So, now you want to do a great HR Training course?
OK, so if you think HR stands for “heart rate”, then you’re in the wrong place, sorry. But, if you know HR stands for Human Resources, then read on! If you’re interested in HR as a career, then there are some things you can do to get there, including doing courses.
Firstly, what’s HR all about? What role does it perform, and for what size businesses?
What would a good HR Training course teach me?
Essentially, HR takes care of all those things that employees need in order to keep them employed. Things like wages, superannuation, health & safety, training and professional development, recruiting, developing job descriptions, change management, etc.
But the savvy businesses will use HR to try to make their employees happy to come to work … and be productive at work.
They’ll use smart and innovative ways to attract, retain and get the best out of their staff. For example, casual-dress Fridays, holding graduation parties when their people finish a course, be open to flexible working arrangements or even create a child-care centre at work for parents who are employees.
You can see how these things might be attractive to the employees, over and above a good salary. You can expect to learn how to apply these tactics and more in an HR training course.
What size company? Normally, you won’t get a dedicated HR person until the company has about 50 employees. Less than that, and the HR type tasks fall to the Business Admin person, or 2IC. More than 50, and you’re starting to need a full-time person to manage everything.
Where would you apply for an HR Training course?
Because HR is intended for bigger businesses, you’ll normally only find an HR training course from a Diploma level and up.
Sometimes, you can find an HR training course from a uni. They might offer it as a strand to a Bachelor of Business course. You’ll learn about all the HR things that are required for a corporate situation, and this is good if you want to work for a bigger company.
You can also find HR training courses via TAFE of online Training courses. These tend to be a bit more practical and will look at specific case studies to learn how other businesses have behaved. They will probably ask you to apply your knowledge to practical assessments, which is great if you want to work in a business that has only 50 -100 employees, or if you’re stepping up from an Admin role to take over the HR jobs.
If you don’t want to do a full HR Training course, you can still pick up a bunch of subjects (or units) out of a full course. For example, here are just a few examples of what you could do;
- Manage recruitment selection and induction processes,
- Manage organisational change
- Manage people performance
- Implement and monitor WHS policies
- Manage diversity in the workplace
Want to know more about what a great HR training course will teach you?
In a good, practical HR Training course, you should learn about the following areas;
Communication
o consulting with internal and external stakeholders
o interviewing, counselling, negotiating and acting as an advocate for the organisation
o questioning to clarify and evaluate information
o writing in a range of styles to suit different audiences
Teamwork
o treating team members with integrity, respect and empathy
o working with others and clearly identifying the roles and responsibilities of the human resources team, line managers and external contractors
Problem-Solving
o conducting cost-benefit analyses, determining salary packaging, and assessing and managing risk
o generating a range of options to resolve human resources issues
o identifying appropriate data-gathering techniques for training needs analyses
o managing organisational change and diversity
Initiative & Enterprise
o being responsive to change and translating ideas into innovative solutions
o promoting flexible work practices and encouraging diversity
Planning & Organising
o analysing strategic and operational plans in order to plan, deliver and evaluate the human resources service delivery or agreement
o collecting, collating and analysing information using appropriate workplace business systems
Self-management
o complying with legislative and statutory requirements
o planning own work, predicting consequences and identifying improvements
o presenting a professional image when representing the organisation
Learning
o supporting the implementation of learning and development initiatives as identified by performance review processes
o identifying and providing training support
o mentoring and coaching others
Technology
o selecting and using technology to record, track and retrieve information
o selecting appropriate human resources systems
o using electronic communication devices and processes, such as internet, intranet and email to produce written correspondence and reports
o using technology to facilitate change, assist the management of information, and assist the planning process
Becoming a valuable HR person
A great HR person can build a bridge between the employees and the business. They will create a culture where people feel engaged, wanted, valued and part of a ‘community’.
In return, that employee gives all they have for the business, which will enjoy high levels of productivity.
So, you can see how valuable a great HR person is to a business, and maybe HR Training is the next step for your career.
