HR professionals must understand and communicate the connection between their work and organizational success. This includes understanding how their work contributes to business strategy, as well as how the work they do impacts employee engagement.
In addition to these skills, HR managers need solid administrative abilities to handle all the data associated with their roles.
Strong Communication Skills
HR professionals often need to convey sensitive information to both employees and management. Whether explaining a company policy change or telling an employee their salary will remain the same, they must communicate this information clearly and sensitively. This requires excellent verbal communication skills.
Additionally, human resource managers need to be able to interpret nonverbal cues. This includes the tone of voice, facial expressions, and posture. This allows them to gauge whether an employee feels uncomfortable or dishonest during a conversation.
HR professionals also need to be able to think critically and analytically about the business problems they face. This involves gathering and analyzing data to generate insights to help solve problems or prevent future issues. It also requires the ability to adjust their approach based on the situation.
Strong Leadership Skills
HR professionals must be able to manage people in the workplace. They need to be able to listen, provide advice, and share the company’s vision with other employees. Strong leadership skills help HR managers do all these things professionally and effectively.
Discretion is another essential trait for HR professionals to have. Often, HR managers have to pass on complex information to employees, like when they’re let go or have other adverse changes in their work environment. Having discretion allows them to deliver this news appropriately and respectfully.
HR management is a challenging field that requires flexibility and strong interpersonal skills. However, it can be a rewarding career with dedication and the right tools. An online MBA human resources program can provide the necessary training and support to pursue this path.
Strong Teamwork Skills
Teamwork skills are necessary for HR professionals to possess. These include communication, collaboration, and active listening. They also mean putting the team’s goals ahead of your own and being someone others can count on.
Strong teamwork skills are highly valued in the workplace because they lead to a more harmonious office environment and more productive work. Those with solid teamwork skills are also better at problem-solving and can create more creative solutions to challenges.
To strengthen your teamwork skills, ask for feedback from a friend or colleague and set SMART goals to improve them over time. Observe the behavior of those you consider great team players and emulate their qualities. Then, apply them to your own professional life.
Strong Advising Skills
HR professionals are often faced with a myriad of situations that require their strong judgment. Whether listening to employees as they describe the traumatic events of their lives or advising candidates who have just been offered a position, HR professionals must know how to handle sensitive and private information while maintaining a level head.
For example, when letting ten people know their salaries will be cut by 5%, the HR manager must relay this information without upsetting the team and agitating employees. Good verbal communication skills allow you to communicate this information in a way that is not hurtful or offensive to your colleagues. You also have to be able to read non-verbal signals from other people, including body language and facial expressions.
Strong Administrative Skills
HR managers use administrative skills to manage many aspects of the job, including fielding employee complaints and negotiating salaries and insurance claims. They also use these skills to navigate organizational changes and ensure that all parts of the department are working together effectively.
HR professionals need to be able to communicate sensitive information verbally and in writing. For example, if an employee is being let go, it’s the HR professional’s job to communicate this with the person in a way that minimizes hurt feelings and maintains authority.
This requires strong interpersonal communication and a keen understanding of the other person’s perspective. This is a crucial element of empathy, an essential leadership skill for human resources leaders. It’s also helpful to be familiar with software like Microsoft Excel and other standard administrative tools used in the industry.
