First and foremost-keep your self up to date with knowledge about the laws which affect HR and your particular industry-for eg Shops and establishments Act of your state.
Check what ll compliances have to be done-PF,ESIC etc and see whether things are up to date or where it is lagging?
Check out on state of employee personal records.
Check out their recruitment practises?
How do you call for candidates-is it advertisement,employee referrals etc.
Meet all HODs and establish a working equation with them.
Have all your employees got proper job description.
Is there any HRIS operational in the office?
What are the company policies-towards leave,recruitment,exits,discipline etc?
Are they up to date and in line with legal requirements and standard industry practises?
Health and safety issues if any.
Remember along with higher salary comes higher responsibility.Therefore put in hard effort and look at the HR situation in totality and move for improvements and changes where necessary.In the final analysis,HR manager maybe sitting behind the scenes, but without human resources many companies would simply break down. Keeping employees happy, organised and engaged, every business needs vision and direction of HR manager to keep everything moving smoothly.