HR is being asked to revisit and realign their skills constantly for the past couple of decades now. First, the requirement was to become a true business partner. While that skill is still much in demand and need for HR professionals, there is a rise in other skills that companies want their HR teams to develop. HR management courses are also now focusing on creating those skill-sets.
4 skills that are now in high demand in the HR industry-
1. Ability to find and hire diverse talent
Yes the talent war is bigger and fiercer. That is why the ability to find as many new sources of potential talent, by using as many new tools and social media channels, is a highly coveted one. Not only that, but this should also involve the capability of knowing how to ensure that a diverse mix of individuals is being hired. This also means that the HR professional understands the current trends of how to manage or connect with a younger and different kind of workforce.
2. Ability to be a generalist
You might be an exceptionally good Recruiter, but you need to scale up and learn more sub-areas and disciplines. The generalist is in demand in the market now. HR people who have multiple expertise areas are the ones organizations want to hire. So you might be a great Compensation expert, but you will also need to be able to navigate the Social recruiting approach or understand what kind of leadership development programs will have maximum impact.
3. Ability to network
Networking is no longer the domain of those in Sales or Marketing, as was traditionally the case. HR practitioners who know how to network and build relationships internally as well as externally are in demand. This is a much sought after quality that organizations believe sets the future-focused individuals apart from the others. This ability to the network allows the individuals to ensure that work that is allocated to them gets done in the most effective manner.
4. Ability to be a thought leader
True strategic thinking is now about personal branding as well as sharing path-breaking and innovative ideas. These are what make HR practitioners scale up from being just an individual contributor or high potential talent, into a leader inside as well as outside the organization. Sharing an opinion or a point of view on all areas related to people and HR is a new trend and a much-required one.
So these are the key skills that you, as an HR professional need to develop. They will become more and more important in the times to come.
More Information:
All About Building a Career in HRM
Guidelines For Formulating A Career In HR