Human resource management is a true combination of skills, knowledge and attributes. While attributes or traits are usually inherent and you need to spend time discovering which one is suitable for your role, skills and knowledge can be acquired. Skills are acquired mainly on the job itself while performing it and knowledge through a good quality and credible course or program. Spend time in looking through the various hr management courses to understand which one suits your needs. It should cover the fundamentals of HRM.

Meanwhile here is a brief overview of what those fundamentals are.

1. Organization – The organization, at the macro level, is what human resource management is connected to. The area of HRM arises because an organization comes into existence. Therefore, its structure, vision, roadmap and purpose are elements that define or shape up the human resources strategy. In addition to that, the performance scorecard of an organization is what gives HR its own goals.
2. People – This seems obvious but is the most challenging. The fundamentals of human resource management lie in people processes, programs, policies and practices. That entails designing them, implementing them and also tracking them to be revisited in case they are not meeting the desired purpose. The entire employee life cycle falls within the accountability of the human resources function – from Recruitment, Induction, Performance Management, Rewards, Talent and Leadership Development, and Employee exit. Each of these has many sub functions which are detailed out in good courses and should be understood well by the practitioner.
3. Business – Human Resources management is incomplete without a clear link of collaboration to the business. Business is the driver due to which recruitment takes place. It is also the reason why talent development happens or new leaders are developed. Without the connection to business, HR will be functioning in silos and will have no idea of how things work. That could have major implications such as loss of good talent and impact on business revenue.
4. External Market – Unlike what many people think, HR is not an inward focused function only. It needs to be aware of the external market environment and what takes place there. Awareness of the external market also needs to be matched with the right way to create an employer brand for the organization. That is a fundamental role of HR as well.

These are some fundamentals that HR is deeply linked to , arises from and is sustained by. Without these it will not have the kind of identity and purpose that makes it a critical function.