Importance of HR
Written by Etienne Pretorius
© PBC Group 2022 | South Africa
A policy is a formal statement of a principle or rule that members of an organisation must follow. Each policy addresses an issue important to the organisation’s mission or operations.
With human nature being what it is, employees will test limits and act “creatively” in workplace situations, so you need a strategy for developing, communicating and enforcing a set of policies and practices that comply with legislation and reflect your standards of acceptable behaviour.
Therefore, building a great company has a lot to do with how people work together, have clear expectations and are treated fairly as they help to build your company. Even where a policy or procedure isn’t specifically required by law, employers often find it helpful to have a policy in place to provide clear guidance that reflects the legal framework for handling the issue in question and it also helps employees to be clear about the organisation’s stance on a particular subject.
HR policies not only provide written guidance for employees and managers on how to handle a range of employment issues but fundamentally exist as the 3 C’s for HR policy: Consistency, Control and Compliance.
Policies serve several important functions:
- Communicate a consistent message in terms of values and expectations;
- Keep the organisation in compliance with legislation and provide protection against claims;
- Document and implement best practices appropriate within the business;
- Support consistent treatment of staff, fairness and transparency;
- Help management make decisions that are consistent, uniform and predictable;
- Support business strategy so that growth comes with firm support and Control.
Whether you are a small business employing only a handful of staff, or a larger company, HR issues will inevitably arise, and require your time and energy away from other business activities to address.
For further information please contact Etienne Pretorius at +27825136150 or email at aepretorius@pbcgroup.co.za