Elearning! Magazine: Building Smarter Companies via Learning & Workplace Technologies.
TipsDevelopment HR Pros:
Human resources (HR) pro- fessionals used to be seen as the gatekeepers and mediators of the organization. The job of an HR professional was to ensure that both employees and managers understand the policies and observed them. Today, HR pros are not just policy enforcers, but also poli- cy-makers. Any good HR training pro-
gram will tell you that people who work in HR are often seen as guardians, enforcers and administrators. However, you will also be trained to take on other responsibilities. For example, HR pros must know how to handle the role of strategizing, creating and implementing policies, and not just enforcing them. An important aspect of
being a successful HR pro is balancing all of this while becoming more involved strategically with evaluating and responding to organiza- tional, managerial and employee needs. This allows HR personnel to act as prob- lem solvers and advisors. Another hat you may have to
wear as an HR representative is that of business partner. HR collaborates with both manage- ment and employees to ensure organizational goals are met. Today's HR pros are also
expected to play a more con- sultative role and be proactive. Instead of merely reacting to problems when they occur, HR professionals are being
Have You Thought About Your Own Development Lately?
trained and are expected to anticipate and respond to emerging issues. Employees and management expect HR to prevent problems, not just react to them. Due to the new set of skills
required of HR professionals, it's important to be properly trained. For example, an HR certificate or certification can demonstrate that you have completed the proper training necessary to acquire and demonstrate these skills. Another benefit of HR
training is that you can gain the interpersonal skills needed to interact and engage with people more effectively. Beyond communication, HR now requires that you have negotiation skills and project management skills. Overall, it's important that you communi- cate with everyone and form partnerships with managers and employees so that every situation can be handled effec- tively and responsibly. HR professionals must com-
municate to clarifying expec- tations, implications and con- sequences in order to prevent confusion. Although this can be demanding, understanding and responding to the needs of managers and employees will lead to superior out- comes, and will in turn help your career progress.
—For more information on HR programs from eCornell, visit the Website www.ecornell.com.
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