Human Resources (HR) plays a pivotal role in shaping the culture, productivity, and success of modern businesses. Gone are the days when HR was seen merely as an administrative department responsible for hiring and firing. Today, HR professionals are strategic partners, working alongside leadership teams to support employee wellbeing, promote diversity and inclusion, ensure legal compliance, and help businesses adapt to change.

Whether you’re running a small startup or managing a large organisation, your people are your most valuable asset. How you recruit, train, manage, and retain those people has a direct impact on your business’s ability to grow. This is why a strong, knowledgeable HR function is critical—and why formal training, such as a CIPD qualification, is becoming increasingly valuable in the professional world.

What Does HR Actually Do?

The HR department touches nearly every part of the employee lifecycle. From attracting top talent to managing performance, facilitating professional development, resolving conflicts, and overseeing exit procedures, HR is central to building a productive and motivated workforce.

Some of the core functions of HR include:

• Recruitment and Onboarding: Creating job descriptions, managing applications, interviewing candidates, and ensuring new employees are smoothly integrated into the team.
• Training and Development