Like other department heads, a human resources manager has two basic functions: supervising department functions and managing employees. For this reason, a human resources manager must be well-versed in each of the disciplines of human resources, compensation and benefits, training and development, labor relations, and recruitment and selection. The basic skills that HR managers have are solid communication skills and decision-making capacity based on analytical skills and critical thinking processes.
General responsibilities:
Human resource managers have strategic and functional responsibilities for all human resources disciplines. The human resources director has the experience of an HR generalist combined with business skills and management skills in general. In large organizations, a human resources manager reports to the director of human resources or a level C executive of human resources. In small businesses, some human resources managers perform all the functions of the department or work with a human resources assistant or generalist who is responsible for administrative matters. Regardless of the size of the department or company, a human resources manager must have the skills to carry out all HR functions, if necessary.
Compensation & Benefits:
Human resource managers provide guidance to compensation and benefits specialists. Within this discipline, HR managers develop strategic compensation plans, align performance management systems with a compensation structure, and monitor negotiations for the group's medical benefits. Some examples of the responsibilities of the human resources manager include monitoring and compliance with the Medical Leave Act and adherence to the confidentiality provisions of employees' medical records. Human resource managers for small businesses can also perform open enrollment for annual employee elections related to health coverage.
Training and Development:
Training and employee development include orientation for new employees, leadership training, and professional development seminars and workshops. HR managers monitor needs assessments to determine when training is needed and the type of training needed to improve performance and productivity. The human resource managers responsible for conducting the needs assessment have a practical role in evaluating the overall performance of employees to decide whether the workforce would benefit from training and guidance. They examine employee performance records to identify areas where employees can improve through job training or employee development, such as seminars or workshops on leadership techniques. They also play an integral role in the implementation of the strategy for employee development and succession planning based on professional development and training. The human resources managers responsible for succession planning use their knowledge of employee development, business training, and the company's future needs to design career paths for employees that demonstrate the ability and desire for social advancement.
Relations with Employees:
Although the employee relations specialist is responsible for investigating and resolving labor issues, the human resources manager has the ultimate responsibility for the preservation of the employer-employee relationship by designing an effective employee relations strategy. An effective employee relations strategy contains specific steps to ensure employees' overall well-being. It also ensures that employees have a safe work environment, free of discrimination and harassment. Human resource managers for small businesses conduct workplace investigations and resolve employee complaints. Human resources managers can also be the main contact for legal advice in risk mitigation and litigation activities related to employee relations matters. An example of risk reduction by a human resources manager is the examination of current workplace policies and the training of employees and managers in policies to reduce the frequency of employee complaints due to misinterpretation or misunderstanding of company policies.
Recruitment and Selection:
Human resource managers develop strategic solutions to meet labor demand and labor force trends. An employment manager oversees recruitment and selection; however, a human resources manager is primarily responsible for decisions regarding the corporate brand when it comes to hiring and retaining talented employees. For example, a human resources manager in a healthcare company could use his or her knowledge about the nursing shortage to develop a strategy for employee retention or to maintain current staff levels. The strategy could include the development of an incentive program for nurses or equip nurses with cross-training so that they can obtain certification in different specialties to be more valuable to the organization. The corporate brand in relation to recruitment and retention means the promotion of the company as an employer of choice. Human resource managers responsible for this often look at the recruitment and selection process, as well as the compensation and benefits, to find ways to attract highly qualified candidates.
General responsibilities:
Human resource managers have strategic and functional responsibilities for all human resources disciplines. The human resources director has the experience of an HR generalist combined with business skills and management skills in general. In large organizations, a human resources manager reports to the director of human resources or a level C executive of human resources. In small businesses, some human resources managers perform all the functions of the department or work with a human resources assistant or generalist who is responsible for administrative matters. Regardless of the size of the department or company, a human resources manager must have the skills to carry out all HR functions, if necessary.
Compensation & Benefits:
Human resource managers provide guidance to compensation and benefits specialists. Within this discipline, HR managers develop strategic compensation plans, align performance management systems with a compensation structure, and monitor negotiations for the group's medical benefits. Some examples of the responsibilities of the human resources manager include monitoring and compliance with the Medical Leave Act and adherence to the confidentiality provisions of employees' medical records. Human resource managers for small businesses can also perform open enrollment for annual employee elections related to health coverage.
Training and Development:
Training and employee development include orientation for new employees, leadership training, and professional development seminars and workshops. HR managers monitor needs assessments to determine when training is needed and the type of training needed to improve performance and productivity. The human resource managers responsible for conducting the needs assessment have a practical role in evaluating the overall performance of employees to decide whether the workforce would benefit from training and guidance. They examine employee performance records to identify areas where employees can improve through job training or employee development, such as seminars or workshops on leadership techniques. They also play an integral role in the implementation of the strategy for employee development and succession planning based on professional development and training. The human resources managers responsible for succession planning use their knowledge of employee development, business training, and the company's future needs to design career paths for employees that demonstrate the ability and desire for social advancement.
Relations with Employees:
Although the employee relations specialist is responsible for investigating and resolving labor issues, the human resources manager has the ultimate responsibility for the preservation of the employer-employee relationship by designing an effective employee relations strategy. An effective employee relations strategy contains specific steps to ensure employees' overall well-being. It also ensures that employees have a safe work environment, free of discrimination and harassment. Human resource managers for small businesses conduct workplace investigations and resolve employee complaints. Human resources managers can also be the main contact for legal advice in risk mitigation and litigation activities related to employee relations matters. An example of risk reduction by a human resources manager is the examination of current workplace policies and the training of employees and managers in policies to reduce the frequency of employee complaints due to misinterpretation or misunderstanding of company policies.
Recruitment and Selection:
Human resource managers develop strategic solutions to meet labor demand and labor force trends. An employment manager oversees recruitment and selection; however, a human resources manager is primarily responsible for decisions regarding the corporate brand when it comes to hiring and retaining talented employees. For example, a human resources manager in a healthcare company could use his or her knowledge about the nursing shortage to develop a strategy for employee retention or to maintain current staff levels. The strategy could include the development of an incentive program for nurses or equip nurses with cross-training so that they can obtain certification in different specialties to be more valuable to the organization. The corporate brand in relation to recruitment and retention means the promotion of the company as an employer of choice. Human resource managers responsible for this often look at the recruitment and selection process, as well as the compensation and benefits, to find ways to attract highly qualified candidates.