Five Things Every Human Resources Manager Should Know

Dr. Ryan Giffen

An organization needs every department properly functioning to operate at its best. One of the most important departments within a business is human resources. This is not to downplay other departments. However, human resources are essentially responsible for itself and other departments. HR departments staff other departments, handle discipline incidents, monitor employee performance, and more. A good HR manager can make all the difference in an organization. Here are five points that they should know.

Well Rounded Communication

Communication is the senior point on this list since. Every aspect of the job involves communication. An HR manager needs to be personable and able to clearly convey what they are saying. Otherwise, their message may be misinterpreted. HR managers deal with employees of all positions, backgrounds, and attitudes. Therefore, they must be able to effectively communicate with any individual. This includes being a fantastic speaker and an excellent listener. They cannot let employee upsets or complaints go in one ear and out the other. The HR manager has to listen and understand. Only then can they correctly address each situation. 

Human Resources Must Deal In Future Planning 

A good HR manager should always be looking at improvements in the future. They need to have their eyes on every department. Most importantly, they must watch for potential problem employees, understaffed departments, and future needs. If the manager sees a new position needs to be filled, they can jump right on finding the right employee. Not doing this can lead to overwhelmed departments and unfilled positions. This is a detriment to the organization’s production. 

Legal Knowledge

An HR manager does not need to be a lawyer. However, they do need to have a certain amount of legal knowledge. A multitude of situations can arise that require this type of knowledge. This includes knowing the proper time for firing, discerning harassment and discrimination scenarios and knowing how to address situations with potential legal repercussions. In addition, an HR manager must also recognize when a situation is out of their league. Therefore, at times they should consult professional legal services when necessary. 

Compassion is Vital in human resources

Being an HR manager requires handling many difficult scenarios. Harsh discipline or critique is not always the best way to address every situation. An HR manager must have the compassion to handle troublesome situations or hardships for employees. In addition, employees should be able to seek the help of HR and know that situations will be properly handled. 

The Recruiting and Hiring Process

Proper recruiting and hiring are paramount to being an effective human resources manager. The manager needs to have the skills to interview and recognize the right candidate for a position. This includes ensuring that unqualified or toxic individuals do not make it into the workforce. An individual may have the right skills, but their background or employment history show they are not a good fit. Furthermore, it is also important to display the values of a company to a prospective employee. Ineffective HR personnel or recruiters can cause a great candidate to turn down the job. 


At the core, human resources is a matter of interpersonal relations. Managers will be dealing with all kinds of people every day. Therefore, someone impersonal is not the right fit for the job. Those in human resources management have a lot of responsibility on their shoulders. They need to stay on their toes to keep the company running smoothly.

About Dr. Ryan Giffen

With over 20 years of experience, Dr. Ryan Giffen is an expert in human relations and business culture. His career began in hospitality, leading operations and human resource departments for Fortune 500 companies and the like. Not long after, Ryan found his passion for teaching and consulting. He earned a Ph.D. in Hospitality Management with a Human Resources focus from Iowa State University and now works as an assistant professor at California State University, Long Beach. For over a decade, he continues to research and speak on organizational culture, relationship intelligence, and leadership effectiveness. Ryan is also the founder of Inospire, a company helping bosses and employees build stronger relationships with one another.  Lastly, Dr. Giffen is producer and host of the Corporate Shadow Podcast. a show helping everyday employees overcome workplace nonsense.