Many factors make a company great. But one aspect that every corporate management will agree on is that people are the most important entity in a firm. Without them, no organization can function or progress. Establishments can continue to automate various processes. But even machines need someone to control and program them for obtaining optimum results. When humans are so important for a business, the department that hires, nurtures and ensures the achievement of their objectives must also play a critical role.

Understanding Human Resource Management

The function that includes everything about people in an organization is called human resource management. Earlier, these officials were relegated to an administrative role. They completed the formalities of hiring people, paying salaries, and ensuring documentation of employee details. The actual recruitment was done by either department heads or top persons in a company. But today, HR managers play a crucial role in an organization’s efforts to achieve its goals.

A prime duty of HR managers today is to see that their company has the vision, mission, and values to make people aspire to be part of its workforce. This is what will make employees feel that they are part of something bigger and mightier than themselves. This feeling helps them feel pride in their work. Today, HR is responsible for ensuring that staff members are utilized fully and make sure they also achieve their personal goals. Various courses can train you to become qualified for careers in HR.

Also Read: How to grow your career in Human Resource Management in 2022?

What Does A HR Manager Do?

Before we start knowing what traits a good HR manager should possess, it is necessary to understand what the person does in an organization. Their work can be divided into two types of activities – managerial and operative. Once you know this, it is easier to know what qualities he/she must possess.

Managerial Functions

Like a manager in any company’s business unit, the HR manager plans, organizes, directs, and controls. These activities don’t just affect employees but also the growth and future of a firm. An XLRI leadership course can teach aspiring personnel managers in detail about these jobs.

Planning

Planning in other departments may pertain to how a job must be executed. But for an HR manager, it means deciding how many people should do a task and what skills and qualifications they must possess. This person must also look at how such people’s placement will help achieve a company’s goals while getting maximum returns from what has been spent on them.

His/her job is not limited to planning people for an organization. A personnel manager must also plan careers for staff members. They must have a clear idea about how employees will progress in their careers and what must be done to enable this. Nobody likes to stay where they are for a long time. Planning training for employees to achieve their professional goals is part of an HR official’s job.

Also Read: All About Building a Career in HRM

Organizing

It is not enough to plan people and their journey inside a firm. HR managers must organize placements of such people. They must ensure that job advertisements are placed in forums that will bring in the best talents for every position. It is also their responsibility to ensure that a proper organizational structure is formulated. This should be done to implement all plans aimed at achieving a common goal.

Activities must be grouped into functions. Teams must be formed to execute various operations efficiently. Each of these teams must have a head capable of handling them and ensuring their contribution to reaching the company’s objectives. Those seeking careers in HR must know that HR managers are tasked with coordinating the activities of various departments and employees. Personnel managers must also ensure proper training programs are organized to upskill employees as situations demand.

Directing

An HR head can only place people in positions to implement business strategies. Employees must do the actual execution, and they must be motivated to do it effectively. It is here that the directing function of a human resource manager comes into play. The person must be able to encourage staff members to work willingly and efficiently. Their work must be aimed at achieving common corporate goals.

Workers in a firm can be motivated in various ways. HR managers plan careers for their employees and show them how to achieve their personal objectives. Salary administration is another way to drive people to work harder. Developing a good relationship with them and looking after their welfare will help make employees feel more loyal to the organization. Identifying their training needs and helping personnel acquire new skills is also a human resource head’s job.

Also Read: How to Find Human Resources Job Opportunities?

Controlling

The direct control of workers in a company lies with respective business heads. But an HR manager must regulate people’s activities in a way that leads to a common objective. These officials are tasked with regularly assessing employee performances and ensuring that they match what management expects. This job will include controlling people at all levels in an organization to ensure no deviations from a fixed goal.

Personnel managers must also keep a watch to see that employees’ policies on other matters are adhered to. He/she must ensure that all people from different communities and genders are treated equally, and there are no deviations in this matter. Workers must strictly follow an establishment’s rules concerning work timings, leave and maintain decorum that upkeeps the reputation of a firm. An XLRI leadership course will teach that human resource managers must ensure the good and decent behavior of workers.

Also Read: Guidelines For Formulating A Career In HR

Operative Functions Of Personnel Managers

While managerial functions are a broad description of what every department head must do, operative functions talk about specific tasks peculiar to the HR department. These tasks are concerned with hiring, developing, and retaining employees. We will see later that all those key traits that an HR manager must possess are of utmost necessity to complete these tasks efficiently.

Recruitment

People are of utmost importance to any organization, and without them, it cannot achieve its goals. But it is not enough to just appoint a lot of people. Each one of them must be able to contribute positively to the achievement of corporate objectives. They must also be able to develop themselves and reach their personal aims in life. Personnel managers must ensure that they plan a firm’s staff strength so that it satisfies both of these.

Personnel managers must be able to assess how many people will be required to complete all tasks efficiently. A workforce workload analysis will be done, and he/she will arrive at the correct numbers. It is necessary to ensure that new recruits are matched with jobs correctly. Heads of HR departments must call for people, select suitable ones and place them aptly. They must provide maximum returns for what is invested in a company’s employees.

Upgrading

We all know that markets are changing rapidly, and this requires companies to adapt themselves quickly and ensure they stay competitive. Technology is advancing very quickly, and businesses are using them to make better decisions and ensure higher profitability. Every establishment must make sure that they don’t lag. To leverage modern technology, there must be employees who are capable of handling them. Firms can’t throw out older adults and bring in new ones who possess the latest skills.

This is where the upgrading of employees becomes necessary. HR managers must keep themselves abreast of advances being made in technology. They must coordinate with other departments to see which modern methods can be adopted beneficially.

Employees who are not skilled in using such new gadgets or machines must be trained. It will also help workers feel that their organization is interested in their growth. Companies can save hugely by retaining old employees instead of spending their efforts on finding new ones.

Compensation

People work for benefits. While in ancient days, it is known that those who worked in agricultural fields earned in foodstuffs instead of money. But today, almost everyone works for compensation in cash. A significant reason for people leaving companies is because of low salaries.

HR managers need to make sure that they fix pay packets commensurate with candidates’ qualifications and experience. Those seeking careers in HR must realize that appropriate compensation will attract better people.

It is not enough to pay well for new recruits. Companies must take care of their existing employees to make sure they don’t get frustrated and seek other opportunities. Losing existing staff members can slow down a firm’s growth.

Hiring new personnel will prove to be an expensive exercise. HR managers must ensure that people doing similar jobs get equitable salaries. It is also necessary for human resource managers to be aware of salaries paid by other companies in the same industry. This will help retain employees.

Also Read: An Introduction to the Most In-Demand HR Specialities

Employee Welfare

Good salary and training are just two factors that can encourage people to work well. But there are other things that must be taken care of if a company wants to get the best out of its workers. Good working conditions are essential to motivate people to work better. Nobody can work in unhealthy factories, always fearing for their health. Firms must ensure safe and hygienic working environments. Heads of human resource departments must make sure that employees and their families have access to good healthcare facilities.

It is not just their physical health that HR personnel must be concerned about. Work can put a lot of stress on many people. It can lead to changes in behavior and a reduction in productivity. HR managers must keep an eye on those who are showing a difference in attitude to their jobs. The reasons for this must be found out and necessary action taken to tackle those issues. Employees must be able to work freely and willingly if a firm hopes to get maximum contributions from them.

Motivation

Apart from money, there must be other motivation for employees to put their full efforts. It is common knowledge that an excellent way to motivate people is to give them enough opportunities to showcase their skills. They must feel that the company needs their service to move forward to its objectives. This gives a feeling of belonging and self-worth. HR managers must make sure that every employee gets an opportunity to exhibit his/her skills.

Another way to encourage people to work more efficiently is to show them the path to higher positions and better benefits. Workers must be sure that their continuance in a firm will benefit them professionally. Even if they get a very high salary, nobody wishes to remain in the same position for long. When recruiting people, personnel managers of a company must have career growth plans for each new recruit, and this is informed to that person.

Also Read: Must-Have HR Skills and How to Master Them?

Record Maintenance

This is an important function of every HR manager. There must be a clear record of how each employee of a company functions. This is necessary for various reasons. Firstly, this will show how a person progresses in his/her job. It is also a record of whether a worker has benefitted from developmental initiatives and how much these have helped them improve. Records are essential to appraise department heads and higher management of efforts taken by human resource officials to develop staff members.

Another reason for maintaining proper documents on an employee’s journey through a firm is for assessing merits for salary hikes or promotions. These records are also helpful when discussing issues with an employee. Both will benefit when talking with hard facts in hand. Disputes can be quickly settled when there is data available for everyone to see. Leave records are also an essential part of regular office functioning. HR personnel can use various tools or software for updating records.

Also Read: 4 Top Skills in Demand in the HR industry

Legal Matters & Disputes

Companies with a large number of employees frequently face various legal issues. HR managers handle these. All matters concerning workers and their welfare are the responsibility of human resource heads. They must also keep themselves updated with the latest government regulations on employment. All statutory requirements must be fulfilled to ensure that a firm functions smoothly. An XLRI leadership course is a good way to learn more about such matters.

The other important function of HR heads is to act as an intermediary between management and employees. He/she has to take care of the interests of both sides. While personnel managers frequently become part of higher executives, they are also responsible for employee’s wellbeing and growth. When there is an issue between both sides, these officials must become mediators and settle matters quickly and without damage to the larger interests of an organization.

What Traits Should An HR Manager Possess?

We can see above that a personnel manager must perform various functions that are not related to each other. This means that the person must possess certain extraordinary personal qualities that help him/her complete their duties in an excellent manner. It is necessary for anyone aiming for careers in HR to know what these traits are and how they help in different functions.

• Self Awareness
• Leadership
• Passion
• Sympathetic Attitude
• Quick Decision Making
• Humility
• Being Inspirational
• Accountability
• Continuous Learning
• Communication
• Sense Of Humor
• Positivity
• Integrity
• Patience
• Social Responsibility

1. Self Awareness

Being aware of their strengths and weaknesses is a trait that every leader possesses. It is this confidence that makes them remain above others. Knowing your positive qualities and exhibiting them will help to inspire teammates too. When people know their own strengths, they can easily use them in various situations to get the upper hand.

Knowing your weaknesses is equally important. Only when someone knows their weaknesses will that person try to learn and improve. Nobody can be perfect in all aspects. But leaders are those who will accept their limitations and work to overcome them. Accepting one’s negative points will also allow the person to accept them in others. This will help them treat everyone equally.

Also Read: Traits that Show You’ll have a Lucrative Career in HR Management

2. Leadership

This is a trait that is indispensable for anyone in a managerial position. It is more important for HR managers because they are not just leaders for their department but an entire organization. The authority that comes with this quality is paramount in making decisions concerning other staff members and handling issues affecting the whole company.

A personnel manager leads a team of human resource officials. These people must deal with staff members of all departments in a company. A strong leader gives them the strength and confidence to make tough decisions. Strong leadership qualities also help HR heads to talk on behalf of employees with corporate bosses and get them their privileges.

3. Passion

Passion towards one’s profession is vital for becoming successful. This is even more so with human resource personnel. They must possess a genuine interest in their jobs. These people don’t always work for their success or benefits. They must quite often stand against the management for getting justice for others.

They must also feel compassion towards other employees. A good personnel manager is constantly looking at ways in which he/she can help other staff members achieve their objectives. They must regularly go beyond their call of duty and solve even the personal problems of other employees because that can affect their official duties.

Also Read: Entering and Flourishing in the HR Domain: Career Prospects

4. Sympathetic Attitude

While other managers deal with their individual goals and objectives, a personnel manager must be concerned about everyone in an organization. Employees often need support in both their professional and personal lives. Employees cannot be thrown out just because their personal lives affect their work. They must be dealt with sympathetically and given help to come out of their problems.

Many times people need help professionally too. Not everyone in a company has the same capacity to learn or complete their jobs successfully. All workers don’t come from similar educational or social backgrounds. But everyone must get an opportunity to move forward in their careers. HR managers must find out those who cannot keep up with others and help them with necessary training.

5. Quick Decision Making

This is extremely important for personnel managers. Recruitment is a prime responsibility of these managers. When they come across suitable candidates, it will be necessary to make immediate decisions about hiring them. Such decisions must be taken using correct judgment and keeping in mind various factors. Installing a new person in any position affects many others too, and this must also be considered.

An XLRI leadership course teaches that another area that requires quick decisions is when it comes to disputes between employees. There can always be differences of opinions between workers and their superiors. It is the personnel manager who must intervene and bring this to rest. HR managers must be competent in making quick and harsh decisions. All decisions taken must be fair to all and beneficial to the organization.

Also Read: The Functions of Human Resource Management

6. Humility

One may wonder why this trait is needed for a strong leader. Proud people don’t make others feel comfortable about getting close to them. For a person whose job is to take care and deal with people, it is necessary to have everyone close. Being humble allows people to approach them with their problems quickly.

A humble person will also not let his/her opinion color their decisions. When one has to make decisions about another person’s career and life, it must be completely open and consider all facts. Keeping their egos at bay also helps in dealing with others more sympathetically. They will always have time for others.

7. Being Inspirational

In most companies today, HR managers share space with C suite members. This makes them highly visible not just to their team members but also to others. In many matters, other high officials seek their advice and opinions. It is essential for HR managers to inspire others with not just their knowledge but also their behavior and conduct.

They cannot shy away from making tough decisions in an organization while being just in their judgment. This inspires other team members to be also strict against unprofessionalism in a firm. When there is a solid and fair HR department that takes care of employees, word spreads in the industry. This attracts good candidates who will look forward to working in such a company.

8. Accountability

This is an essential trait in any leader but is especially needed in a personnel manager. Their decisions affect other people and their lives. They also have a huge impact on an organization’s achievement of goals. Such persons must make correct decisions and stand by them firmly. Being accountable makes them consider all factors before taking a step. They will be solely responsible for all actions they take.

Others also trust a person who takes responsibility for his/her decision. Earning the trust of every employee in a company is essential if HR managers want to do their duties correctly. The management is also confident of them because they will always stand by their decisions and will not blame others or external factors for any adverse consequences.

Also Read: What does it take to be a Human Resource Manager?

9. Continuous Learning

The world is moving very fast, and new technologies that help make businesses more efficient keep appearing. A good HR manager will always be aware of such developments and try to make himself/herself proficient in using new methods. New tools are available for making their jobs easier and more effective. They must learn and try to use them in their normal routine.

Those who have already entered careers in HR can tell you how important it is to keep learning. Knowing how to use analytics in managing human resources will help them perform their jobs much better. Learning new technologies also shows their passion for this job. Various online courses can help those working in HR keep abreast of new developments in their field.

10. Communication

It is common knowledge how important this trait is for a person who is dealing with people. HR management is also called people management, and this is not possible without regular communication with everyone in an organization. Good communicators are always extremely good listeners too. This is an essential quality as personnel managers must patiently listen to employees and their woes.

As these people are responsible for recruiting people, they must be able to convey to candidates what is expected of them. Good communicators can make their requirements very clear. This will help in selecting the right people for every job. Having this capability also helps in regularly sharing opinions about work and workplace discipline with employees. It will help bring out good behavior from staff members.

11. Sense Of Humor

Having to manage a lot of people who come from different educational backgrounds, social statuses, and ethnicities is a task that is not for the faint-hearted. Various dire situations must be faced and handled without causing any damage to an organization’s reputation. A good sense of humor will help defuse such problems and help people relax and settle things more amicably.

It is also a job that involves a lot of pressure. If one cannot laugh off serious situations, then it can affect his/her health. Having a sense of humor will help managers see a lighter side in everything. This helps them calm down and make sensible decisions. An XLRI leadership course will teach prospective managers how important this trait is.

Also Read: Become an effective HR professional with this HRM course

12. Positivity

HR managers face challenges on a daily basis. This has mostly to do with people and their behavior inside an office. It is always challenging to give acceptable solutions to everyone. But it doesn’t mean that these officials can show any negativity lest it demotivates employees. Personnel managers must remain positive in the face of any situation, even if they know that everything may not end well.

Being positive helps these professionals to carry on their duties well. They don’t get disappointed if something doesn’t work as they expected. This attitude helps them analyze situations and arrive at effective solutions. Being positive also enables them to face every incident with confidence. Their positivity reflects on their team members, making HR a successful department.

13. Integrity

Companies can flourish only if all employees are honest and open. If there is any hint that someone is not entirely loyal to a firm, it is necessary to take strict action. Personnel managers must accept this. If such decisions must not be questioned by others, then HR managers themselves must be beyond doubt. Their integrity must be visible to others.

Remaining honest at all times will endear people to themselves. This is essential for human resource managers who must gain the confidence of all employees. Company bosses must also wholly trust these professionals. Only in such a situation will establishments give them complete freedom to make decisions. Honesty always helps them carry on with full confidence in their work.

14. Patience

It is a virtue that everyone must cultivate. But it is of utmost importance to an HR manager. A lot of things in offices get blamed on human resource departments. The person must be able to listen to all complaints with patience. If he/she reacts spontaneously, it may result in adverse situations. Patience also helps when faced with tough decisions that can affect various other people.

HR managers must listen to the problems of all other employees. In many cases, most of these people only need someone to listen to their woes patiently. If an HR manager can do this well, then employees will approach them freely to express themselves. This will help greatly in getting the confidence and trust of employees. Such managers can keep themselves informed of everything going on in the organization.

Also Read: Human Resources: What Drives an Organization?

15. Social Responsibility

Doing their duties to the society in which they exist and employ people from is highly important for all companies. A lot of such obligations are concerned with people. Personnel managers are those who deal with people in a firm. Hence they must exhibit a high level of social responsibility. When recruiting, they must make sure that all communities and genders are equally represented.

It is also necessary for human resource managers to ensure that employees follow social norms and do their obligations to others appropriately. There must be no discrimination against people belonging to any particular community or gender. Being socially responsible will also help in getting good candidates to apply for jobs in that company. Many candidates consider such aspects when applying for a job.

Essential Technological Skills For The Modern HR Manager

While the above personality traits help one perform well as a personnel manager, advanced technical skills are essential for completing regular jobs quickly and efficiently. Those seeking careers in HR must try and acquire these skills. They will undoubtedly make your resumes stand out. Many online courses can help equip you with these capabilities.

• Social Media Skills
• HRIS
• Applicant Tracking Systems
• SQL & Reporting
• MS Office Suite
• Cloud Technology
• Gamification
• Talent Management And L&D Software
• Payroll Software
• Data Mining

Social Media Skills

It is usually candidates who seek jobs from firms. But there are also times when companies seek out highly talented persons. Social media platforms are an excellent place to search for people to fill jobs for which it is hard to get qualified people. These sites serve as ideal platforms to know the antecedents of selected candidates or new recruits.

Also Read: Why Should I Choose a Career in Human Resource Management?

Human Resources Information Software

Knowing how to operate this software will be an added qualification that can get someone an edge over other candidates. These programs help HR officials perform their duties more efficiently and with better efficiency. It will give them time to focus on planning and strategizing, which are activities that require manual inputs. An XLRI leadership course will include mention of this and its importance to HR officials.

Applicant Tracking Systems

These systems are being increasingly used in sorting applications and eliminating resumes without the required qualifications. These are highly useful when there are major recruitment drives or in walk-in interviews. With a high number of candidates, it consumes a lot of time going through each application. These systems help to scan resumes and shortlist candidates who match job requirements perfectly.

SQL & Reporting

Companies contain a massive amount of data pertaining to employees and related subjects. It is not easy sifting through this mountain of information and finding out what is needed at that moment. Knowledge of SQL and how to find what one needs will help those pursuing careers in HR greatly in saving time. HR managers must also be proficient in preparing reports meant for use by various other managers.

Also Read: Why You Should Study Human Resource Management?

MS Office Suite

Knowledge of Excel, PowerPoint, and Word is a prerequisite for any job today. But it is a necessity for HR managers. It helps them do their job quickly and efficiently. Excel is an excellent tool for extracting and organizing data. Word and PowerPoint are potent tools that help in creating reports that need to be circulated to all staff members.

Cloud Technology

The usage of cloud technology is increasing in every business establishment. It helps them reduce infrastructure costs and allows scaling at any time. In times when remote employment is becoming more of a necessity, it is this technology that will help in sharing and using data. HR managers can have better control of employees working out of locations in other countries.

Gamification

Gamification helps to bring fun, transparency, play, and competition into a business environment. They are being increasingly used in recruitment and learning & development. Gamification skills of HR managers help them interact with employees in a better way. They can encourage workers to attend training programs. Many companies use these for interaction with potential candidates.

Talent Management And L&D Software

Talent management is an essential responsibility of all HR managers. They must make optimum use of available employees to get maximum returns. Nowadays, many software packages help in giving continuous training to employees. It helps in choosing customized training modules. These packages also help in integrating various job sites to find suitable candidates for hire.

Payroll Software

Ask any HR professional, and they will tell you that preparing payroll is one job that takes up a considerable amount of time and effort. This is why most companies either outsource or have their own payroll packages. Those attending an XLRI leadership course know that experience with using common types of payroll software will be an added advantage for any HR manager. It helps improve their reporting significantly.

Data Mining

Data analytics is being increasingly used for making better business decisions. HR managers are not expected to undertake this job. But they must be net savvy enough to find information from the internet quickly. This will help in better analytics. Such professionals must also be able to browse through large databases of potential candidates who are suitable for their organization.

Wrapping Up

Management students taking up HR as a specialization must try to acquire the above qualities and skills if they want to be successful. The article also provides a peep into what responsibilities they will be required to handle. While it can help them prepare for work as a human resource manager, it is worth remembering that this job demands complete dedication and continuous learning. As their work can affect various other people’s lives, good HR managers must always put others’ interests first and work towards their betterment.

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