Your love for people might have motivated you to get a job in human resources. But being a successful HR manager requires more than appreciation for different perspectives in life. And to help you, consider the following 10 skills all HR managers should aspire to.
1. Good with Numbers
At face value, your job as an HR manager should not involve crunching numbers. And this misconception is why many people choose to follow this career path. The truth is you need to understand statistics, and you will be doing compliance work, both of which actions require a good grasp of basic mathematics.
You will also be responsible for providing valuable information like turnover reports, estimating accurate salaries, and you should be able to understand affirmative action reports. Thus, you need to put effort into your maths skills if you want to be a successful HR manager.
2. Professional Attitude
Nobody is questioning how complicated personal lives can get. But if you are serious about having a successful career, you have to be able to keep the two separate. Once you step into your office, you should be focused and clear-headed. Once you start blending your personal and professional life, it simply gets too complicated to sustain.
The reality is that HR managers have a tough job, and they cannot afford distractions.
3. Compassionate
As mentioned, you probably already like working with people. However, an HR manager also needs to be compassionate. Remember that a big part of your responsibilities involves listening to problems experienced by employees. No, you are not a therapist. But you need enough patience to guide employees in the right direction if they need professional help.
4. Basic Knowledge of Employment Law
While you do not need to be an attorney to be an HR manager, it adds to your ability to be familiar with laws around employment. You also want to know the legal consequences of certain choices. More importantly, you need to know when you should consult an attorney.
5. Being Everywhere at Once
Even though you will be appointed with specific duties in mind, expect to constantly multi-task. Especially if you start working with a big company and a big fleet of employees. Moving back and forth between responsibilities is going to be part of your daily life.
6. Knowledge Regarding Benefits and Health Insurance
It is your job as the HR manager to help employees understand their benefits and health insurance better. Of course, if employees want in-depth knowledge, the insurance companies should be able to take things further. But you have to be in a position to aid employees in making the best decisions according to their circumstances.
7. Effective Recruiting and Hiring
When jobs are being offered, there are good and bad ways to make this information public. You also want to maintain the image of the company while getting people through the door. Keep in mind that hiring and recruiting is deeply rooted in public relations as well.
8. People Management Skills
While nobody is going to answer directly to you, the HR manager is still expected to manage people when the situation calls for it. For example, when managers and their teams are not getting along, can you mediate the problem? Can managers and employees trust you to be the neutral third party that comes up with a solution?
9. High Level of Discretion
HR managers are not bound by confidentiality laws. However, this does not mean you are at liberty to share all the confidential information you hear every day. Respect what people choose to share and use a high level of discretion before repeating it.
10. Letting People Go
Firing employees is a tough job that needs to be done. But it can be done with tact. In other words, a good HR manager will fire an employee in a subtle way that inspires them to take the next step.
Nobody expects you to excel in all the above-mentioned skills, but striving towards them can take you far as an HR Manager. Check out vivoHR for more ideas.