7 Qualities That Make an Outstanding HR Specialist

Employee wellness and satisfaction have finally become the centre of the business world. Offering an outstanding employee experience is now paramount to attract real talent within a company. However, while this employee-centred mindset is a great way to put more value on human capital, it has also raised the game for HR specialists who must focus their efforts on keeping employees engaged and healthy.

So, what does it take for an HR specialist to manage to perform HR management and processes at optimal levels?

Here are the seven essential qualities every HR specialist should have:

1. Knowledge of all HR areas

No matter their industry or their job position, no one could be able to do their job right without having expertise in their field. And, HR specialists are not an exception to this rule. Having a core foundation in the many functions of HR is essential.

Every HR specialist should have in-depth knowledge in HR disciplines, including employee compensation and benefits, employee relations, recruitment and selection processes, and employee training and development.

Expertise in all these HR areas will help them serve the interests of the employees and help them protect their rights within a company.

2. The ability to remain neutral

This is a tough one because, after all, HR specialists are also humans and experience the human tendency of being subjective when making a choice between the two candidates standing in front of them. However, a successful HR specialist should have the ability to remain neutral no matter what. First of all, they are not only serving the business but also the interest of the human capital.

So, they must remain impartial and objective whenever a challenging situation arises between the company and an employee. A top-class HR specialist should be able to keep their own opinion out of the decisions related to HR management and processes.

They must rely solely on the facts presented. For example, when choosing a candidate as a potential employee, they must rely only on the skills and knowledge they can identify in the candidate. This is the only way they can make a right and appropriate choice for the interests of the company they represent.

3. Great communication skills

Excellent communication skills are another vital quality a competent HR specialist should have. They are a people person. They must interact with, perhaps, dozens of people every day, be it employees or executives. And every person they communicate with will expect them to understand all their needs and wants. Moreover, HR specialists are representatives that facilitate communication between employers and employees.

This means that both their oral and written communication skills need to be sharp to transmit information clearly and comprehensively to both employees and executives. One crucial communication requirement they must master is the ability to mediate.

Whenever a conflict arises between employees or between the employer and the employees, the job of an HR specialist is to help the two parties find the middle ground and settle for an agreement that benefits everyone.

4. Creative writing skills

Attracting and hiring the right job seekers isn’t an easy task. Whenever they click on the job posting to find out more information about the job position, they are one step closer to becoming potential employees.

However, if the job posting fails to deliver the right message, they will most likely skip to another job advertisement. Writing an engaging and comprehensive job posing is the first step HR specialists must take into finding and attracting real talent. So, one of the essential qualities they must-have is excellent writing skills.

A good job description must be concise, engaging, and offer all the information the job seeker needs to apply for an interview. Only a good job posing can attract the ideal candidate. And, the core qualities a good description should include being fun, actually listing the requirements of the job, and showing the benefits it offers.

Angela Jackson, an HR specialist at TopWritersReview, explains that  - “HR specialists who have great writing skills can avoid falling for the “copy and paste” trap when they only paste the company’s motto and description in the job ad. They can write a creative and engaging job posting that will attract even the passive candidates, which significantly increases their chances to find the ideal employee. “

5. Good soft skills

Another critical quality an HR expert should have is well developed soft skills. Once again, it should be mentioned that HR specialists work with people. And, that takes a more sophisticated way of managing their tasks than a computer would. People are complicated, and only an HR pro with excellent soft skills can handle to understand this complexity.

HR specialists should be able to show empathy towards the employees no matter the situation they are dealing with at the moment. Moreover, they should be patient and make sure they don’t lose their temper when dealing with employees.

They need to be able to listen to the questions and the needs of the employee to provide them with the best solution to their problems. And, it isn’t rocket science that a good listener must be armed with a lot of patience.

6. Problem-solving skills

HR specialists are meant to solve employee problems. Whenever an employee is facing a challenge related to their work, employee benefits, or with their coworkers, they can talk to the HR experts for help.

So, it comes as no surprise that a good HR pro must know how to handle difficult situations. HR specialists need to have the ability to make quick decisions. But not just any decision. They need to use their problem-solving skills to provide a solution that will diffuse tense or combative situations.

7. IT skills

In today’s modern workplace, technology has been integrated more than ever before. Almost every company is undergoing a digital transformation within all its departments and processes. And, with the increasing amount of employee data, the implementation of modern technological solutions in the HR departments is a must.

So, just like today’s marketers must focus on offering outstanding customer experience, HR pros must also master IT skills to use technology and deliver the best employee experience. Modern HR departments use the latest software and other technological solutions to manage employee data more efficiently.

Don't be good, be great

Being a great HR specialist takes having all the qualities mentioned above to successfully guide, support, and help the employees while also keeping the values of the company upstanding.

About the author

Dorian Martin is a seasoned writer that explores a wide variety of topics, ranging from marketing and SEO to HR and organizational design. He also regularly contributes to his blog — Not BusinessAsUsusal. His pieces are always catchy and informative, which is why we recommend you keep an eye on him.

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Tags: Recruitment , Human Resources, Talent Management , Guest Post