Happy HR Professionals Day! 10 Reasons to Celebrate Your HR Team

Quick look: Happy HR Professionals Day! Every September 26, we officially say thank you to HR teams everywhere. Here’s a look back at how the holiday started, 10 reasons human resources (HR) deserves a round of applause year-round, and how working with outside experts can ease the workload for busy departments.

Think about everything that happens at work in a single day.

A new employee gets an offer, someone has a question about their benefits, a manager needs advice on a performance issue, a regulation changes, payroll needs to go out, and an employee wants to talk through a workplace concern.

Behind many of those moments is an HR professional.

They’re often the people employees turn to when they need an answer and managers rely on when they need guidance. And at small and midsized businesses (SMBs), that can mean juggling an especially long list of responsibilities.

So, on September 26, HR Professionals Day gives us a reason to pause and recognize the people behind the people.

The origin of HR Professionals Day

The holiday dates back to 2013, when Jamaica’s then-Governor-General Sir Patrick Allen proposed a day to honor the people who fuel organizational success by developing talent.

Five years later, Governor-General Hon. Steadman Alvin Ridout Fuller made it official, putting an international spotlight on how HR helps build thriving organizations.

Today, it’s a reminder that HR deserves recognition for everything it contributes throughout the year.

10 celebration-worthy things HR teams do

HR departments play a critical role in any company, but especially at SMBs, where they tend to be lean and wear many hats. Here’s a look at what responsibilities they typically tackle, all for the greater good of the organization and its workforce.

1. They manage the end-to-end people experience

Nearly every people-related function within a business runs through HR, including:

• Recruiting
• Performance management
• Compensation planning
• Employee benefits
• Compliance

HR professionals keep these moving parts organized while giving employees the tools and opportunities they need to succeed, which can strengthen a company’s bottom line and position in the market.

2. They make benefits work for employees

Great benefits packages don’t design themselves, HR teams do. Compelling offerings attract and excite candidates, and can help reduce costly turnover and preserve institutional knowledge along the way.

Beyond design, HR experts also administer enrollment, track market trends, and help employees navigate their plan options each year. They also have to balance what employees value with what makes sense for the business.

It’s a job that requires plenty of research and attention to detail, especially during periods like open enrollment.

3. They find and onboard talent

Finding the right people is an important part of recruitment, but so many other responsibilities are also involved. Recruiting specialists screen resumes, coordinate interviews, and guide new hires through onboarding, all of which contribute to an employer’s brand and whether top talent chooses to stay.

4. They shape the employee experience

A strong organizational culture drives job satisfaction, morale, and productivity, but achieving those outcomes requires far more than snacks in the break room or an occasional office party.

HR influences how teams collaborate, how leaders respond to feedback, and how employees are recognized. This is proven to contribute to a more engaged workforce. According to Gallup, workers who feel strongly connected to their company’s culture are:

• 4.3 times as likely to be engaged at work 
• 5.3 times as likely to agree to recommend their business as a great place to work 
• 62% less likely to often or always feel burned out at work 
• 47% less likely to be actively or passively seeking another job 

5. They focus on fair pay

Another way HR teams entice staff to stay is by regularly confirming that they are compensated fairly. Compensation specialists create and maintain pay structures that keep salaries competitive within an industry and region. This work includes:

• Benchmarking against the market
• Tracking inflation
• Adjusting pay by role and skill set
• Staying compliant with wage, equal pay, overtime, and pay transparency laws on federal, state, and local levels

6. They create opportunities for people to grow

Career growth is a major motivator, with research showing that by doubling the share of employees who feel they have opportunities to learn and grow, businesses could experience an 18% increase in profit and a 14% increase in productivity.

HR teams make that happen by building mentorship, reskilling, and upskilling programs that empower employees to expand upon their strengths and close skill gaps. They also coach managers and keep companywide training on track with the latest regulations.

7. They keep the company compliant

Employment laws change rapidly, and staying ahead requires dedicated expertise. Certain HR professionals focus on risk management to help limit a company’s exposure to workplace incidents and potential penalties. Depending on the organization, that can include everything from workplace safety programs and Occupational Safety and Health Administration (OSHA) standards to employee relations and state and local regulations.

8. They help resolve conflicts

When disagreements arise between colleagues or leadership, HR is often called in to help. Whether it’s tension between coworkers or a challenging employee conversation, HR professionals step in as coaches and neutral mediators, helping those involved work through friction and establish collaborative working relationships.

It’s not always the easiest part of the job, but it’s an important one.

9. They make day-to-day HR tasks easier with the right tech

HR technology is the backbone of many core business functions, from time tracking to benefits enrollment. HR leaders put these tools within reach by implementing and fine-tuning digital systems for distributed teams, rolling out programs that support employee well-being, and using learning platforms and HRIS systems to simplify processes and boost engagement.

10. They help prepare for what’s next

HR isn’t just about what’s happening today. The department also plays an important role in preparing an organization for tomorrow.

That can mean identifying employees ready for new opportunities, helping managers become stronger leaders, developing policies that improve the workplace, and thinking ahead about the talent an organization will need as it grows. 

In other words, HR has a front-row seat to both the people and business decisions that shape the future.

HR burnout: acknowledging the demands of the job

Of course, one day of appreciation can’t erase the demands that come with working in HR.

Research from the Society for Human Resource Management (SHRM) shows that 75% of HR professionals say their work is emotionally exhausting, and 47% say the position has affected their mental health and well-being.

Left unaddressed, this strain can spark turnover within HR itself and ripple out to the rest of the organization, which is why many SMBs turn outside for help.

Easing the burden with an external partner

Recognition on HR Professionals Day matters, but ongoing support has an impact all year long.

An HR outsourcing partner, like a professional employer organization (PEO), takes routine administrative responsibilities off an internal team’s plate. Depending on the partnership, that can include payroll, benefits, recruiting, and risk management.

Outsourcing routine administrative work also frees up internal HR departments to focus on the more strategic side of HR, like growth planning and employee engagement. At ExtensisHR, for example, our Employee Solution Center handles questions directly, with calls answered in an average of 15 seconds. This gives internal HR teams fewer routine questions to field throughout the day.

Every ExtensisHR customer also gets a three-layer support system, including a dedicated Account Manager, HR Business Partner, and Payroll Specialist, meaning when HR itself needs assistance, they have someone on the other end of the line who knows their business inside and out.

HR is worth celebrating all year long

Today and every day, HR professionals deserve some recognition.  So, take a moment to thank your HR team!

Then think about what you can do to make their jobs a little easier the other 364 days of the year.