What Does an HR Generalist Do? Your 2024 Career Guide

An HR generalist is mainly responsible for overseeing the day-to-day operations of a company’s human resources department. While the actual role of an HR generalist varies depending on a company's needs, tasks usually include organizing employment records, running orientation training, and handling the hiring and placement of new employees. Many HR generalists also play a key role in processing company paperwork and files. Additionally, they help ensure the company’s operations adhere to federal, state, and local regulations.

An HR generalist is an entry-level position. The experience gained in this role provides you with the potential to further your career in the human resources field, and the next steps may include promotion to HR manager or HR director. Explore the aspects of an HR generalist’s job, the responsibilities required, and the HR generalist skills and education necessary to pursue a career in HR.

What is an HR generalist?

An HR generalist plays an integral role in an organization, acting as a liaison between employees and management. This includes completing a wide range of HR tasks, from administrative duties to employee support. HR generalists are usually involved in hiring and training new employees, processing employees' questions and issues regarding policies, developing and initiating HR policies, and contributing to the overall support and assurance of job satisfaction for employees and the organization as a whole. 

HR generalists are also expected to have a strong knowledge of federal, state, and local employment laws and regulations by keeping current on all policy changes and best practices. Because regulations change, HR generalists must ensure their organization is always in compliance. If a company violates one of these laws, the consequences could be as serious as lawsuits and financial loss. If you are interested in becoming an HR generalist, possessing knowledge of current HR-related laws is essential to maintain a competitive advantage in the workforce.

What does an HR generalist do?

The responsibilities expected of HR generalists can differ depending on a company's expectations and the organization's size. Typically, you'll have a hand in almost all HR functions supporting employees and management. As an HR generalist, your tasks might include: 

• Providing various types of training to employees as needed 

• Recruiting, onboarding, and training new employees

• Assisting with payroll 

• Negotiating conflict between employees or between employees and management 

• Investigating complaints 

• Analyzing data and creating reports for decision-makers 

• Overseeing and administering benefits, such as 401(k) and vacation time

• Maintaining and updating records, including the employee database 

• Devising and implementing employee performance and development programs 

• Taking disciplinary action as needed 

• Helping with any other internal or external HR issues as they arise 

HR generalist skills

Exemplary communication is key regarding HR generalist skills since you need to work with everyone from upper-level management to entry-level employees effectively. Interviewing potential hires, handling employee concerns or questions, and delivering effective presentations require strong verbal and written communication skills. Other human skills you may need for this role include:  

• Time management: Because you'll have a variety of tasks to handle at any given time, you must know how to prioritize them and manage your time so that everything stays on track. 

• Collaboration: From employees to management to specialists in each department, you'll work with numerous people daily. For this reason, teamwork and collaboration skills are important to any HR job. 

• Proactivity:  Being proactive means you create situations rather than wait for them to happen. Instead of waiting for problems to arise or for your managers to tell you what to do, you must take the initiative to prevent problematic issues. For example, rather than wait for employees to complain that the organization doesn't provide enough development opportunities, you can suggest and help implement development opportunities. 

• Problem-solving: When an organization faces a problem regarding filling a position or complying with a law, it's often up to HR to devise the solution. Therefore, you must be a good problem solver. This may also require some creativity. For example, if you discover that the organization is not meeting an Occupational Safety and Health Administration (OSHA) regulation, you may need to come up with a creative solution to this issue.

• Objectivity: As an HR professional, you must build trust with your organization and its employees. They must know that when they come to you, you'll remove your personal bias from any conflict or situation and make the best objective decisions. 

HR generalists typically need many technical skills as well. These are measured, job-specific skills like:   

• Human resources information system (HRIS) and payroll software

• Advanced Excel 

• Benefits administration 

• Exit interviews 

• Family and Medical Leave Act (FMLA) claims processing

• Project management 

• Workers’ compensation 

• Recruiting and training 

What tools do HR generalists use?

Technology can help HR generalists utilize their time more efficiently.  For example, you might use an HRIS, which typically acts as a central platform where you can manage information like payroll and benefits. It can also help you stay up to date with compliance and make data-driven decisions, ultimately saving you time. 

Internal tools can also make communicating with employees easier and more effective. For example, the messenger tool Slack allows you to send out announcements, set up meetings, and direct message employees as needed. 

Recruiting and interviewing new employees play a big role for HR generalists, and technology like applicant tracking systems such as Greenhouse often improves, simplifies, and even automates this process. A tool like this can also assist you in reducing bias during the hiring process because it contains features ensuring diversity, equity, and inclusion. You can also rely on other tools, such as job boards like ZipRecruiter, Indeed, Glassdoor, and CareerBuilder, to find new employees. 

LinkedIn is also a great recruiting portal. You can use it to help build your brand and inform others about your company and its culture.

Applicant tracking systems like Breezy, BambooHR, and Workable can help you identify candidates with specific skill sets, send automated messages, and arrange interview times.  

HR generalist salary and job outlook

According to Glassdoor, the average HR generalist base salary is $89,347 annually [1]. Like many careers, location, experience, and education may play integral roles that affect your salary. Regardless of their size, most companies can benefit from having someone handling important HR duties, which can help them save time and money. The job outlook for HR generalists can be compared to that of human resources specialists, whose job role is similar to generalists but focuses on one specific area of HR. Employment for HR specialists is projected to grow 6 percent from 2022 to 2032, faster than the average for all occupations, according to the US Bureau of Labor Statistics [2]. 

HR generalist career path

HR generalists are responsible for dealing with people at all professional levels, so developing excellent communication and interpersonal skills is imperative. Educational and experiential preparation typically involves earning a bachelor’s degree in human resources or a similar field and gaining relevant experience of one to four years. 

Education and training

Regarding an HR generalist's education, many companies look for candidates with a bachelor’s degree. The most relevant degrees include a bachelor’s in human resource management, business administration, organizational development, or a similar field. You might also consider earning a Professional Certificate, such as a Professional in Human Resources (PHR) certification. Another option to consider pursuing is a Professional Certificate like the HRCI Human Resource Associate Professional Certificate, which is designed to help you develop your skills in employee relations, training development, and compliance strategy, among other topics.

HR generalist career advancement

While an HR generalist is usually familiar with all aspects of human relations, you can also look to become an HR specialist to advance your career if you discover an interest in a specific area within HR that you want to further your knowledge and skills. Different types of HR specialists include recruitment specialists, compensation and benefits specialists, and training and development specialists.

If you choose to work as an HR specialist, the next step up is usually an HR manager, whose role includes managing and supporting employees within the human resources department. After gaining even more experience and knowledge, you can pursue the role of HR director, which is a more senior-level position. You could also progress to become the vice president of HR and be responsible for managing an organization’s human resources. 

Develop your HR skills with Coursera.

As an HR generalist, you'll serve as a link between your organization and its employees, helping both enjoy a positive relationship. If you have the skills and mindset to work as an HR generalist, you can help your resume stand out by gaining knowledge and experience. Check out the University of Minnesota’s Human Resource Management: HR for People Managers Specialization on Coursera, where you can learn key principles, policies, and practices of human resource management.

If you would like to learn more about recruiting and hiring new employees, explore the University of California-Irvine’s Hiring Practices course on Coursera.