Human resources has an important job overseeing employee-related matters. Find out what human resources is and learn more about what HR professionals do.
Human resources (HR) is the department that oversees employee-related matters. The human resources department recruits, hires, trains, and retains workers for a company. Within these duties are dozens of HR tasks that keep organizations running smoothly. Human resource management is both the process and the team of people in the department.
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Explore nine careers in human resources and learn the skills and education you’ll need to succeed in the field.
The term “human resources” was first coined in the early 20th century when it began to replace the word “personnel,” which had been used to describe the function. The change in terminology reflected a shift in focus from machine-focused manufacturing to people-focused modern business. Human resource processes have since developed to balance a company’s needs and the importance of employee working conditions and benefits.
Human resources is the department within a business responsible for all things worker-related. That includes recruiting, vetting, selecting, hiring, onboarding, training, promoting, paying, and terminating employees.
You perform administrative functions for new and existing employees in an HR position. Your role as a human resources professional is to help a business run smoothly by ensuring that departments are staffed with a skilled and motivated workforce.
Your day-to-day role in HR management will involve working with department leaders to identify competency gaps, staffing requirements, staff disciplinary actions, and ways of improving employee engagement and performance. You’ll ensure that staff feel they are being treated fairly, have a voice, and meet their aspirational needs.
As an HR manager, you’ll guarantee that your business remains compliant with standards, regulations, and laws that apply to employees in your location and industry. Your HR activities will be governed by federal, state, and local laws, so you’ll need to stay on top of emerging trends and new legislation.
Some core HR functions include recruitment and hiring, onboarding, employee training, and more. Your job responsibilities in an HR department can vary considerably depending on the size of your organization. In a large corporate environment, HR managers may specialize in specific HR areas such as training, recruitment, or staff benefits. In a smaller company, you may be one of two human resources generalists who oversee all HR functions.
You may think the hiring process begins with creating a job advertisement, but you’ll be involved before it gets to the stage. You may help draw up a list of required skills and job duties that the company needs before writing a job description. Once you have your job description complete, you’ll advertise the position in various channels, field inquiries from candidates, take references, and help select candidates to interview.
Once a candidate is selected, you may need to provide the onboarding support required to help the new employee integrate into the company. Tasks may include providing orientation materials, arranging training sessions, and scheduling meetings with key stakeholders. The process also involves ensuring new employees fill out the necessary paperwork.
You’ll ensure that employees receive training to develop a rounded skill set so they can perform their jobs competently. You’ll collaborate with managers to identify training gaps, design training, and deliver sessions. Depending on the company's resources, you may use modern media to facilitate the process and enable self-paced learning. Alternatively, you may use seminars, workshops, or online training programs through third-party vendors.
As a human resources manager, you’ll oversee payroll processing and benefits administration. Managing employee compensation is one of HR's most important responsibilities. You must ensure compensation levels are fair—both in internal positions and the job market—while also meeting budget constraints.
You may also be responsible for administering benefits programs: 401(k) plans, medical insurance, paid time off (PTO) policies, etc. This could include enrolling employees in benefit plans or working with third-party administrators (TPAs) to resolve issues with claims or billing statements.
Every company has its unique culture, encompassing its values, goals, mission statement, and ethical barometer. As an HR professional, you help to embed the company culture by being the interface between staff and the company.
You need to ensure the psychological contract between staff and the company is balanced. This means ensuring the company keeps its promises on wages, promotions, job responsibilities, performance feedback, and training opportunities.
At a higher level, you’ll need to ensure that employee communications through the company are well thought out, leadership projects have a unified vision, and employees make positive comparisons between your company and other players in the industry.
Human resources is a growing field, and the US Bureau of Labor Statistics projects HR jobs to grow 8 percent from 2023 to 2033; a rate faster than average for all other occupations [1]. Jobs within the field are surprisingly varied. The duties and salaries you can expect depend on your company and your job title.
*All salary data is sourced from Glassdoor as of November 2024.
As an HR assistant, you help the human resources manager with a wide range of tasks, including recruitment, training, and employee relations. Duties may include screening resumes, scheduling interviews, and collecting information needed for payroll, personnel activity, and employee records. An HR assistant may also handle payroll activities, including distributing paychecks and calculating overtime hours.
Average annual salary (US): $48,684
Working as a training specialist, you develop programs that teach employees new skills or improve on existing skills. Training specialists conduct training sessions in areas such as customer service, computer skills, sales, and time management. You may focus on workplace skills, technical skills, or both.
You may also develop materials for training sessions, such as PowerPoint presentations or handouts. In addition to teaching skills to employees, training specialists may also be responsible for evaluating job performance and planning interventions.
Average annual salary (US): $70,800
HR generalists are responsible for the overall administration of human resource procedures and practices. You typically provide functional support in diverse areas such as recruitment, training, compensation and benefits, performance management, and employee relations.
Average annual salary (US): $76,546
When specializing in compensation and benefits, you administer programs that compensate employees fairly based on their position and performance. As part of your job, you may need to stay updated with current federal, state, and local laws regarding compensation to ensure the company stays in compliance.
Average annual salary (US): $89,358
As a recruitment manager, your job is to ensure that your company has the right employees with the right skills. You may develop recruitment strategies to attract qualified candidates with the proper competencies to perform specific jobs, evaluate the effectiveness of recruitment practices, and oversee the daily activities within the recruitment department.
Average annual salary (US): $85,401
In the role of employee relations manager, you will work closely with the HR manager to create a positive work environment where employees understand company policies and procedures, feel valued, and feel engaged. You will also help resolve conflicts between employees or between employees and management.
Average annual salary (US): $102,830
As an HRIS analyst, you are responsible for managing the organization’s HR information systems. These systems help track employees and manage employee information such as pay, benefits, and performance reviews. Your job as an HRIS analyst is to help an organization effectively use these tools by updating and maintaining the systems and creating reports.
Average annual salary (US): $73,323
Human resources coordinators help develop company policies, manage employee relations issues, and liaise between employees and management. You may also help with recruitment activities and hiring new employees. As the HR coordinator, you may be the company’s HR representative, the first point of contact for employees engaging with the department. You may help run campaigns and projects as well.
Average annual salary (US): $54,472
As an HR manager, you’re responsible for providing support to employees on various issues, including compensation, employee relations, benefits, and training. You’re the strategic and day-to-day contact between company leadership and the employees, managing the human resources function. You’ll also ensure the company complies with state and federal employment laws.
Average annual salary (US): $86,379
To become an HR manager, you typically need experience in the field and at least a bachelor's degree. The specific requirements for the position vary depending on the position and needs of the company. Still, you can hone some common skills employers look for when hiring HR staff or promoting candidates into management positions. At the top of this list are workplace skills that are used regularly.
You need to build strong workplace skills to complete the varied duties of an HR manager. As an HR professional, you may rely on the ability to:
Communicate effectively in writing and verbally
Demonstrate strong, active listening skills
Have an excellent customer service focus
Be empathic and have strong interpersonal skills
Make sound decisions based on balanced judgments
Maintain confidentiality and handle sensitive situations diplomatically
In addition to workplace skills, you need specific technical skills. You may spend a lot of time using computers and software programs, including word processing and spreadsheets. You may also use an HR information system (HRIS) or applicant tracking system (ATS).
Other technical skills that you may find useful as an HR manager include:
Payroll administration
Employee benefits administration
Human resources information systems management
Knowledge of local and federal employment laws
Labor relations
Social media
Employment interview techniques
Read more: What Are Job Skills?
Human resources is one of the most sought-after careers in business today. Some courses cover all the topics you need to know, from talent management to workforce planning to succeed in HR. With a Professional Certificate or Specialization in HR, you can learn how to lead and manage people at work—and earn the credential that shows you've mastered these critical skills.
Consider the flexible learning options on Coursera, such as Leading: Human Resource Management and Leadership Specialization or Human Resource Management: HR for People Managers Specialization; you can take classes on your schedule and learn at your own pace. Visit the HR section to choose from a variety of HR learning opportunities.
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Develop Data Analytics Skills for Accountants. This specialization develops students’ skills of data preparation, data visualization, data analysis, data interpretation, and machine learning algorithms and their applications to real-world problems.
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US Bureau of Labor Statistics. “Human Resources Specialist: Occupational Outlook Handbook, https://www.bls.gov/ooh/business-and-financial/human-resources-specialists.htm.” Accessed November 12, 2024.
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