The Difference Between HR and People Operations
The terms HR and People Operations (also known as POPs) are often confused as synonyms. But is it really all the same? Nope!
Over the last few years, thanks to the pandemic, we have certainly redefined the meaning of ‘work’ and the values ascribed to it. The standard hierarchy of power has experienced a few modifications to accommodate the ‘new normal’.
As we continue to navigate the waters of virtual work, work-from-home, and hybrid models that defy the 9-to-5 culture, the functions of both Human Resources and People Operations come to light.
Let’s break down the origin, definition, and responsibilities of both departments to understand the bigger picture.
What Is Meant By Human Resources?
The term human resources refer to (a) the human capital employed by the firm and (b) the department that manages the people aboard. Theoretically, it is an approach that ensures employee satisfaction for better productivity and employee retention.
Traditionally, HR upholds the responsibilities associated with the employee life cycle. These include but are not limited to:
Hiring and onboarding
Guidance, policy updates, employee records
Payroll, promotion, and termination
Ensuring clear communication throughout the organization is among the primary concerns of the department. This could take the form of better negotiation about fringe benefits and pay, an accessible work environment, respecting DEI initiatives (Diversity, Equity, and Inclusion) and other such elements that keep the employees sated enough to continue with their jobs, precisely where they are!
What Is Meant By People Operations?
People Operations has popped rather recently. It is derived from the postmodernist thought of respecting the individual as opposed to the HR policy of one-size-fits-all. It understands the needs of an individual on a holistic level to ease their challenges.
It takes a subjective approach towards an individual’s ability to work, their mental and physical well-being, the work-life balance and everything else that had often taken a backseat in the last few decades.
The People Operation team helps an employee feel like a part of a team, it designs work in a way that leaves the employee with a sense of achievement and pride instead of badgering them for mass production devoid of emotions.
The responsibilities of People Operations include but are not limited to:
Culture development
Project Management
Rituals and Goal Setting
Change Management and Employee Loyalty
While these responsibilities may sound like buzzwords to a conservative, cooperative employee from the 1990s, they have certainly become bare necessities for millennial and Gen-Z employees. These cohorts have an evolved and inclusive worldview that has prepared them for self-sustenance.
Belonging to a ‘fluid’ post-modern society has made People Operations an anchor that helps employees stick around a firm as it transitions from the traditional boxed structures led by target-driven Human Resource departments.
Building Context: A Brush Up On The History Of Management Approaches
The first Human Resource department dates back to 1901 by The National Cash Register Company. It's been more than a century since the establishment of this approach and the giant leaps of change made by society as a whole create a need for revision and relevance.
The 40-hour work week and its inefficacy in recent times illustrate the case in point. Almost 121 years later, several firms still affirm the “transactional” side of things forsaking the transformation of life itself.
In 2006, Google became the first company to rename its HR Department. The god of search engines opted for People Operations to separate the bureaucratic implications of ‘human capital management’.
When Google noticed that new moms were leaving their jobs due to insensitive maternity leave and inaccessible childcare, they adopted better policies to accommodate new parents. And hence initiating the movement that is being discussed today!
The Difference Between HR and POPs?
The main difference between the two is the fact that HR revolves around hard and fast rules, policies, and austerity. Whereas People Operations bridges the gap between challenges and solutions. It engages the team to the present by offering relevant, relatable and empathetic answers to an employee’s concerns.
It is predicted by Upwork that more than 36 million Americans will be working remotely by 2025. This implies that the traditional practices would go down the drain due to their impracticality in this case.
The proactive approach of People Operation offers timely adjustments for new vacancies and sensible answers for improving the employee experience.
Do You Need HR or People Operations?
The corporate world does not function on a black and white frame, hence it requires both skill sets to ensure successful operations. Obviously, an employer cannot abandon productivity in its entirety to accommodate complacency.
An employee is paid for their efforts and praised for their achievements. But this does not mean that one should stick by the dystopian HR practices that were devoid of any emotional significance.
It must be noted that most of the responsibilities of the People Operation department fall under Human Resource Management. It is a seismic change in approach as opposed to a fall of dominoes. Pingboard’s analogy of an abode fits perfectly where one is calculating the pros and cons of HR versus POPs.
HR builds the foundation, pillars, and structures for a company. It helps a team survive in the toughest hours but it is the People Operation department that makes this house into a home.
Their cushioned approach of care and convenience for the employees gives them a place where they belong. It keeps them motivated and brings them back to work with a smile on their face.
