Human resources managers handle personnel decisions, including hiring,
position assignment and compensation. Their decisions are subject to some
oversight, but company executives recognize their experience and skill in
assessing personnel and rely heavily on their recommendations.
Human resources managers also evaluate and design jobs, give advice on
staff management, design training programs, take part in trade union negotiations,
monitor absenteeism, ensure employment equity, provide performance appraisals
and reviews and provide career counseling.
You'll find human resource managers working in three main areas:
- In business, industry or organizations (such as hospitals or universities)
where there are a lot of employees
- In firms that specialize in finding employees for other companies, such
as employment agencies, executive placing services and temporary personnel
companies
- As consultants, handling the human resources concerns for a few small
companies at once
According to experts, being a good human resources manager isn't just about
hiring the right people. It's about making sure people are happy and productive
in their jobs and making sure you hang on to the good people you have, as
well as always looking out for other new employees.
"There's a misconception that human resources isn't an active part of a
company," says Gil Blankinship, a human resources manager in Alaska. "This
is wrong because human resources has to be tied to the company's goals and
it has to be involved in the decision-making processes with management."
To be a good human resources manager, experts say people skills are an
absolute must. You can't do the job without them.
"You have to genuinely like people and be a good listener. This is essential
in building a good rapport with both companies and employees," says human
resources manager and recruiter Joanne Peterson.
While human resources managers are involved in many different areas, they
are best known for recruiting -- interviewing and selecting new employees.
Experts say recruiting takes a particular combination of skills and experience.
In an interview, you have to know what kinds of questions to ask to help
you learn the most you can about a person. You also have to know which questions
you're not allowed to ask.
"[Asking] questions about race, religion or marital status violates human
rights," says human resources manager Grant Close. "You can't ask them."
Recruiting can be stressful for human resources managers because it means
interviewing people all day. While they admit it's definitely more stressful
for the applicants, they say it can be pretty tiring.
In addition to good people skills and good recruiting skills, human resources
managers have to have a lot of other knowledge to do their jobs well. They
have to know the labor codes, human rights guidelines, safety regulations
and union agreements, as well as any other information that affects the company's
employees.
A human resources professional in a smaller firm is a jack of all trades,
involved in hiring, resource allocation, compensation, benefits, compliance
with laws affecting employees and the workplace, and safety and health issues.
This multiplicity of tasks requires individuals with strong organizational
skills who can quickly shift from project to project and topic to topic without
becoming overwhelmed.
Good interpersonal skills are crucial for managers at small firms. These
managers spend about 40 percent of their day handling questions, attending
budgeting and strategic planning meetings, and interviewing prospective employees.
The rest of the time they take care of paperwork and talk on the telephone
with service providers (like insurance companies).
At larger firms, HR managers specialize in one area, such as compensation,
hiring or resource allocation. Compensation analysts work with department
managers to determine pay scales and bonus structures. Hiring specialists
(also known as recruiters) place ads in appropriate publications, review resumes
and interview candidates for employment. Allocation managers match assistants,
support staff and other employees with departments that have specific needs.
The most difficult feature of the human resources professional's job is
handling the dirty work involved in the staffing of a company: dealing with
understaffing, refereeing disputes between mismatched personalities, firing
employees, informing employees of small (or nonexistent) bonuses, and reprimanding
irresponsible employees.
Performing these tasks can be disheartening for HR managers, who are supposed
to support and assist employees. Many HR managers feel that employees dislike
or fear them because of this role.
Don't expect to jump right in and become a human resources manager. Experts
say you can study everything about this field, but without valuable, on-the-job
experience, you won't be able to handle the job.
"Some people think once you get out of school, you'll be able to handle
a manager's position in human resources. True, you'll understand the basic
principles which set the groundwork for human resources, but the real-life
situations and practical side of human resources need to be learned through
experience," says Blankinship.
"I think the trend for smaller companies will be to outsource, or hire
human resources consultants, for their human resources needs. This will help
eliminate some of the expense, because smaller companies don't necessarily
need full-time, on-staff human resources managers," says Blankinship.
Experts predict the growth in human resources management will take place
in the consulting field, where managers handle the human resources needs of
several companies at once.