7 Most Critical Skills For HR Managers & Directors In Singapore

HR manager is one of the most in-demand jobs today.

HR managers and directors have a wide range of responsibilities and constantly shifting priorities. As an HR manager, you might be responsible for recruitment, onboarding, career development, performance reviews, compensation and benefits, and employee relations, among other tasks.

According to recent findings by the National Trade Union Congress in Singapore, the number of HR practitioners in this country has increased by 73%, from roughly 23,000 reported in 2010 to more than 40,000 in 2020. The statistics further indicate that this number is expected to rise from here on out, as new businesses register in Singapore and multinational corporations are looking to set up a base here. This trend is not only taking place in Singapore but also around the world. In the United States, the Bureau of Labor Statistics has projected that by the year 2028, the demand for HR professionals will grow by 7% annually, making it one of the fastest-growing fields in the working industry.

Do you have the skills to shine in an HR position?

As human resources are expected to play a more prominent role in the future, higher expectations are being set for current and aspiring HR practitioners. Human resources can be considered the foundation of a business, enabling employees to build and maintain healthy relationships and strengthening the overall business culture. Since people’s working needs and requirements constantly evolve with time, human resources also have to keep up with these expectations in order for a business to stay competitive in its respective industry and attract top talents.

Therefore, HR professionals need to be equipped with the necessary skills to handle such a heavy responsibility and workload to propel a business forward.

Top 7 skills and competencies HR Managers Must Have

If you plan to become an HR manager or would simply like to take your work performance to the next level, this article contains the most crucial skills and competencies for you to acquire.

1. Effective Communication Skills

Communication is by far the most significant aspect of a human resources job. The role of HR managers is incredibly people-centric, as it requires them to interact with other people on a daily basis and disseminate important information and policies to internal stakeholders in the company. In many situations, employees see HR managers as problem solvers and would turn to them to solve several issues, such as conflicts between employees and job dissatisfaction, to name a few. HR managers are also expected to interact with external parties when conducting interviews and dealing with laws and regulations. As such, HR managers should know how to express themselves clearly and be articulate.

The role of human resource management entirely surrounds one component, human capital. While some people tend to be more people-oriented in nature, others may not be as successful in bringing people together. If you belong to the latter group, this does not mean you cannot provide good human capital management. As long as you take the initiative to learn and obtain these skills through a Graduate Diploma in Human Capital Development, you can look forward to preparing the business for the future by employing the right talents and managing employees more effectively.

2. HR Business Partnership Skills

Truth be told, almost all jobs require the individual to have good organizational skills in order to complete their daily tasks, be productive, and avoid poor work results. However, this skill is especially important for HR managers as they have to take on many responsibilities, such as doing performance appraisals, managing employee relations, and supervising the hiring process.

The definition of an HR business partner is an experienced human resource professional who works directly with an organization’s senior leadership to develop and direct an HR agenda that closely supports organizational goals. Moreover, HR managers can also expect to look after piles of files containing sensitive data and information about the company and its employees. Suppose an HR manager is unable to organize well. In that case, this will result in a disorganized company, which brings its own set of challenges, like a high employee turnover rate and an ineffective recruitment process.

Organizational skills are learned and improved over time, not born with them. If you are looking to be more organised and of greater help to your company and its employees, enrolling in a Graduate Diploma in Organizational Psychology can provide you with the necessary knowledge and resources to better address organizational problems and promote a positive workplace culture, among other things.

3. HR and People Analytics Skills

Like many other industries, human resource management is transitioning to a more technologically advanced environment. From utilising HR management software to drafting up spreadsheets on Google Sheets or Excel, it is impossible for HR managers to not be proficient in technology and digital literacy. HR Analytics skills are critical for HR professionals, leaders, managers, and business consultants to use people-data, collected by HR systems (such as payroll and absence management), and business information (such as operations performance data), to provide people professionals and their stakeholders with insights about their workforce, HR policies, and practices, ultimately improving evidence-based decision making. HR professionals proficient in data and analytical skills will also be able to measure the effectiveness of HR policies, as well as their impact.

4. Career Coaching Skills

Career coaching is a valuable benefit for employees. HR practitioners who are equipped with career coaching skills and credentials like the Aventis Career Coaching Certification will be provided with the skills and competency to enhance employee productivity and improve career planning for valued employees. Whether you are a professional in transition, exploring a new career change or seeking to establish new career opportunities as a Professional Career Coach, there has never been a better time to embark on a Career Coach Certification program, where you can tap into your wealth of experience and assist others in identifying and achieving career success.

This goes hand in hand with communication skills. Considering that most employees spend the majority of their time at work, employees must get along well with each other and maintain a healthy well-being. This is where HR managers come in to achieve this goal. There are several methods that HR managers can implement to make sure that employees do not act like strangers and can come together as a team. Aside from holding 1-to-1 meetings with employees to hear their concerns and suggestions, HR managers have to build cross-functional teams, encourage social interactions between employees, and even plan and host team-building events on some occasions. All these tasks require the HR manager to have the skills and knowledge to develop and nurture employee relationships.

5. Managing Remote Team and Across Borders

Businesses today are embracing remote trends and are hiring top talent from different countries. And managing remote teams is the responsibility of a manager. As the manager of remote team members, your job is to nurture, guide, and support team members, which is a challenge in itself. This is a guide for managers to manage their remote lives and make employees happier. With remote and hybrid working, HR leaders must be equipped with the skills to manage across borders. Regardless of your industry, you will be working with people from different cultures and across borders. Through a critical awareness of key people resourcing and cross-cultural management techniques, you will need to develop evidence-based strategies which can add value to organisations.

6. Agile Thinking Adaptability

As mentioned at the start of this article, the field of human resource management is always changing. Whether it is a difference in preference and priority for workplace culture or people are more inclined towards a people-oriented leadership style, the working environment is no longer the same as before as a younger workforce comes forward and our economy is becoming more digitalised. An HR manager should pay attention to these changes and ensure the company acclimates to these changing expectations.

In order to do so, the HR manager should first be adaptable and willing to listen to listen to new ideas and suggestions. Since HR managers are tasked with creating and executing rules and procedures in the company, they are influential in allowing the workplace to transform with the times. Our Master of Science in Global Human Resources Management provides an established platform for experienced HR professionals to develop their adaptability skills to make better decisions for the company to adhere to shifting business conditions.

7. Ethical and HR Leadership

Last but not least, HR managers should never forget to lay down and set in place their decisions based on ethical norms and guidelines. Ethics in HR means helping an organisation embed and uphold its values at all levels in order to maintain and increase trust. Accountability, or taking responsibility, plays a key part. While this factor is publicly acknowledged and known, there are certain grey areas where it can be challenging for HR managers to be ethical, particularly when there are no conspicuous right and wrong answers. Regardless, HR managers should not practice preferential treatment or discriminate against employees based on their race, sexual orientation, or personal beliefs.

Conclusion

Unfortunately, not many people acknowledge that the job of human resource management can be incredibly tough and demanding. For HR managers who feel they are not making a great enough impact on their company and its employees, it is essential not to be discouraged and to look forward to developing their skill set.

Aventis Graduate School can help you achieve your goal of becoming an outstanding HR manager who provides guidance and assistance to employees. From offering master degree in Global Human Resource Management in Singapore to part-time MBA in Singapore, our range of internationally recognised courses is specially designed to cater to working professionals. Enrolling in our programmes not only allows you to gain expertise and attain competencies to succeed as a HR leader, but provides you with an opportunity to network with other HR professionals in Asia and Europe as well. Find out more about our programmes here.