Human Resources Manager / Personnel Manager
Human resources managers and personnel managers are responsible for policies and practices in an organization dealing with the recruitment and selection of employees, improving performance and productivity, pay and fringe benefits, and for creating a good relationship between managers and employees.
The tasks of human resources managers differ according to the size and type of organization. Human resources managers who work in the banking industry for instance, will work with different kinds of employees to those in a mining industry.
They are also responsible for tasks such as the development and updating of human resources development programmes or training programmes, payment practices and staff administration. Human resources managers are responsible for ensuring that labour laws, wage agreements and conditions of service are followed. They may play a vital role in negotiating with trade unions and employees' associations as a representative of the management of the organization, especially if the organization does not have an industrial relations officer or manager dedicated to this task.
Larger organizations usually have a team of human resources officers who are each experts in one or more aspects of the work. These include staffing, human resources development or training, staff utilization, organization planning and development, labour relations, remuneration, research, staff welfare and administration. In larger organizations, a personnel manager may report to a human resources director.
Emerging specialists within this field include international human resources managers, who handle human resources issues related to a company's foreign operations, and human resources information system specialists, who develop and apply computer programs to process personnel information, match job seekers with job openings and handle other personnel matters.
Human resources managers have ongoing contact with professional associations. They may attend meetings and influence organization policies relating to staff development and planning.
Satisfying Aspects
- working in a challenging field
- dealing with people
- working normal office hours
- inspectiing technological advances that may increase productivity
- opportunities for promotion
- contributing to an organization's success
- obtaining positive results when dealing with labour related issues
Demanding aspects
- working longer hours in, for example, arbitration cases
- occasionally having the unpleasant task of dismissing a staff member
- failure in labour related disputes
Requirements
A human resources manager should:
- speak and write clearly and effectively
- enjoy working as part of a team
- be fair and objective
- beproficient in languages
- be able to detect problem areas and offer solutions
- work well with all kinds of people
- be able to make friends easily
- be practical, adaptable and tactful
- enjoy taking the lead
- betolerant of different views
- diplomatic, but also able to be firm
School Subjects
National Senior Certificate meeting degree requirements for a degree course
National Senior Certificate meeting diploma requirements for a diploma course
Each institution will have its own minimum entry requirements.
Compulsory Subjects: Languages
Recommended Subjects: Mathematics, Accounting, Economics and Business Studies
Training
Degree: Courses in Human Resource Management or Sciences are available at US, Monash, NWU, UFH, UV, UZ.
Post-graduate: courses are offered at NMMU and UNISA.
Diploma: Human Resources Management is offered at the following universities of technology: UNISA, DUT, VUT, UJ, CPUT, CUT, TUT.
Some FET colleges also offer courses - eg Flavius Mareka, SW Gauteng, Port Elizabeth, N Cape, Vuselela, and private colleges such as Intec and Damelin.
A diploma in Personnel Management is also obtainable via a 3-year correspondence course through the Institute of Personnel Management, which offers short courses lasting 6 months in Training Technology.
Employer
- government departments
- municipalities
- mining companies
- commerce and industry
- self-employment, for example as an employment agent
Contact
The South African Board for Personnel Practice
P O Box 2450
Houghton, 2041
Tel: (011) 773-6240
Fax: (011) 773-6224
E-mail: sabpp@pixie.co.za
Institute of People Management [SA]
P O Box 868
Randburg, 2125
South Wing, Ground Floor,
287 Kent Avenue
Ferndale
Tel:?(011) 329-3760 Fax: 086 676 2719
www.ipm.co.za
www.sabpp.co.za