Introduction
Organisations of all sizes depend on the HR department to handle employee-related tasks, such as hiring, training, enforcing policies, administering compensation & benefits, dealing with workplace issues, etc. Since they handle so many important tasks for the organisation, Human Resources Professionals are also termed as the backbone of an organisation.
The demand for HR Professionals is increasing day by day in both the public sector and the private sector. Whether it is a startup or a reputed corporation, everyone needs an HR department for the smooth functioning of their operations. Due to the great demand for these professionals, this is the right time for you to start preparing for your career journey in HR.
What is Human Resources?
In simpler terms, if we define Human Resources or HR, we could say that it is a department that bridges the gap between performance delivered by an organisation’s Human Resources and the organisation’s strategic objectives. HR simply hires employees who are qualified enough to perform the job, and they are also responsible for developing them according to the organisation’s requirements and making them the perfect fit for the position and the organisation.
An HR professional’s task might sound easy, but when you enlarge this series of tasks, you will get to know that each task requires a different type of competency to manage. If you are entering the HR field with the idea that you will be only responsible for hiring, firing, and compensation of employees, then you are highly mistaken. The responsibilities of an HR professional are way more than your imagination!
The key responsibilities of an HR Professional include:
- Recruitment & Selection
- Performance Management
- Learning & Development
- Succession Planning
- Compensation & Benefits
- Human Resources Information Systems (HRIS)
- HR Data & Analytics
HR Career Path
Throughout their time at an organisation, employees continue to seek out HR as an expert source to answer their questions about anything, from the retirement plan to how to deal with an annoying colleague, everything comes under the HR professional’s radar. HR also keeps in touch with its employees on a regular basis for continuing education, policy changes, safety reminders, and other matters.
If you are an individual who has an interest in pursuing a career in HR, then you must possess the following skills:
- Must have great communication skills, interpersonal skills, and ability to convince and motivate others.
- Ability to plan a programme and execute that accordingly.
- Ability to supervise subordinate workers.
- Guide and lead people working under their domain.
- Ability to make a decision in a critical situation and come up with a realistic solution.
Moreover, if we talk about the career path for HR professionals, then you will come to know that it is so diverse that there are more than 20 distinct but related job functions in the domain, and each of them requires a specialised set of skills to perform.
Staffing Coordinator
Average Annual Salary: $44,636
A common choice for many individuals who are beginning their HR career. A staffing coordinator is responsible for screening applications, coordinating the orientation of newly recruited employees, and performing administrative tasks.
HR Assistant
Average Annual Salary: $45,575
An HR Assistant’s duties are often administrative in nature, such as handling paperwork, keeping track of absences, posting job vacancies, and calling references of job candidates.
HR Representative
Average Annual Salary: $47,091
HR Representatives usually help employees with paperwork and documentation. They are also entrusted with guiding the employees on the organisation’s policies and benefits.
HR Administrator
Average Annual Salary: $48,750
HR Administrator is the person who handles all the critical roles in the organisation and is responsible for organising and maintaining employee records, updating internal databases, and preparing HR documents, like employment contracts and new hire guides.
HR Supervisor
Average Annual Salary: $61,068
HR Supervisors don’t directly implement any organisation policies, instead, they oversee entry-level HR professionals who carry out the actual tasks.
HR Analyst
Average Annual Salary: $62,300
HR Analysts usually supervise the tasks related to HR analytics for an organisation. Their key tasks also include identifying and solving HR-related issues, creating organisational policies and objectives, and analysing and evaluating data and reports.
HR Generalist
Average Annual Salary: $64,895
The roles and responsibilities of an HR generalist are very broad in terms of scope. Their typical routine includes general HR tasks along with other administrative tasks in the organisation.
HR Specialist
Average Annual Salary: $78,530
HR Specialists generally oversee the processes involved in recruiting and hiring employees and orienting newly recruited employees.
HR Manager
Average Annual Salary: $117,134
In addition to coordinating and overseeing the work of others within the HR department, HR Managers also serve as trusted advisors for leaders from other divisions to turn to for advice on handling employee-related issues. Some of the other responsibilities might include developing recruitment strategies, mediating disputes, assessing worker productivity, etc.
HR Director
Average Annual Salary: $147,814
The HR director is the one who oversees all Human Resources aspects such as handling employee relations, managing budgets, assessing staffing needs, designing training programmes, and developing compensation plans for an organisation’s operation.
Vice President of Human Resources
Average Annual Salary: $233,190
Someone with direct access to the CEO of an organisation, the Vice President of Human Resources, specialises in developing and promoting effective Human Resources strategies for the long-term success of their organisation’s operations.
Chief Human Resources Officer (CHRO)
Average Annual Salary: $337,670
A CHRO is in control of strategising and materialising Human Resources plans with the assistance of the organisation’s overall vision and strategic schemes, precisely in the areas of succession planning, talent management, change management, performance management, training & development, and compensation.
Final Thoughts
Whichever Human Resources career path you decide to pursue on your way to achieve success, a career in HR often calls for a deep understanding of business management and strategy, workforce planning and employment, and mainly HR development. You can start from the most basic position and can gradually make your way to the top.
