Human resources administration is a function of the human resources administration that handles administrative functions for the company’s human resources management. This administration function is often the lesser of the other human resources functions by virtue of its administrative function. I have been in human resources long enough to understand the importance of human resource administration in the smooth functioning of the company and, specifically, for the human resources department. Most of the human resources departments and functions have an administrative component that someone has to handle.
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The various facets of human resources administration
The human resources function has various functions that can be classified as human resources administration. The key human resources administration function is HR Administration, which handles most of the paperwork for the human resources function. Some human resources departments have roles such as training administrator and payroll administrator. Let us look at some of these HR administrative functions.
Human resources administrator – This role normally specializes in handling paperwork from the time an employee joins the organization up to the time when they leave the organization. A human resources administrator is the person who will handle tasks such as organizing job interviews, filing all paperwork for employees who join the organization, handling the logistics for employee onboarding, and processing termination papers when employees leave the organization. For someone to hold this role normally, they would be required to possess some HR administration qualification and a general HR qualification with experience handling HR administrative work. Some HR generalists end up heading the HR administration part of the HR function. I remember when I was working for BHP Minerals, we had a Manager responsible for Human Resources Administration. This role looked after all the administrative aspects of more than three thousand employees. The senior officers report to them. While many may take this as a lower-rung job, the role plays a significant role in any organization, especially those that employ large numbers of employees.
Employee Benefits Administrator – This role takes the administrative burden of ensuring that all the benefits the company offers are delivered to the right employee recipients. This type of HR administrator is responsible for making employees enrol for pension and medical insurance, which are provided as a benefit by the company. They also handle all other additional benefits the company may be offering over and above the ones already mentioned. In some organizations, this administrative may be asked to handle payroll processing, including ensuring that every employee gets their payslip. Most organizations require aspiring candidates to have a certificate or diploma in employee benefits administration to qualify to occupy this role. In some instances, HR generalists are moved into such roles as a role as long as they have a good understanding of employee benefits administration.
Training Administrator – Another role that operates under the Banner of HR administration is that of the Training administrator. This role handles all the paperwork related to the delivery of training services with the organization. Such individuals are responsible for notifying employees selected for training and coordinating and facilitating all logistical arrangements related to the delivery of training. They may be required to handle and analyze feedback forms after each training session and prepare reports. In addition to these duties, the training administrator is responsible for reconciling all training expenses and handing them over to the finance or accounting department.
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Who can work in human resources administration?
In many instances, the people who can work in any of the above-mentioned human resources administration must qualify for human resources administration and have requisite experience handling a similar or related role. You can also find that people who end up in human resources administration may have transitioned from any HR generalist role into any of the roles mentioned above. I have noticed, in some instances, people coming from any administrative function transitioning into these roles without any necessary extensive HR experience. The reason such moves are accepted is that the human resources administration role is mainly clerical and takes a shorter time to earn.
The future of human resources administration
Because the human resources administration role is mainly clerical and handles the paperwork, we are seeing a shift in how HR administration is being handled in the advert of digitalization. When companies go digital, we notice that the human resources administration role is often the first one to be digitalized, reducing the need for paperwork and interface. We are seeing the emergence of self-service portals and AI assistants taking up the role of the human resource administrator. What this means is that with digitalization, very few headcounts will be required to handle administrative paperwork related to human resources administration. This revolution has started, and anyone wanting to go into these roles must assess their future employability seriously.
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Conclusion
Human resources administration is the lesser of the more specialist roles that you find in an organization, such as HR Business Partner, Compensation Specialist, HR Analytics Specialist, etc. It is a role that gives much value to any organization. The biggest threat facing human resources administration is digitalization, which will lead to less need for such roles in the future. The only way one can remain relevant in such careers is to become a super user of the digital tools used in HR administration. Anything short of that is likely to lead to career disappointment as these roles become less and less prominent.
Digitalization is revolutionizing HR operations, transforming the way HR professionals manage the workforce from recruitment and onboarding to payroll administration, performance management, and talent development. This digital revolution is eliminating paperwork, streamlining processes, automating tasks, and enhancing employee engagement, all while providing data-driven insights to inform strategic HR decisions. As HR embraces the digital age, organizations can expect to experience significant improvements in workforce productivity, talent acquisition, and overall business success.
