IntroductionIn most businesses today, the HR function provides vital services to stakeholders such as job applicants, workers, supervisors, middle managers and executives. Yet the HR function tends to be at the end of the business chain, on the reactive side, and too often focuses on doing things rather than getting results. The role of the HR function is often to provide staffing, training, and isolated HR efforts after others have formulated an organizational strategy and initiated operational delivery. Cost-centered management of employee benefit programs such as health insurance, workers' compensation, and retirement plans has also played a notable role in efforts to control runaway operating costs ( Dunn, 2006). DiscussionThe HR department of our company does not really play a strategic role in the organization. Currently, they spend the majority of their time performing day-to-day tasks like hiring staff, training, and other HR efforts that keep the business running on a daily basis. For companies to succeed in an ever-changing business world, it is important for HR departments to align more strategically with overall business goals and efforts. There are three main reasons why companies change their methods. The first is to reduce costs. HR departments must no longer want to be considered as a simple support function and a cost center, they must show their value. Second, it is the competitiveness of businesses today and the struggle to employ and retain people that will help drive business. Finally, HR departments are now expected to understand how other departments work in order to make a valuable contribution to the overall business (Brockway, 2007). The HR professional who will successfully lead their organization into the future will be those who understand and use business strategy; understand company culture, plans and policies; recognize future problems and working solutions; can deal with all types of people; can communicate well verbally and in writing; and can recognize, recruit and train future executives. As organizations continue to move toward collective systems and combined financial resources to manage their human capital, we will likely see more organizational structures that combine both HR and organizational development (OD). The time has come to stop debating OD involvement in HR systems and look for current opportunities to showcase OD skills in building organizational capabilities and make a measurable impact on labor productivity..