In the challenging field of human resources, there are many professionals who possess excellent skills which enable them to manage complex personnel issues. Dealing with people all day can task even the most experienced HR manager; however, a solid set of personnel management skills enables one to handle the ups and downs of the career.
One of the most important personnel management skills is the ability to plan. Planning takes a great deal of objective thinking to identify ways in which human capital can be best used to reach organizational goals. In addition, the ability to plan requires working with other managers within an organization to assign tasks, responsibilities and dates for completion of tasks so that things actually get done efficiently.
Another important management skill is being able to coordinate multiple programs and plans for a company. Personnel managers are often asked to manage multiple aspects of running the human resources duties. Coordinating efforts between staffing and recruiting, collaboration between departments and managers and improving processes are all part of the personnel manager’s mindset.
One of the most vital personnel management skills is the ability to lead others effectively. Many personnel managers are natural-born leaders, so this comes easily. For other human resource professionals, learning to lead others comes with time and practice. Leading others into new training and development efforts and during organizational changes is best handled by personnel managers who lead by example.
Personnel management skills are often put to the test when it comes to organizing human resources to best meet the needs of the organization. In addition, a personnel manager must be able to organize programs and company resources in order to help department managers reach company-wide goals. The best skill that a personnel manager can have is the ability to organize people and stay on top of tasks within an organization.
In addition to the previous personnel management skills mentioned, an important trait for a human resource professional is an above average interpersonal and communication ability. The personnel representative is often looked to for guidance and a valuable resource whenever there are issues or changes. Being able to relate to many different types of people, having the ability to communicate clearly and represent the organization in a direct manner is critical to success as a personnel manager.