What Do Human Resources Managers Do (including Their Typical Day At Work)

Job Description

Human Resources Managers plan, direct, or coordinate human resources activities and staff of an organization. They also serve as a link between management and employees by handling questions, interpreting and administering contracts and helping resolve work-related problems.

Other tasks include:

• Advise managers on organizational policy matters, such as equal employment opportunity and sexual harassment, and recommend needed changes.
• Analyze and modify compensation and benefits policies to establish competitive programs and ensure compliance with legal requirements.
• Perform difficult staffing duties, including dealing with understaffing, refereeing disputes, firing employees, and administering disciplinary procedures.
• Represent organization at personnel-related hearings and investigations.
• Negotiate bargaining agreements and help interpret labor contracts.
• Identify staff vacancies and recruit, interview, and select applicants.

We asked Human Resources Managers how satisfied they are with their job. Here is what they said.

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75% of them said they were satisfied with their job and 62% said they find that their job makes the world a better place or helps to make someone else’s life better.

Typical Day At Work

On a daily basis, Human Resources Managers serve as a link between management and employees by handling questions, interpreting and administering contracts and helping resolve work-related problems. They plan, direct, supervise, and coordinate work activities of subordinates and staff relating to employment, compensation, labor relations, and employee relations.

A typical day for a Human Resources Manager will also include:

• Advise managers on organizational policy matters, such as equal employment opportunity and sexual harassment, and recommend needed changes.
• Maintain records and compile statistical reports concerning personnel-related data such as hires, transfers, performance appraisals, and absenteeism rates.
• Perform difficult staffing duties, including dealing with understaffing, refereeing disputes, firing employees, and administering disciplinary procedures.
• Provide current and prospective employees with information about policies, job duties, working conditions, wages, opportunities for promotion, and employee benefits.
• Plan, organize, direct, control, or coordinate the personnel, training, or labor relations activities of an organization.

We asked some Human Resources Managers a few questions to find out what else does their work day look like. Here is what we found.

	Do you have telephone conversations everyday in this job?	95% said yes
	How important is it to work in a team in this job?	50% said very important
	Do you have group discussions everyday in this job?	86% said yes
	Do you talk or work with customers everyday in this job?	5% said yes
	Do you have to deal with angry customers everyday in this job?	9% said yes
	Do you have to make decisions everyday in this job?	41% said yes

Other responsibilities

Besides their typical day, Human Resources Managers also plan and conduct new employee orientation to foster positive attitude toward organizational objectives. They may also allocate human resources, ensuring appropriate matches between personnel.

On a weekly to monthly basis, Human Resources Managers Perform difficult staffing duties, including dealing with understaffing, refereeing disputes, firing employees, and administering disciplinary procedures. They might also Plan, organize, direct, control, or coordinate the personnel, training, or labor relations activities of an organization.

In addition, they Analyze statistical data and reports to identify and determine causes of personnel problems and develop recommendations for improvement of organization’s personnel policies and practices.

Although specific duties may vary, many of them Study legislation, arbitration decisions, and collective bargaining contracts to assess industry trends.

To some Human Resources Managers, it is also their responsibility to Maintain records and compile statistical reports concerning personnel-related data such as hires, transfers, performance appraisals, and absenteeism rates.

Working life

More than 40 hours per week

Regular schedule like a 9 to 5

In a typical work week as a Human Resources Manager, you can expect to work more than 40 hours per week.

Is this right for me

People who are suitable for this job tends to like starting up and carrying out projects. They like leading people and making many decisions. Sometimes they require risk taking and often deal with business..

They also like working with, communicating with, and teaching people. They like helping or providing service to others.

You can read more about these career personality types here.

Explore other careers

http://www.bls.gov/OOH/management/human-resources-managers.htm

http://www.shrm.org/Pages/default.aspx

http://www.ifebp.org/

http://www.astd.org/