Qualities of an HR Manager
Managers of human resources must fulfill several responsibilities in order to fulfill their duties. Apart from being good counselors, they must also be recruiters, placement specialists, trainers, development specialists, human resources specialists, compensation and benefits specialists, and employment analysts. For example, Armstrong 13 states that HR professionals must serve as business partners, strategists, interventionists, innovators, internal consultants, monitors, and volunteers (proactive role). HR managers would require multidisciplinary knowledge in order to successfully perform the diverse HR tasks.In addition to business administration, law, behavioural sciences, industrial psychology, sociology, political science, economics, statistics, engineering, finance, and computers, it would be good for them to have a working knowledge of these areas as well. To become effective performers, they would also need the following personal qualities and skills.
- Knowledge
- Intelligence
- Communication Skills
- Objectivity and Fairness
- Leadership and Motivational Qualities
- Emotional Maturity
- Empathy
Knowledge
It is important to gain respect by gaining knowledge. To gain the confidence and respect of his subordinates, an HR manager must be an expert in his field.It is imperative that he has a thorough understanding of HRM concepts, principles, and theories. Simply possessing this knowledge is not sufficient; HR managers need practical experience with these concepts and principles in real-life situations.
Intelligence
When a situation or event requires a solution, intelligence involves properly understanding the nature of the problem. HR managers should be able to recognize the situation quickly and act decisively before it becomes beyond control. In addition, he should be able to distinguish between the real problems and those that are merely presented as important.
Communication Skills
Managers are responsible for getting work done through others. Human resources managers are no different. He must be able to communicate effectively with his employees so that he can persuade them to work toward the organization’s goals. For better cooperation and unity, the HR manager needs good communication skills. For effective communication, he should have a functional understanding of the languages of the employees.
Objectivity and Fairness
Human resources professionals play a unique role in society. Management as well as employees are the interests of the HR manager. Therefore, he should maintain strict impartiality and honesty in all his transactions. All decisions should be based on accurate information and facts. Furthermore, he has a moral responsibility to protect the rights and privileges of the relatively weak workforce.
Leadership and Motivational Qualities
Influence is the essence of leadership. HR managers need to be able to influence employees toward the achievement of goals and targets. They should also be strong motivators. To continuously motivate the employees to improve, he needs to possess the necessary skills.
Emotional Maturity
Human responses are often difficult to predict. Different situations usually require different responses. It is therefore essential that the HR manager has emotional maturity and tolerance when dealing with employees. The HR manager must demonstrate parental care when handling employees’ concerns. The employee should not harbor any ill feelings towards him because of his past behavior. The employee should always conduct himself rationally and not emotionally.
Empathy
In other words, empathy is looking at events or situations from the perspective of another. Employees should also be able to observe HR issues from their perspective. To settle employee grievances, he should not only use his formal authority but also his informal relationships. I believe he should respect others’ opinions, feelings, rights, beliefs, and values. Additionally, the HR manager should have a good character, personality, and physical strength to effectively discharge his duties. We will discuss the differences between HR managers as line authorities and staff advisors now that we’ve seen their notable qualities.
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