Human resource managers play a major part in helping businesses meet their goals and employees grow. They must be familiar with all aspects of the business, and they work with a wide variety of people. If you are looking to hire a human resources manager, or are considering becoming one yourself, here are seven of the essential qualities of HR managers:
1) Communication
Both verbal and written communication skills are very important for an HR manager. You will be dealing with employee concerns such as recruiting, training and resolving employee conflicts, and none of this can be accomplished if everything isn’t communicated clearly. Your job is to make your employees more productive and better at their jobs, so they need to know how and what to work on. Your communication must be friendly and professional, to avoid misunderstanding or offending others. You also must be a good listener, so you are fully aware of what you are dealing with in every situation.
2) Problem Solving
Since they must sort through a variety of issues, one of the essential qualities of HR managers is problem solving. The issues HR managers deal with can range from employment paperwork issues to sexual harassment claims to performance issues. Many of these problems will need to be solved in a timely fashion. HR managers must be able to get to the bottom of a problem calmly and efficiently.
3) Objectivity
It’s critical that HR managers be able to put their opinions and emotions aside when dealing with employee situations. They must be able to sort through the facts and take steps to find out the things they don’t know that can affect a situation. When they have a conflict of interest, they must know when to remove themselves from an issue. They must also have a deep knowledge of company policies and employment laws to deal with HR matters effectively.
4) Trustworthiness
A big part of an HR manager’s job is dealing with confidential and personal employee matters. So, trustworthiness is one of the essential qualities of HR managers. They must be approachable and friendly, so employees can feel safe coming to them with any issues they are having. If they aren’t, employees are likely to keep things to themselves and avoid taking steps to resolve work conflicts or issues. It’s imperative that HR managers keep a close mouth about confidential employee matters, no matter what.
5) Leadership Skills
Employees look to HR managers as a source of knowledge. So, they must be able to lead effectively. From leading training sessions to negotiating compensation matters to planning events, HR managers must be able to take initiative in many situations. They must also have a confident attitude in every aspect of their job. An HR managers approach to employee situations must be friendly yet authoritative. They also must be able to motivate employees effectively.
6) Compassion
HR managers can’t do their job effectively if they can’t tell if an employee is struggling and know how to help them. So, one of the essential qualities of HR managers is having compassion for their employees. It makes a big difference in an employee’s performance if they feel they are being heard and action is being taken on issues they are struggling with.
7) Time management
HR managers have daily tasks they must accomplish (such as payroll and sorting through resumes) along with various employee issues that come up. They must know which matters must be dealt with immediately and which ones can wait. They must be able to keep track of everything they have on their plate in an organized and efficient manner, making time management one of the essential qualities of HR managers.
Author: Jessica Cody
Jessica Cody, a native of Fairfield County, Connecticut, has a background in online marketing and public relations. Currently, she works at VHMNetwork LLC in the role of Marketing Analyst. She is a graduate of the University of Connecticut, where she studied Journalism and Political Science. She is also an avid runner with a passion for the outdoors.
