The 9 Essential Skills of Human Resources Management - How Many Do You Have?

When interviewing a potential new hire, its standard procedure for a Human Resources professional to assess the candidate as compared to a list of key skills and personal characteristics needed for the job. In considering ideas to start our new HR Daily Advisor service, some at BLR thought it might be interesting to turn the tables on the profession, and come up with a list of such attributes for Human Resources professionals themselves. In no way is this authoritative, but it is the opinion of people, including BLR Founder and Publisher Bob Brady, whove spent decades meeting with HR professionals, supporting their goals and reporting their achievements. You may agree or not with our assessments, but either way, wed like to hear about it via the share comments link on this page. That said, here goes:

Human Resources Management Key Skill #1: Organization

Human Resources management requires an orderly approach. Organized files, strong time management skills and personal efficiency are key to the Human Resources function. Youre dealing with peoples lives and careers here, and when a manager requests a personnel file or a compensation recommendation that lines up with both the organization and the industry, it wont do to say, Hold on. Ill see if I can find it.

Human Resources Management Key Skill #2: Multitasking

On any day, an HR professional will deal with an employees personal issue one minute, a benefit claim the next and a recruiting strategy for a hard-to-fill job the minute after. Priorities and business needs move fast and change fast, and colleague A who needs something doesnt much care if youre already helping colleague B. You need to be able to handle it all, all at once.

Human Resources Management Key Skill #3: Discretion and Business Ethics
Human Resources professionals are the conscience of the company, as well as the keepers of confidential information. As you serve the needs of top management, you also monitor officers approaches to employees to ensure proper ethics are observed. You need to be able to push back when they arent, to keep the firm on the straight and narrow. Not an easy responsibility! Of course, you always handle appropriately, and never divulge to any unauthorized person, confidential information about anyone in the organization.

Human Resources Management Key Skill #4: Dual Focus

HR professionals need to consider the needs of both employees and management. There are times you must make decisions to protect the individual, and other times when you protect the organization, its culture, and values. These decisions may be misunderstood by some, and you may catch flak because of it, but you know that explaining your choices might compromise confidential information. Thats something you would never do.

Human Resources Management Key Skill #5: Employee Trust

Employees expect Human Resources professionals to advocate for their concerns, yet you must also enforce top managements policies. The HR professional who can pull off this delicate balancing act wins trust from all concerned.

Human Resources Management Key Skill #6: Fairness

Successful HR professionals demonstrate fairness. This means that communication is clear, that peoples voices are heard, that laws and policies are followed, and that privacy and respect is maintained.

Human Resources Management Key Skill #7: Dedication to Continuous Improvement

HR professionals need to help managers coach and develop their employees. The goal is continued improvement and innovation as well as remediation. And looking to their own houses, the HR professional also uses technology and other means to continuously improve the HR function itself.

Human Resources Management Key Skill #8: Strategic Orientation

Forward-thinking HR professionals take a leadership role and influence managements strategic path. In gauging and filling the labor needs of the company, devising compensation schemes, and bringing on board new skill sets leading to business growth, they provide the proof for the oftenheard management comment, People are our most important asset.

Human Resources Management Key Skill #9: Team Orientation

Once, companies were organized into hierarchies of workers headed by supervisors. Today, the team is king. HR managers must consequently understand team dynamics and find ways to bring disparate personalities together and make the team work.

Nine Skills, But Also One Caveat

As we listed these skills, one thing we didnt do was try to prioritize them. Because no general list of skills can take into account the business strategy at your particular organization. Which leads to the caveat we mentioned, as expressed by Bob Brady. HR is a creature of, and serves the business strategy, Brady says. Its important for HR people to know what that strategy is and what makes the business tick so the approach to HR can be tailored accordingly. Never think of HR in isolation, he advises. Because if Human Resources professionals think of themselves as just HR, thats what the rest of the organization will think too.

Skills for Human Resource Managers?

Philosophical and Operational Changes Make Human Resources More Important Most people understand how important, if not critical, IT (Information Technology) Departments have become to the success or failure of most businesses. The term IT did not really exist even twenty years ago. What was once the Computer Department, staffed by people whose language (it sounded like English, mostly) the rest of the company often couldnt comprehend, was typically confined to a separate, climate-controlled room, away from the mainstream of company operations. This function is now often integrated into every facet of company operations from Marketing to Accounting. The Human Resource Department has undergone a similar, but less publicized evolution. The Personnel Department of the 20th century was also often tucked away from the mainstream of company operations, while they spent most of the week preparing payroll checks. Now, the Human Resource (HR) Department is often totally integrated in every aspect of the business functions. Most companies are thrilled that HR professionals can make a positive impact on company operations. The key to a successful influence on the bottom line is the quality of the HR managers and personnel. No longer are HR professionals required to calculate an endless number of payroll checks. But, they are expected to be high- level management professionals. There are a number of skill sets that are particularly valuable to the successful HR professional. Most Important Skills for a Successful HR Manager Like other important management personnel, HR managers should have some combination of the following skills. 1. Effective sense of organization. If one could only be a single skill person, the ability to implement, maintain, and use organization is critical. The added responsibilities of HR professionals dictate the higher level of management ability, much of which starts and ends with effective organization skills. 2. Ability to handle a multi-tasking environment. While this department, back in the mid-twentieth century did not perform particularly difficult tasks, often focused on personnel files, staff manuals, and payroll check calculation, their functions were often tedious. Now, HR professionals must be able to balance complex benefit programs, effective recruiting efforts, sensitive employee personal issues, and contributing to a companys bottom line. Multi-tasking ability is critical to the making of a successful HR manager. 3. Ability to focus on both sides of the desk. HR professionals are charged with balancing a dual responsibility. They must be attuned to the needs and abilities of employees while also dedicated to representing management and the company. An HR manager that leaves the fence and concentrates on one group or the other may

encounter serious issues from one or both parties in the future. This balancing act can be challenging for some while others learn to master the art to perfection. 4. Strong belief in ethics. Talk with veteran professionals from the legal or banking industries and many will tell you that confidentiality becomes a strong component of their entire philosophy. Discretion and ethics typically become an integral part of their personality. HR professionals should also consider adopting this philosophy. Not only do they have access to all manner of sensitive information regarding employees, they are also often perceived as a safe haven for employees to discuss personal or psychological issues. In addition, they are often privy to important inside information about their company and are perceived as the conscience of the company. Much of this information is totally confidential, but one cannot un-know something. Successful HR professionals need to be ethically and morally strong to be effective, while maintaining strict confidentiality. 5. Develop the ability to encourage employee trust. This can be more challenging than it may first appear. Once again, HR professionals are asked to perform a balancing act. Management has set a multitude of policies and procedures. Employees often misunderstand or disagree with some company processes. It is important that the HR professional is honest and consistent with staff so they appreciate the concern and commitment shown by HR. They often begin to respect and trust their HR professional as one who will enforce management policies but support staff with the same enthusiasm. 6. Display a sense of fairness. A modern company with a diverse workforce includes people of many different personalities, backgrounds, and environments. It is impossible for an HR manager (or anyone else) to like everyone equally. Yet HR professionals must display an unwavering sense of fairness to all staff. Displays of favoritism in spoken or written communications, privacy issues, or levels of respect can prove damaging to the effectiveness of HR professionals. 7. Commitment to team dynamics. Few modern companies look for superstars at the expense of solid team players. HR professionals that want to be superstars in their own right will take this philosophy and build on it. Many experts recommend that HR professionals put less weight on job fit and more on organization or team fit when recruiting staff. This focus tends to enhance the employee base and often translates to better productivity.