Human resources (HR) leadership demands a unique combination of interpersonal capabilities, business acumen and strategic thinking. Generally speaking, everyone wants to be the best in our chosen field. Whether as artists, mechanics, teachers or corporate executives, most people seek to maximize their abilities and earn a reputation for excellence in their chosen vocation. The same holds true for effective HR managers.
Southeastern Oklahoma State University’s online Master of Business Administration (MBA) with a Concentration in Human Resources program prepares professionals to excel as HR leaders through comprehensive coursework in HR strategy, employment law and organizational development. If you’re considering a career in human resources, it’s important to know which qualities will help you shine as an HR leader and how to develop necessary skills and expertise. The following will help you identify your strengths and opportunities for growth.
Communication Skills Are Essential for HR Leadership
Communication is a crucial component of HR management. The ability to communicate effectively will enhance your performance in all aspects of the job. For example, you must be able to communicate during new hire onboarding as well as employee training sessions. It may also fall to you to relay employees’ ideas or concerns to corporate executives.
HR personnel often act as a bridge between management and staff, so it’s vital to know how to listen well and speak clearly and concisely. You’ll also use your communication skills to navigate problems between co-workers or between supervisors and staff.
Additionally, the ability to communicate fluidly through multiple digital channels is a necessity as the workplace shifts between in-person, remote and hybrid environments. External factors may fluctuate, but constant, multi-modal communication and hybrid work models are likely here to stay. These HR leadership skills in communication separate effective leaders from average practitioners.
Interpersonal Skills Build Trust and Drive Employee Engagement
Employees will come to you with work disputes or when they face issues outside work that could affect their ability to work. It’s important that they consider you a responsive, active listener. Employees will respect feedback and come to you more easily if they feel you are honest and trustworthy. You must be adept at balancing a sense of compassion for employees’ needs with your commitment to the company.
Being empathetic, building trust and prioritizing the employee experience are especially important when navigating disruptions in the modern workplace. HR leaders must also rely on advanced interpersonal skills when leading change and adopting the employee-centric approaches today’s business environment demands. These capabilities enable HR leaders to foster positive workplace cultures that drive organizational success.
Hard and Soft Skills of an HR Leader
To excel in your field, it’s necessary to understand every aspect of a workforce. Solid interpersonal skills can be a real asset for someone in HR. On some level, you must understand people and what makes them tick. What makes a group of people want to work hard for a company? What are the less tangible aspects of productivity? How can you boost morale, intrinsic motivation, collaboration and other drivers of employee engagement, job satisfaction and retention in today’s competitive talent market?
On the other hand, you must also understand the hard facts regarding employment laws and policies. Excelling in HR leadership will require a comprehensive knowledge of the regulations that govern workers’ rights, such as Equal Employment Opportunity laws. A familiarity with other subjects like compensation, benefits, health and safety is also essential. Strategic HR management requires both the interpersonal finesse to understand human behavior and the technical expertise to ensure organizational compliance and competitive compensation practices.
Build Your HR Leadership Career With Southeastern’s Online MBA
To master your chosen profession, securing the right education that builds on your strengths and abilities proves essential. A human resources MBA provides the strategic business foundation and specialized HR expertise that modern organizations demand from their leaders.
Southeastern’s online MBA in Human Resources offers academically rigorous studies, combining fundamental core courses on subjects like management, accounting, finance and research with specialized courses focused on human resources topics. Along with relevant core courses such as Behavioral Management and Strategic Management, HR concentration courses include Human Resource Management and Employment Law.
These studies delve into a spectrum of contemporary HR issues, equipping you with the skills and expertise needed for leadership roles in the field. With flexible online learning and comprehensive coverage of both business fundamentals and the complexities of HR management, Southeastern’s program prepares you to become the strategic HR leader that today’s organizations need.
Learn more about Southeastern Oklahoma State University’s online MBA with a Concentration in Human Resources program.