what is an hr manager?
Human resource managers contribute to the success of a business by handling issues related to employees and maximising their value in a company. As an HR manager, your job involves recruiting new employees and managing the workers to ensure they become valuable assets to your employer. In addition to performance management, you also oversee the promotion, training and development of all the staff in the company.
To do an excellent job, it helps to focus on individual employee needs and the work environment. For instance, ensuring workers have a conducive work environment to boost their productivity is important. Apart from supporting the company's staff, your role entails dealing with uncomfortable aspects of employment. You handle human resource violations, laying off workers and disciplining employees.
Your specific responsibilities vary depending on the size of the company. Small businesses usually have one HR manager to cover all the roles in human resources, while in a large company, you are likely to handle one aspect of employee management.
Would working as an HR manager suit your enterprising personality? Then read on to find out what competencies and qualifications you need to thrive in an HR manager role.
view rolesaverage salary of an hr manager
According to Payscale, the average annual wage for HR managers is ₹693,223. For those starting their careers, it's around ₹360,000. As you increase your expertise and provide specialised services, you can expect your salary to increase, with very experienced HR managers earning ₹992,000 or more. However, your salary and benefits vary based on your experience level and the company's size and industry. Some types of benefits also affect your compensation package. For instance, some employers provide healthcare cover, transport allowance and bonuses, while others only offer a basic salary.
what factors affect your salary as an hr manager?
As an HR manager, your salary is based on your experience and qualifications. Entry-level positions pay less, but you gain invaluable experience that builds your career. With expert knowledge and specialised skills, your compensation package reflects your qualification levels. It is crucial to gradually grow your skills to scale the heights in human resources and increase your compensation package.
types of hr manager
In a small business, you handle all HR tasks alone, but in large companies, an HR manager focuses on one of the following areas:
- employee relations HR managers: the responsibility of a labour relations HR manager is to oversee employment policies and ensure the company complies with the legislation in union and non-union settings. You coordinate grievances and handle labour complaints affecting the organisation. Labour relations also involve negotiating labour contracts, including wages and benefits.
- job placement specialist: when you are in charge of job placements in the human resource department, your job is to match skills with job roles. The process starts with recruitment and selection to identify the best candidates for a position. During promotions, you use the performance management details to promote employees according to their expertise.
- compensation and benefits HR managers: as a compensation HR manager, your primary role is to ensure employees are properly compensated for their services. You also ensure your employer keeps up with workers' health insurance payments and the vital benefits required by the law.
working as an hr manager
As a successful HR manager, you benefit from a knack for recognising talent and expertise in a company's personnel. Some of the responsibilities and your daily tasks as an HR manager are explained below.
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duties and responsibilities
As an HR manager, your responsibility revolves around the human capital in your company. That means matching the company's workers to tasks based on their skills and competency. The main responsibilities of an HR manager include:
- recruitment and selection: you work with various stakeholders to fill your employer's business vacancies. Your primary role is to ensure internal hiring policies are adhered to and that the company complies with the regulations.
- handling compensation and administrative tasks: as an HR manager, your administrative tasks include scheduling employees, running payroll and storing employee records. When scheduling employees, it helps to allocate equal work hours based on job groups and to ensure everyone gets time off and adequate, regular breaks. Keeping accurate records also ensures compliance with the regulations.
- ensuring health and safety: HR managers ensure employees have all the safety equipment they need to complete their tasks. By complying with work environments' health and safety standards, you minimise the risk of workplace accidents. Ensuring workplace safety also reduces turnover and productivity problems.
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hr managers and technology
HR managers perform minimal administrative tasks due to the human resource software and technologies available. For instance, payroll processing is now automated, and HR managers can keep all records in one system to perform vari functions. Scheduling software has also automated employee scheduling, while performance management software streamlines performance appraisals and employee monitoring.
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work environment
As a human resource manager, you have a diverse range of employers to choose from in your career. You can work in government offices, recruiting and managing employees for government institutions. HR manager opportunities are available in professional, scientific and technical consultancy firms. Most manufacturing firms also need HR managers to handle labour relations and work safety issues.
Regardless of your industry, most of your roles are office-based, with a few off-site duties like conferences and training workshops. You can work from home or complete all your tasks remotely as an HR manager. Teleworking is made possible with the increased adoption of human resource management technologies.
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who are your colleagues?
In larger companies, you manage a team of HR staff and work closely with them. You also interface with top-level management and department leaders to identify recruitment needs and staff policies. In smaller companies, you may work alone in your HR duties but will communicate closely with office managers, operations managers, recruiters, research consultants, employees at all levels.
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work schedule
As an HR manager, you typically work business hours. If you have deadlines or some work to catch up on, you might extend your workday to include evenings and weekends. You may also attend events at night, such as company events and parties. Most HR manager positions are full-time, but getting a part-time job or a remote working opportunity is possible. Your job involves some travelling when you are organising training and development workshops or attending conferences. Overseas travel is minimal unless you are working for a multinational company.
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job outlook
Human resource managers have a significant influence at the leadership table due to their crucial contribution to achieving business goals. When you are an HR manager, you have a promising career path to higher managerial positions if you gain the necessary skills and expertise. From an HR manager position, you can become the HR director who supervises the implementation of human resource policies. You can also become the Vice President (VP) or chief human resource officer in an organisation, where you work alongside top-level executives in developing human resources plans that affect the company. An HR manager role also allows you to specialise and become a consultant in labour relations, payroll, recruitment, diversity and inclusion. The job market for HR managers is also positive, with predicted growth of 7% over the next ten years.
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advantages of finding an hr manager job through randstad
Finding your hr manager job through Randstad provides important advantages such as:
- a wide variety of training and development opportunities
- an experienced contact person to provide help if needed
- a range of opportunities in your area
- get paid on a monthly basis
- temporary and permanent contracts
Want a permanent contract? A temporary job as an hr manager is often a stepping stone to an attractive permanent job. Every year, thousands of people earn a permanent contract with great employers thanks to a temporary job found through Randstad. What's more, many companies recruit their permanent employees through Randstad too!
education and skills
Become an HR manager by gaining the following educational qualifications and certifications:
- 10+2 or equivalent: to start with, it's vital to have completed your 10+2 or higher secondary education. This is necessary to start a degree or diploma in HR management or a related field.
- higher qualifications: you'll require a bachelor's degree or diploma in business and HR, or psychology. You can choose to pursue a BBA (bachelor of business administration) course. Most companies also expect you to hold a master's degree. This could be an MBA or MA in labour laws, business, HR or similar subjects.
- certification: professional qualifications are optional but can boost your career progression. You may consider certification from the following:
- Society of Human Resource Management Certified Professional (SHRM-CP)
- Senior Professional in Human Resources (SPHR)
- Organisational Development Certification Program
- Indian Society of Training and Development (ISTD)
- Certified Professional in Learning and Performance (CPLP)
skills and competencies
Apart from academic qualifications, exemplary technical and soft skills will help you to become an outstanding HR manager. Some of those skills include:
- communication skills: excellent communication skills are valuable since you link the company with the best talents in the industry. Your communication ability helps you provide clear instructions to employees and report on progress in your department to stakeholders. Knowledge of various modes of communication is crucial to your success and promotes transparency.
- administrative expertise: since your role involves scheduling and filing, administrative skills help you manage your tasks efficiently. They enable you to organise your tasks and avoid missing deadlines or forgetting important details.
- proactive approach: if you are not proactive, you miss the red flags and signs of problems before they escalate. Picking up on employee issues and dealing with them promptly benefits everyone. With a proactive approach, you can keep up with emerging trends in work culture and technology.
- coaching skills: employee training and development ensure growth and motivate workers. Coaching skills enable you to train employees and organise workshops for professional development. These skills are also helpful for onboarding.
FAQs about working as an hr manager
FAQs about working as hr manager:
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what is the role of an hr manager?
An HR manager takes care of employees in a company and ensures their needs and rights are met. They also fill employment gaps and monitor performance management in a company.
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what are the 7 tasks of an hr manager?
The seven key duties of an HR manager are recruiting, onboarding, training, payroll processing, conflict resolutions, dealing with labour relations and performance management.
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is hr manager a good career?
Becoming an HR manager provides a lucrative career with exciting prospects and an attractive average salary of ₹693,223. You can become the HR director or branch out to become a consultant.
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do hr managers make good money?
Working as an HR manager is rewarding, and your compensation package increases with experience. As an experienced HR manager, you could earn ₹1,250,000, depending on location and business type.
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what skills are required for an hr manager?
Exceptional administrative and organisational skills help you handle multiple tasks without making mistakes. It is also essential to be an excellent communicator.
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how do I apply for an hr manager vacancy?
Applying for an hr manager job is easy: create a Randstad profile and search our job offers for vacancies in your area. Then simply send us your CV and cover letter. Need help with your application? Check out all our job search tips here!