chapter 2, “How Human Resources Fits into an Organization” (pp. 17–40)
- Chapter 3, “The Legal Framework of Contemporary Human Resources” (pp. 41–66)
Donelson, B. (2018, November 20). Three challenges facing HR pros in health care and beyond. JD Supra. Retrieved from https://www.jdsupra.com/
legalnews/three-challenges…
Invenias Partners. (2017). The changing role of the healthcare chief human resources officer: Current realities and future directions. Chicago, IL: Author. Retrieved from https://www.inveniaspartners.
com/cmsAdmin/uploads/…
O’Conner, C. (2019, January 29). Top 10 HR headaches for 2019. JD Supra. Retrieved from https://www.jdsupra.com/
legalnews/top-10-hr-headac…
Zillman, C. & Fry, E. (2018, February 16). HR is not your friend. Here’s why. Fortune. Retrieved from https://fortune.com/2018/02/
16/microsoft-hr-proble…
Required Media
McCord, P. (2019, February). 8 lessons on building a company people enjoy working for [Video file]. Retrieved from https://www.ted.com/talks/
patty_mccord_8_lessons_o…
Note: The approximate length of this media piece is 5 minutes.
Discussion: Importance, Functions, and Innovations in Human Resources
Some important benefits that an HR department contributes to an organization are systematization, time management, and personnel efficiency (Maurom, 2017). HR departments handle a variety of functions: hiring and firing employees, training workers, addressing interoffice relationships, and interpreting employment laws (Scott, 2018). Social media websites such as Facebook, Instagram, and Twitter have opened up new possibilities for managing internal and external communications for HR departments (SHRM India, 2018).
In this week’s Discussion, you will explain the functions and importance of a HR department. You also will explain how social media and technological innovations have impacted HR.
References
Maurom J. A., (2017, August, 28). Organization: The most important human resources professional skill. Society for Human Resource Management. Retrieved from https://www.shrm.org/
Scott, S. (2018, October 20). Six main functions of a human resource department. Bizfluent. Retrieved from https://bizfluent.com/info-
SHRM India (2018, May 2). The Importance of social media in HR. Society for Human Resource Management. Retrieved from https://blog.shrm.org/sasia/
To prepare for this Discussion:
- Review the Learning Resources for this week.
- Focus on reviewing Chapters 1-3 of the Fallon and McConnell (2014) textbook.
- Consider the functions of the HR departments in organizations where you have worked and think about how the organization would have functioned differently had there been no HR department.
By Day 4
Post a comprehensive response to the following:
- Explain why an HR department is important.
- Explain 5 functions an HR department performs.
- Explain how the role of HR has changed with the upsurge of social media and the continuing advancement of technology.
Support your Discussion and peer responses with in-text citations and references from specific Learning Resources.
Read a selection of your colleagues’ postings.
Return to this Discussion in a few days to read the responses to your initial posting. Note what you have learned and/or any insights you have gained as a result of your colleagues’ comments. You are not required to post these final insights.
Answer preview
Social media and technology have necessitated several changes in the HR department. First, communication through the HR department is now internal and external. HR managers can communicate with employees within and out of the office via the internet. Social media has increased the visibility and reliability of the HR department. There is more informal communication between HR managers and employees. As a result, employees are more aware of the department and its ability to assist when needed. Technology has made communication much more comfortable as it is instant within the click of a button (Maurom, 2017). Also, messages can easily flow between the sender and receiver, allowing more employee engagement in decision making, unlike traditional methods like memos, which are one-directional. HR managers also must balance employee needs, views, and opinions as employees find it easier to give feedback, unlike they did in the past.
[679 Words]
