If you own a mid-size business which is gearing up for the next step in growth, you will already know the importance of a Human Resources department. They are not simply in place to handle the hiring and firing for your organization – HR also arranges the training and administration of your workforce.

In essence, the HR department is responsible for virtually all things staff-related. This means they are the backbone of your employees’ morale, engagement, and productivity. If you have a sizeable workforce, it’s not hyperbole to say that HR is your company’s most valuable resource.

Due to its importance, you need to have your HR running like a well-oiled machine. For help with this, here are four must-know tips when it comes to improving your business HR:

Utilize Modern Technology

Staying up to date and using the latest technology is imperative for any growing business. It helps to simplify work, automate monotonous tasks, remove human error from the equation, and so on. Thankfully, technology also covers the human resources department.

If you use online HR software such as XCD, this will minimize the need to focus on administration tasks. The advantages are that it saves money, time, and resources. The end result? Your HR team can concentrate on more important matters revolving around your employees.

Be Clear

Clear communication is vital for all aspects of business. This includes the communication between your HR department and employees.

Ideally, HR should define the goals and expectations for each individual employee. These should then be clearly communicated to your staff. If they want to go above and beyond with their work, employees need to understand what it takes to actually go ‘beyond’.

With goals in place, it’s important for HR to track them. This way, they can begin analyzing clear performance indicators and see if employees are meeting – or exceeding — their objectives.

Maintain Morale with Incentives

Did you know that 85% of employed Americans would leave their current job if a better opportunity came along? However, the same research indicates that a better benefits package — such as 401(k), healthcare options, additional paid time off, etc. – reduces that number to 50%.

With this in mind, it pays to be generous to your employees. Benefits schemes and compensation work well; one-off financial rewards will soon be forgotten. Remember: higher retention rates will be more cost-effective for your business. Even if you invest more money in your workers, this will ultimately be cheaper than having to rehire, retrain, and incorporate new staff members.

Allow for Advancement

Speaking of ways to incentivize, your HR department should place a particular focus on providing employees the chance to advance their career within your organization.

To do this, HR should take a strategic approach. This means sending them to relevant workshops and training events. You could even sponsor employees to go along to networking and industry shows. Just keep in mind that travel and any course fees/certification will need to be covered by your business.

Overall, these opportunities give employees the chance to continually learn and advance their careers. It’s a win-win as it benefits both them and your company.