Human Resource Management: The

Basics
By Kellen McKillop, June 20, 2014

Okay, media. Give it to us straight.

Are Human Resource Managers hottie headhunters like Mila Kunis inFriends with
Benefits? Or are they somewhat depressing middle-aged men like Toby Flenderson from
The Office?
Because although Toby is a total sweetheart, Im much more interested in being the type
of person who gets Justin Timberlake at the end of a movie just sayin.
So, what is working in human resource management really like? Would I be a cute
recruiting heroine or a scapegoat for Michael Scott?
The truth is, Id probably be a little bit of both.

As an HR Manager, youre in charge of everything that deals with making the human
resources (people working for an organization) as productive as possible. That means
making sure everything is running smoothly so that both employers and employees are
satisfied and motivated.
What does that entail, exactly?
Human Resource Management: The Non-Negotiables
Human Resource Management requires a combination of emotional intelligence,
assertiveness, and business savvy. Human Resource professionals must balance the
companys goals and bottom line with the well-being of its employees.
"HR professionals must balance the companys goals & bottom line with the well-being
of its employees."

CLICK TO TWEET

This means that HR managers not only have to be able to deal with all sorts of different
personalities in an organization, but also have a strong working knowledge of the
business side of things.
Necessary Skills for Any HR Professional:

Strong writing and communication skills

Basic knowledge of business skills (but really, the more the better)
Knowledge of employment and labor laws
Strong interpersonal skills
Flexibility
High level of analytical and strategic thinking
Patience
Resilience

The responsibilities of an HR professional vary depending on the organization they work

for. Smaller companies may have one or two representatives whereas larger companies
may have a large team with people specializing in different areas.
Some of the Different Roles of a Human Resource Manager:

Recruiting / Hiring

For this role, its important to have a strong understanding of the company. What are its
goals? How is it changing/evolving? Then, you have to be able to identify the type of
employee or contractor that will succeed in taking the organization where it needs to go.
Those in charge of recruiting and hiring must be able to match character traits with
companies goals and be able to identify whether someone is going to be a cultural fit or
not. They also have to be able to attract talent to the organization.
James Nguyen, a recruiter for a global employment agency, says, Many people come
from different backgroundsmy job is to map their work history and judge if they have
the tools to succeed and grow in their environment and potential role.
Because this position also entails explaining business policies and working conditions to
future employees, its important for HR professionals who deal with recruiting and
hiring to be well educated in employment and labor laws.
Possible tasks for someone in this role:
Attend job fairs
Write job descriptions
Create recruitment plans
Review rsums
Conduct interviews
Do background checks
Contact references
Make job offers
Negotiate salaries

Training / Employee Development

This is an important part of creating a successful business. It takes more than just hiring
someone to ensure theyll be an asset to the company. The role of Training and
Employee Development is focused on making sure employees are as productive as
possible.
Possible tasks for someone in this role:
Conduct surveys

Interview management and staff

Assess current employees and new hires productivity
Develop training programs
Organize extended education programs
Initiate mentorship programs

Organization Development

Organization development is all about making sure the company, as a whole, is working
together effectively. This involves working through changes occurring at a company,
identifying issues in different departments and figuring out ways to fix them, and
assessing current business methods to see if they can be improved.
This HR role requires the ability to analyze data while also having strong communication
skills. Youll need to be able to assess a situation, figure out how it can be improved,
and then translate that message to the workforce.
Possible tasks for someone in this role:
Create team-building workshops
Identify and fix organizational problems
Initiate plans and projects to measure performance
Align productivity with the organizations goals
Assess current business processes and improve if necessary

Salary and Benefits

A background in accounting doesnt hurt here. Its also important for an HR specialist
in this department to possess a working knowledge of local and state level laws so that
theyre familiar with everything their employees are entitled to.
As Heather Clark, the Director of Human Resources with The Huntzinger Management
Group Inc. says, Payroll goes wrong? Take that right to the top of your list. There is
nothing that will upset your employees more than an inconsistent and incorrect
paycheck.
Possible tasks for someone in this role:
Create benefits package
Maintain relationship with insurance company
Stay up-to-date on policies

Explain benefit options to employees

Take care of 401k plans (and other non-cash benefits)

Dispute Resolution

This role requires you to have a thorough knowledge of the law on both the employers
and employees sides. The goal is to come to a compromise with as little cost as
possible (legal costs or costs to workplace via disruptions like strikes). Its also
important for a person in this role to be able to look into the future to come up with
preventative measures.
Dispute resolution requires a large amount of emotional intelligence. The best possible
outcome would be to give both parties what they want. In order to do this, you have to be
able to put yourself into each of their shoes and find a solution that will appease both.
Managing personalities is one of the hardest things about the job and Ive found that
the only way to be really successful here is to be someone that people feel that they can
trust. Katie Kerr, HR Officer at GRID Alternatives.
Possible tasks for someone in this role:
Advise and counsel employees and management to prevent conflicts
Work with disputing parties to come to a contractual agreement
What You Can Do to Get Experience:
Its recommended that you get your bachelors degree in Human Resources or a
corresponding field such as Business Administration, Commerce, Accounting,
Psychology, Sociology, or another social science.
Because there are so many different ways to specialize in HR, most professionals also
recommend that you do an internship. That way you can figure out which type of Human
Resources position interests you.
Sheri Mazurek explains that restaurant or retail jobs can help you to develop some of the
necessary skills that HR professionals need like recruiting, training, supervising others,
and interacting with many different types of people.
Resources:

Want to know a little more about what its like to be a recruiter? Check out our post,
When YOU Make the Hiring Decisions: What Its Like to Be a Recruiter.
OnlineHumanResource.net gives an in-depth look into different career paths
available within the field of HR.
Susan M. Heathfield of About.com gives a detailed description ofwhat Human Resources
Management is and links to many other resources that help paint a clearer picture of the
field.
Homework time! Interested in a job in HR? Consider one of the majors recommended
above, or just taking a few related classes. Start conducting informational interviews to
try to figure out if youd prefer more of an HR generalist role at a small company or a
specialized role at a larger company. Then, dont feel like you have to jump straight into
the field. Spend some time working different jobs and get some life experience that will
allow you to understand both employees and employers.
Want to know more about specific jobs in HR? Read our interviews with HR
professionals.