An investment in human capital entails funding for education or on-the-job training to improve workforce quality. These investments benefit both the individual and the economy as a whole. Higher earnings benefit individuals, and higher productivity benefits the economy as a whole. Whether you call it human resource, human capital, talent acquisition, or something else, there is no denying that investment in human capital and developing the people who work with you in the company plays an important role in an organization’s growth.
As a result, managing and maintaining your human capital resources to optimal levels is critical for them to be assets that grow your business rather than liabilities that drag it down. Strategic investments in human capital can yield unrivaled returns in the worker-driven industry of construction. Continue reading to learn more about the benefits of investment in human capital.
What Is Human Capital?
Human capital is the monetary worth of a worker’s experience and skills. Education, training, intelligence, skills, health, and other qualities that employers value, such as loyalty and punctuality, are examples of human capital assets. As a result, it is an intangible asset or quality that is not (and cannot be) recorded on a company’s balance sheet.
Human capital is thought to boost productivity and, as a result, profitability. The more a company invests in its employees, the greater its chances of productivity and success.
Human capital acknowledges that not all labor is equal. Employers, on the other hand, can improve the quality of their capital by investing in their employees. Employees’ education, experience, and abilities can help with this. All of this has significant economic value for employers and the overall economy.
What Are The Examples Of Human Capital?
Any human quality or value that can improve economic output and productivity is considered human capital. It can be difficult to quantify these intangible assets because they cannot be separated from individual workers. They do, however, consistently result in improved economic performance.
Human capital may include characteristics such as:
- Education
- On-the-job training or technical education
- Health
- Well-being, both mental and emotional
- Punctuality
- Problem-solving
- Management of people
- Communication capabilities
Investing in these qualities strengthens the labor force. As a result, the economy generates more output and individuals earn more money.
How Do You Invest In Human Capital?
Strategic Recruitment
Strategic hiring is the first step toward better human capital resources. From a team standpoint, the solution to your business problems is usually not more people, but rather the right people.
Individuals who exhibit certain characteristics that naturally support the function of a business for which you are looking to hire. This position could range from leadership to management to a highly specialized skill role. Hiring can either make or break your company’s future profitability. So, hire wisely.
Training and Development
Of course, when you hire someone, you do so because of their skills and the work they have demonstrated. However, this does not mean they will not require your assistance.
Each company has its own set of work systems and methods of operation. As a result, human capital training is required to ensure that the employee can integrate into the system and complete their tasks without incident.
Later on, the company should also assist employees by investing in human capital development. A person may be doing their job perfectly, but they may want to improve, do better, and explore more avenues for assistance. In this case, an organization should invest in its employees’ learning and development.
Provide Them With Cutting-edge Technology.
Technology is an unstoppable revolution. People can either complain that it is destroying their jobs, or they can embrace it and use it to help them do their jobs better. Business expense systems, for example, do not exist to replace finance teams; rather, they exist to make their jobs easier and more efficient.
Incentives
Finally, incentivizing employees through additional bonuses based on their performance or other metrics can help your business move in the right direction.
How Can Expense Management Improve Investment In Human Capital?
Improve Your Control Over Individual Employee Spending
Your finance team can use an expense management system to create and enforce financial policies on the software system. This allows administrators to set monthly spending limits for each individual. Even with faster collaboration, you will always have complete control over all employee expenditures.
Improve Your Business Decisions.
Business decisions are made by reviewing historical data and identifying patterns that may reoccur in the future based on the nature of your business. Budget forecasting becomes a critical component in operations.
A good employee expense management system will provide you with all of the information you require in a single dashboard. You can see all expenses and make informed financial business decisions for the coming years, from departmental spending to specific employee purchases.
Administrative Tasks are Reduced
Before the advent of technology, human resources were used to manually manage expenses. For the administration, this was a very time-consuming and labor-intensive task. There were piles of paperwork that needed to be collected, organized, used for accounting, and then safely stored. Expense management software takes care of everything. It makes the job of the finance and administrative teams much easier.
Effective Sales Force
Any company’s sales team must frequently use business funds for expenses. When you implement simple-to-use tech expense software throughout the organization, it gives your employees the flexibility and agility to make quick decisions, whether it is traveling to meet a client or other expenses that the sales team may have to make as per client needs.
Improved Workforce Data Tracking
One significant advantage of using an expense system is that it allows administrators to see how much each employee spends. The ability to see this data is critical for business owners and financial controllers because it allows them to look back and see if what they forecasted in terms of budget requirements matches up with all of the actual expenses.
Improve Employee Performance.
There will be positions and roles in a company that are heavily reliant on company budgets to execute their campaigns, such as advertisers or marketers. A steady flow of cash and easy access to it will ensure that your employee’s work is not hampered by slow budget approvals.
Benefits Of Investment In Human Capital
According to the 2015 Talent Mobility Research Report, more than 40% of organizations claim to provide career planning or development only rarely or never. If your company is among the 40%, you should rethink your approach to human capital management.
To reap the greatest benefits from your employees, your company must actively invest in them. Here are ten benefits to investing in your human capital.
1. Increase Employee Contentment
Investing in your employees’ professional development can lead to increased job satisfaction. According to a 2014 Society for Human Resource Management survey, 42 percent of employees believe their organization’s commitment to professional development is “very important to their job satisfaction.”
Internal professional development for your employees demonstrates that your company values their careers. Employees are more likely to be satisfied with their jobs when they believe their employer cares about their development.
2. Increase Retention Rates
When looking for work, nearly 54 percent of workers said that career advancement opportunities are more important than pay. Furthermore, 44 percent of employees cite a lack of opportunities for growth and advancement as the most stressful aspect of their jobs. These statistics demonstrate the significance of career advancement to employees.
Workers who are pursuing professional education and development are less likely to seek alternative employment. As a result, if an employee can advance within the company, he or she will not need to look for opportunities outside of the company.
3. Increase Employee Engagement
Every company wants to increase employee engagement. Employees who are engaged are more productive and loyal to the company. According to a Gallup poll, only 32% of workers are engaged at work.
Investing in employee development can aid in increasing employee engagement. Giving your employees opportunities for advancement and investing in their development gives them a reason to be engaged at work. Ideally, each company should ask its employees what areas they want to grow in and then provide opportunities in those areas. Personalize your development opportunities to maximize employee engagement.
4. Increase Customer Engagement
Employees who are given opportunities for advancement are more likely to be satisfied with their jobs and engaged in the company, as previously discussed. Employees are the public face of any business.
Customers are more likely to have a positive experience when they interact with engaged and satisfied staff. Each positive experience boosts customer engagement and satisfaction. The happier your employees are, the more likely your clients will be.
5. Increase ROI
Every company, whether they realize it or not, invests in human capital. Salary, benefits, and perks for your employees are all investments in your company’s human capital.
Spending this money but not investing a little more in employee development is analogous to paying a lot of money for a Super Bowl commercial spot but then refusing to invest in making a good commercial. That would be a terrible investment for your business.
Don’t just throw this money away. To maximize the return on your human capital investment, your company must invest in employee development. Improve your employees’ performance by providing opportunities for growth and learning; this will ultimately benefit your bottom line.
6. Improved Organizational Communication
Human capital management enables a more efficient flow of information throughout your organization. Investing in human capital can improve communication by increasing the quantity and quality of information flowing up and down your organization.
Relationships formed through a mentorship program, for example, can open up channels of communication between superiors and subordinates that would not have existed otherwise. Human capital development strives to enhance all aspects of employee performance, including communication. This process can assist your company in identifying employees who may be lacking in communication skills and assisting them in improving their communication skills.
7. Improved Recruitment
Human capital development aids in employee retention. However, it also aids in the recruitment of prospects. As more millennials enter the workforce, the importance of human capital development in the recruiting process will only grow.
Gallup discovered earlier this year that opportunities to learn and grow were the most important factor for millennials when applying for jobs. Millennials want to work for a company that values its human capital. A company that already has a proven human capital plan in place can demonstrate to millennial candidates its commitment to employee development.
8. Improved Corporate Culture
Improving the culture of your organization is another advantage of investing in human capital. Improved employee satisfaction, engagement, and communication lead to a more positive culture overall. Employees want to learn, advance their careers, and enjoy coming to work every day. Employees who work in a positive environment are more engaged and happy.
This joyful culture boosts employee productivity, which boosts your bottom line. Happy workers are 12 percent more productive. Companies with happy employees outperform their competitors by 20% and earn 1.2 to 1.7 percent more, according to Entrepreneur.
9. Pleasant Working Environment
Human capital investment can take many forms. Welcoming new employees, systematic orientations, training and development, opportunities to work on various projects, appraisals, incentives, and much more! All of this adds to an employee’s experience and contributes to a positive work environment.
10. Future Business Leaders
When you invest appropriately in your human resources, you will see the people who go above and beyond. They go above and beyond to drive business results by doing exceptional work, supporting team members, and solving problems from a forward-thinking perspective. Investing in people will enable you to identify the leaders who will eventually lead your company to success.
Frequently Asked Questions
Why is it necessary to invest in human capital?
We must invest in human capital to make better use of physical capital and increase the country’s productive capital. It increases employee profitability, thereby attracting more investors.
What does investing in human capital imply?
Investing in people through nutrition, health care, quality education, jobs, and skills development aids in the development of human capital, which is essential for ending extreme poverty and creating more inclusive societies.
What are the sources of human capital investment?
Education investment, along with other sources such as health, migration, on-the-job training, and information, is recognized as one of the primary sources of human capital.
Why is it beneficial to invest in human capital?
Human capital enables the expansion of an economy. Increases in human capital in areas such as science, education, and management lead to increases in innovation, social well-being, equality, increased productivity, and higher participation rates, all of which contribute to economic growth.
Conclusion
Human capital is a measure of the economic value provided by an employee through their knowledge, skills, and abilities. Total human capital costs account for nearly 70% of a company’s operating expenses. Regardless of how much employees cost, many businesses fail to invest adequately in an employee development plan or human capital.
More than 60% of employees expect their employers to provide opportunities for advancement. These ten benefits demonstrate why investing in a human capital development plan is critical for getting the most out of your employees. Your human capital will most likely be lowercase if you do not make this investment.
References
- theolsongroup.com – 8 Benefits of Investing in Your Human Capital Development
- gobridgit.com – 10 Benefits of investments in human capital
- www.volopay.com – 6 benefits of investing in human capital
