The Impact of Human Resources on Employee Perception

Introduction 

For this assignment, I interviewed four people, asked them the provided interview questions, and filled their answers. The survey pinpoints the individuals’ feelings and perceptions concerning the Human Resource(HR) department in their workplaces. I interviewed my family friends and friends who have an HR group in their workplaces and organizations because I felt they would be more real with me and give me the correct information for the survey. The interview questions are meant to identify the interviewees' personal feelings and not others' views about the HR team in their workplace or organization. I had an easy time identifying the people I was going to interview, and they gave me an easy time during the interview. They did not hesitate to share their feelings and perception of their HR department even when the experiences were bad.

Methods 

The interview was face-to-face, and I gave the participants the chance to choose the interview location. A place where they felt comfortable and could not have issues opening up and give the correct responses to the interview questions. I interviewed two females and two males. One of the interviewees was in his late forties while two were in their mid-thirties, and one was in his early twenties. The participants worked in different organizations that as social works, healthcare, school, and civil works. All the organizations had the department of Human Resource, which was in charge of all the matters surrounding hiring, firing, training, recruiting, and other issues affecting the organization's employees. Each interview was scheduled to last for not more than 30 minutes, and I gave the participants sufficient time to express their feelings and perceptions of the HR team in their workplace. Each interview took place at its own time convenient for the interviewees. 

Results 

Two of the four participants in the interview had a positive perspective of the HR department in their workplaces and organizations. In contrast, the other two had a negative perception of the HR group. The participants' judgment on the HR personnel was from past experiences with the team and how interviewees' personal feelings determined whether they perceived the HR negatively or positively. The participants that had a positive perception of the HR group looked at how the group was considerate, friendly, caring, and understanding when it came to issues that pertained to co-workers. From the interview, it is evident that the workers value an HR team ready to share information with the rest of the workers when requested or when a matter requires being addressed, especially a matter that affects all the workers. The participants drew their perception of the HR group from the treatment they got from the team when they required their support or information on a particular issue. 

The first interviewee perceived the HR group as an excellent, friendly, and caring group ready to help the other employees with any information they needed even before they were hired. The interviewee explained that she had a good expression of the HR team since the first time she interacted when them when she was looking for a job at the organization. They answered all the questions she had and even shared more than what she had asked. When she was hired for the job, the HR team continued to support her and other employees. The organization's HR team met the interviewee's expectations as they were friendly and cared about the other employees. The interviewee has a positive perception of the HR group due to her good interactions with the team and hence perceiving the HR group as the ideal one in any workplace. The HR group in the first interview carries out their functions in the organization professionally and meets the needs of the other workers just as is expected of them.

The second participant in the interview thought that the HR team is a necessary function in an organization but rather irrelevant. The interviewee had a bad experience with the HT team when she asked for late payment and received rude remarks from the team. The team could have just explained to the interviewee that the organization was facing some challenges, and the payment process was underway. She needs to be patient a little more. However, the response she received from the personnel was uncalled for and rude, and this portrayed the team's incompetence. This was not the only incidence when the incapability of the HR team was portrayed. The HR group failed to give information to employees who had been sacked after the COVID-19 pandemic and just dismissed them. It would have been professional for the team to explain to the employees on behalf of the management team on the basis on which they were sacked and even tell them if there was a chance of retention after the pandemic was over, they should look for somewhere else. The HR team of the second organization was inconsiderate, and this is not professional according to the Human Resource profession's requirements. They should be ready to give information to other employees to enhance the employees’ satisfaction.

The HR group described in the third interview is a competent and capable team. The work in which the third interviewer is involved is so stressful and strenuous, and sometimes the only thing that can help him cope with the stressful work is a friendly co-worker. The HR group always comes in for the workers in that organization whenever the workers need any information. Imagine coming from a strenuous task and then meeting up with HR personnel who is rude and inconsiderate. That will be demotivating for the workers. The HR team plays a vital role in enhancing a favorable working environment for the workers, and therefore, they should be employee-oriented in all the actions they undertake in the organization. Good communication between the HR department and the employees of a company enhances a good relationship between the HR department and the employees and promotes employees’ positive perception of the HR department.

The last interviewee considers the HR team at the organization he was at during his attachment as inefficient to some extent. He requested them to write him a recommendation letter that was necessary for his graduating, but the HR team delayed and almost knocked him out of the graduation list. The HR team is expected to be competent and timely in delivering their services to the employees. The HR team might have delayed writing the recommendation letter for the interviewee because of his age, and he was just on attachment; therefore, they thought his request could wait. But this should not be the case as the Human Resource personnel should treat all the workers at the workplace despite their age and experience. I believe all workers should be treated equally because everyone has to start somewhere before gaining enough experience. Helping others rise should be a good HR personnel quality because they are expected to be empathetic.

Human resource is the organization's department with specialized individuals interested in assisting in achieving the organization's goals and meeting each employee's potential in the organization. The HR department is tasked with identifying qualified individuals for positions in the organizations, hiring, recruiting, dealing with employee issues in the workplace, and setting up recruitment plans for vacant positions. Good Human Resource personnel is expected to possess qualities that help them relate well with their employees. A good Human Resource professional is expected to have good communication skills to communicate well with the employees in the organization. Bad communication skills will attract a negative perception of the employees on the HR team. Good HR personnel should be well organized, time conscious, and efficient in the completion of tasks. Most people think that the HR department does not have many duties to perform around the workplace, but in reality, they have a lot of work to do, and balancing the various tasks is hectic for the team.

The HR department of any organization is the conscience of that organization. Therefore, HR individuals should learn how to perform their tasks and earn the employees' and executives' trust. They should be conscious of the ethics of the company and ensure that they keep them. Good HR personnel should possess good problem-solving strategies to help solve the problems being encountered by the company's employees. They should be able to solve issues and maintain good relations around the workplace during tense situations. Although the HR department sometimes gets undermined and viewed as an irrelevant department in a company, and the company can function without it, this is not true as the HR professionals are often seen as leaders. They are believed to be expertise in a wide range of sectors in the company, so they are supposed to lead because many employees will turn to them in times of distress.

Conclusion 

In conclusion, the Human Resource department is relevant in every organization and workplace. This is because it could be difficult for the management to manage all the organization's employees, especially if it is big and has many employees. The Human Resource is responsible for recruiting, hiring, training, and daily issues affecting its employees. The Human Resource deals with the employees of the company, the backbone of every company. The Human resource needs to carry out their duties and functions within the organization because failure to carry out their functions effectively could lead to the dissatisfaction of the employees, which could affect their performance around the workplace and, in turn, affect the overall achievements of the company. The HR group needs to be competent, friendly, and employee-oriented to ensure they keep their professionalism and met their work requirements in the company. However, some of the participants stated that the Human Resource department sometimes is not relevant in an organization because some of the HR personnel do not carry themselves professionally. For instance, if they cannot provide basic information to the employees, their relevance is questionable. The HR personnel needs to work per the employees' needs to ensure that the other workers positively perceive them. This is because the management team takes a survey from the employees and realizes the HR group is not capable and competent could risk their jobs because the management could opt to hire another competent Human Resource group. 

Interview Form 

NKU ‘Perceptions of HR’ Survey 

8 Essential Demographics- Select/ Mark one in each category 

Interviewee Role Type:  Upper Mgmnt.; Exempt; Non-Exempt; Hrly	Co. Business Function:  Manuf; Healthcare; Retail; Etc.
# Empls. In Company:  >50; 50-200; 200-1000; 1000+	Town Population of Work Location:  >5000; 5-50,000: 50,000+
Interviewee Gender:  Male; Female	Realtionship:  Family; Friend; Other
Interviewees Represented Status:  Non-Union; Union Member	Interviewee Age:  >20; 21-30; 30-45; 46+

Overview: This brief questionnaire is to assess the wide range of perceptions that individuals have of their Human Resources support group . If a person works at a company where there is no specific Human Resources professional, they would not be an acceptable person to interview for this assignment. 

ASK THEM THESE QUESTIONS  When it says YOU, it means THE PERSON YOU’RE INTERVIEWING! 

What is your (or your work team’s ) perception of your local HR group? 

Select one these four options. 

An excellent, friendly, and caring support team 

A competent and capable group 

Sufficient at a minimal level, not ‘value added’ 

Necessary function but otherwise irrelevant 

Based upon (1), what ‘personal experience’ have you had with HR to either support or refute (agree or disagree with) that perception? 

When I was being recruited at my workplace, the HR group was friendly since the first day I entered the office to look for work. They gave me the necessary information on what I needed to know about the job position. After dropping the application letter, they were friendly every time I called afterward to inquire about the interview's progress. They were friendly and there was no time I felt harassed by the HR group. During the training, they were patient with the recruits and never undermined the abilities of each individual. 

In an ‘ideal workplace’ , what traits, values, or attitudes would you expect your HR team members to exhibit toward the other employees? 

I expect the HR group to be friendly and caring to the other employees in my organization because they deal with all the matters that affect the employees. I expect the HR group of any organization to be like my current team because they are ever friendly and they care about the welfare of the other employees. They take their time to listen to any employee that raises an issue to them and look for ways to get the solution for the employees' challenges by presenting the grievances to the management team. 

Provide an example from your own knowledge of a really good (or a really bad) occurrence that happened involving a Human Resources person, either at this company or another, and how did that affect your opinion of the HR people or the HR profession? 

I have not had any experience with the HR group to affect my opinion about their profession but I believe that the HR people are friendly and caring people because that is the only impression I have of the HR team from the HR in my current workplace. I view the HR personnel just like any other employee, and their work depends on the individual values and attributes of an individual HR. Generally, I have had a good experience with the HR group because I cannot think of any time that I have had a bad experience with them. 

YOU (THE CLASS MEMBER – YOU!!) MUST RESPOND TO THIS QUESTION ( for each interview that you do ): 

If you were the head of HR, or the CEO, and you heard of this perception of HR, WHAT (if anything) would you do to create a more positive HR experience within your company? 

If I was the HR and I heard this of my HR team, I will commend them for the good work they are doing and encourage them to continue being the best. The HR team is expected to be friendly and caring to other employees, and from the above interview, it is evident that the HR team is doing their work well. 

Interview Form 

NKU ‘Perceptions of HR’ Survey 

8 Essential Demographics- Select/ Mark one in each category 

Interviewee Role Type:  Upper Mgmnt.; Exempt; Non-Exempt; Hrly	Co. Business Function:  Manuf; Healthcare; Retail; Etc.
# Empls. In Company:  >50; 50-200; 200-1000; 1000+	Town Population of Work Location:  >5000; 5-50,000: 50,000+
Interviewee Gender:  Male; Female	Realtionship:  Family; Friend; Other
Interviewees Represented Status:  Non-Union; Union Member	Interviewee Age:  >20; 21-30; 30-45; 46+

Overview: This brief questionnaire is to assess the wide range of perceptions that individuals have of their Human Resources support group . If a person works at a company where there is no specific Human Resources professional, they would not be an acceptable person to interview for this assignment. 

ASK THEM THESE QUESTIONS  When it says YOU, it means THE PERSON YOU’RE INTERVIEWING! 

1. What is your (or your work team’s ) perception of your local HR group? 

Select one these four options. 

An excellent, friendly, and caring support team 

A competent and capable group 

Sufficient at a minimal level, not ‘value added’ 

Necessary function but otherwise irrelevant 

Based upon (1), what ‘personal experience’ have you actually had with HR to either support or refute (agree or disagree with) that perception? 

I have had a bad experience with the HR team at my workplace. I asked why the payment was being delayed, and I got rude remarks from the team telling me I could not understand and wait I should quit the job and look for anywhere else to work. The team is not capable because they are not as friendly and employee-oriented as they are supposed to be. 

In an ‘ideal workplace’ , what traits, values, or attitudes would you expect your HR team members to exhibit toward the other employees? 

I expect the HR team to be employee-oriented, caring, and friendly. They should be ready and willing to handle all the issues presented to them by other employees in a friendly manner because that is expected of them. They are in charge of all the employees and all matters affecting employees. If they cannot do their job well and perform their duties well, they should not be part of the organization. 

Provide an example from your own knowledge of a really good (or a really bad) occurrence that happened involving a Human Resources person, either at this company or another, and how did that affect your opinion of the HR people or the HR profession? 

Due to the COVID-19, the company fired ten employees because they wanted to cut costs due to the constraints caused by COVID-19. When some of the employees went to inquire from the HR team on what grounds and which method they used to fire them, the HR team did not mind giving the employees any explanation and just dismissed them. I believe that the HR group is supposed to help the other employees with any information and help. But if they are not able to do so, then the HR people are not necessary because the employees can seek answers and help from the management team directly. 

YOU (THE CLASS MEMBER – YOU!!) MUST RESPOND TO THIS QUESTION ( for each interview that you do ): 

If you were the head of HR, or the CEO, and heard of this perception of HR, WHAT (if anything) would you do to create a more positive HR experience within your company? 

I will call the HR team for a meeting and raise the issues that other employees have raised about them and request them to change or lose their jobs. The employees are the backbone of every organization and if they are not satisfied, they will not deliver quality work. This is why the HR department is in an organization and if they are not competent enough, I will hire a more competent team. 

Interview Form 

NKU ‘Perceptions of HR’ Survey 

8 Essential Demographics- Select/ Mark one in each category 

Interviewee Role Type:  Upper Mgmnt.; Exempt ; Non-Exempt; Hrly	Co. Business Function:  Manuf; Healthcare; Retail; Etc.
# Empls. In Company:  >50; 50-200; 200-1000; 1000+	Town Population of Work Location:  >5000; 5-50,000: 50,000+
Interviewee Gender:  Male; Female	Realtionship:  Family; Friend; Other
Interviewees Represented Status:  Non-Union; Union Member	Interviewee Age:  >20; 21-30; 30-45; 46+

Overview: This brief questionnaire is to assess the wide range of perceptions that individuals have of their Human Resources support group . If a person works at a company where there is no specific Human Resources professional, they would not be an acceptable person to interview for this assignment. 

ASK THEM THESE QUESTIONS  When it says YOU, it means THE PERSON YOU’RE INTERVIEWING! 

What is your (or your work team’s ) perception of your local HR group? 

Select one these four options. 

An excellent, friendly, and caring support team 

A competent and capable group 

Sufficient at a minimal level, not ‘value added’ 

Necessary function but otherwise irrelevant 

Based upon (1), what ‘personal experience’ have you actually had with HR to either support or refute (agree or disagree with) that perception? 

Whenever I had any questions or needed help on anything around the company, the HR team always helped me. This has helped me to cope with the issues in the company because the work at the company is strenuous. The friendliness of the HR team has helped my colleagues and I to cope up with the challenges at the workplace. I believe that the HR team at the company I am working at is competent and capable. 

In an ‘ideal workplace’ , what traits, values, or attitudes would you expect your HR team members to exhibit toward the other employees? 

I expect the HR team to be friendly and considerate to the other employees at the workplace. I expect the HR group to be aware of what it means to be in the HR department and work accordingly. They should not be a source of employee dissatisfaction because workers are more productive when they are satisfied than when they are not. The HR group should look out on the issues that are affecting their workers. 

Provide an example from your own knowledge of a really good (or a really bad) occurrence that happened involving a Human Resources person, either at this company or another, and how did that affect your opinion of the HR people or the HR profession? 

Just recently the company decided to reduce our salaries due to the COVID-19 pandemic. The HR team took their time to explain to us (the employees) that the cut was necessary because they opted to cut the salaries instead of firing some of the employees for the company's efficient running. Although we were not happy with the reduced salary, we were happy that the HR team looked to keep all the employees at work. 

YOU (THE CLASS MEMBER – YOU!!) MUST RESPOND TO THIS QUESTION ( for each interview that you do ): 

If you were the head of HR, or the CEO, and you heard of this perception of HR, WHAT (if anything) would you do to create a more positive HR experience within your company? 

I will encourage the HR group to continue being a competitive and capable team because competitiveness is advantageous. I will encourage the HR group to continue being considerate and friendly with other employees and always develop amicable ways to solve employee issues. This will help in the creation of a positive HR experience among the employees. 

Interview Form 

NKU ‘Perceptions of HR’ Survey 

8 Essential Demographics- Select/ Mark one in each category 

Interviewee Role Type:  Upper Mgmnt.; Exempt ; Non-Exempt; Hrly	Co. Business Function:  Manuf; Healthcare; Retail; Etc.
# Empls. In Company:  >50; 50-200; 200-1000; 1000+	Town Population of Work Location:  >5000; 5-50,000: 50,000+
Interviewee Gender:  Male; Female	Realtionship:  Family; Friend; Other
Interviewees Represented Status:  Non-Union; Union Member	Interviewee Age:  >20; 21-30; 30-45; 46+

Overview: This brief questionnaire is to assess the wide range of perceptions that individuals have of their Human Resources support group . If a person works at a company where there is no specific Human Resources professional, they would not be an acceptable person to interview for this assignment. 

ASK THEM THESE QUESTIONS  When it says YOU, it means THE PERSON YOU’RE INTERVIEWING! 

What is your (or your work team’s ) perception of your local HR group? 

Select one these four options. 

An excellent, friendly, and caring support team 

A competent and capable group 

Sufficient at a minimal level, not ‘value added’ 

Necessary function but otherwise irrelevant 

Based upon (1), what ‘personal experience’ have you had with HR to either support or refuted (agree or disagree with) that perception? 

Recently I was in my attachment, and at the end of the attachment, I requested the HR team to write me a recommendation later which would help me get a job and was a requirement by my school for graduation purposes. I kept requesting the HR team to write the recommendation until I was almost missing out on the graduation list. They eventually wrote the recommendation letter but it was almost too late and this would have affected my graduation and they were aware of that, but they kept asking me to come another day. 

In an ‘ideal workplace,’ what traits, values, or attitudes would you expect your HR team members to exhibit toward the other employees? 

I expect the HR team to be competent and provide their services promptly to the other employees to avoid inconveniencing them. The HR team should be empathetic, friendly and caring to the fellow workers. They should understand that they are in charge of all the employees' issues, therefore, work towards making the workplace a better place for the employees. 

Provide an example from your knowledge of a good (or a really bad) occurrence that happened involving a Human Resources person, either at this company or another and how did that affect your opinion of the HR people or the HR profession? 

Apart from the recommendation letter that I have mentioned above, I have not had any other bad experience with the HR team. I believe the HR department is important in every organization as many issues affect the employees and the employees find it hard to raise these issues with the management team. Therefore, the HR team is necessary. However, they should do their work well. 

YOU (THE CLASS MEMBER – YOU!!) MUST RESPOND TO THIS QUESTION ( for each interview that you do ): 

If you were the head of HR or the CEO and heard of this perception of HR, WHAT (if anything) would you do to create a more positive HR experience within your company? 

If I were the HR head and I heard this perception of my HR team, I will talk to my HR team and ask them to do their work effectively and ensure that they work with the name of the company in mind because if a person (for instance attaches) is not satisfied with the work environment, they will not tell anyone about the company. If the HR team does listen and acting according to their profession, I will look for another proficient team.