Question: What Is a Human Resource?
Answer:
William R. Tracey, Human Resources as: "The people that staff and operate an organization"; as contrasted with the financial and material resources of an organization. Human Resources is also the organizational function that deals with the people and issues related to people such as compensation, hiring, performance management, and training. A Human Resource is a single person or employee within your organization.
Question: What Is Human Resource Management?
Answer:
Human Resource Management (HRM) is the function within an organization that focuses on recruitment of, management of, and providing direction for the people who work in the organization. Human Resource Management can also be performed by line managers.
Human Resource Management is the organizational function that deals with issues related to people such as compensation, hiring, performance management, organization development, safety, wellness, benefits, employee motivation, communication, administration, and training.
Departments are the entities organizations form to organize people, reporting relationships, and work in a way that best supports the accomplishment of the organization's goals. Departments are usually organized by functions such as human resources, marketing, administration, and sales.
But, a department can be organized in any way that makes sense for the customer. Departments can also be organized by customer, by product, or by region of the world.
The forward thinking human resource department is devoted to providing effective policies, procedures, and people-friendly guidelines and support within companies. Additionally, the human resource function serves to make sure that the company mission, vision, values or guiding principles, the company metrics, and the factors that keep the company guided toward success are optimized.
The most common Human Resource jobs that are grouped in the Human Resource Department are the Human Resources Director, Human Resources Generalist, and Human Resources Assistant. Additionally, some organizations have a Vice President of Human Resources and employees who are organized around providing a specific component of Human Resource services including compensation, training, organization development, and safety.
Human Resource Development is the framework for helping employees develop their personal and organizational skills, knowledge, and abilities. Human Resource Development includes such opportunities as employee training, employee career development, performance management and development, coaching, succession planning, key employee identification, tuition assistance, and organization development.
The focus of all aspects of Human Resource Development is on developing the most superior workforce so that the organization and individual employees can accomplish their work goals in service to customers.
Human Resource Development can be formal such as in classroom training, a college course, or an organizational planned change effort. Or, Human Resource Development can be informal as in employee coaching by a manager. Healthy organizations believe in Human Resource Development and cover all of these bases.
Question: What does a Human Resources professional do?Human Resource professionals can work as any of the follwing :
- Human Resources Manager, Human Resources Generalist, or Human Resources Director
- Labor Relations Manager, the Director of Industrial Relations, and Labor Relations Staff
- Dispute Resolution Specialist, a Conciliator, an Arbitrator, and a Mediator
- International Human Resources Manager
- Training Manager, Training Director, or Training Specialist
- Employee Assistance Plan (EAP) Manager
- Benefits Manager
- Employment Manager, a Recruiter, or a Placement Specialist
- Employer Relations Manager
- Compensation Manager
- Job Analysis or Occupational Specialists and Managers
Answer:
No, you don't have to have a degree to work in the field of Human Resources, but the lack of a degree will limit you to the lowest level functions in the Human Resources office. When Human Resources Assistants come to work with a Bachelor's degree for $30,000, why would a forward thinking office hire an employee without a degree?
That said, there are some jobs as Human Resources Administrators or as Payroll Specialists that may not require a degree. You will also not expect to advance very far in your HR career in these roles without a degree.
Increasingly, however, Human Resources professionals have both Bachelor's degrees and Master's degrees. Since Human Resources is a highly competitive field, the more education you have, in appropriate subjects, the better your chance for excellent job prospects and a successful career. Another trend I am seeing is Human Resources Directors with a Ph.D. and/or a Juris Doctor (J.D.), legal degree.
Many longer term Human Resources professionals argue that a degree is unnecessary, that they built a successful career up to and including positions as Vice President, without a degree. But, this is not the trend for jobs in Human Resources. A Human Resources professional, who wants to participate in the strategic leadership of a business, needs a degree.
Answer:
No, you don't need any kind of certification to work in the field of Human Resources. Increasingly, however, Human Resources professionals are seeking certification as a Professional in Human Resources (PHR) or Senior Professional in Human Resources (SPHR) through the Society for Human Resources Management (SHRM). There are additional certifications available through professional associations in such areas as Compensation and Benefits management.
Keep in mind, going forward, that you will be competing in the job market with people who have earned these certifications that will be valued in the job market depending upon the company’s requirements and depending upon the job.
In my experience, many companies recognize these certifications as measuring transactional and administrative-type functions. Companies looking for more strategic, financial, and organization development skills in their HR staff don't advertise these credentials as essential for applicants. In fact, many post these certifications as optional or decide not to require them at all.
Answer:
Your membership in a professional association, related to your area of concentration in the Human Resources field, will be dependent upon your interests and professional development needs. Certainly, you can attend meetings and training and conference events, but your most significant payback will accrue from serving in leadership roles within the associations. You will make professional networking contacts and help direct the course of your professional association’s work. Professional associations often drive the work of professionals in your field of interest.
Many professional associations have local chapters. Depending upon their convenience to your location, you can obtain valuable leadership and professional experience serving in leadership and volunteer roles within your local organizations.
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