The role of a Human Resources Manager is a highly sought-after position. In this role, HR professionals have a chance to really impact the way their organisation coordinates its workforce. But you might be wondering exactly how they can do that? Luckily for you, we’re going to answer the question in this article. If you’ve found yourself asking what exactly it is a human resources manager does, then keep reading to find out.
The Role
Of course, the first thing that should be noted is that the main roles of a HR manager can change drastically depending on the company they work for. If, for example, you’re a HR manager inside a fast-growing tech startup, you might spend most of your time searching for the right people to fit into new roles at the company that are quickly cropping up. On the other hand, if you’re a HR manager inside a large global corporation, you may spend most of your time reviewing and managing company policy across countries to ensure that the company’s objectives are being met across different offices around the world.
But in general, a HR manager has a few core roles that they’ll need to perform. Read on to find out what they are.
Leading a Team
As a HR manager, you’re more than likely going to be leading a team of HR officers. In this role, you’ll be making the overarching decisions that guides the organization, while your team gets the day-to-day things done. You’ll have to delegate tasks and be a motivating leader while you take on a higher level of work.
Hiring and Training New Employees
HR managers are the ones who play a big part when a company is hiring and training new employees. They’ll be the ones writing the job descriptions (or delegating it to a team), and they’ll also more than likely be involved in the interview with the other relevant managers who are looking for a new employee. All the paperwork will go through a HR manager and their team, and when it comes time to training a new employee, you guessed it – it’s up to the HR department.
Conduct Staff Performance Evaluations
When it comes time for an annual performance review, a HR manager will be highly involved in helping other managers across an organisation in how to properly do it. Performance evaluations are tough for all parties involved and can be tricky. As a HR manager, it’s an essential skill to be able to guide all staff through this process (and conduct your own performance reviews for your team).
Identify Opportunities for Staff Training and Development
It’s a HR managers job to always seek out opportunities for staff training and further development. Whether it’s a mindful meditation class to boost motivation, helping to upskill employees, or even a teambuilding weekend out in the woods, it’s up to a HR manager to figure out what will make the biggest difference to the employee’s daily life.
Crafting Policy
Whether it’s defining guidelines around workplace behaviour or setting the minimum rates of pay, HR managers play a big part in navigating the regulations of a workplace by crafting effective policies.
Handle Issues and Answer Questions
One of the biggest roles a HR manager will take over is interacting daily with employees about the workplace. They might have some basic questions, or maybe even raising an issue they have with a manager. Whatever the situation, it’s the HR manager’s job to solve the problem, keep things running smoothly, and make sure employees are satisfied in the workplace.
As you can see, the role of a HR manager is an extensive one that involves shouldering a lot of responsibility. If there’s a process or system in place in an organisation that involves people, it’s more than likely up to the HR manager to take care of it.
How to Become a Human Resources Manager
Becoming a HR Manager takes a lot of time and experience – as it should, seeing as the position holds a wealth of responsibilities. Getting an entry-level job in HR is the obvious first step on the way up the ladder. To do so, you’ll need to seek out the proper education. Generally, having a bachelor’s degree in HR will give you an advantage when it comes to applying for jobs.
Once you’ve gotten some experience, it’s time to boost your potential for a promotion towards a management position. Experience combined with some further study is the key, like a Diploma of HR Management to teach you the practical skills you’ll need for the role.
If you’ve gotten a bachelor’s degree, you could opt to undertake a master’s degree in HR management instead. Although this is a more expensive and longer option than the Diploma.
How Much do HR Managers Make?
Generally, HR Managers are very well paid, thanks to being in such high demand. The field of HR looks to continue growing in the coming decade, and with growth comes lots of job opportunities. The pay differs from country to country of course, but here are some of the average salaries.
In Australia, the average salary of a HR manager is about $117,000 a year. In the USA, it’s about $104,000, while in the UK it’s about £42,000 per year. Of course, the salaries also go up and down depending on which city you work in.
The Takeaway
Human Resources managers are responsible for a wide range of activities in the workplace. They’re the glue holding a company together, ensuring their team keeps everything running smoothly while also making decisions and crafting policy alongside the company’s executives. It’s a rewarding position that is set to grow in the coming decade and provides a high amount of job security.
