If you were asked to list the qualities that define a successful HR manager, then the list would be long. Some of the things that would be listed include integrity, sympathetic attitude, leadership, patience, quick decision making, social, organised, and excellent communication skills, among others. Here is an overview of each quality that a successful HR Manager should have:
1. Integrity: As the head of the human resource department, the manager display frankness and honesty thus eradicating any doubt the employees may have about their leader.
2. Sympathetic Attitude: The manager should have a humane approach when addressing issues that employees are facing regardless of the problems.
3. Leadership: Being a manager means being a leader, and ethical leadership is integral to guiding the workers to be productive and play their respective roles in helping the company achieve its objectives. Such a leader will motivate and encourage the staff and offer them support when needed.
4. Patience: Patience is a virtue that every HR manager should have; it means that they do not lose their temper easily when dealing with the employees’ issues. For instance, being a good listener is a trait of having patience.
5. Quick Decisions: The manager should be able to make quick and concise decisions, especially in situations that necessitate an immediate address. Moreover, the manager should be confident and firm about the directives they give and ensure they are followed.
6. Social: Every HR manager shoulder significant social responsibility. It is a conglomeration of various elements of good socialism that includes listening attentively and actively engaging with the employees so that they see the manager as one of them and not only as their boss. As such, that social aspect of leadership as the HR manager means demands having an elaborate way of looking at the broader element of human resource responsibility.
7. Organised: Holding a position of leadership means having a lot of responsibilities on your shoulder. The human resource manager has to juggle different things that ensure every employee feels accepted and appreciated. As such, the manager should always have an organised approach to handling everything. That way, nothing will go unnoticed or unaddressed.
8. Excellent Communication Skills: Overall, every other quality mentioned or not mentioned here can be summed up as attributes that communicate the character of the HR manager. Therefore, exemplary communication skills are not just seen by how the manager speaks, but also by how he interacts with the work in different ways and levels.
David Philip Harris is a recognised employment solicitor with over 10 years of experience in advising employees and employers on employment law matters. He is a frequent contributor to BBC Radio Berkshire and People Management Magazine. David has represented individual and corporate clients in the employment tribunal as well as the High Court and County Court. David is a member of The Law Society and The Employment Lawyers Association (ELA UK). To contact David, visit the Contact Us page. For media enquiries: info@dphlegal.com.