In the people business
In the people business
How about going into a field where you get to control people and money? Interested? If yes, take a look at a career in human resources.
Human resources, training and labour relations officers provide the link between a company's management and employees. The department of human resources is responsible for handling employees' benefits, recruiting, interviewing and hiring new staff.
However, this is no longer the only tasks human resource officers and managers fulfil, according to Lien Els, associate professor of human resource management at the University of Wollongong Dubai and founder of the Academy for Business Development, which caters to the business and human resource development needs in the public and corporate sectors.
She spoke to Notes during a one-day human resources conference on campus that brought together HR managers and officers and representatives the National Human Resource Development Authority (TANMIA). Issues of emiratisation, recruitment and selection, changing workplace relations and labour market changes in the UAE were discussed.
A strategic function
"A major shift" has taken place in the field of human resources, said Els, where the department no longer serves a "personnel" function but a "strategic" one.
Companies' focus now is on acquiring "human capital" and the "intellectual wealth" they bring with them.
"Human resources is now about development, hiring talents, managing them and retaining them," she said.
In the past, anyone who can perform administrative work took a stab at human resources. Now, according to Els, the labour law no longer tolerates the practice. "The legalities are now more visible. It has put the emphasis on human resources as a career. People with no qualifications have no place in HR," she said.
What you need
"You need a degree or a diploma, depending on which country you are in. Also, you need to have a passion for people. If you don't like people, don't even think of going for human resources," said Els.
Managing diversity is a must in the profession, especially if you are working in a country like the UAE, she said. "You will be managing people from different countries and you should be able to manage change. Dubai is constantly changing and you need to keep up with that and with your organisation's needs," she explained.
Another skill is problem solving, said Els.
Human resources and Emiratisation
In June 2006, a ministerial decision in the UAE stipulated that all human resource managerial positions in companies with more than 100 employees be emiratised.
Saif Ebrahim Al Nuaimi, Director of the Centre for Career Guidance and Planning at the National Human Resources Development Authority (Tanmia), said the focus will be on job seekers and how to develop their skills rather than to force companies to employ people for the sake of employing people.
Mike Hynes, partner at Kershaw Leonard, a leading recruitment specialist, was at the Recruitment and Selection Labour Law and Emiratisation conference organised by the University of Wollongong Dubai last week. He said that the private sector should create workplaces that Emiratis would want to be part of, and foster a "UAE national-friendly environment" to ensure real integration.
"On the other hand, UAE nationals should also take steps to prepare themselves for the private sector by becoming competitive and employable," he added.
What sorts of jobs would a person in human resources do?
- The director of human resources: He supervises several departments, each headed by a manager who specialises in one human resource activity, such as employment, benefits, training and development, or employee relations.
- Employment and placement managers: Supervises the hiring and placement of employees; he manages various workers including equal employment opportunity specialists and recruitment specialists.
- Recruiters: Maintains contacts within the community and may travel considerably, often to college campuses, in search of promising job applicants.
- Equal Employment Opportunity (EEO) officers, representatives, or affirmative action coordinators: Handle EEO matters in large organisations. They investigate and resolve EEO grievances, examine corporate practices for possible violations, and compile and submit EEO statistical reports.
- Employer relations representatives: They work in government agencies, maintain working relationships with local employers and promote the use of public employment programmes.
- Compensation, benefits, and job analysis specialists: Conducts programmes for employers and may specialise in specific areas such as position classifications or pensions.
- Job analysts or position classifiers: They learn about job duties to prepare job descriptions.
- Employee benefits managers and specialists: They manage the company's employee benefits programme, notably its health insurance and pension plans.
- Training and development managers: They conduct and supervise training and development programmes for employees.
— Information courtesy of: www.bls.gov
