A Portland, Oregon–based entrepreneur and executive, Mehariw Gelagay leads RoyalCare, Inc., a 24-hour residential facility serving adults with intellectual and developmental disabilities. Since 2020 he has overseen strategy and operations as president and executive director. In 2024, Mehariw Gelagay expanded into real estate with Mehari Properties, guiding brokerage and rental activities across Oregon and Washington. He is a licensed Realtor in both states and manages tenant relations, property maintenance, and financial operations. His background includes founding MG’s Adult Foster Home, now Priority Care LLC within RoyalCare, and establishing Exceed Real Estate LLC to deliver full-service brokerage in OR and WA. A certified nursing assistant and CPR and first aid trainer, he has also published research and is pursuing a PhD in business studies. These combined leadership and workforce development experiences connect directly to Human Resources Management Best Practices in staffing, training, and organizational culture.
Human Resources Management Best Practices
Human resource management (HRM) organizes, develops, and guides the people within an organization so their skills match long-term business goals. It is about creating а framework that goes beyond daily HR activities to include guiding principles and strategic approaches that decide why and how those activities happen. Organizations now recognize that HRM creates sustainable value and seek strategies/practices that build employee engagement, development, and retention.
Job security is key to many HR strategies. This strategy rests on the principle that people are more likely to commit their energy, creativity, and loyalty to their companies if they have job security. Organizations must honor this as а fair exchange: they should take care of employees and provide stability in return for dedication and discretionary effort. Workers who fear sudden termination hold back ideas, innovation, and long-term commitment. Employment stability also benefits organizations by cutting the financial and cultural costs that come with high turnover. Organizations also get to retain institutional knowledge, talent, and team chemistry.
The quality of new hires sets limits on what a company can achieve. Skilled HR professionals look beyond filling vacancies. They seek individuals with technical ability, trainability, and commitment to grow with the organization. This selective hiring builds а pool of exceptional talent that gives a competitive edge. Seasoned HR professionals don’t just trust gut instinct or rely on а set of untested methods in selection – they use best practices and validated tools. These practices and tools, e.g., structured interviews, ability tests, personality assessments, and references, help HR leaders predict performance and reduce turnover. Best practice hiring also examines whether candidates match the organization’s values and culture.
New employees form initial impressions of workplace culture and expectations during onboarding. HR teams should make this experience positive through formal training and early social integration. Trusted colleagues or peer mentors can help new hires learn how а company functions, identify who to turn to for support, and manage competing priorities in real situations. When HR leaders structure onboarding to include technical training and cultural orientation, employees reach full productivity faster. Employees also recognize the organization invests in them, which increases loyalty and creates а sense of belonging.
Another best practice is empowering teams and giving them autonomy. Employees perform better when they hold authority and а responsibility to manage their own work instead of waiting for approval on every decision from supervisors. Workers who self-manage are more motivated, creative, and accountable. This approach shows trust, which, in turn, strengthens engagement and loyalty. Organizations that use self-managed teams collaborate more because members share decisions more than they receive orders.
For a long time, organizations treated workplace flexibility as an optional benefit. But this view changed during the pandemic, where it became a necessity in many workplaces. Organizations now treat it as а defining feature of their HR strategy. Remote work, hybrid schedules, and adjusted hours show workers that their needs matter. This approach helps workers manage professional and personal duties, lower stress, and integrate work with life outside the office. Flexibility also applies to frontline staff like factory and healthcare workers who must work on-site. This worker group benefits from digital scheduling tools that permit swapping shifts, receiving updates about changes, and requesting preferred time slots.
Compensation signals how much а company values its workforce. HR teams link compensation to performance to show fairness, build trust, and maintain commitment over time. However, smart HR leaders avoid rewarding actions that increase short-term numbers but damage workplace ethics, safety, or culture. Instead, they create pay systems that support stable performance and match company goals by encouraging the behaviors/results the organization needs most. Staff also expect clear explanations of how the organization makes pay decisions and appreciate the ability to question choices.
About Mehariw Gelagay
Mehariw Gelagay is the president and executive director of RoyalCare, Inc., a Portland, Oregon residential care provider serving adults with intellectual and developmental disabilities. He is a licensed Realtor in Oregon and Washington and founded Mehari Properties in 2024, overseeing rentals and brokerage services. His experience includes leading Priority Care LLC within RoyalCare, establishing Exceed Real Estate LLC, and managing operations, finance, and tenant relations. A certified nursing assistant and CPR and first aid trainer, he has published research and is pursuing doctoral studies in business.