In the age of rapid digitalization, empathy is deteriorating fast. With people being treated as resources, managers of those resources need to find innovative ways to connect with actual humans.
HR managers who know how to connect professionalism with emotions are, hence, invaluable. They know how to inspire the workforce while they’re upholding company values and driving organizational success.
Emotional Intelligence
HR managers typically need to act upon any human emotion quickly. Since these people basically align employees with organizational objectives, a fine balance is more than welcome.
HR managers with high emotional intelligence are skilled in deciphering complex human interactions and managing all kinds of tricky situations.
To begin with, they can resolve conflicts more efficiently given that they’re able to understand the underlying emotions driving the issue. Moreover, they can empathize with the parties and find mutually beneficial solutions.
Needless to say, such an approach inspires trust and confidence. On the other hand, HR managers can understand employees’ motivation and create a positive experience based on these insights.
Crisis Management and Preparedness
It naturally follows that such HR managers are skilled in one of their primary tasks, namely crisis management. Whether it be an economic downturn or an organizational crisis, HR managers with high emotional intelligence are certain to deal with it efficiently.
The primary reason why this is so is that such professionals understand the importance of proactive planning for potential crises. They waste no time assessing risks, developing contingency plans, and establishing communication protocols in advance.
While some downsides of crises cannot be averted, these procedures minimize their impact and enable the business to respond swiftly.
Effective Communication
Transparent communication is critical for maintaining trust during crises but it’s also vital during regular times.
Namely, it is the chief component of team collaboration that contributes greatly to establishing a supportive work culture.
HR managers typically set up various channels to accommodate all eventualities and work models, the common ones of which include emails, meetings, closed social media groups, and intranet platforms.
In addition to keeping communication going, these also serve to boost employee engagement.
Navigating Organizational Change
HR managers play a crucial role in managing organizational change. The higher their levels of emotional intelligence, the better their understanding of how change impacts individuals emotionally and intellectually.
It’s a well-known fact that change can be unsettling for employees who may feel overwhelmed or fearful of the unknown. HR managers can anticipate concerns and support employees through transitions, which may include various complex processes such as mergers and acquisitions, restructuring, technological advancements, cultural transformations, and process improvements.
Basically, they do this by providing support and training to help employees adapt to change more effectively.
Celebrating Success
In the fast-paced times we live in, organizational change is inevitable. From implementing new technologies to restructuring departments to adapting to market shifts, businesses must be proactive in order to remain competitive.
On top of these processes being stressful, they’re also difficult to cope with. It’s solely upon HR managers to recognize and celebrate success during difficult times. Even the achievement of milestones and small victories can make employees more relaxed.
Celebrating success serves several critical purposes. First of all, it acknowledges the efforts and contributions of employees and teams. More often than not, teams work tirelessly to implement new processes or adopt new technologies. Too often their contributions go unnoticed, which shouldn’t be common practice.
Secondly, celebrating success helps maintain employee morale and engagement. Finally, the practice reinforces positive behaviors and attitudes every business likes to see in its employees.
Given that change is typically met with resistance and even fear, it is crucial to communicate that employee contributions are valued.
Coaching Skills
One of the primary qualities of exceptional HR managers is their ability to coach employees with a passion. Rather than focusing solely on company profits, these professionals are invested in developing others.
As a general rule of thumb, they act as mentors rather than managers and give proactive feedback to help employees grow in the way they want to grow.
Role Modeling
Role modeling is one of the greatest responsibilities of HR managers. Unlike other departments, HR transcends mere procedure management and is supposed to involve inspiring and guiding employees.
HR leaders capable of leading by example by demonstrating desired behaviors, values, and attitudes are certain to empower people to meet their professional goals.
Role modeling is not only essential for building trust and credibility; it also contributes to driving organizational change and establishing a supportive work culture.
This trait is significant on a higher level as well. Scilicet, role modeling plays an important role in talent development and succession planning. HR leaders who invest in their own professional development set an example for others.
In a nutshell, HR management is a fine mixture of emotional and intellectual traits that appeal to people. Leaders who excel at these skills are keepers.
