Why Human Resource Management is a Great Career Choice
Are you a people person?
Does the thought of working in a fast-paced business environment excite you?
Then, human resource management might be the ideal career for you. As a Human Resource Manager, you’ll work directly with people in a business setting.
REGENT offers a BCOM in Human Resource Management that will teach you all the skills you need to attain a management position within human resources.
This article will cover what human resource management is, what tasks you can expect to perform if you choose this career, what human resource jobs exist, and more so you can decide if this is the right choice for you.
What is human resource management?
Human resource management (HRM) is the process of hiring employees, training them, and developing strategies to retain them.
A Human Resource Manager’s job is to be a direct link between the employees and management of an organisation. They are essentially the “middleman”.
Therefore, employees will speak directly to Human Resource Managers if they have a problem or request. From there, the HRM will resolve the issue themselves or escalate it to management.
Why is the demand for human resource professionals rising?
The employment of human resource professionals is projected to grow by 7% from 2021 to 2031. This is faster than many other business professions.
Over time, the role of Human Resource Managers has evolved and is considered even more critical than ever before.
This is because, in the past, human resource management mainly involved administrative tasks, such as buying employee birthday gifts, planning team outings, processing payroll, and more.
While those things are still part of a Human Resource Manager’s job description, the role has become far more strategic since these managers need to compete with globalisation, rising technologies, and new ways of working.
Furthermore, while many other roles can be replaced by technology, companies need humans to hire the right employees.
As such, businesses are investing in human resource professionals to help retain their employees — meaning the need for these professionals will continue to rise.
Main duties of a Human Resource Manager
Human Resource Managers have many responsibilities. Here’s a list of some of the top tasks they perform.
1. Staffing
Staffing involves the entire hiring process — from posting jobs to hiring the perfect job prospects. Within the staffing function, HRMs need to:
- Develop a staffing plan
- Develop policies to ensure equal employment opportunity
- Select the most promising candidates
- Recruit the ideal employee
2. Compensation and benefits
Human Resource Managers need to determine fair compensation. They must ensure that it meets industry standards and is high enough to convince people to work for the organisation.
The salary must also be fair for the candidate’s experience, qualifications, and more. Examples of things the compensation policy needs to include:
- Baseline pay
- Retirement plan
- Paid vacation
- Health benefits
- Sick leave
- Bonuses
- Tuition reimbursement
3. Developing workplace policies
Every organisation needs policies to ensure fairness and continuation of processes. Human Resource Managers and Executives are responsible for creating these policies.
Some examples of the workplace policies they create include:
- Discipline process policy
- Dress code
- Ethics policy
- Vacation time policy
- And many more
4. Retaining employees
HRMs need to retain employees by motivating them to stay with the company. While compensation is a primary motivator for employees to stay, other factors also exist. These include things like:
- Good relationships between employees and managers
- Positive work environments
- Quick resolution of issues
5. Training and development
Once an employee has been hired, HRMs must ensure that they are trained to do the job properly and continue developing new skills. As a result, this will lead to higher productivity and better outcomes for the company.
Training will also help keep employees motivated to stay with the company. In fact, companies that offer e-learning opportunities to their employees increase their retention rate by 60%.
Popular employee training includes:
- Communication training
- Team-building
- Computer training
- Leadership training
- Policy and legal training
Types of careers in human resources
Aside from Human Resource Manager positions, the human resource department also has other positions. Having a BCOM in Human Resource Management makes it possible for you to attain these careers.
- Careers Advisor
- Director of Employee Experience
- Director of Human Resources
- Employment Relations Manager
- Employment Specialist
- Human Resource Assistant
- Human Resource Coordinator
- Labour Relations Specialist
- Office Manager
- Recruiter
- Recruitment Manager
- Talent Agent
- Training and Development Officer
How to get a job as a Human Resource Manager
If you want a career in human resources, the best option is to get an education. Human resource management is a well-paid career, with the average salary of these professionals being over R33,000 per month.
Since it is a very well-paid position that works directly with policies and people, employers require you to have a qualification.
You can choose to study a qualification full-time. Or, you can study part-time while you work. REGENT offers different learning options for people who want to take the traditional learning route and those who need to work while getting an education.
Learning while you work also offers you an excellent opportunity to build your skills and knowledge to gain higher-paying positions after completing your qualification.
Study human resource management at REGENT
Are you ready to pursue your education in human resource management?
REGENT offers a Higher Certificate in Human Resource Management and a Bachelor of Commerce in Human Resource Management.
If you want to explore other career options within the business environment, consider looking at the Higher Certificate in Business Management and the Bachelor of Business Administration.
Have any questions?
Fill out our Study Enquiry Form, and one of our consultants will get back to you!