Human resource professionals are often considered people who shape the backbone of an organization. They are people who bring out the best in employees, smoothen out the little conflicts and ensure a harmonious inter-personnel relation in the organization.
If you are looking at human resource development as a future profession, you must be proficient in at least ten vital skills required to run an organization smoothly.
The work environment in today’s fast-paced world is changing constantly. HR professionals too need to develop additional skills in order to organize and maximize employee performance.
Skills for Relationship Building
Cordial relations among employees is a must for smooth functioning of any organization. It creates a conducive environment where your employees can deliver their best in their own sector. Team building is vital for the grown of an establishment and this is where HR professionals play a major role.
They are trained to have a keen eye on different personality types in order to understand which type of people work well together. They understand the dynamics of professional relation among employees and work towards creating a cohesive atmosphere.
Skills for Employee Management
HR professionals must have the required skills necessary for efficient employee management. They should be competent enough to deal with difficult situations and stubborn employees and come up with constructive solutions that enhance the performance of employees.
Performance management is a tactical approach that every HR professional should be expert at. It ensures efficiency and professionalism in an organization which is so vital for its unhindered operations.
HR professionals should be able to cultivate a positive work culture among employees to extract the maximum out of them for the benefit of the organization. Irrespective of the department and the grade of the employees, HR professionals must ensure that all business goals are met satisfactorily by making the employees feel as part of a team.
Skills for Hiring and Recruiting the Right People
It’s the people who build an organization and it’s the HR professional’s task to recruit the right type of people. It is their job to plan and smoothly execute the selection process for a particular job role.
Therefore, one of the vital skills of an HR professional is to have a discerning eye for the right type of person for the right type of job.
This is not an easy job and HR professionals must be experts at reading people irrespective of their academic degrees and other achievements. They should be able to communicate well with job seekers, explain the job profile in details and ascertain other specific details about that person.
Recruiting the correct people reduces wastage of human labor, attrition rate and ensures job satisfaction among employees.
Skills for Organization Scheduling
Another major skill an HR professional requires is to prioritize schedules and create a cohesive bond between different departments for effective implementation of tasks.
Employees have to attend to various meetings, appointments, customer care and such other duties throughout the day.
HR professionals must be able to help employees schedule their tasks in such a manner that everything stays under control. Only then will employees be able to meet their deadlines and work in a stress-free environment.
Skills to Provide Administrative Support
Depending on the size of the establishment, many organizations depend on their HR department for additional administrative support. HR professionals in such large organizations must have the required skill set to assess and manage staff activities, maintain records of individual performance, keep a tab on leave records and attendance and so on.
Some organizations also have virtual teams that comprise of people from different geographical locations and time zones. The HR professional should be able to stay connected to them to make them feel part of the organization.
This ensures deadlines are met on time and inefficiency is reduced even in a virtual team.
Skills to Understand Business Administration
It is not enough for HR professionals only to manage the in-house administration in an organization. Often they need to understand the dynamics of business too and provide valuable inputs for financial growth of the establishment.
They should be aware of correct business principles and operational mode so that the organization stays on the right track.
They should be able to create a positive impact on the expansion of the organization through correct personnel placement and development of personnel skills.
Skills to Create a Team Environment
It is vital for an HR professional to create the right team environment in the organization. He should know how to offer constructive criticism so as to develop individual skills further. Rather than focusing on individual achievements, he should be able to inculcate a feeling of collective achievement among the employees.
He should also be able to plan for various entertaining activities that bring employees closer and gives them opportunities to know each other better.
Conflict Resolution Skills
It is common for employees not to agree to each other every time. Everybody is skilled and confident and conflicts can arise when opinions differ. Personal ego often comes in the way, reducing productivity and creating a hostile environment.
As an HR professional, it would be one of your prime responsibilities to resolve such conflicts amicably.
Skills for Employee Development
Just hiring the right employee is not enough. He should be trained to understand and value the vision of the company and its work culture. It is the responsibility of the HR personnel to impart the right training and guidance so that newly recruited employees can blend in smoothly with their co-workers and complement their efforts.
Technical Skills
Last but not least, today’s HR professionals must be proficient in technical skills. They should be competent in basic computer software that is required to enter and maintain various data in company software.
Apart from this, they should also be aware of the latest technology and application tools that are integral to a company’s success. Establishments these days are investing heavily in various software applications that help in preparing reports, presentations and budget projections and so on.
A tech savvy HR professional should be able to add value to such applications by providing his own inputs and insights.