Introduction to the current scenario of HR department, Roles, and Functions

Today’s organizations have created a dynamic and flexible Human Resources workforce that contributes towards the company’s bottom line. The HR professionals in modern organizations look after the complete talent management and ensure that the employees are completely productive.

During the pandemic, the Human Resource professionals of every organization had to undergo multiple changes to accommodate the workforce which was completely working-from-home. They had to work in tandem with the management to ensure that they had the proper infrastructure to work from home. The HR professionals also ensured that they were stress-free and comfortable while working in such an environment, and they received adequate support from their supervisors in completing their tasks.

HR Transformation during the pandemic

• Since face-to-face screening and interviewing was not possible, the HR professional in the talent acquisition teams had to change the complete recruitment and on-boarding process and make it online.

• The new hires needed to undergo the necessary training and mentoring and the HR partners had to address to that in liaison with the learning and development team.

• The companies had to relook at the medical insurance policies and ensure COVID-19 treatments were included in that. The HR professionals played a huge part in these negotiations.

• Since the employees were working remotely without any interaction with the team members, the HR professionals had to ensure that they don’t feel fatigued. It was their additional responsibility to ensure that employee engagement programs like games, various creative competitions etc. could be done online. Employees had to be encouraged to participate in those programs and feel happy.

The Three New Roles

During the pandemic, a lot of dynamics in the world of business changed and hence the HR Department too had to adapt to the changes accordingly.

These roles were recommended and discussed by Dr. Dave Ulrich who is a professor at the University of Michigan. He is a very respected professional in the field of Human Resources and in his book ”Human Resource Champions” he talked about these three new roles.

• Strategic Partner- In this role, the HR professional is responsible to contribute to the development of the org-wide business plans, outcomes, and objectives.

• Employee Advocate- As an employee sponsor or employee advocate, the HR professional is expected to ensure and advocacy of people. This advocacy includes expertise in creating a work environment where employees are motivated to increase productivity, keen to learn new skills, and committed towards contributing ideas for innovations.

• Change Champion- In the current scenario when the workforce had to work from home, the HR professionals had to become change champions and encourage the employees to embrace that change. They had to address the issues of job loss, salary cuts, etc., and keep the employees motivated in spite of the adverse conditions.

Human Resource Management Certifications

Human resource management certifications increase the value of the candidate in the job market. It will not only increase your knowledge in the various fields and HR practices, but it also shows that you are a dedicated professional. It shows that you are committed to your career and you intend to move up the ladder faster in the HR space.

It is expected that by 2021, there will be a huge demand for Talent Management professionals in the market. About one million new jobs will open up and hence it is the right time to complete your requisite HR professional certifications.

• TMI- Talent management institute has three extremely coveted HR professional certifications- TMP (Talent Management Practitioner), STMP (Senior Talent Management Practitioner), and GTML (Global Talent Management Leader). As per your career level, choose the right one and go for it.

GTML prepares HR leaders for looking at businesses from a profitability standpoint. It is a must-have certification that will prepare you for modern-day challenges.

The TMP certification is the stepping stone for starting your Talent Management and Human Resources profession. It is highly respected by large corporates, and your chances of growth will increase manifold after you acquire it.

STMP is meant for mid-management HR professionals who are looking to enhance their skills in HR strategies and making their companies further profitable. It will make you distinctly more valuable to recruiters across the globe.

• SHRM- HR certification like SHRM-CP or SHRM-SCP can give you an edge over others in the current ever-changing space of business. There are other certifications for HR professionals like SHRM-XLRI Certificate which to is very good for your HR career.

•HRCI- There are multiple HR professional certifications available for all types of career levels in HR. According to your level and interest, select Associate Professional in Human Resources, Professional in Human Resources California, Global Professional in Human resources, and a bunch of others. Most of them are online HR certifications that you can complete at your pace and convenience.

Niti Sharma

Niti Sharma is a professional writer, a blogger who writes for a variety of online publications. She is also an acclaimed blogger outreach expert and content marketer.