Business, Management

How to Protect Your Reputation as a Valuable Human Resources Rep

human-resourcesHuman resources professionals are responsible for wearing many different hats, all of which involve the difficult, mostly unpredictable, task of interpreting, guiding, organizing, and strategizing around human nature. For this reason, it seems that the human resources specialist is exceptionally vulnerable to character attacks based on emotion and misunderstanding (two things that sometimes can’t be avoided when working with employees who must be managed). If you are concerned about maintaining a professional and effectual image, then here are some tips for you. Read here to learn how to protect your reputation as a valuable human resources rep:

Stay informed. The field of human resources is constantly growing and evolving, just as technology and diversity are rapidly changing the workplace environment. Being competent in your profession is a matter of staying informed of current trends that affect how you operate, and in what capacity, on the job. For example, being a human resources rep used to be about keeping employee records and processing payroll, whereas now it is a much more far-reaching and hands on position that may entail anything from executing mentoring programs to conducting team building exercises.

Socialize. It would be a big mistake to stay in your office all day, filing paperwork and creating spreadsheets. As previously mentioned, human resources is more hands-on than it has ever been, which means that it is your job to know your employees. You must get out there into the trenches and socialize. Make it a point to assimilate with the work force in a way that keeps your hand on the pulse of the company culture, so that you can identify exactly what your team needs from the human resources department.

Address problems directly. As a human resources manager, it is inevitable that you will sometimes have to do things for the company that certain employees don’t agree with. This may be anything from mandatory training to annual employee reviews. Whatever the case, there will be times when a disgruntled employee can pose a threat to your reputation. When this happens, you should address the problem directly, by speaking to the employee who is making a wake and taking measures to resolve any negative feelings and, if necessary, take disciplinary action to stop inappropriate workplace behaviors.

Being a human resources rep is a serious responsibility, and that that requires a multitude and wide array of considerations, one being your reputation. If you want to ensure that your reputation as a human resources professional is representative of your competence, then you should pay special attention to the advice detailed here.

This article was published on behalf of Glenn Hicks is an HR rep who works hard to have a good reputation in the office. He does everything from managing the Smartrecruiters online recruitment system to handling employee complaints and resolving disputes.

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