As companies grow and change the way they do business, the role of the HR professional will change as well. In an era where flexibility and adaptability reign supreme, the part HR plays in a company's logistical management has similarly adapted. Impacted largely by more and more decentralization of the HR process, the industry has enjoyed significant growth over recent years. As the trend continues, specialized and highly trained HR services may prove to be more of a commodity than ever before.
A growth sector
HR is perhaps one of the least-understood facets of a company's operation. Even so, that hasn't stopped the industry from flourishing over the past decade. As USA Today reported, the sector has grown by 134 percent in the last 10 years. There are more jobs than ever in the field, and dedicated HR outsourcing companies are finding their services to be in more and more demand. The services provided by these professionals are of ever-increasing importance to employers, and the continuing trend of businesses streamlining and decompartmentalizing has created more demand for HR services.
According to Forbes, the process of hiring, not to mention the administration and management of benefits, has only gotten more complicated over the years, as federal regulations, changing and updating laws and more complex benefits programs and requirements have all come together to transform human resources into a full-time dedicated industry in its own right. As a result, the HR industry has had to expand rapidly to keep up with the increasing demand for HR solutions.
The demands faced
Changing markets and business practices mean that the role human resources plays, not to mention the demands it will be required to meet, will also change. While still largely concerned with recruiting and hiring, HR is needing to become more and more focused on talent management and retention in a much more fluid market. Devising and providing training solutions that are lightweight and user-friendly can provide companies with the flexibility they need to stay competitive in the hiring game.
Benefits administration is another one of the major challenges that human resource professionals will find themselves rising to meet. According to Bloomberg, the introduction of the Affordable Care Act may bring with it additional complexities when it comes to benefits enrollment, and for many employers, especially smaller businesses, dedicated HR services represent the best option. The ability to combine payroll and benefits administration under one human resources umbrella is very attractive for employers who wish to remain competitive but don't want to get bogged down in administrative minutiae.