Human resources manager

Human resources (HR) managers help organisations to find and employ the right people and manage them effectively. They deal with issues such as training and development, employee relations, health and safety, rewards and benefits programmes, and planning future recruitment needs. Some HR managers have a general role, while others specialise in a particular aspect of the work.

Also known as:

Human resource officer
Personnel officer

Work activities

Human resources (HR) managers (also called personnel officers) could have a wide variety of tasks, depending on the nature and size of the organisation they work for. Larger companies often have specialist HR managers in areas such as recruitment, employee relations, health and safety, training and development, or human resource planning. Managers in smaller organisations are more likely to be generalists, dealing with all personnel issues.

HR managers work with line managers to help them with recruitment and selection. A HR manager might, for example:

Draw up a job description and person specification.
Advertise the vacancy.
Check application forms.
Devise the interview procedure and questions.
Organise tests for candidates.
Explain conditions of service, for example, holidays and pensions.
Sometimes help to select the successful applicant.
Obtain references.
Send an offer of employment letter.
Draw up a contract.

HR managers might advertise vacancies on their organisation’s website or through social media. They might contact recruitment agencies, newspapers, specialist journals or Jobcentre Plus offices, to advertise them. They might provide careers information to raise interest in, and awareness of, the organisation. They could liaise with careers offices and also advise people directly, for example, at careers fairs. In employee development, managers analyse the training needs of groups and individuals; they plan, and put into practice, suitable activities that will develop people and give them new skills. HR managers might plan an induction and skills programme for new staff, or a regular appraisal system to make sure staff are working effectively and feel satisfied. HR managers might also organise personal counselling sessions for staff.

Sometimes, HR managers give training themselves; more often, they arrange training by other staff or with outside organisations. They also need to assess and evaluate the effectiveness of training and its benefits for the organisation. HR managers might also be responsible for employee (or industrial) relations. This means they help to promote good working relationships among employees, and between employees and their managers. They might deal with disputes over issues such as wages and salaries, unfair dismissal, sexual or racial harassment, age discrimination, bullying, working hours and health and safety. The work might involve discussing and negotiating with individuals and groups, sometimes including trade union officers.

Being able to read, write and speak Welsh may be an advantage when you’re looking for work in Wales.

Personal qualities and skills

As a human resources (HR) manager, you’ll need:

Excellent verbal and written communication and interpersonal skills.
The ability to relate to people from many different backgrounds.
Strong problem-solving and negotiating skills.
A friendly, approachable manner.
An understanding of the need for confidentiality.
Good number skills, to analyse statistics, for example.
The ability to work well in a team.
Good organisational skills.
An interest in, and an awareness of, how organisations work.
IT skills.

Pay and opportunities

Salary levels for human resources (HR) managers vary depending on the size of company and the range of responsibility. HR managers earn in the range of £18,000 to £35,000 per year, rising to significantly more with seniority and depending on the sector.

HR managers usually work 38-40 hours, Monday to Friday, with occasional extra hours required.

Where could I work?

Employers are firms in industry and commerce and public sector organisations such as the health service and local and central government. HR officers work in towns and cities throughout the UK.

Where are vacancies advertised?

Vacancies are advertised in professional journals/websites such as People Management and Personnel Today, on job boards, in local/national newspapers, and on the Government’s Find a Job service.

Entry routes and training

A-levels in subjects such as law, business studies and psychology might help candidates to enter professional human resources (HR) management courses, although other A-levels are acceptable. A level 3 (advanced) apprenticeship in HR support is also a great place to start. Graduates in any subject can enter HR work, although subjects such as business studies, law and psychology are particularly relevant. There are specialist degrees in human resources management, and also courses combined with business.

Entry might sometimes be possible for holders of HNDs. There are also foundation degrees in business and in human resource management, with full-time and part-time study options. There are some relevant postgraduate courses in human resource management. Membership of the Chartered Institute of Personnel and Development (CIPD), although not essential for entry, is generally looked on as an asset by employers in this competitive area.

The CIPD offers awards, certificates and diplomas at Foundation, Intermediate and Advanced levels, leading to Associate, Chartered Member and Chartered Fellow membership. Courses are available part-time, on a block-release basis, and through supported distance learning or flexible learning. Most students study part-time while in employment.

HR managers can progress to senior management and director posts after further training and experience.

Qualifications

To get onto an advanced apprenticeship, you will need GCSEs in English and maths, although you may be able to complete these alongside your programme.

Many entrants are graduates. The usual academic entry requirements for a degree in any subject are:

Two to three A-levels.
GCSEs at grades 9-4 in two to three other subjects.

Depending on the course, you might need GCSEs in English at maths at grades 9-4. For some courses, you might need very good GCSE results.

Alternatives to A-levels include:

Edexcel (BTEC) level 3 National qualifications
International Baccalaureate (IB) diploma.

However, course requirements vary so check prospectuses carefully.

Adult opportunities

Age limits: It is illegal for any organisation to set age limits for entry to employment, education or training, unless they can show there is a real need to have these limits.

Some applicants have skills and/or qualifications in other fields, for example, management, law or senior administrative work.

Access courses: If you don’t have the qualifications needed to enter your chosen degree or HND course, a college or university Access course (for example, Access to Business) could be the way in. These courses are designed for people who have not followed the usual routes into higher education. No formal qualifications are usually needed, but you should check this with individual colleges.

Distance learning: The Chartered Institute of Personnel and Development (CIPD) offers distance learning, part-time and flexible study programmes for its qualifications. Many centres offer CIPD qualifications via the CIPD Flexible Learning scheme -see the CIPD website for a comprehensive list of centres. A few postgraduate qualifications in human resource management are available by distance learning. For information about which are currently accredited, contact the CIPD.

Related careers

Careers adviser
Employee relations adviser
Fast stream civil servant
Health service manager
Manager
Recruitment consultant
Trade union officer
Training officer