How to develop yourself as a Human Resources Practitioner?

The human resource department of every organisation is inevitable. Let us clarify why. From hiring capable employees to formulating compensation and benefits, from training employees to maintaining positive vibes in the workplace – a human resource practitioner has a lot on their plate.

This means being an HR means shouldering lots of responsibilities. So, you need to have various skills that not only help you to grow but the others in your workplace.

You will find some impeccable strategies in this blog that will assist you in becoming a great Human Resource manager. But before you do that, you need to understand what HR is.

Understanding the Role of an HR

An efficient American institutional economist named John R. Commons first used the term “Human Resources” in one of his highly recommended books, “The Distribution of Wealth”, in the year 1983. But according to various studies and reports, HR departments was professionally come to light not before the 20^th century and started to address complicated issues and misunderstandings between employers and employees. Regardless of the size of the organisation, the HR section is a constant for every business.

Now let’s understand the key responsibilities of an HR.

• What Role Should an HR Perform?

The Conference Board (CB), a member-driven economic think tank, performed research that identified six crucial, people-related tasks that HR must successfully complete in order to bring value to a business. They are –

1. Learn to use and manage people effectively
2. Adding competencies to performance evaluation and compensation
3. Gaining skills that help to enhance performance on both a personal and organisational level
4. Increasing the creativity, innovation, and adaptability required to improve competitiveness
5. Using innovative methods for career development, succession planning, work process design, and inter-organisational mobility
6. Utilising better staffing, training, and employee relations to manage the adoption and integration of technology

Now is the time to learn about the skills that you need to learn and implement to perform the above-mentioned responsibilities better.

Develop Interpersonal & Communication Skills

The daily duty of an HR practitioner is to meet people, in-person or through phone and email. When professional has good and clear communication skill, they can easily resolve an issue before they escalate and take a dirty shape. Also, they can clearly convey the company standards. So, the following skills are very important to acquire for an HR professional –

• Clear Writing

An HR practitioner must have excellent writing skills. It helps them to avoid miscommunication by keeping down the back-and-forth emails. Also, they can present the company policies easily with great written communication skills.

• Critical Listening

HR personnel must have good listening skills so that they can have honest discussions with employees and managers. In this way, it becomes easier to learn other people’s points of view and make an informed decision and find solutions regarding an issue.

• Conflict Management

Teams that can gracefully handle potentially awkward circumstances like pay negotiations, grievances, and exit interviews help keep work environments in balance.

Best Ways to Become a Great Communicator

• Read books and take proper and related training courses, such as –

1. Empathy
2. Conflict management
3. Critical listening
4. Negotiation and persuasion

•  Focus on body language to connect well non-verbally

1. You can take enhanced body language courses and watch online videos that are based on common gestures and movements.
2. Practice facial expressions for sudden circumstances in front of mirrors.

•  Ask for feedback from different teams

1. You can take help from an editor to proofread and learn to improve HR email writing.
2. Take assistance for enhancing persuasion skills from a salesperson.

•  You can improve your public speaking and presentation skills

1. Try to attend each meet-up calls.
2. Take assistance from your colleagues who have strong speaking skills.

Cultivate HR Specific Skills

To present yourself as an excellent HR, you need certain crucial skills. So, let’s find out what you have to learn and how you can learn them.

Organisational Skills

Why is it Important to be Highly Organised?

HR professionals are the bridges between employees, management, and CEOs. They oversee activities that need to be carried out by various parties and divisions. HR specialists must develop the following organisational abilities –

• Time Management
• Records Management
• Calendar Management

How Can You Improve Your Organisational Skills?

• Try to use top online time management and calendar management tools to make sure you don’t miss anything. You can also arrange forthcoming meetings and send reminders through these tools.
• Determine how much time is needed for each task and reserve timeslots to concentrate on particular duties.
• Utilise task management tools like To-do-list and Evernote to arrange your daily schedule and rank your obligations.
• To maintain crucial information and files in one location, spend money on applicant tracking systems and human resources management software.

 Confidentiality Skills

Why is it Important to be Confidential?

HR personnel handle confidential information, such as compensation. Employees also discuss sensitive and personal matters with the Human Resource managers. And with that, HR managers should respect privacy. To master that, you need to learn the followings –

• Discretion – Learning to be careful while handling delicate information.
• Ethics – Act professionally while discussing corporate data, including offer letters, contract terms, budgets, and salaries
• Trustworthiness – Fostering trust so that employees can speak with their manager or disagree with a business policy without the fear of losing their jobs.

How Can You Demonstrate Your Confidentiality Skills?

• Establish just business policies that take into account the requirements of the employees (for instance, a grievance policy should outline how employees can voice their complaints and make it clear that HR will protect their privacy).
• Create an employee handbook so that all staff members are aware of corporate policies and procedures.
• When workers have issues, act as a consultant for them, be approachable, and promote regular contact (e.g., arrange 1:1 meetings with all staff members and supervisors).
• On how to handle and keep sensitive personal data, heed the advice of legal and IT professionals.

 Adaptability Skills

Why is it Important to be Flexible?

Shocking or unexpected events, such as an employee send spot resignation can damage an HR’s schedule.

An HR practitioner should know when to update outdated policies, develop new ones, and assist staff members in embracing change (for example, by assisting them in adjusting to new jobs).

They should be able to take part in strategic planning and decision-making. For instance, when your company expands, HR may find it wise to make an investment in present employees by creating and implementing career path initiatives.

They should know how to establish a positive workplace culture. An HR personnel can help to modernize the workplace and also make sure employee retention if they can bring improvement in their internal and outer behavior, such as they can add innovative perks and benefits. 

How Can You Improve Your Adaptability Skills?

• Track metrics to learn what works and what needs to be improved in your HR operations and your entire company.
• Connect with business leaders at HR conferences or online. They can provide you with fresh perspectives on typical HR problems and keep you up to date on market developments.
• By participating in relevant forums and online debates among HR experts, you can stay up to date with developments in labour law.
• Pay attention to the opinions of the staff. Ask for their thoughts and be proactive, such as what benefits they would like to have. Even informal conversations might generate innovative suggestions for improvement. For instance, if a given policy is the subject of repeated complaints, you may want to review it.

Acquire Relevant Education and Certifications

Despite the fact that many HR professionals in small and midsize businesses “fell” into the field, it’s critical that your expanding HR experience be represented on your CV if you want to develop your career. Suppose you began as an office administrator for a five-person business and advanced to a position that encompasses payroll, benefits, and recruiting. In that case, you want your credentials to demonstrate your practical experience.

• Research Before Taking a Step

Getting an industry certification, such as a Professional in Human Resources (PHR) or Society for Human Resource Management (SHRM) certification, may be necessary in this situation. It may also entail returning to school for an MBA in an HR-related topic. It might be considerably simpler to demonstrate your qualifications and develop in your job if you have a certification in your possession. But before you choose any of the course, do your research. Make sure you understand what can benefit you the most and align with your experience and goals.

• Ask for Help

Utilise every chance to improve your skills, including certification. You will have more opportunities to improve in your job if your superiors can tell you that you are committed to developing your abilities and that you are active in the process.

• Utilise the Resources

You can choose any of the courses and will have like-minded people to support you who can help you to improve your skills. If you go for higher studies, try to keep up the best relationships with your classmates. And if you choose certification courses, make sure you properly use the resources and attend every meet-up offered by the organisation.

Build a Strong Foundation in HR Fundamentals

As they grow in their careers, HR professionals may choose from a variety of job options. Before choosing a speciality, it’s beneficial to have a thorough understanding of all facets of HR, from talent acquisition associates to payroll masters. HR generalist positions are an excellent way to get your feet wet in a range of roles and obtain knowledge of the most prevalent difficulties facing HR.

Before choosing a specialisation in HR, consider all of the numerous subfields (benefits, payroll, employee development, etc.). It’s beneficial to consider all options before selecting to focus on a specific field; alternatively, you can decide to become an HR generalist who manages a range of responsibilities in the long run.

There are two approaches to becoming familiar with the complete range of HR responsibilities. Below, we’ve listed them briefly:

• Learn from the experts to master your basics

To experience various positions, think about shadowing somebody from your own team or even from an outside organisation. Spend some time with the HR Director to see whether you enjoy leading a team, get payroll processing tips from the finance team, or even go through the current benefit plans with your broker. Your co-workers won’t mind if you learn more about the industry, and you may pick up a lot by simply observing.

• Understand HR policies

On a small (or one-person) HR team, you’ll probably be challenged to execute across disciplines and asked to do a variety of responsibilities. You’ll probably be involved with culture, benefits, payroll, and hiring; however, as your team expands, you’ll have more time to concentrate on a particular task that interests you. You may be well-positioned to eventually assume a managing position, regardless of the function you decide to focus on, if you have generalist experience. You have to learn about employee relations, compensation, and benefits. Each function has unique duties that call for a variety of talents. Keep your long-term goals in mind when you investigate various chances on the ground level, and think about the experiences that will be most beneficial to you in the future.

Gain Practical Experience

You will learn the best when you perform effective learning only.

• Join an Internship

Whether you are continuing higher studies or a certification course, you need to look for career opportunities, such as internships, before your course end. The internship can be paid or unpaid, but you will gain a lot of rich experiences that will assist you in your future role. Also, make sure you have an updated resume before you apply for any job. And try to write exclusive cover letters for every job option. It adds a lot of value to your career profile as a candidate.

• Volunteer for HR Projects

You can acquire more skills and experiences when you do not stop learning. While you are already in a HR job, try to volunteer for HR related projects. It will help you to add a lot of value in your resume. In hand experiences are the best to prepare for the real world. So, when you get the opportunity to be attached with a HR committee, don’t lose the chance.

• Participate in HR Initiatives

Work on initiatives that expose you to those areas if your role doesn’t involve any of the HR topics you are interested in. For instance, invest some time in a cultural initiative if employee engagement is a concern, but recruiting is your major priority. Bring your idea for a fitness, charitable, or social event to life by contributing. If it’s a success, you might get to work on similar projects for longer in the future.

Embrace Continuous Learning

Employees in HR should prioritize lifelong learning. It takes a lot of knowledge and expertise to succeed in the difficult sector of human resources. To have a successful career in HR, you must take the initiative to pursue lifelong learning; it’s about much more than just landing a job.

If you want to stay competitive and be a real asset to your business, you must have the correct mindset, which entails taking ownership of your knowledge acquisition whenever possible. You’ll quickly find yourself waiting passively for knowledge to come to you while you’re stuck in the professional slow lane watching others go by. Any employee should value lifelong learning, but HR professionals need to embrace it above all else.

Reflect & Evaluate

Multiple methodologies and performance tracking methods come together to develop effective performance management systems. Implementing self-assessments into your review process is one method that gives employees greater independence and control over their roles. You, as an HR, also need to check your responsibilities and performances on your own. It’s the best way for self-development.

Establish a Professional Network

HR experience isn’t limited to HR-related positions. Whatever your prior positions, you may have developed a number of abilities that are transferable to a variety of HR positions. Don’t undervalue how successfully your prior experiences—whether in design, sales, or customer support, for instance—might transition into HR competencies.

Even with an administrative title, having on-the-ground experience can make you equally competent as someone with the “right” HR title when you’re wanting to advance to your next position. Make sure your resume accurately displays your HR skills by working with your peers and mentors. Mention any responsibilities you had for managing employees, coaching, mentoring, or other HR-related activities in prior positions. With your top skills, you will be able to find like-minded people and build a strong professional network system.

Stay Ethical & Maintain Professionalism

The HRM department is at the forefront of ethical issues involving both employers and employees because of its position within the firm.

The many responsibilities that HRM practitioners play present a chance for ethical conundrums. HR managers have a responsibility to advance ethical corporate conduct and support the organization’s success in this area.

Bottom Line,

Each HR executive follows a unique way. And that way can often be lonely, but you need to remember that every stage of your long journey has lots of rich networks and resources. It can be social networking sites, blogs, working with a mentor, conferences, etc. But joining an HR community will be the best possible way to be the most efficient HR. It’s a support network for every HR practitioner. When this type of support is available, you can boost your confidence, bring innovation to your company, and have career growth.  

The most effective HR professionals use their initiative and ingenuity to enhance their workplaces. There is always space for fresh concepts. Some wins are on the way. Also, keep in mind that the most successful HR professionals reached their position as a result of the lessons they learned through their own errors.

Most Popular FAQs Searched By Students:

What are the essential skills and qualifications required to become a successful human resources practitioner?

A successful human resource practitioner must have impeccable organisational skills for handling a variety of tasks, excellent communication skills for clear interactions, high-quality confidentiality skills for managing sensitive interactions, and top-notch adaptability skills for handling change and unpredictable situations. You need to practice all these skills to become a great HR professional.

How can I enhance my knowledge and understanding of HR laws, regulations, and best practices?

There are some essential skills that every HR practitioner should practice to improve their knowledge and understanding of HR laws, regulations, and top practices. Here are they –

• Learn to manage the workload
• Improve yourself to be excellent at using technology
• Learn to use social networking sites positively
• Improve your flexibility power

What are some effective strategies for building strong relationships with employees, managers, and other stakeholders within the organisation?

There are some effective strategies for building strong relationships with employees, managers, and other stakeholders within the organisation. You can’t grow if you don’t have a positive relationship with others in the workplace. You need to create an open communication environment and show trust and respect to become an excellent HR practitioner.

How can I stay updated with the latest trends and developments in the field of human resources?

There is only one way to stay updated with the latest trends and developments in the field of human resources. And that is taking professional development classes. There are lots of local community colleges and universities that offer assistance to self-motivated HR practitioners. Also, you can go for distance learning professional development courses.

What are some recommended professional development opportunities or resources for aspiring HR practitioners?

Here are some recommended professional development opportunities or resources for the professional growth of aspiring HR practitioners –

• Attend skill-based training
• Take online courses
• Assign a mentor
• Read blogs and industry magazines
• Join professional networks