Most organizations need a professional HR department that seeks the best for both the employees and management. This is a particularly thorny issue for organizations -- in part, because most organizations follow a hierarchical structure. Acting as an "intermediary" requires that the HR department have the ability to act outside the scope of where it may fit in the hierarchy and become more of a strategic partner. Based on what we have covered so far in this course and information you have from experience and other coursework, I would like to explore this topic in more depth.

What does an organization need to do to ensure an effective HR department? What can the HR department do to ensure its effectiveness? And what role do employees play in helping to achieve this goal?