No matter how good a team is on paper, without a first-class human resources manager, performance (and subsequent results) will never be up to acceptable/expected standards and the team, not to mention the company, will inevitably suffer as a result; it’s the role of an HR manager to get the most out of a team and this involves wearing many hats in order to overcome the diverse array of obstacles that they will almost certainly come across.
Whether you yourself are an HR manager, or you are working for a company of sufficient standards to require an HR manager,
Conflict Resolution
More often than not, HR managers will have to play the roll of the middle man between the employer and the employees should any potential conflicts or other issues arise, and even when problems arise between two or more employees. Under such circumstances, they will also have to be responsible for selecting whether or not legal advice is required, or whether the matter can be resolved internally. It is, essentially, a role that requires finding a common ground on which both parties can move forward in a productive and civilized manner, while feeling satisfied with the outcome.
Organization
This aspect is a mix of everything from adequate filing systems to sound time management, all of which are underlined by a keen sense of personal efficiency. Taking into account the importance of the HR manager’s contributions to the employer, as well as the impact they can have on the lives (and careers) of the employees, a disorganized HR manager will soon be exposed as being unsuitable for the position; however, at this stage, it may already be too late – in terms of the damage already being done – given the significance of this aspect of their role.
Communication
Again, the vital role of being the middle man between employer and employee means that the ability to communicate to both parties quickly and effectively cannot be underestimated. Whether it be the written or spoken word, all HR professionals must possess the capacity to understand and present information in all its forms without hesitation, and they have to do it in a personable and compelling manner.
Another key aspect of communication in this regard is the ability to remain discrete and ethical. The nature of the job entails that access to confidential information will become a necessity and, as such, the ability to judge what information is deemed sensitive – and to whom that information may or may not be passed – is paramount to being an effective HR manager.
Balancing Tasks
Not necessarily dependent on the size of the organization for which the HR manager is employed, the array of obstacles that may arise present the requirement for the ability to move from handling a personal issue to hiring a new member of the production department to applying consideration to whether or not another employee is eligible for an extra paid day off the following month – to name but a few. Often with very little notice (if any at all), the ability to juggle these issues effectively is something that simply has to become second nature to an HR manager. Similarly, the ability to approach each issue with a dual perspective – both from the point of view of the employee and the employer – must be something that requires very little effort. Without the ability to function effectively in this regard, the HR professional will never gain the trust of either party, and so will never be able to truly fulfill the role for which they have been hired.
Managing Change
With the constant need to upgrade and update that the corporate world is being subjected to today, it’s of little wonder that staff may become flustered or even overwhelmed by the seemingly endless stream of changes and revised protocols. A reliable and highly effective HR team can assist the rest of the organization in getting to grips with the period of transition so that the entire team may remain focused on the bigger picture and not lose their way. A workforce that isn’t sure in which direction they should be pulling is, by definition, lacking in teamwork and will almost certainly falter at one stage of the process or another.
It’s equally important that the rest of the organization do not treat the HR department with an “Us vs. Them” mentality, as every single member ultimately has the same goal in mind; not to mention the fact that if the HR department pick up on the exclusionary dynamic, it will be even more difficult to play the roles listed above and genuinely strive to make the personal and working lives of the other employees as stress-free as they can be.
For more information on how PhilPay can assist you in streamlining your HR processes, please contact one of our certified geniuses on genius@philpay.ph
