What is Human Resource Management? Explore Career Paths, Tasks and More

Human resource management (HRM) refers to the management of people as well as all resources pertaining to the human capital of an organization. These resources can range from health insurance to employee assistance programs and may include labor relations issues such diversity, workplace safety, compensation and environmental conflicts.

Human resource professionals are needed in businesses of all sizes from small, family-owned establishments to multi-national corporations in virtually every industry. HR professionals should be able to:

Human resources management is a profession with a broad scope, given that tasks can vary based on company size and needs. Some of the more common tasks associated with HR professionals involve staffing within an organization, such as onboarding new employees and advising or creating policies on employment and organizational development.

Other typical responsibilities include:
 

HR professionals work closely with department heads, hiring managers and other decision makers to determine desirable qualifications, skill sets and education levels used in the recruitment strategies for new roles.

In the past, recruitment often meant manually sifting through hundreds of resumes, but today's professionals are more likely to depend on specialized software to maintain a database of applicants and jobs. This not only streamlines the process and potentially reduces the hiring costs associated with manual labor, but also helps them to quickly track down the right candidates by searching for key skills and experience.

Many HR positions require knowledge about employment and labor laws to ensure compliance. In many firms, HR professionals are often a new employee’s first contact within the organization because they:
 

Human resource departments and HR managers are also responsible for implementing both introductory and ongoing training programs designed to provide employees with the tools they need to do their jobs and stay current in their field. They produce employee handbooks, create and administer company training and facilitate conferences, seminars or other career development opportunities for employees. These opportunities for development are designed to help organizations cultivate and retain their workforces.

The health and safety of an organization is also an important priority for HR professionals. They may communicate workforce safety guidelines or develop trainings and procedures that encourage employees to report unsafe practices without fear of retaliation. It is often important for HR professionals to understand and ensure their organizations remain within regulatory compliance with respect to workplace safety.
 

An ongoing employee performance management process is critical to ensure that employees are receiving feedback on their job performance and continuing to develop within their roles. Because compensation can be tied to performance reviews, it is vital that HR professionals implement systems and processes that aim to create consistency and fairness while minimizing opportunities for bias across the organization.
 

Another responsibility of a human resource department includes determining compensation for a position based on the role, experience and equity across the organization and industry. HR professionals use industry data to determine appropriate compensation benchmarks and ensure the company remains competitive in the market. For example, an HR professional may gather data from a compensation survey to analyze market trends and make recommendations on pay bands for positions.

Similarly, HR professionals research employee benefits across comparable industries to ensure that their benefits packages are in line with other organizations. This may include health insurance, retirement plans, employee tuition assistance and other benefits programs. HR professionals are often responsible for negotiating rates, performing cost analyses and making recommendations to leadership on the most cost-effective packages. In addition, HR professionals communicate and administer the benefits to employees.

In a small organization, the HR department may consist of an HR generalist with many different responsibilities. In a larger company, they may have several HR specialists focusing in specific areas. For example, some HR professionals concentrate solely on recruiting or onboarding of new hires, while others may work in the administration of employee benefits programs, or in compensation. No matter the size of the company, HR departments help their organizations:
 

To prepare to pursue a human resource management career, you will need to acquire skills that are unique to people side of an organization. These include human resource competencies that enable you to interact well with employees and job applicants, including:
 

Because HR professionals are needed in every industry, they often come from a wide range of backgrounds and levels of experience. But the first step in pursuing a successful career in human resources typically involves advancing your education by earning a human resource management degree or certificate.

Your career opportunities may vary depending upon the level of education you’ve acquired and whether you’ve pursued any work experience in the field.

With a Bachelor’s Degree Specialization in Human Resource Management from DeVry, for example, you may consider pursuing roles such as: 
 

Your career journey in human resource management is a step-by-step process that begins with education, continues with industry experience, and may involve the pursuit of industry-recognized certifications and advanced education.
 

Your first step will be education. It’s important to learn the skills that are specific to human resource management, as well as competencies that apply to the broader discipline of business administration.

According to the BLS, human resource specialists typically need a bachelor’s degree in HR, business, communications or a related field. At DeVry, our Bachelor’s Degree with a Specialization in Human Resource Management can help you create a strong foundation of knowledge in business and management with an emphasis on talent management.

This specialization can be earned as part of our Bachelor’s Degree in Business Administration, our Bachelor’s Degree in Management or our Bachelor’s Degree in Technical Management, which are all accredited by the Accreditation Council for Business Schools and Programs (ACBSP).²

As you progress through your career, you might find advanced education is either required or preferred. Our Master’s Degree in Human Resource Management is also ACBSP accredited,² and can help you broaden your understanding of how to work with people, manage human capital and how to lead a workforce. You’ll also learn the details behind strategic staffing and how to balance resources to amplify employee performance. 

DeVry University can help you further your knowledge of the human resource field. All of our human resources programs and specializations are aligned with the Society for Human Resource Management's (SHRM) HR Curriculum Guidebook and Templates. www.shrm.org
 

The next step on your journey will be to gain experience in the industry, which can be done in a few different ways. SHRM recommends that students pursuing entry-level jobs in HR begin building relationships by reaching out to HR professionals who attend industry conferences or speak at industry events, or getting involved with a SHRM Student Chapter so you can network with your peers, or doing an internship to help you gain practical industry experience.
 

As in other industries, human resource management certifications enhance your knowledge in HRM and demonstrate your commitment to the profession. Certifications can also be a key factor in career advancement, as hiring managers may list certain certifications as preferred qualifications on job postings.

Credentials that human resource professionals may consider pursuing include the Professional in Human Resources® certification (PHR®) by the Human Resources Certification Institute (HRCI®), the SHRM Certified Professional (SHRM-CP) and the SHRM Senior Certified Professional (SHRM-SCP) certifications offered by the Society of Human Resources Management, and the Certified Human Resources Professional (CHRP) certification offered by the Human Resources Professionals Association (HRPA).
 

Your job search should include a multi-faceted approach that utilizes every tool available to you. This includes online job boards, social media profiles, networking, smart resume building and other tactics that will help get your job search firing on all cylinders.

At DeVry, our Career Services Team offers a range of career resources to support you along this journey, while you’re in school and after graduation. Built right into the cost of your degree program, career-building tools like virtual employer events, career planning, one-to-one career coaching, networking, resume writing and more provide a robust support system to help you as you work toward your professional goals.

If you’re preparing to pursue a career in human resource management, DeVry can help you take the first step. Our Bachelor’s Degree with a Specialization in Human Resource Management can help you acquire many of the skills you need to work in today’s HR landscape. If you’re looking to advance or explore more in the HR field, our Graduate Certificate in Human Resource Management or our Master’s Degree in Human Resource Management can provide a more in depth perspective.

All of DeVry's University human resources programs and specializations are aligned with the Society for Human Resource Management's (SHRM) HR Curriculum Guidebook and Templates. www.shrm.org

The flexibility of 100% online learning at DeVry can help you balance your commitment to education with work, family and other aspects of your busy life. Classes start soon. Let’s talk about getting you started in our next session.