Becoming an HR manager might sound like a dream come true for those who love working with people, but it can also be a real challenge for those not used to the fast-paced business world. The role of an HR manager is no longer just a "personnel" function. It includes a crucial position in shaping and implementing the company's business strategy. If you want to succeed as an HR manager, you need to understand how to align people with business goals and how to work closely with the CEO and the management team. Here’s how!
Understand the business: Your job is more than just tracking vacation days
As an HR Manager, you must deeply understand your company’s business. This means knowing more than just who’s on vacation and who’s still working. You need to understand the basic financial indicators, market trends, and the company’s strategic goals. The CEO and the board expect HR to be a key partner in decision-making that impacts the entire organization.
When you understand the business goals, you can develop HR strategies that support those goals. For example, if the company plans to expand into a new market, as an HR manager, you should be prepared to hire new talent and train existing employees to adapt to the new conditions. Knowing how to connect HR objectives with business goals is the key to your success. Think of yourself as a secret agent of productivity. You work silently, solve crises quickly, and are always one step ahead—except when it comes to the printer; we’re all helpless there.
Become a Strategic Partner: Not Just a Listener, but a Strategy Creator
The role of an HR Manager in modern organizations has changed significantly. You are no longer just a passive observer but a strategic partner. This means you need to actively participate in creating and implementing business strategies. For example, if the company wants to increase innovation, HR can develop programs to encourage creativity and innovative thinking among employees.
To become a true strategic partner, you need to build a close relationship with the CEO and other members of the board. This means you must be able to communicate clearly and effectively about how your HR plans support the broader business strategy. If you want your proposals to be taken seriously, you need to speak the language of business, not just HR terminology.
Manage talent: The right person in the right place
Your role involves much more than just hiring. Remember, you’re responsible for talent management that supports the business strategy. This means understanding which skills and competencies are needed to achieve business goals and ensuring that your organization has the right people in the right places.
One of the key tasks is establishing talent development programs. For example, if the company plans to expand in the tech sector, you should identify and develop technical skills within existing employees or hire new talent with the necessary knowledge. This is not just about filling positions but strategically aligning talent with business needs. Of course, you also need to recognize if these talents are genuinely motivated or more inclined to engage in quiet vacationing.
Align with the CEO: Be an advisor, not just an executor
An HR manager must be the CEO’s right hand in all matters related to people and organizational culture. This means you need to understand the CEO’s vision and priorities and translate them into concrete HR initiatives. The CEO wants an HR manager who can anticipate and solve problems before they become crises.
If the CEO wants to increase employee engagement, your task is to design and implement programs that boost motivation, development, and employee satisfaction. As an HR manager, you should be prepared to offer your opinions and advice to the CEO, even if it means challenging certain decisions when you believe they’re not in the best interest of the people or the organization. But be careful; if your CEO tends to change direction often, it might be wise to say, "That’s a fantastic idea! We just need to consider how it will impact employee engagement. Maybe we could introduce casual Fridays with themed costumes?".
Develop a results-oriented culture: build a forward-looking team
To be a successful HR manager, you must work on building an organizational culture that is results-oriented, not just process-oriented. This means encouraging employees to take responsibility for their outcomes and providing them with the tools and support they need to succeed.
A results-oriented culture also requires transparency and accountability. As an HR manager, you need to develop clear performance metrics and tracking systems to ensure that all employees understand their goals and how they contribute to the broader organizational objectives. And, of course, keep in mind that you may have to explain why "increasing productivity" doesn’t mean turning the office into a reality show called "Survivor: Office Edition," where the only rule is "no coffee breaks." While the ratings would be high, the show would end after the first season.
Stay updated with modern HR practices: follow trends and be innovative
Modern HR management requires staying updated with the latest trends and practices in the industry. This includes understanding the importance of diversity and inclusion, using data and analytics for decision-making, and implementing flexible work models, such as remote work and hybrid work models. Today HR managers must be able to adapt to changes in the work environment and ensure that the company’s policies reflect these changes.
Also, be ready to embrace the concept of employee experience — creating a positive employee experience from the moment they join the company until they leave. This means more than just annual salary negotiations; it means caring about employee well-being and their professional development. And don’t forget that despite all these modern practices and employee care, someone will always complain about the colour of the new office chairs. Because, in the end, the real challenge isn’t just keeping up with the latest trends but understanding why it’s so hard to please everyone... even when everyone’s working remotely.
Manage employee relations: Create harmony and trust
Managing employee relations is one of the most important aspects of the HR manager’s role. This involves building and maintaining positive relationships between employees and management, resolving conflicts, and fostering a culture where employees feel valued and respected. A good HR manager must be an expert in communication, negotiation, and problem-solving. This means you should be able to easily recognize potential disagreements and resolve them before they escalate into bigger issues.
Ultimately, managing employee relations is like directing a telenovela — always expect unforeseen twists, from unexpected sick leave to walking out of meetings. Your job is to balance all these characters and plotlines, ensuring that no one feels like the villain in this soap opera. And just when everyone thinks the finale has arrived, remember that there’s always room for another surprise, like an unexpected inspection or a team event budget cut.
How to become an HR manager and keep your sanity?
Being an HR manager is not easy. It’s a role that requires balancing business needs with human emotions and strategy with empathy. If you manage to combine all these elements, you can become a key player in your company’s success. But let’s be honest, the most important skill you’ll need is... survival skills.
Between productivity meetings, planning team-building activities, and handling complaints about office coffee, you’ll need a strategy to stay calm and keep smiling. It might be best to invest right away in a good coffee machine, a collection of sarcastic mugs for every day, and a garden gnome on your desk as a "silent" collaborator who will never interrupt you.
And remember, when all else fails, you can always organize another stress reduction webinar. Or find the perfect meme that will make everyone laugh and momentarily forget about the chaos. And, of course, you can explore our SELECTIO HR Academy, which will equip you with new skills.
Good luck — and don’t forget, humour is your strongest tool. With it, you can weather any storm... or at least survive another restructuring meeting.
