Many people look at a job in Human Resources because they like people. The problem is that being a people person is not enough. There are many skills HR managers need to have if they want to be successful. Of the 10 skills you need, none of them likes people.
HR consultancy Hampshire will help guide you in the right direction.
Maths
While you were promised you would not need maths if you work in HR, this is not the case. HR does require less maths than accounting, but you still need to use maths in your job. Compliance work needs a solid understanding of maths and statistics.
Maths skills are required to interpret affirmative action reports. You also need it to create turnover reports, determine salaries, and communicate with people who are more number orientated.
Compartmentalisation
Another skill you need to have is compartmentalisation. This is the skill allowing you to put your working into mental boxes and ensure your work and personal life never meets. While you do not have to separate work and home too severely, you should do this if you want to succeed. The reason for this is that HR problems never seem to end.
Compassion
Compassion is a skill you need in HR even if you do not like people. Employees are going to you when they want someone to listen to them. While you are not a therapist, you are going to need to act like one sometimes. Of course, these times will last as long as it takes to talk the employees into calling your Employee Assistance Program for real help.
Legal Knowledge
You do not need to be a lawyer to be an HR manager, but a clear understanding of basic employment law is a good idea. As an HR manager, you will often face decisions that have legal consequences and understanding the law can help you in the end. Good HR managers will also know when they are out of their depth and need to call a lawyer to help them.
Multi-Tasking
When you work in a big company, each person in HR may have one function only such as compensation or training. However, most companies will require you to multi-task as you are responsible for a number of tasks. Being able to switch between tasks at a moment’s notice is important because you have to deal with crises as they arise.
Understanding Benefits and Health Insurance
Health insurance is one of the parts of any compensation package and you need to understand this. As HR is the face of the program for the employees, you need to be able to help them understand the benefits. While the insurance company can help, you need to understand how all the different plans and benefits work to help the employees.
Recruitment and Hiring
One of the skills any HR manager needs is recruitment and hiring. Hiring new employees requires some public relations work as well as getting people through the door. Each candidate who enters the application process will have different feelings about the company and you need to deal with this.
People Management
While you may not have any direct reports, you will need to understand how to manage people. You are going to be a confidant and coach for managers while helping them with their departments. Some HR roles require you to be the de facto manager of a number of people even if you are not reporting on their performance.
Discretion
While HR managers are not legally required to keep information confidential, this is something that many employees expect. You will not be held to the same standards as doctors or lawyers, but you will work with confidential information on a daily basis. This is why you need to know when to share information and when to keep it confidential.
How to Fire
Firing someone is much harder than you might imagine. The goal of firing someone is to have them leave the company and move on with their life. Good HR managers understand this and know how to help with that.
Any HR manager who wants to be successful requires each of these skills. Not all of them are easy to learn and most people cannot so all of them well. However, you need to focus on learning the basics of all these skills to be successful.