Top skills that an HR manager should attain through training

There are quite a few skills he or she needs to strategize, communicate and manage their responsibilities better. And dedicated training courses can help upgrade HR manager skills easily and quickly, irrespective of the type or size of your organization. Here is a look at the top skills an HR manager must attain:   

1. Communication at all levels – HR managers should be able to express their thoughts and ideas effectively and clearly, whether it is in spoken words or writing. They should be able to communicate easily with employees, department leaders and stakeholders with equal ease. Training can also help HR managers understand and process every issue in a sensible manner, and decide how to take it forward and reach a resolution.
2. Negotiation and conflict management – Whether an HR manager is hiring a new employee or evaluating the performance of an existing employee for a raise, negotiation is one of the top HRM skills needed. This will help him reach a solution that is conducive to all parties involved. Plus, HR managers need to be adept at handling different types of conflict, be it between members of the same team, different teams or different departments. Training can teach them how to resolve the issue quickly and achieve productive outcomes.   
3. Smart recruitment and quick decision-making – One of the most important skills required for HR managers is effective recruitment of the right candidate, so that the company’s goal is met. For that, they need quick decision-making skills and should be able to streamline the interview and selection process to save time, money and energy.
4. Understanding of law and health insurance – Human resources training courses can help HR managers develop a decent knowledge about basic company laws and how benefits like health insurance work. For example, it is important for an HR manager to know when a certain action can have legal consequences or when a lawyer needs to be consulted (like, while letting go of an employee). Similarly, since health insurance is often the biggest part of an employee’s package, HR managers need to understand how every plan works and should be able to guide employees if they are confused.   
5. Handling multiple tasks at once – HR managers often deal with multiple issues or questions simultaneously, and they need to handle all of that with the same efficiency. Training can help them with that. For instance, they should learn how to implement a new rule that has been conveyed by the senior management while resolving some productivity problem that an employee is facing due to a sick relative at home.
6. People management – This is one of those HR soft skills that are taken for granted. However, knowing how to listen to people, guiding them toward better performance, bridging the gap between senior and junior employees and planning training and recreation programs for overall workforce development are skills that come in handy every day. HR managers also need to be aware of the latest tools and techniques to analyze employee performance, satisfaction, productivity, retention and other parameters. They should also know how to estimate the compensation or rewards for each employee as per their contribution.
7. Discretion and empathy – Among all the HR qualities and skills that make a difference to any organization, compassion and discretion are vital. Through training, HR managers can learn to show compassion to all employees, listen to them more closely and offer advice wherever needed. For instance, if an employee has suddenly started behaving rudely, they need to figure out the root of the problem. And discretion is important, since employees should be able to trust HR managers with their personal information or concerns.  

All in all, learning HR skills is a continuous process and calls for periodic training of HR managers. Undergoing such courses can help them become well-organized, efficient, capable of multi-tasking, empathetic, and knowledgeable. And such HR managers can steer the company towards a better direction more strategically and cost-effectively.