What is HR Operations:

Human resources operations (HR operations) is defined as the efficient and effective management of human resource processes, in order to ensure that employees have the tools, knowledge, and support they need in order to contribute to the overall success of an organization. In short, the operations around people management.

HR operations involve a wide range of activities related to employee recruitment, selection, training and development, performance management, compensation and benefits administration, compliance with regulatory requirements, and other related areas. In addition, HR operations also focus on developing policies and procedures that support the organization's human resources strategy.

HR operations roles and responsibilities:

The roles and responsibilities of HR operations staff vary widely depending on the type of organization, size, and location. In a typical setting, they include:

- Overseeing the recruitment process from beginning to end, including interviewing and selecting candidates, conducting reference checks, and providing onboarding and orientation programs for new employees.

- Assisting with employee relations issues such as grievances or complaints.

- Administering employee compensation and benefits packages in line with organizational policies.

- Developing and implementing training and development programs to ensure employee competencies are up to date.

- Ensuring effective communication between HR operations staff, management, employees, and other stakeholders.

- and, many more.

Types of HR Operating Models:

There are several models that HR teams to achieve success. HR operating models can vary depending on an organization's size, needs, and objectives. There are three primary types of HR operating models: centralized, decentralized, and integrated.

1. Centralized: This model focuses on efficient shared services, meaning the HR team operates from a central location.

2. Decentralized: In this model, each business unit is responsible for its own HR operations and has the autonomy to create its own policies and procedures.

3. Integrated: This model combines aspects of both centralized and decentralized models, allowing each business unit to have autonomy while still having the support of a centralized team.

Each model has its own advantages and disadvantages, and it is important to consider which model best fits your organization's specific needs. A centralized model will be more efficient, while a decentralized model will give each business unit the autonomy to create their own policies and procedures.

There are also benefits to an integrated model. Being the "middle ground," this model allows for the best of both worlds, as each business unit will have the autonomy to create its own policies and procedures, while still receiving the support of a centralized team.

As you're considering which model is right for you, here are a few things to take into consideration:

- The size of your organization and the scope of its operations

- Your company's overall objectives

- The availability and capabilities of HR personnel.

These items will allow you to create a "landscape view" (or broad view) of your company to see what would best fit the unique challenges and goals you'll face. It also helps to do a talent assessment.

As you're making hiring decisions, it helps to put people into each business unit that fit that unit's overall objectives. This means hiring for the specific roles and responsibilities that each business unit requires. Once you have the specific roles, responsibilities, scope, and expectations down on paper, you can use interview intelligence software to assess and score each candidate on their overall ability to contribute to the team. This will ensure team and cultural fit which leads to better cohesion within your teams.

HR Operations Roles And Responsibilities

Now that you have a "30k-foot view of HR operations," let's say that you're hiring someone specifically for an HR operations role. Where do you start?

HR Operations Job Description:

Writing a job description for an HR operations role is key. It should include any necessary certifications, education, and experience requirements, as well as a comprehensive list of the specific HR operations roles and responsibilities that come with the job.

The job description should also explain how this position fits within the overall organization. For example, will this person be reporting to a manager in another department or to a direct supervisor?

HR Operations Roles and Responsibilities:

When listing HR operations responsibilities, a comprehensive list should include:

- Overseeing the recruitment process from beginning to end, including interviewing and selecting candidates, conducting reference checks, and providing onboarding and orientation programs for new employees.

- Assisting with employee relations issues such as grievances or complaints.

- Administering employee compensation and benefits packages in line with organizational policies.

- Developing and implementing training and development programs to ensure employee competencies are up to date.

- Ensuring effective communication between HR operations staff, management, employees, and other stakeholders.

- Evaluating the performance of existing employees to identify areas for improvement or help them develop their skills.

- Monitoring compliance with laws related to labor relations and employment.

- Working with other departments to develop and implement policies that support the organization's human resources strategy.

- Developing and maintaining strong relationships with external vendors such as payroll service providers, legal advisors, and insurance companies.

- Providing guidance and advice to employees on their rights and available benefits.

- Analyzing trends in HR operations data to identify possible areas of improvement.

- Updating job descriptions and other documents as needed.

- Assisting in the implementation of HR programs and initiatives that support organizational goals.

- and, anything else that would be relevant to their role, your company, state or federal laws, and anything specific to your industry.

Putting all of this on paper and checking off the items that are an absolute must will help you create a comprehensive job description that will attract the best possible candidate. If you're looking for HR operations questions to help you through a candidate screening or interview process, chat with someone from our team.

At Pillar, we have a list of more than 1000+ questions that can be added to screenings or interviews with just a few clicks- saving you time and allowing you to focus your attention on the candidate's responses rather than the question you need to ask next.

HR Operations Interview Questions

Back to our scenario; you're hiring for an HR operations role- What HR operations interview questions will help you find the best person for the job?

There are a variety of questions you can ask to get a better understanding of the candidate's skills and experience. Here are some examples of questions that an HR operations candidate would expect and a few ways to make them better so that you can identify the best candidates:

- "Why do you feel that you would be a good fit for this role?"

The reality of this question is that it doesn't give us any useful data. Why are they a good fit for a role that they know almost nothing about, in a company that they know very little about, and on a team that they've never worked with before? Instead, you could ask:

- "In researching our company, what specific skill do you bring to the table that will help us reach our goals, and how would you use it to help us get even better results?"

As you can see, this is specific. It tells us what the candidate thinks they can bring to the team, and it also gives insight into how their experience might be used in a practical way.

Another question that you could ask is:

- "In your experience, what do you think the biggest challenge of working in HR operations is?"

This question provides an opportunity for candidates to show their understanding and knowledge of the challenges they may face in this role. It can also help you get a better feel for how they might handle those challenges if hired.

Another question you could ask is:

- "What would you consider to be the most important metric when assessing an HR operations team's success?"

The candidate's response will give you some insight into what metrics they value. For instance, if "employee happiness" is their primary response how do you measure happiness? Do you measure it through surveys or focus groups? Do you measure it by how long employees stay on a team or in your company? Do you measure employee happiness by how many company happy hours employees show up to? These will all be within their purview, so you'll want to be sure you understand their thought process.

If you're hiring an HR operations manager, be doubly aware of the questions you're asking. HR operations manager's responsibilities are wide-ranging, and the questions you ask should reflect that. Be sure to ask about their experience in developing and implementing HR policies, managing compliance regulations, working with external vendors, conducting performance evaluations, providing guidance to employees on available benefits, etc.

These types of questions will give you a better understanding of a candidate's background and how they might handle the responsibilities of HR operations.

Overall, when looking for the right candidate to fill an HR operations role, be sure that you have a comprehensive list of questions that can provide valuable insight into their abilities and experience. If you need help creating a list or analyzing your interview results, chat with someone from our team at Pillar. We're here to help!

Book your demo of our Interview intelligence software if you'd like to learn more about how it can help you find the best HR operations candidates. We look forward to meeting you!