ISO has developed four new human resources (HR) international standards that aim to help HR departments improve their performance and that of the organization in which they work.

ISO 30408, Human resource management – Guidelines on human governance, provides guidelines to structure an effective human governance system that is able to respond more effectively to organizational and operational needs. The guidelines also cover how to foster increased collaboration across all stakeholders, anticipate and manage human resource risks, and develop a company culture that is aligned with its values. ISO 30408 provides guidelines on tools, processes, and practices to be implemented to establish, maintain, and continually improve effective human governance.

ISO 30405, Human resource management – Guidelines on recruitment, provides guidance on effective recruitment processes and procedures. The standard focuses on key processes and practices, including recruitment policy development, the flow from the sourcing of potential applicants to the boarding of new recruits, and evaluation and measurement. ISO 30405 can be used by anyone involved in staff recruitment, regardless of if they are a HR professional.

ISO 30409, Human resource management – Workforce planning, helps organizations respond more effectively to their current and projected staff requirements, while ISO 30400, Human resource management – Vocabulary, provides a common understanding of the fundamental terms used in HR management standards.

These standards were developed by ISO technical committee ISO/TC 260, Human resource management, whose secretariat is held by ANSI, ISO’s member for the United States. Committee Chair James Lewis said improving HR performance is not just about staffing, but about aligning the values of an organization throughout and taking all stakeholders into account.

“Organizations that put their people at the centre of their decisions tend to perform better as there is a clear company culture and staff are more content,” Lewis said. “The HR function has enormous potential to support the strategic goals of a company by developing talent, aligning organizational values and, ultimately, shaping culture, and behaviour.

“These standards can help anyone involved in an HR function – whatever their background and company size – establish, maintain, and continually improve effective recruitment and governance processes.”