HR, or human resources, is a critical function in most organizations today. It helps maintain a constant supply of qualified workers to fuel the needs of the company. Human resource professionals include people from various organizations that hire, train, and if need arises, even fire employees. They take care of all personnel issues such as payroll, leave policy, and employee benefits.

Human resource is especially important for large companies where the employee numbers are large. It involves recruiting skilled and talented people who are capable of performing the assigned tasks within the company. Human resource personnel are also responsible for planning and execution of different training programs for new, as well as existing employees.

Selection and recruitment of employees is just one of the aspects of a human resource personnels job profile. Other key tasks include dealing with difficult situations such as employee disputes, sexual harassment cases or health care issues. It is the responsibility of human resources to ensure the welfare of all the employees in an organization.

Human resource professionals contribute to utilizing the skills and expertise of employees to an optimum level. They design employee benefit programs such as health insurance and pension plans. Human resource personnel maintain a record of attendance, leaves of absence, and regular performance appraisals of individual employees. They are also in charge of creating and maintaining harmony in order to maintain a pleasant and comfortable work environment.

Generally, most human resource, training and labor relations managers have a degree in human resources. Human resource personnel must have good communication skills and a pleasing personality. As a part of their job, human resource personnel have to interact with people inside and outside the office on a regular basis. They train and supervise employees from different cultural backgrounds and education. As a result, they may have to encounter conflicts, and work under pressure.

Most specialized jobs in the field of human resources require previous experience. Smaller organizations, however, may hire fresh graduates as employees in the human resource department.