Human resources manager

Human resources managers plan, design and implement processes related to the human capital of companies. They develop programs for recruiting, interviewing, and selecting employees based on a previous assessment of the profile and skills required in the company. Moreover, they manage compensation and development programs for the company’s employees comprising trainings, skill assessment and yearly evaluations, promotion, expat programs, and general assurance of the well-being of the employees in the workplace.

The following job titles also refer to human resources manager:

personnel director
HRM manager
outplacement office manager
staffing manager
human resources director
benefits manager
personnel manager
relocation manager
employee benefits manager
career advice office manager
industrial relations manager
recruitment manager
human resources specialist

Bachelor’s degree is generally required to work as human resources manager. However, this requirement may differ in some countries.

ISCO skill level is defined as a function of the complexity and range of tasks and duties to be performed in an occupation. It is measured on a scale from 1 to 4, with 1 the lowest level and 4 the highest, by considering:

• the nature of the work performed in an occupation in relation to the characteristic tasks and duties
• the level of formal education required for competent performance of the tasks and duties involved and
• the amount of informal on-the-job training and/or previous experience in a related occupation required for competent performance of these tasks and duties.

Human resources manager is a Skill level 4 occupation.

These occupations, although different, require a lot of knowledge and skills similar to human resources manager.

corporate training manager
equality and inclusion manager
pension scheme manager
public employment service manager
labour relations officer

These occupations require some skills and knowledge of human resources manager. They also require other skills and knowledge, but at a higher ISCO skill level, meaning these occupations are accessible from a position of human resources manager with a significant experience and/or extensive training.

This knowledge should be acquired through learning to fulfill the role of human resources manager.

Labour legislation: Legislation, on a national or international level, that governs labour conditions in various fields between labour parties such as the government, employees, employers, and trade unions.
Outplacement: The services provided to employees by organisations and institutions to help them find new employment.
Employment law: The law which mediates the relationship between employees and employers. It concerns employees’ rights at work which are binding by the work contract.
Human resources department processes: The different processes, duties, jargon, role in an organisation, and other specificities of the human resources department within an organisation such as recruitment, pension systems, and personnel development programs.
Human resource management: The function in an organisation concerned with the recruitment of employees and the optimisation of employee performance.

These skills are necessary for the role of human resources manager.

Apply company policies: Apply the principles and rules that govern the activities and processes of an organisation.
Promote gender equality in business contexts: Raise awareness and campaign for the equalisation between the sexes by the assessment of their participation in the position and the activities carried out by companies and businesses at large.
Manage budgets: Plan, monitor and report on the budget.
Organise staff assessment: Organising the overall assessment process of the staff.
Comply with legal regulations: Ensure you are properly informed of the legal regulations that govern a specific activity and adhere to its rules, policies and laws.
Develop training programmes: Design programmes where employees or future employees are taught the necessary skills for the job or to improve and expand skills for new activities or tasks. Select or design activities aimed at introducing the work and systems or improving the performance of individuals and groups in organisational settings.
Monitor company policy: Monitor the company’s policy and propose improvements to the company.
Evaluate training: Assess the realisation of the training’s learning outcomes and goals, the quality of teaching, and give transparent feedback to the trainers and trainees.
Negotiate employment agreements: Find agreements between employers and potential employees on salary, working conditions and non-statutory benefits.
Track key performance indicators: Identify the quantifiable measures that a company or industry uses to gauge or compare performance in terms of meeting their operational and strategic goals, using preset performance indicators.
Handle conflicts: Mediate in conflicts and tense situations by acting between parties, such as service users, important others like families, and institutions, striving to effect an agreement, reconciliate, and resolve problems.
Manage payroll: Manage and be responsible for employees receiving their wages, review salaries and benefit plans and advise management on payroll and other employment conditions.
Coordinate operational activities: Synchronise activities and responsibilities of the operational staff to ensure that the resources of an organisation are used most efficiently in pursuit of the specified objectives.
Identify necessary human resources: Determine the number of employees needed for the realisation of a project and their allocation in the creation, production, communication or administration team.
Plan medium to long term objectives: Schedule long term objectives and immediate to short term objectives through effective medium-term planning and reconciliation processes.
Negotiate with employment agencies: Establish arrangements with employment agencies to organise recruiting activities. Maintain communication with these agencies in order to ensure efficient and productive recruitment with high potential candidates as an outcome.
Develop employee retention programs: Plan, develop, and implement programs aimed at keeping the satisfaction of the employees in the best levels. Consequently, assuring the loyalty of employees.
Identify with the company’s goals: Act for the benefit of the company and for the achievement of its targets.

This knowledge is sometimes, but not always, required for the role of human resources manager. However, mastering this knowledge allows you to have more opportunities for career development.

Business management principles: Principles governing business management methods such as strategy planning, methods of efficient production, people and resources coordination.
Financial products: The different types of instruments that apply to the management of cash flow that are available on the market, such as shares, bonds, options or funds.
Insurance law: The law and legislation concerning the policies of transferring risks or losses from one party, the insured, to another, the insurer, in exchange for a periodic payment. This includes the regulation of insurance claims and the business of insurance.
Communication: Exchanging and conveying information, ideas, concepts, thoughts, and feelings through the use of a shared system of words, signs, and semiotic rules via a medium.
Government policy implementation: The procedures related to the application of government policies at all levels of public administration.
Assessment processes: Various evaluation techniques, theories, and tools applicable in the assessment of students, participants in a programme, and employees. Different assessment strategies such as initial, formative, summative and self- assessment are used for varying purposes.
Organisational policies: The policies to achieve set of goals and targets regarding the development and maintenance of an organisation.
Government social security programmes: The different areas of social security provided by the government, the different rights which citizens have, which benefits are available, the rules which regulate social security and the different situations in which they apply.
Consultation: The theories, methods and concepts related to consultation and communication with clients.
Training subject expertise: The topic, content and methods of the training, acquired by doing research and following training courses.
Financial management: The field of finance that concerns the practical process analysis and tools for designating financial resources. It encompasses the structure of businesses, the investment sources, and the value increase of corporations due to managerial decision-making.
Adult education: Instruction targeted at adult students, both in a recreational and in an academic context, for self-improvement purposes, or to better equip the students for the labour market.
Corporate social responsibility: The handling or managing of business processes in a responsible and ethical manner considering the economic responsibility towards shareholders as equally important as the responsibility towards environmental and social stakeholders.
Audit techniques: The techniques and methods that support a systematic and independent examination of data, policies, operations and performances using computer-assisted audit tools and techniques (CAATs) such as spreadsheets, databases, statistical analysis and business intelligence software.
Project management: Understand project management and the activities which comprise this area. Know the variables implied in project management such as time, resources, requirements, deadlines, and responding to unexpected events.
Personnel management: The methodologies and procedures involved in the hiring and development of employees in order to ensure value for the organisation, as well as personnel needs, benefits, conflict resolution and ensuring a positive corporate climate.
Types of pensions: The types of monthly sums paid to someone in retirement, such as employment-based pensions, social and state pensions, disability pensions and private pensions.
Financial markets: The financial infrastructure which permits trading securities offered by companies and individuals govern by regulatory financial frameworks.
Teamwork principles: The cooperation between people characterised by a unified commitment to achieving a given goal, participating equally, maintaining open communication, facilitating effective usage of ideas etc.
Legal research: The methods and procedures of research in legal matters, such as the regulations, and different approaches to analyses and source gathering, and the knowledge on how to adapt the research methodology to a specific case to obtain the required information.
Principles of insurance: Understand the principles of insurance, including third party liability, stock and facilities.
Advertising techniques: The communication strategies intended to persuade or encourage an audience, and the different media which are used to achieve this goal.
Conflict management: The practices concerning the resolution of conflicts or disputes in an organisation or institution. It encompasses reducing the negative aspects of a conflict and increasing the positive outcomes of it by learning from the errors made.
Labour law: The field of law that is concerned with the regulation of the relationship between employers, employees, trade unions, and the government.
Social security law: Legislation concerning the protection of individuals and the provision of aid and benefits, such as health insurance benefits, unemployment benefits, welfare programs and other government-provided social security.
Organisational structure: Framework of the different departments within the organisation, as well its people, their roles and responsibilities.
Actuarial science: The rules of applying mathematical and statistical techniques to determine potential or existing risks in various industries, such as finance or insurance.
Leadership principles: Set of traits and values which guide the actions of a leader with her/his employees and the company and provide direction throughout her/his career. These principles are also an important tool for self-evaluation to identify strengths and weaknesses, and seek self-improvement.
Corporate law: The legal rules that govern how corporate stakeholders (such as shareholders, employees, directors, consumers, etc) interact with one another, and the responsibilities corporations have to their stakeholders.
Curriculum objectives: The goals identified in curricula and defined learning outcomes.
Company policies: The set of rules that govern the activity of a company.
Types of insurance: The various types of risk or loss transfer policies that exist and their characteristics, such as health insurance, car insurance or life insurance.

These skills and competences are sometimes, but not always, required for the role of human resources manager. However, mastering these skills and competences allows you to have more opportunities for career development.

Trace financial transactions: Observe, track and analyse financial transactions made in companies or in banks. Determine the validity of the transaction and check for suspicious or high-risk transactions in order to avoid mismanagement.
Create solutions to problems: Solve problems which arise in planning, prioritising, organising, directing/facilitating action and evaluating performance. Use systematic processes of collecting, analysing, and synthesising information to evaluate current practice and generate new understandings about practice.
Coach employees: Maintain and improve employees’ performance by coaching individuals or groups how to optimise specific methods, skills or abilities, using adapted coaching styles and methods. Tutor newly recruited employees and assist them in the learning of new business systems.
Deliver online training: Provide training by using online technologies, adapting the learning materials, using e-learning methods and communicating online. Instruct virtual classrooms.
Apply conflict management: Take ownership of the handling of all complaints and disputes showing empathy and understanding to achieve resolution. To be fully aware of all Social Responsibility protocols and procedures, and to be able to deal with a problem gambling situation in a professional manner with maturity and empathy.
Advise on risk management: Provide advice on risk management policies and prevention strategies and their implementation, being aware of different kinds of risks to a specific organisation.
Promote inclusion in organisations: Promote diversity and equal treatment of genders, ethnicities and minority groups in organisations in order to prevent discrimination and ensure inclusion and a positive environment.
Promote social security programmes: Promote government programmes dealing with the provision of aid to individuals in order to gain support for the development and implementation of social security programmes.
Monitor developments in field of expertise: Keep up with new research, regulations, and other significant changes, labour market related or otherwise, occurring within the field of specialisation.
Evaluate benefit plans: Evaluate the financial strain on the organisation which the execution of benefit plans would bring, and assess the efficiency of operations which ensure the beneficiaries receive sufficient benefits. Identify areas for improvement which will reduce financial risk for the organisation and raise the beneficiaries’ satisfaction.
Establish collaborative relations: Establish a connection between organisations or individuals which may benefit from communicating with one another in order to facilitate an enduring positive collaborative relationship between both parties.
Manage pension funds: Manage the sums of money which individuals or organisations pay across a timespan of many years which will ensure they acquire many benefits in retirement. Ensure the amounts paid are correct and that detailed records are kept.
Ensure information transparency: Ensure that required or requested information is provided clearly and completely, in a manner which does not explicitly withhold information, to the public or requesting parties.
Analyse insurance needs: Gather information about the insurance needs of a client, and give information and advice about all possible insurance options.
Provide information on study programmes: Provide information on the different lessons and fields of study offered by educational institutions such as universities and secondary schools, as well as the study requirements and employment prospects.
Recruit employees: Hire new employees by scoping the job role, advertising, performing interviews and selecting staff in line with company policy and legislation.
Review insurance process: Analyse all documentation related to a specific insurance case in order to ensure that the application for insurance or the claims process was handled according to guidelines and regulations, that the case will not pose significant risk to the insurer or whether claims assessment was correct, and to assess the further course of action.
Conduct workplace audits: Conduct work site audits and inspections in order to ensure compliance with rules and regulations.
Promote education course: Advertise and market the programme or class to potential students and the education organisation with the aim of maximising registration numbers and allocated budget.
Synthesise financial information: Collect, revise and put together financial information coming from different sources or departments in order to create a document with unified financial accounts or plans.
Evaluate performance of organisational collaborators: Evaluate the performance and results of managers and employees considering their efficiency and effectivity at work. Consider personal and professional elements.
Gather feedback from employees: Communicate in an open and positive manner in order to assess levels of satisfaction with employees, their outlook on the work environment, and in order to identify problems and devise solutions.
Promote human rights: Promote and respect human rights and diversity in light of the physical, psychological, spiritual and social needs of autonomous individuals, taking into account their opinions, beliefs and values, and the international and national codes of ethics, as well as the ethical implications of healthcare provision, ensuring their right to privacy and honouring for the confidentiality of healthcare information.
Maintain records of financial transactions: Collate all the financial transactions done in the daily operations of a business and record them in their respective accounts.
Interview people: Interview people in a range of different circumstances.
Provide support in financial calculation: Provide colleagues, clients or other parties with financial support for complex files or calculations.
Apply strategic thinking: Apply generation and effective application of business insights and possible opportunities, in order to achieve competitive business advantage on a long-term basis.
Investigate social security applications: Investigate the eligibility of citizens applying for social security benefits by examining documents, interviewing the citizen, and researching the related legislation.
Manage corporate training programmes: Monitor and regulate the coaching courses offered to organisations for developing the skills of their employees.
Obtain financial information: Gather information on securities, market conditions, governmental regulations and the financial situation, goals and needs of clients or companies.
Protect employee rights: Assess and handle situations in which the rights set by legislation and corporate policy for employees may be breached and take the appropriate actions in order to protect the employees.
Identify policy breach: Identify instances of non-compliance to set plans and policies in an organisation, and take the appropriate course of action by issuing penalties and outlining the changes which need to be made.
Communicate with beneficiaries: Communicate with individuals or organisations who are entitled to receive benefits in the form of funds or other rights in order to obtain information on the procedures, to ensure that beneficiaries receive the benefits they are entitled to, and to provide further information.
Set inclusion policies: Develop and implement plans which aim to create an environment in an organisation which is positive and inclusive of minorities, such as ethnicities, gender identities, and religious minorities.
Manage financial risk: Predict and manage financial risks, and identify procedures to avoid or minimise their impact.
Advise on career: Provide personalised help, guidance and information to people in order to make them grow in their careers.
Respond to enquiries: Respond to enquiries and requests for information from other organisations and members of the public.
Discharge employees: Dismiss employees from their job.
Evaluate employees: Analyse employees’ individual performance over a certain time span and communicate own conclusions to the employee in question or higher management.
Set organisational policies: Participate in setting organisational policies that cover issues such as participant eligibility, program requirements, and program benefits for the service users.
Monitor legislation developments: Monitor changes in rules, policies and legislation, and identify how they may influence the organisation, existing operations, or a specific case or situation.
Promote financial products: Inform existing or potential customers about the various financial goods and services that are offered by the company.
Advise on conflict management: Advise private or public organisations on monitoring possible conflict risk and development, and on conflict resolution methods specific to the identified conflicts.
Manage contracts: Negotiate the terms, conditions, costs and other specifications of a contract while making sure they comply with legal requirements and are legally enforceable. Oversee the execution of the contract, agree on and document any changes.
Administer appointments: Accept, schedule and cancel appointments.
Coordinate educational programmes: Plan and coordinate educational and public outreach programs such as workshops, tours, lectures and classes.
Supervise staff: Oversee the selection, training, performance and motivation of staff.
Provide advice on breaches of regulation: Advise on preventive and corrective actions; correct any breaches of or non-compliance with legal regulations.
Develop pension schemes: Develop plans which provide retirement benefits to individuals, taking into account the financial risks for the organisation providing the benefits and the potential difficulties of implementation.
Calculate benefits: Calculate the benefits which the people connected to the organisation are entitled to, such as employees or retired people, using the information of the person and the interplay between governmental benefits and benefits obtained through for example employment.
Manage sub-contract labour: Oversee work and the labourers hired to carry out part or all of the responsibilities of someone else’s contract.
Delegate activities: Delegate activities and tasks to others according to the ability, level of preparation, competence and legal scope of practice. Make sure that people understand what they should do and when they should do it.
Ensure cross-department cooperation: Guarantee communication and cooperation with all the entities and teams in a given organisation, according to the company strategy.
Adapt instruction to labour market: Identify developments in the labour market and recognise their relevance to the training of students.
Work with virtual learning environments: Incorporate the use of online learning environments and platforms into the process of instruction.
Give constructive feedback: Provide founded feedback through both criticism and praise in a respectful, clear, and consistent manner. Highlight achievements as well as mistakes and set up methods of formative assessment to evaluate work.
Develop professional network: Reach out to and meet up with people in a professional context. Find common ground and use your contacts for mutual benefit. Keep track of the people in your personal professional network and stay up to date on their activities.
Apply technical communication skills: Explain technical details to non-technical customers, stakeholders, or any other interested parties in a clear and concise manner.
Advise on government policy compliance: Advise organisations on how they may improve their compliance to the applicable government policies they are required to adhere to, and the necessary steps which need to be taken in order to ensure complete compliance.
Manage employee complaints: Manage and respond to employee complaints, in a correct and polite manner, offering a solution when possible or referring it to an authorized person when necessary.
Develop financial products: Take into account the performed financial market research and the organisation’s objectives in order to develop and oversee the implementation, promotion, and lifecycle of financial products, such as insurance, mutual funds, bank accounts, stocks, and bonds.
Write inspection reports: Write the results and conclusions of the inspection in a clear and intelligible way. Log the inspection’s processes such as contact, outcome, and steps taken.
Present reports: Display results, statistics and conclusions to an audience in a transparent and straightforward way.
Tolerate stress: Maintain a temperate mental state and effective performance under pressure or adverse circumstances.
Teach corporate skills: Teach the skills necessary for operating in an organisation to the employees of an institution. Educate them on general or technical skills, ranging from computer skills to interpersonal skills.
Advise on organisation climate: Advise organisations on their internal culture and work environment as experienced by employees, and the factors which may influence the behaviour of employees.
Negotiate settlements: Negotiate with insurance companies and insurance claimants in order to facilitate agreement on a settlement which the insurance company has to provide for the claimant, such as covering repair costs for damages, taking into account the appraisal reports and the coverage assessment.
Build business relationships: Establish a positive, long-term relationship between organisations and interested third parties such as suppliers, distributors, shareholders and other stakeholders in order to inform them of the organisation and its objectives.
Profile people: Create a profile of someone, by outlining this person’s characteristics, personality, skills and motives, often by the use of information obtained from an interview or questionnaire.
Analyse insurance risk: Analyse the probability and size of the risk that is to be insured, and estimate the value of movable or immovable property of the client.
Monitor organisation climate: Monitor the work environment and the behaviour of employees in an organisation to assess how the organisation culture is perceived by the employees and identify the factors which influence behaviour and which may facilitate a positive work environment.
Analyse financial risk: Identify and analyse risks that could impact an organisation or individual financially, such as credit and market risks, and propose solutions to cover against those risks.
Develop corporate training programmes: Design, create and review new corporate training programmes to meet the developmental demands of a certain organisation. Analyse the efficiency of these educational modules and apply changes to it if necessary.
Show diplomacy: Deal with people in a sensitive and tactful way.
Liaise with managers: Liaise with managers of other departments ensuring effective service and communication, i.e. sales, planning, purchasing, trading, distribution and technical.
Advise on social security benefits: Advise citizens on government-regulated benefits they are eligible for, such as unemployment benefits, family benefits, and other social security benefits.
Handle financial disputes: Handle disputes between individuals or organisations, either public or corporate, which deal with financial matters, accounts, and taxation.
Manage government policy implementation: Manage the operations of the implementation of new government policies or changes in existing policies on a national or regional level as well as the staff involved in the implementation procedure.
Implement strategic planning: Take action on the goals and procedures defined at a strategic level in order to mobilise resources and pursue the established strategies.
Handle financial transactions: Administer currencies, financial exchange activities, deposits as well as company and voucher payments. Prepare and manage guest accounts and take payments by cash, credit card and debit card.
Maintain financial records: Keep track of and finalise all formal documents representing the financial transactions of a business or project.
Manage stress in organisation: Cope with sources of stress and cross-pressure in one’s own professional life, such as occupational, managerial, institutional and personal stress, and help others do the same so as to promote the well-being of your colleagues and avoid burn-out.

1212 – Human resource managers

 

 

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References

1. Human resources manager – ESCO