Personalforvaltningen

Personalforvaltningen is the function within an organization responsible for managing its workforce. It encompasses both administrative tasks and strategic activities related to employees, from recruitment and onboarding to development, compensation, and retention. The area also includes payroll, personnel records, compliance with labor laws and collective agreements, and the management of HR information systems.

Core activities include recruitment and selection, induction and training, performance management and career development, compensation and benefits, and payroll administration. It also covers health, safety and well-being, employee relations, grievance handling, and ensuring privacy and data protection in handling personnel information. Strategic elements often include workforce planning, talent management, leadership development, and efforts to improve diversity and inclusion, employee engagement, and organizational culture.

Organization and governance typically place personalforvaltningen under an HR department led by a chief HR officer or HR director. In larger organizations, the department may be divided into specialized units such as recruiting, learning and development, compensation, and HR operations. In the public sector or within state agencies, similar functions are sometimes referred to as a personnel or HR administration unit.

Historical context shows the term evolving from traditional personnel management to modern human resources management, with greater emphasis on aligning people practices with organizational strategy and employee experience, rather than only administrative tasks. Today, personalforvaltningen aims to balance efficiency, compliance, and people-centered approaches to support sustainable performance.

See also: human resources management, workforce planning, payroll, labor law, employee development.