What does a human resources manager do?

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What is a Human Resources Manager?

A human resources manager oversees and manages a company's human resources department. They address the needs and issues of the employees, from hiring and firing, to payroll and dispute management.

In some companies the human resources department can be quite large with numerous employees, while smaller companies may only have one human resources manager to handle all aspects of the department.

What does a Human Resources Manager do?

Human resources managers handle the recruiting, screening, and hiring processes for new employees. They also help new employees set up their payroll and explain any perks and benefits the company offers.

A human resources manager smiling and talking to an employee.

Human resources managers inform current employees of any updates or changes to their payroll or benefits, deal with disputes or harassment claims, develop policies for employee services, handle bonuses and raises, and take care of general employee welfare. Depending on the size of the company, a human resources manager may handle all or just some of these responsibilities.

Employees come in with various issues and claims, and these need to be handled with professionalism and respect, and with having a firm understanding of the company's guidelines.

Employee morale is of vital importance to the human resources manager, therefore practices need to be implemented that create and help to foster high employee morale within the company. Managers will often conduct surveys to see which areas of the company can be improved upon, then choose which suggestions to implement and how. Managers also often consult with the executives of a company on strategic planning and then serve as a link between the company executives and the employees.

Are you suited to be a human resources manager?

Human resources managers have distinct personalities. They tend to be enterprising individuals, which means they’re adventurous, ambitious, assertive, extroverted, energetic, enthusiastic, confident, and optimistic. They are dominant, persuasive, and motivational. Some of them are also social, meaning they’re kind, generous, cooperative, patient, caring, helpful, empathetic, tactful, and friendly.

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What is the workplace of a Human Resources Manager like?

Human resources managers typically work in an office setting with a nine-to-five work day. The workload varies, depending on when the fiscal year ends or if there are any major upheavals or changes within the company.

Human resources managers will also have to expect a certain amount of interruptions during the day. Employees may come to them with requests that require immediate attention, and they will need to address these issues as they arise.

Human Resources Managers are also known as:
HR Manager