Human resource professionals must have an important role in developing and implementing sustainability strategies for their organizations. Sustainability is crucial for all employees, but particularly for the youngest workers. Noted Mary Cheddie, a former SHRM Board member. “It’s very appropriate that HR take the lead” in driving such initiatives. Company culture is a milestone for any business, as it shows how engaged your employees are and for how long you are capable of retaining them. Being an HR professional, it is your duty to help mold your company so that it becomes sustainable over a long term. Knowing what your responsibility is and how you can better improve your company can develop an environment that employees look forward to going to each day.
It is essential for an HR to support the organization, to boost efficiency, to manage corporate governance and ethical issues over economic performance. HR has the capability to be conscious in the organization, encouraging policies and practices that are sustainable for humans and the environment. Acquiring such an advancement can be challenging at times. But a Human Resource manager can accelerate the conversation between top management and employees for a joint association of sustainable working practices.
It is the duty of the HR manager to conduct regular meetings with transparent communication styles, promoting employees in brainstorming ideas, or using motivational theories are some of the ways to encourage and root sustainability within organizations. These people-oriented skills serve in creating the business not economically but socially along with the environment.
These are some strategies that Human Resource professionals can manage employees with their work and with the organization
Contribute in wellbeing
Taking several measures to develop a healthy workplace like initiating an employee assistance programme (EAP), training mental health first aiders, and promoting healthy eating. All these can help to improve staff wellbeing. But it is essential to take a look at the organization’s culture and the behaviors.
Empower your people
Empower, trust and support your employees to work autonomously, and refer back to you if they require any guidance. This would help in sustaining the employees and a kind of trust is built in them.
Make Employees Comfortable
Increasing employee productivity should be a decisive element of any successful business. Every company must get the most from their employees. This can be gained by making their employees comfortable, all companies can get the most from their employees. By making the employees comfortable the company can achieve their brand’s goals and increase to heights as an organization. A skillful and smart HR manager knows how to keep their employees comfortable and happy in their work. Companies and HR departments should try to be responsible for deserved promotions, employee benefits plans, allowances, gifts, employee appraisal, excellent working environment, etc to make their staff at ease.
Update technology and tools
If you have successfully managed to attract top talent and maintained a staff of excellent employees, outdated tech and tools can extremely hinder productivity and create irritation among your best employees. Technology is developing rapidly year after year. So it’s necessary to continuously update the tools to keep business functions running flawlessly.
Safety and Emergency
Employee safety is an important concern for every business. HR managers must be conscious of potential risks and how to manage emergencies. Apart from particular job-related safety and emergency procedure training, managers must know policies and protocol regarding fire safety, emergency evacuations, lockdowns and other security and safety related problems.
Recognize good work
Your organization must regularly, publicly and willingly understand and reward its people. Even if some of your leaders and managers appreciate their staff for their efforts, there’s absolutely more to be done at all levels of an organization.
Employee Appraisal
Try to bring in employee appraisal programs to increase employee output. Appraisal programs will surely make the employees more concentrated in their work, focused in their daily tasks and contribute hugely to the success of company goals.
Assist employees during personal emergencies
Sometimes employees have to deal with personal emergencies. They might be facing a family or medical urgency that needs an instant or planned leave of absence, which shall need to be extended.
During emergencies like these, the HR manager is the right contact point and is trained to respond to such employee requests. It carries discussions with employees’ reporting managers to look up approval. As per the severity of the situation, it even makes flexible return-to-work plans.
