What is HR?

Human resources (HR) is a huge field that covers everything and anything to do with people as a business resource. It includes such diverse areas as recruitment and selection, training and development, remuneration and benefits, conditions and opportunities, retirement and redundancy, outplacement and counselling. It is an area of constant change, with legal, cultural, ethnic and other diversity issues presenting new challenges daily.

There is no ‘correct’ model of best personnel practice because organisations operate in different areas, in different places and at different stages of development. The whole business of people management is very complex because there is no universal solution. People answer back and interact with management decisions; other resources do not do that. There has been a shift of power, backed up in many instances by legislation, from the employer to the employee, with the latter expecting more from both work and life than was previously the case.

The Chartered Institute of Personnel and Development (CIPD) is the principal UK body that represents the human resources function. With more than 135,000 members and 48 branches, it is Europe’s largest HR development professional body. It provides library and information services, training courses leading to qualifications, CPD, and the chance to network with others at national and regional events. Members also receive its monthly magazine, People Management, which not only contains a large number of job advertisements, but also gives up-to-date information on industry developments, career opportunities, courses and so on.

Other organisations cover specific personnel areas like recruitment, outplacement, counselling and personal development, but the CIPD takes the lead in people management as a whole, and offers a range of academic and vocational standards and qualifications for the aspiring professional in this field.

Human resources skills gained in the Services

Many people in the Armed Forces see themselves as trained and experienced in personnel issues and the development of the skills of their workforce. Despite this, many find that the gap between Service and civilian practice is greater than they had imagined, and it can also be difficult to manage 21st-century expectations in a Service environment. In areas like leadership, recruitment, training and personal development, the Services’ record is a strong one. However, the unique demands of Service life leave many people unfamiliar with such topics as disabilities, trades unions, job-sharing and some of the finer points of employment law.

Some military courses in all three Services are accredited by the CIPD. Additional modules may be required in order to achieve CIPD membership at the appropriate level, which may well call for some extra work on the part of the individuals involved. Those who make the effort will acquire a transferable qualification – and one that will increasingly be useful in a military career. (To find out more, please visit the CIPD website – see ‘Key contacts – or read the extended version of this article online at: www.questonline.co.uk.) Note that the CIPD is not ‘officer only’. There cannot be a senior NCO who could not easily complete an appropriate N/SVQ at the right level, simply by using the paperwork and experience available in everyday Service life.

Skills, qualifications and training

It’s essential to have the right skills to work in HR, but it’s a competitive area, so qualifications are more or less essential, too (see below). Useful skills for a career in HR include: strong interpersonal skills (e.g. empathy, tact, discretion); ability to get on with a range of different people; capacity for teamwork; excellent organisational and administrative skills; good time management; proficiency in IT/using computers.

As for qualifications, there are bachelor degrees, higher national diplomas (HNDs) and higher national certificates (HNCs) in human resources available at UK universities and colleges, many of them linked with other subjects like business studies and technology. There are also many shorter courses on the subject in general, or in specific aspects of it, available at local colleges. There are training centres close to most major military concentrations, and qualifications can also be obtained through open and flexible learning programmes, which are well suited to a Service lifestyle. The key grade is that of Graduate membership, and there are several routes to this (note, however, that the CIPD’s Graduate membership level is due to be removed in June 2014).
An extended, more detailed version of this article is available on our website: www.questonline.co.uk.

For a personal perspective on what it’s like to work in this sector, please turn to Warren Rodgers’ case study on page 8.