5 Skills Every HR Manager Should Have

Human resources managers have to deal with a variety of challenges. They may have to solve a conflict between two employees, or ensure that a training program produces the desired outcomes. This can prove to be cognitively and emotionally exhausting. Human Resource Executive notes 90% of HR professionals reported an increase in their stress levels over the past year.

In order to reduce job stress and increase efficiency, HR managers and staff should have the right skills. Below are five of these crucial skills, and why they matter in modern HR.

Practicing Self-Regulation Techniques

HR managers sometimes have to mediate emotionally charged encounters in the workplace. The conflict between two employees may have escalated to verbal aggressions, or someone may be going through financial issues and may resent the company for not offering a raise.

As objective as the HR team has to be, facing these human issues can start to have an effect on their lives and work. In order to prevent this, it’s necessary to learn and practice self-regulatory techniques. The University of Mexico reports how mindfulness can facilitate self-regulation, but also bring additional benefits like improving attention and cognition. Managers practicing self-regulation don’t just become more empathetic, but also enhance their ability to understand employees’ struggles.

Adapting to Multi-tasking

The idea of paying attention to multiple activities at the same time may seem inherently stressful. Some may even argue that dividing your attention among multiple activities will always lead to less productivity and more mistakes. However, this isn’t necessarily the case.

By nature, HR managers have to manage multiple tasks at the same time, like putting the last touches on a training program, discussing raises, or solving conflicts. And while at first this might seem overwhelming, dual-task studies in Canada have shown that people’s performance increases considerably with practice.

Optimizing Communication During Interviews

Job interviews can be a stressful activity, even from the perspective of the human resources department. Hiring managers must assess the abilities and personality of an applicant, while preventing misunderstandings regarding working conditions, income, and the possibility of moving forward to the next stage of the process.

In order to improve our communication skills, it’s important to review what experts say on the subject. ‘The Art of Communicating’, for example, provides useful tips and valuable insights on how to communicate better. Thich Nhat Hanh’s book ‘The Art of Communicating’ discusses how by learning how to listen and speak effectively, people can avoid the different issues that generate from misunderstanding — which is particularly important in HR management.

More Efficient Application Vetting

Traditionally, the recruitment process requires reviewing large numbers of applications, many of which don’t fulfil the basic requirements of the position. Removing junk applications requires carefully reading through each CV, which can be stressful and time-consuming.

Recently though, more and more HR managers have started to use filtering and assessment software to streamline the process. Most of these applications are highly customisable. MATCHD Talent allows recruiters to assess applicants based on Role Fit and Culture Fit. It also makes it easier to categorise applications based on whether they follow certain non-negotiable criteria, like specific educational, skills, knowledge or experience requirements.

Better Management, Better Results

Human resources managers are expected to be versatile, fair, and empathetic. However, these attributes don’t come naturally to everyone. Like many fields, proper HR management requires careful study, research, and lots of effort. With the 5 Skills Every HR Manager Should Have listed above, however, it becomes much easier for HR managers to do their work and be an asset to their organisation.