New Essential Skills Required to be an HR Leader
February 8, 2021 – Business owners carry an unimaginable load of responsibilities on their backs. Aside from building their initial vision, they juggle financial growth, operational strategies, legal compliance and partner relations on a daily basis. To manage all these tasks, delegation becomes vital to achieve corporate success. And in turn, hiring the right leadership team becomes mission critical.
Traditionally, employment additions for high-ranking positions were often decided by finding those who matched similar and appropriate corporate outlooks. Yet now, in 2021, savvy leaders are focusing on a new skill level: a candidate’s understanding and approach to the current business climate. “Possibly one of the most important hiring decisions for any company navigating through today’s environment pertains to human resources,” says a new report from Search Solution Executive. “After all, this department is responsible for an invaluable business asset – the employees.”
A decade ago, most human resource professionals – or even business owners, for that matter – had no idea how much HR duties would change. Now, during these times of on-going crises, the delicate message and approach HR crafts holds immense power throughout workforces.
“This department holds the keys to ease employee angst, stress and health concerns,” said Search Solution Elite. “Through open communication, this is achieved by offering aid to those who seek it, encouraging proper care of personal mental well-being, and by reminding employees how to access support systems. It’s important for employees to know there is a plan, that there are options, and that they are all working together as a team.”
The subtle yet critical differences between each HR expertise has historically been looked at as interchangeable. New trends and employee expectations, however, have led many organizations to closer inspect what is needed to sustain prosperity. Search Solution cites eight main disciplines within the function:
* Talent & Function Management – Hiring, onboarding, supporting, and retaining internal talent
* Compensation & Benefits – Fair compensation structures, succession planning, healthcare, and retirement options
* Corporate & Departmental Training – Physical IT necessities, required system logins, certification aid
* Total Rewards – Strategic rewards systems, financial or beneficial offerings, growth opportunities via individual achievement
* Performance & Development – Review structures, raise frameworks, bonus approvals
* Corporate Culture & Communication – Tracking job satisfaction, employee engagement, and workplace resolutions
* Legal Compliance – Labor laws, required medical acts, and legal regulations
* Workplace Health & Safety – Training provisions and maintenance for all federally mandated requirements
When determining the senior positions to lead an HR team and/or manage the corporation’s mission, the two main roles often considered are HR executive or HR manager. While the overall objective may be similar, there are integral differences between the two titles. Falling within administration, the HR executive position supervises the entirety of a company’s HR department and will report to C-level leadership. Also within administration, the HR manager is responsible for a team set or a vertical specialization for employee-related issues and oversees employee work completion.
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Responsibilities also differ, said Search Solution . The HR executive ensures every level of employee adheres to policies while strategizing all HR changes, hiring/firing processes, and monitoring staff benefits. The HR manager, on the other hand, manages recruitments, corporate culture, staff training, employee relations and internal complaints.
The HR executive role requires both a bachelor’s and master’s degree. The position also calls for at least five years of in-field experience. The HR manager role requires a bachelor’s degree, but the field of study is less strict.
Search Solution Elite, a division of Search Solution Group, is the retained search arm of the large Charlotte, NC-based recruitment firm. The firm specializes in accounting and finance, benefits, compensation, diversity, engineering, human resources, information technology, manufacturing, physician compensation, professional sports, supply chain and total rewards. CEO Jeremy Gnozzo founded the firm in 2002 in Buffalo, NY. His expertise was originally in the accounting, finance, HR and sales industries. For more than 10 years, he worked on retained searches across the U.S. with Fortune 1000 companies, as well as medium and large public and private companies.
Contributed by Scott A. Scanlon, Editor-in-Chief; Dale M. Zupsansky, Managing Editor; and Stephen Sawicki, Managing Editor – Hunt Scanlon Media
