Human resource department (HRD) functions starts with manpower planning at the time of its incorporation and is an ongoing process until it’s winding up. Every measure taken by the HRD must add to the welfare of the workforce to induce them to continue their excellent service with the organization. Employee benefits are given great attention to avoid employee attrition rate within the organization.

HR maintains an updated database of employees with their personal details like the name, educational qualifications, experience, family details, and much more that might be required at any point of time. The manger to whom she reports to, her position in the hierarchy are of use at the time of promoting her. As these are to be updated, the HR is to follow a process with minimum frills for quick updating.

Reimbursement of personal expenses incurred on medical treatment, purchase of technical books, telephone bills etc are to be made within a limited time. The HRD is to analyse the time taken for the actual process for its completion. For example, the employee will have to enter the details online with the HRD and then after the approval of the supervisor to confirm that everything is in order, submit the bills with the HRD. Many companies have ‘drop boxes’ in the offices for easy submission on the part of the employee. Then after scrutinizing the bills, the HRD is to transfer the money to the bank account of the employee. Many large companies in India maintain a separate bank account for the exclusive transfer of money on reimbursement of the bills. The HRD is to provide for a system which can track the real time state of any transaction between the employee and the company. The previous history helps in defining the exact time for processing the transactions on the basis of its nature. The department should be alert to avoid duplications in the system as this can result in the loss of time, effort and money to the entity.

Similarly with the economy opening to the whole world, the trip to the customer site for business purposes or for assisting in doing work is on the rise. Visa processing is another service performed by the HRD. Information on the papers to be submitted must be collected well in advance from the Embassies. The documents vary with the purpose of the visit. Along with it, the fees for visa procurement, the time taken for visa stamping, details on personal interviews etc must be collected. The time taken for the actual receipt can aid the company in providing with a definite date to the customer. Better customer relationship calls for an efficient system with no loopholes. An error can turn out to be very expensive when the relationship with the customer gets strained on account of a delay in the previously decided journey.

Every employee service functions committed by the HRD must be standardized. The salary should be paid in time to maintain the credibility of the organization, the advance tax must be paid in accordance with the Government rules, and the pay slip must be provided to the employee. Similarly the policies for reimbursement of expenses vary from place to place, and from country to country. All these must be properly obliged without loss in time.

The HRD is to analyse the time required for each service function, provide an efficient tracking system, pave way for the convenience of the employee as well as the HRD in performing these services and keep a vigil on each activity to avoid duplications or unnecessary deviations. A check on the HRD functions keeps reducing the errors to minimum. The delay could be due to understaffing, unwanted procedure in between, system error, or lack of proper planning. So a conscious effort to nullify the errors and delays must be taken.