How to Become a Human Resource Manager
Table of Content
Human resources was and still is one of the most sought after jobs or forms of employment in the current era of Artificial Intelligence. It seems like an elite department in the natural corporate settings because of its commanding position and the dependency that employees have on its proper functioning. However, if you are seeking to join the field of human resources and then progress to managerial positions – then – we will explore the options and paths you can choose to become an HR manager or a chief human resources officer.
The human resources field is illustrious in the way that the HR manager is basically the manager of all the line managers, he basically rears the herd. This taps into a key psychological need of humans of standing out and command situations and the battleground (corporations are a battle ground these days). Although, a quick summarized pathway is to get a degree in human resources, join any firm as a trainee or a junior officer and then work your way up. But this is easier said than done, and there are a lot of things that need to be understood before this happens. Lets explore in details, we will try to chart out a roadmap here as well.
Introduction To Becoming A Human Resources Manager
The first thing you must do to become a human resources manager is to get a degree in human resources or a general business management degree with specializations in human resources topics such as learning and development, talent acquisition, payroll, employee relations etc.
Once you are good with your degree, you can start applying to entry-level jobs in human resources and see how it goes from there. One key aspect of applying to jobs is to see which industry you are tapping into, this is crucial, since human resources in the technology industry varies from human resources in aviation. Although the fundamentals remain the same, the methodology and approach to work changes color.
For example, in the technology industry you are more inclined towards hiring the top resources and your talent pool might look the same from top to bottom. But in the aviation industry, it’s a different ball game altogether with getting pilots on board to hiring baggage and cargo staff. The challenges vary.
Another key aspect you must understand is to see how each industry pays human resources managers or leaders. There are some industries that pay a good amount of money and handsome benefits and then there are some highly profitable industries that do not pay good money but rely largely on job-longevity guarantee etc.
You must base your early career in such an industry that you can improve in that industry and become a pioneer of that industry. This kind of decision pays dividend in the long run.
Personal Traits
Your personal traits play a big role in selecting the human resources industry and becoming a human resources manager. You cannot become a successful HR manager if you like isolation or prefer anti-social settings. Human resources managers are like live wires, their doors remain open and you do not find them mostly on their seats. They are most likely to be having chats with department managers, factory managers, or any employee about organizational matters and developing rapport with staff. Only through their interpersonal skills and empathy can they drive a culture of open communication and trusted human resources.
If people are literally hesitant to approach human resources managers with their issues then that is a direct sign of an inefficient HR department. This does not mean that a human resources manager has to be a clown that entertains everyone – they have to be nice, but firm.
One story goes like this from one of the regional offices of the largest shipping company in the world. They hired an operations manager with many difficulties and negotiations. On the first day of his work, this guy orders an office boy to prepare tea for him. And when that guy brings tea to his table (believe me there are these kinds of luxury settings in other parts of the world), he uses the F word. As soon as the HR manager hears of this, this guy finds his employment terminated. Cultural and discipline issues were non-negotiable, as that guy found out the hard way. But for anyone hoping to become an HR manager this is a very telling story. You can be nice but you do not bend rules and stuff. In short, be nice but also firm.
Preferences
Your personal preferences and your personality mappings can tell a lot about you whether you should become a human resources manager or not. As mentioned above, HR managers are electric, greet-all type of people but also firm, however your own preferences such as working on a single operation, project or objective might mean this is not for you. In the human resources department, every day brings new challenges with a distinct diversion from the problems or issues of yesterday.
If you like to work objectively then the Human resources field is not for you. The HR manager can be called for any number of reasons each day. It can be an erratic new hire, a misunderstood sexual harassment notion, a disgruntled employee. From people not being happy with board approved policies to someone having issues of coffee dispenser being placed far from them – an HR manager has to cater, entertain and resolve these things smartly with astute measures.
Do a quick analysis of yourself – If you think you will thrive in such a job then becoming a human resources manager is your destiny. If you want to be left unperturbed then you might opt for departments like finance or technology.
Continuous Learning
This aspect of continuous learning cannot be emphasized enough. As we have witnessed in the last half a decade of how COVID-19 turned the work mechanics on its head from the destructive rampage of artificial intelligence in bulldozing key jobs (even industries). From Zoom meetings to single member companies, things have already exploded like a volcano. The human resources manager is required to be on top of his game. You may ask that if an HR manager has a masters degree in human resources, what more can he do. The answer is simple: Professional HR certifications and attending training and learning seminars or sessions.
Some of the top bodies in global human resources professional certifications are HRAcademia, SHRM and CIPD. These are highly recognized professional bodies that are recognized worldwide. They offer professional certifications such as CHRP, CTDP, CHRM and certifications in human resources analytics. A professional HR certification from any of these platforms is a high testament to the professional ability of an HR manager. It certifies that the human resources manager is up to date with current norms and operational methodology of workplace.
Critical Skills to Develop For an HR Manager
In this section, we will briefly touch on the skills needed to be an HR manager or to be in a leadership role in the human resources department.
Communication skills – Needed for coordinating and disbursing company wide announcements, addressing peoples issues, aligning people needs and driving the point in the management. Conducting sessions, training and providing a safe and approachable culture to people of all norms.
HR Management Knowledge – Although this is a duhh!!! But sometimes the application of knowledge is of utmost importance. Applying what you learned during your academic sessions or the knowledge you gained from your certification is mandatory as that information is a collection of experiential learning and works well in organizational settings.
Coaching – An HR manager is required to coach not only his team, but the entire firm – yes you read that right. An HR head or manager has to coach from top to bottom. If a new pay structure is introduced he has to tell the CEO and make them understand the benefits while at the same time informing the lowest level employee as well about it and how it works for him as well (In most cases that is 🙂 )
Technical Expertise – This cannot be emphasized enough, their is a general notion that the human resources manager is a non-technical position, this might be true to an extent as his technical skills are not connected to the business end of things such as developing technology etc, but a human resources manager has to be well versed with human resources softwares, spreadsheets, and a basic understanding of AI – for the current era – at least. New entrants in the market now know that they have to learn software’s like Zoom and Slack to conduct online interviews and meetings. Coordinate work across global sites.
Those human resources managers who are not adapting to these efficient technologies are finding their positions threatened. Numerous cases were recorded last year where many HR leaders lost their jobs because of failure in adapting to technology.
Business Awareness – Once upon a time in a city far far away, lived a prince. Does this sentence ring a bell with you about fairy tales and of bygone era? The same stands now for human resources managers who do not align themselves with the business end of things. Although the term Human Resources Business partner gained popularity in the last decade or so, many organizations or companies do not understand the operational usability behind this. A basic error that most organizations commit with HRBP’s is that they align them as per unit. Although this seems like a just placement this is in practicality wrong. An HR business partner is required to understand how their work impacts the business side of things. How they can contribute to the bottom line.
It is imperative for an HR manager to be able to read through balance sheets, and create a functional accounting standard for measuring ROI and impact on business. This not only creates usefulness for the business. But also makes the HR manager indispensable – or at least in most cases.
Future Challenges for Being an HR Manager
The above list of skills is not exhaustive. There are technically thousands of skills needed on a daily basis and the scope of this article does not cover that. However, one word that should resonate in all HR managers’ minds is : adaptability.
The HR manager of the future should be super-adaptable to everything. Especially technology.
Now we will discuss briefly some of the skills that are needed for HR managers to be future-ready.
Change Management – This sounds like what we have been clamoring throughout. An HR manager needs to be ready for any kind of change, whether it is in the market or in the technology aspect of business.
People Analytics – An HR manager should be hands on with data, and should be able to derive patterns and correlations to make effective decisions that have a bottom-line based compass.
Integration of cultural differences – This is a vital element of the current organizational setup. Because of the smoothness of remote working and how people can be tracked, employers worldwide are reaping the benefits of gig-economy, currency conversion utility of hiring cheap but talented resources worldwide. The gap is always about finding a seamless integration between cultures. Teams are now scattered worldwide, a single company operating out of NewYork City may have employees and teams in Brazil, Germany and Philippines.
It is essential for anyone who wants to become an HR manager to see if they can find a balance when hiring people across the globe and integrating the payment methods, the emotional balance and addressing needs of a global audience.
Final Thoughts
To become an HR manager may be easy but to sustain the position of a leader in human resources can be a difficult task. The emotional and physical toll of one wrong decision can outlast many years. Hence it is highly important that you do a quick personal analysis of whether you want to be a people’s champion or not.
But just to summarize, all you need to become an HR manager is a career path with a degree in the human resources field, a selection of your industry and then keep upgrading your skills with professional human resources certifications and adapting to the current needs of the market.