A human resources (HR) department is an integral part of many businesses. It carries out essential functions, such as hiring and retaining the best possible employees, staying on top of labor laws, managing compensation and benefits, and promoting employee development — all vital to the smooth running of a company.
To carry out these important, multi-faceted duties, HR employees must possess a wide range of abilities. Among other things, they must be keen organizers, have a knack for dispute resolution and negotiation, and be strong multi-taskers. Aspiring HR leaders can hone these skills and gain knowledge needed to excel in the field through advanced coursework in the online Master of Business Administration (MBA) with a Concentration in Human Resources program from Southeastern Oklahoma State University.
A comprehensive set of specialized knowledge and skills is key to success in HR management. Underpinning all of these skills, however, is the ability to communicate effectively.
Why Are HR Communication Skills so Important?
The name says it all. Above all else, human resources deals with an organization’s most important resource: People. In fact, many organizations are rebranding HR departments as “people operations” or “the people center” and (ideally) adopting more people- and culture-centric goals, policies and practices.
Obviously, a person can’t manage humans without interacting with them, and the key to effective interaction is communication — both verbal and nonverbal. For professionals who are thinking about a career in human resources management, it’s necessary to understand the role that strong communication skills play in the field.
The Crucial Role of HR Communication Tools and Skills
Excellent communication skills are central to almost every HR function, from talent acquisition and onboarding through having to let people go. The following processes are examples of why communication skills are vital to HR management practices:
- Good communication skills are critical when hiring new employees. Knowing how to compose questions for interviews will help ensure HR professionals find the candidate with the right fit for the position. Furthermore, a clear job description is the best way to attract qualified applicants who fully understand what the work entails.
- In many instances, effective communication can help solve problems or stop them from developing in the first place. Employees turn to the HR department when there is a problem with their job, or they have a personal problem that could affect their job performance. In these situations, an HR executive must know what questions will draw out responses that paint the full picture and how to communicate a possible resolution to the problem.
- If there is a problem between two employees, it is up to HR to negotiate a solution. Skilled negotiation takes excellent verbal and nonverbal communication skills. Employees feel comfortable opening up when they sense that they are speaking to someone who cares and listens thoughtfully. When HR professionals exude trustworthiness, it puts employees at ease and helps them feel confident that their concerns will be resolved. Likewise, special sensitivity and tact are necessary during employee performance evaluations or layoffs.
- During training sessions, an effective HR professional can have a direct bearing on how well employees learn new skills by making performance goals clear and designing employee training tools that are clear and easy to follow.
Active Listening Drives Effective Communication
To bolster productivity, workplace morale and employee engagement in an organization’s overall goals, human resources personnel need to foster an environment of open communication and active listening. It is vital that staff members feel HR managers fully hear and listen to their concerns and ideas.
Additionally, through establishing a company culture built on trust and open, ongoing communication, HR can help employees navigate the challenges of organizational change. With their uniquely people-centric position, HR leaders play a pivotal role in leading change and transforming their organizations.
Executing HR Communication Strategy Requires Professional Writing Skills
Solid written communication skills are also important for effective HR management. Management often communicates with personnel via email, instant messaging, newsletters and reports.
A fluid combination of technology-driven remote communications became ubiquitous during the COVID-19 pandemic, integrating verbal, written and “face-to-face” communications via virtual workplace platforms. Many current workforces are hybrid, combining remote and in-office environments. This type of work model necessitates fluid movement between written and verbal communication in both formal and informal settings.
It is up to HR professionals to make sure that written communication of all kinds is clear, professional and easy to understand. This is essential to the multimodal communication channels relied upon by today’s hybrid workforces. The more proficiently HR professionals can communicate through all channels, the more they are able to successfully help manage these workforces.
Choose the Right School to Get the Right Skills
Superiorcommunication skills are necessary to excel in a human resources career. The 2025 Corporate Recruiters Survey from the Graduate Management Admission Council (GMAC) found that employers emphasize the importance of communication and related interpersonal skills in recent business school graduates. According to GMAC, “Socioemotional and interpersonal skills like communication, emotional intelligence, and adaptability feature in the top current and future skills of employers across regions.”
As employers place greater value on communication, universities with MBA programs are responding by ensuring their courses develop future business leaders who can communicate effectively. For instance, Southeastern’s online MBA in HR strives to produce well-rounded executive leaders by focusing on hard skills such as data analysis and finance, as well as soft skills like communication and team building. Southeastern designed its HR MBA curricula to equip graduates with a wide range of well-honed abilities that make them attractive to future employers.
HR professionals need great communication skills. They must be adept at communicating with both top executives and junior staff members, often acting as a bridge between the two. Professionals who are interested in a future in human resources should choose a higher learning institute that understands the importance of effective communication for success in business.
Learn more about Southeastern Oklahoma State University’s online MBA in Human Resources program.