HR Organizational Structure

The human resources department plays an important role in attracting, motivating and retaining the most qualified employees. Its structure depends on the size, type and needs of the organization. The HR department structure and HR roles must align with the overall corporate structure and business strategies.

HR Generalist

In small organizations, a human resources generalist covers all major HR functional areas. HR professionals in this type of structure require an extensive knowledge of all aspects of human resources.

HR Specialists

Larger organizations that have more complex HR needs have specialists in HR functional areas such as training and development, employee relations, recruitment and compensation. They may work in coordination with HR generalists or partners who are assigned to specific business units.

HR Head

Organizations with a large HR complement usually have a director or vice president of human resources who manages several departments. A manager specializing in an HR function leads each department. Most HR heads in big organizations report directly to the CEO and participate in strategic planning.

References

• Bureau of Labor Statistics: Human Resources, Training, and Labor Relations Managers and Specalists
• Society for Human Resource Management: SHRM Metric of the Month: Percentage of HR Staff in HR Roles
• City and County of San Francisco Department of Human Resources: DHR Organizational Structure