Human resources officers and managers try to get the best from the people in their organisation. They do that by making sure that their company has the right people, in the right jobs, with the right skills and qualifications.
Human resources officers may specialise or deal with all the following aspects of personnel work:
- recruiting new staff
- working with other managers to decide future personnel needs
- assessing the training and development needs of staff
- providing staff training and development
- making sure that staff have the right pay and benefits
- overseeing services such as health and safety or sports and social facilities
- counselling staff
- advising management on things like pay negotiations and employment law.
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Most human resources staff work standard office hours, although some work shifts or weekends. The work is office-based but there may be some travel.
Salaries range from around £20,000 a year for new human resources officers to over £60,000 a year for some human resources directors.
A human resources officer should:
- have good spoken and written communication skills
- be patient, tactful, diplomatic and approachable
- work well in a team
- be able to use databases, spreadsheets, word processing and accounts packages
- have management skills
- be interested in business and management.
Many types of organisations all over the UK employ human resources officers. There is keen competition for vacancies, especially for new graduates, and many gain experience in another area of work first.
Most human resources officers have a degree or postgraduate qualification. A few start in administration or clerical work with lower qualifications and move on to human resources management. There is no upper age limit for starting in this work.
Human resources officers are trained by their employer, but are often expected to work towards Chartered Institute of Personnel and Development (CIPD) qualifications.
Promotion is possible to personnel manager and then to more senior positions. Some experienced human resources officers work freelance or set up specialist consultancies.
What is the work like?
Human resources or personnel management is about getting the best from the people in an organisation. Human resources officers (sometimes known as personnel officers) ensure that their company has the right people, in the right jobs, with the right skills, knowledge, attitudes and qualifications.
Large companies that employ many people often have a human resources or personnel department with a number of staff, each specialising in one of the areas below. Human resources officers in smaller companies may deal with all aspects of the job:
- recruiting staff - producing job descriptions, placing advertisements, liaising with recruitment agencies, interviewing candidates and deciding who should get the job
- working with managers of other departments to decide future personnel needs
- assessing the training and development needs of staff
- providing staff training and development
- making sure that staff pay and benefits are in line with legal requirements and the organisation's resources but are also high enough to motivate staff
- overseeing employee services such as health and safety or sports and social facilities
- counselling staff about problems at work and personal problems
- advising management on matters such as pay negotiations, disciplinary and grievance procedures, redundancy programmes, equal opportunities policy and employment law.
Human resources managers are responsible for their own area of work and for managing staff. They are also becoming increasingly involved in strategy and planning - for instance, organisational design, business planning, internal communications and corporate social responsibilities.
Their day-to-day work involves:
- dealing with correspondence
- working with data and statistics
- drawing up plans, policies and reports
- interviewing
- negotiating
- attending meetings
- talking to large and small groups of people.
New personnel officers earn around £20,000 to £25,000 a year.
Hours and environment
Working hours tend to be around 40 a week. Some human resources officers work shifts or weekends. Extra hours may be required to meet deadlines and to cope with situations such as industrial disputes, redundancies or company reorganisation.
Most of the working day is spent in an office. There may be some travel to other branches of the organisation or to visit training providers.
Salary and other benefits
These figures are only a guide, as actual rates of pay may vary, depending on the employer and where people live.
- New personnel officers earn around £20,000 to £25,000 a year.
- Experienced personnel managers earn £30,000 to £50,000 a year.
- A human resources or personnel director might earn over £60,000 a year.
Skills and personal qualities
A human resources officer should:
- have good spoken and written communication skills
- be patient, tactful, diplomatic and approachable
- have business awareness
- understand relevant UK and EU legislation
- be fair and objective
- be flexible
- stay calm under pressure
- be able to cope with difficult situations, such as telling people that they are being made redundant
- be comfortable working with figures
- respect confidentiality
- have good organisational skills
- have problem-solving skills
- work well in a team
- be able to use databases, spreadsheets, word processing and accounts packages
- have management skills.
Interests
It is important to have an interest in:
- business
- people development
- management.
Getting in
Many types of organisations throughout the UK employ human resources officers. They include commercial organisations, manufacturers, retailers, local government and the Civil Service. Most opportunities are in cities and large towns.
A growing number of human resources officers work for specialist companies to which organisations contract out some or all of their human resources work.
There is keen competition for vacancies, especially for inexperienced graduates, and very few opportunities for school leavers. Many human resources officers gain experience in another area of work before moving into personnel.
Vacancies are advertised in the local and national press and specialist magazines such as People Management and Personnel Today. They are also available through recruitment agencies and advertised on the internet.
Entry for young people
Although there are no set minimum requirements, most human resources officers have a degree or postgraduate qualification. No specific subject is required but among the more relevant are human resource management, business studies, management, social administration and psychology.
- Foundation degree - entry requirements vary at different universities and colleges.
- Honours degree - students usually need least two A levels/three H grades and three GCSEs/S grades (A-C/1-3) in other subjects, or equivalent qualifications. These include Scottish Group Award (SGA), BTEC/SQA national or higher national award and International Baccalaureate. Specific grades and subjects are required for many degrees.
- Postgraduate courses - a first degree is usually required, or substantial relevant experience.
Some people start in administration or clerical work and then move on to human resources work. They start with a range of qualifications, including GCSEs/S grades (A-C/1-3), A levels/H grades, Scottish Group Award (SGA), BTEC/SQA national award or BTEC first or national award.
Entry for adults
There is no upper age limit for starting in this work. It is an area that is easier to enter with previous experience, for instance in law, accountancy or management.
Adults may be accepted onto degree courses without the usual entry qualifications if they have relevant experience or qualifications. They can prepare to apply for these courses by taking an Access course.
Training
Some organisations have graduate training schemes. Entrants may go straight into human resources work or gain experience first in other areas of the organisation.
Human resources officers are trained by their employer, but many are expected to work towards Chartered Institute of Personnel and Development (CIPD) qualifications. Study can be full time, part time, by block release or distance learning.
- The Certificate in Personnel Practice (CPP) provides a practical grounding in basic personnel skills, plus the knowledge and understanding required for NVQ/SVQ Level 3 in Personnel Support. With the CPP, students are eligible for associate CIPD membership.
- The Certificate in Recruitment and Selection (CRS) or in Training Practice (CTP) allows students to specialise in these areas. These also give associate CIPD membership.
- The Professional Development Scheme (PDS) has four parts: leadership and management; people management and development; specialist and generalist personnel and development; and applied personnel and development. Completing any of the first three leads to licentiate CIPD membership, and completion of all four fields gives graduate membership. This usually takes three years' part-time study. Three to five years' relevant work experience is needed to become a full member.
Human resources officers can also work towards NVQs/SVQs, which are alternative qualifications for meeting some of the standards for membership of the CIPD and can give some exemption from the PDS. They are:
- Personnel Support Level 3 (equivalent to the CPP)
- Personnel Management Level 4
- Personnel Strategy Level 5.
Apprenticeships which may be available in England are Young Apprenticeships, Pre-Apprenticeships, Apprenticeships and Advanced Apprenticeships. To find out which one is most appropriate log onto www.apprenticeships.org.uk or contact your local Connexions Partnership.
It is important to bear in mind that pay rates for Apprenticefhips do vary from area to area and between industry sectors.
There are different arrangements for Apprenticeships in Scotland, Wales and Northern Ireland. For further information contact Careers Scotland www.careers-scotland.org.uk , Careers Wales www.careerswales.com ; and for Northern Ireland contact COIU www.delni.gov.uk .
Getting on
Human resources officers often move between employers to progress. They can gain promotion to personnel manager and from there to more senior positions. In larger companies progression may be possible by specialising in one area of work, such as recruitment and selection.
There are increasing opportunities for experienced human resources officers to work freelance or set up specialist consultancies.
With multinational companies, it can be possible to work abroad.
Further information
Chartered Institute of Personnel and Development (CIPD), 151 The Broadway, London SW19 1JQ. 020 8612 6200. Website: www.cipd.co.uk/careers
ENTO, Kimberley House, 47 Vaughan Way, Leicester LE1 4SG. 0116 251 7979. Website: www.ento.co.uk
Further reading
Leaflets and booklets from the CIPD
Personnel Practice - CIPD
Magazines/journals
People Management - CIPD (fortnightly)
Personnel Today
(Some may be priced)
For further details please see:
http://www.connexions-direct.com
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