What are HR Skills and Competencies?
HR skills and competencies are the capabilities of human resource management specialists which enhance their ability to manage the workforce in an organization. It is the proficiency that HR professionals should possess to accomplish their duties effectively.
HR competencies and skills include interpersonal skills, technical skills, Emotional intelligence, Listening skills, communication skills and competencies, Relationship building skills, Analytical abilities, and more, which we are going to discuss in further part of the blog.
Top HR Skills and Competencies
Some of the top competencies and skills that should be possessed by an HR professional include the following:
Relationship Building
One of the most important competencies that should be possessed by an HR professional is constructing relationships with both the internal (employees) and external public (Potential prospects, public in general, stakeholders, and more).
The basic responsibility of human resource management professionals includes the maintenance of credible relationships to enhance the goodwill of the company as well as recruit the best talents to contribute to the growth of productivity.
In addition, HR professionals are considered the face of an organization which makes it extremely crucial for them to preserve and surge robust kinship to make the company’s presence in the market as well as stay updated to grab opportunities in the future.
Communication Skills
Communication is the key for any HR to deal with day-to-day business workflow. They are the first person to communicate in the organization to a prospective candidate.
So, as an HR, it is one of the important abilities to be owned, to rectify all the activities that enhance the quality of service deliverance as well as the reputation of the entire organization.
Further, communication works as an efficient resource for HR managers to resolve internal conflicts and provides neat information to employees which will help them improve employee relationships with the workplace.
Interpersonal Skills
Interpersonal skills are the most important HR acquaintance in soft skills. HR professionals are the voice of an organization and it is their accountability to be generous enough to ease newly hired employees by inducing them in the team.
Also being considerate in understanding the troubling elements that disrupt the employee’s workflow and the organization’s atmosphere is essential on the part of HR.
Interpersonal skills include the following competencies such as:
- Leadership skills
- Negotiation skills
- Leadership
- Practical/ logical reasoning
- Empathy
- Openness to Feedback
- Reliability
- Positivity and more
Internal personal skills are considered one of the core competencies of HR in the sphere of business which would help adhere to all the policies and rules of the organization with proficiency.
Active Listening Skills
For HR professionals to be active listeners is not only essential but also vital for making fair decisions and maintaining harmony to robust a vibrant work environment.
HR core competencies include active listening to get along with the ability to grasp the challenges and enhance understanding in addressing employee’s queries. It is done to deliver coherent and equitable decisions in balancing the workspace.
Active listening traits include the following expressions:
- Keeping eye contact with the person speaking.
- Staying open to communication without rushing to judge.
- Showcase gestures and postures which show activeness in the conversation.
- Provide regular verbal and non-verbal inputs within the conversation wherever required with politeness.
- Make notes of the vital points.
- Ask questions as it shows interest in the conversation.
- Smiling, nodding, being empathetic, and altering facial expressions as per the flow of conversation give assurance to the speaker of being heard.
Emotional Intelligence
Emotional intelligence signifies being practical and logical while listening and decision-making without being emotionally swayed by the sudden rush of emotions.
Exercising a standardized emotional intelligence enables an HR manager and HR team to bond better with the employees. It is one of the vital HR competencies for HR professionals as it makes them mindful to react to situations wisely by coming up with appropriate solutions to slash issues and conflicts quickly with logic.
Business Acumen
Business acumen signifies a savvy understanding of business trends, insights, and analytics which can be utilized as a beam to enhance the authenticity of business strategies.
As an HR professional, it is important to possess insights into business trends as it would help you align the organization’s policies and procedures in an impactful employee-centric as well as business welfare way.
Confidentiality
One of the finest HR competency is maintaining confidentiality regarding employees’ personal as well as professional sensitive information which are not meant to be publicized.
The HR team and HR managers are cognizant of sensitive data like employees’ salary details, authentic identity proofs, medical issues, personal disruptions, and more.
In addition, the HR professionals get prior intimation about any organizational alteration that is to be made and which would have a significant impact on the employees. So, it is expected from HRs to keep up confidentiality to avoid conflicts and maintain a healthy work environment.
Event Organization
HR teams including HR managers are responsible for employee engagement for which they need to organize various activities that would enhance activeness in workplace and construct team building inside an organization. Some of these events include:
- Team dinner and learns
- Trips
- Recruitment fairs
- Company retreats
- Office meetups
- Workshops
- Conferences followed by parties and more.
Objectivity and Critical Thinking
To be fair to all the employees in an organization, HR professionals must come out of emotional urges, feelings, and biases, to deliver rational and analytical decisions, which would have the ability to benefit the entire organization and employees.
Risk Management & Conflict Resolution Skills
The ability to manage risks and resolve various conflicts are the greatest HR competencies which are needed to be accommodated by the human resources department. Businesses are prone to uncertainties and changes which bring along risks of conflicts. HR core competencies help to deal with conflicts tactfully with ease.
Technological Expertise
In the technological era, it is vital for the Human resource professional to keep up with the advanced pace of technological enhancements to utilize the same to surge productivity and employee satisfaction in an organization.
As an HR, having expertise in technologies can help you automate the repetitive tasks associated with human resources and focus on more priority tasks in HR sphere.
Analytical capabilities
Analytical capabilities of HR professionals are the skills to analyze various aspects which would align organizational requirements to employees’ need by maintaining a balance between both. Some of the major areas of analysis for the HR team are:
- Analyze the company’s prospect requirement
- Alignment of the company’s budget with the total recruitment cost
- Measure employees engagement
- Monitor employee attribution
- Analyze employee’s retention rate to turnover rate
- Analyze the root causes of conflicts and more.
Team building skills
HR professionals are regarded as the junction between employees and management. They foster social engagements such as planning events, planning team trips, encouraging team interactions, etc.
So, it is essential for HR professionals to be proficient in team-building skills to enhance team building activities. It is also essential for maintaining a healthy working environment with efficient productivity and enhancing employees’ eager beaver temperaments.
How To Improve Your HR Competencies?
Improving HR competencies is not only essential but also vital for HR Professionals. The ways to improve so are mentioned below:
Research and Extended Learning
Businesses are subject to change and HR Professionals are required to be involved in continuous additional learning so as to keep up with the updated changes as well as research on various specifications that would help them add valuable inclusion for the growth of the organization.
Embrace New Learning Opportunities
Learning is a continuous process may it be for staying updated, getting additional knowledge, or adding on to productivity. So, any new or unknown fact that comes along should be addressed by acquiring adequate knowledge and learning by HR professionals.
Observe Experts
HR professionals need to look up to the experts who have expertise in the field of human resources management. They should take note of their skills such as precision in their decision-making strategies in case of urgencies, and gain knowledge out of it, etc. Learning can be best done by observing so HR professionals can add this trait to enhance their insights into in-depth matters.
Collaborate with HR Professionals
Collaboration enables sharing of knowledge and enhances productivity. Every HR individual has different specified skills so collaboration furnishes new learnings, come up with tactics for handling risks, and gives an insight into market analytics to align HR objectives towards the accomplishments of the organization.
Navigate Change & Be Adaptable
Being flexible and scalable to change is the most important trait that should be adopted by HR professionals to deal with uncertainties. In addition, they must adopt analytical expertise to navigate potential changes that could have a significant impact on the organization’s workforce and workflow.
What are the HR skills of the future?
In the present era of technological advancements HR professionals should possess the ability to be tech-savvy and utilize technology to enhance productivity in the business as well as provide a platform of growth for its employees. A few of the HR competencies and skills required by an HR in the future include:
- Getting along with advanced technologies
- Acquiring adequate knowledge on automation of HR tasks
- Soft skills
- Recruitment Marketing and analytics
- Minute and strategic planning in solving conflicts
- Workforce planning as per the budget per recruitment cost.
- Change Management techniques
- Integrating Cultural differences
- Data security and safety, etc.
Synopsis
Human resource skills and competencies are vital for an organization’s harmony, growth, and for its employees. HR competency holds an impactful significance in every aspect of business starting from recruitment to conflict resolution and more.
HRs are considered the representatives of an organization. They serve as a bridge between employees and management. So, it is extremely important for them to update their knowledge, skills, and competencies at regular intervals to get along with the fast-changing trends to contribute effectively towards the growth of the business by enhancing their own self.
