Part I

UNIT 1

HR Manager: Role and Responsibilities

1. Ice breaking questions.

Would you like to be the HR manager?

Is the HR manager job prestigious in your country, in the world?

What is the role of the HR manager in the company?

What kind of characteristics should the HR manager demonstrate?

2. Read and discuss the following text.

The following is the abstract from the Job Description of HR manager.

The Human Resources manager is directly responsible for the overall administration, coordination and evaluation of the human resource function.

A. Essential Functions:

1. Plans, organizes and controls all activities of the HR management department. Participates in developing department goals, objectives and systems.

2. Implements and annually updates compensation program; rewrites job descriptions as necessary; conducts annual salary surveys and analyzes and develops compensation package; monitors the performance evaluation program and revises as necessary.

3. Administers benefits programs such as life, health, and dental insurance, pension plans, vacation, sick leave, leave of absence, and employee assistance.

4. Develops, recommends and implements personnel policies and procedures; prepares and maintains handbook on policies and procedures.

5. Conducts recruitment activities; conducts new-employee orientations; monitors career-pathing program, employee relations counseling, writes and places advertisements.

6. Establishes and maintains department records and reports. Participates in administrative staff meetings and attends other meetings, such as seminars.

7. Evaluates reports, decisions and results of the department and recommends new approaches, policies and procedures to improve efficiency.

B. Competencies

1. Human Resources Capacity.

2. Ethical Conduct.

3. Strategic Thinking.

4. Leadership.

5. Decision Making.

6. Financial Management.

C. Work Environment

This job operates in a professional office environment. This role routinely uses standard office equipment such as computers, phones, photocopiers, filing cabinets and fax machines. See more at: http://www.shrm.org/

3. Answer the questions using the information from the text.

3.1. Based on text A. What are the essential functions of the HR manager? Try to group the activities of the HR manager.

3.2. Based on text B. What kind of knowledge and competencies are necessary for the HR manager job. Do you have these competencies? Do you plan to improve your knowledge in these fields?

3.3. Based on text C. What are the work conditions for the HR manager? Are you familiar with all of the mentioned office tools? What other office tools are useful for the HR manager?

4. Say if the following statements are True or False.

1. The HR manager participates in developing department objectives.

2. The HR manager weekly updates compensation program.

3. Dental insurance, pension plans, vacation, sick leave, leave of absence are the main responsibilities of the company’s secretary.

4. It is the job of the HR manager to introduce a new recruit to the company staff.

5. To write and place job advertisements is not the job of the HR manager.

6. The HR manager must have skills of strategic thinking, decision making, financial management.

7. The HR manager operates in a professional office environment, actively using standard office equipment.