Professional Skills for Human Resources Management

Why Attend

HR professionals in today’s organizations are more than technical or subject matter experts. They are counselors, communicators, presenters, and problem solvers. This course is a logical continuation of the development made in our ‘Interpersonal Skills for HR Professionals’ course.  Although the course complements the competencies developed in the first course, it will be of significant value even if taken on its own.

Course Methodology

The program uses a discussion based approach in addressing the various topics covered combined with round table discussions, presentations, exercises, and role plays.

Course Objectives

By the end of the course, participants will be able to:

• Explain the importance of Emotional Intelligence (EI) to HR professionals and apply simple techniques to develop their emotional quotients
• Deliver balanced and well structured public speeches with ease and confidence after learning how to deal with public speaking anxiety and subduing its effects
• Describe the differences between influencing and persuading and use best techniques in applying them in HR work related situations
• Apply effective creative problem solving techniques that will help them make the right decisions at work
• List the main differences between finance and accounting
• Use various budgeting techniques and apply them immediately in HR related scenarios

Target Audience

Human resources professionals or those who are about to start a career in HR as administrators, officers or specialists. The program is also beneficial for experienced officers and managers in HR who wish to update their knowledge and skills about the latest techniques in the various behavioral competencies.

Target Competencies

• Working with people
• Presenting and communicating
• Applying expertise and technology
• Planning and organizing

• Achieving goals and objectives
• Financial acumen
• Problem solving
• Decision making

Course Outline

• Emotional intelligence (EI): the base for honing HR professional competencies
  • Definition of emotional intelligence
  • Self awareness and self management
  • The importance of EI for HR professionals
  • Developing EI competencies
  • Daily applications in the HR environment
• Public speeches and presentations
  • Purpose and objectives, different types
  • Structure of presentations
    • The three ‘s’ rule
    • The skeleton of an effective speech
    • Powerful openings
    • Previews and transitions
    • Substance or key points
    • Reviews and closing
  • Supporting your speech
  • Public speaking anxiety and how to deal with it
  • Style of presenting
    • Body positioning, hand movement, eye contact, dress and appearance
    • Mannerisms, verbal tics, verbal variety and pauses
• Persuasion and influencing
  • Definition of persuasion and influencing
  • Steven Covey’s circle of influence and circle of concern
  • HR application of persuasion and influencing
  • The different techniques of influence and persuasion
  • Use of techniques for different business and HR situations

• Creative problem solving and decision making
  • Scanning, analysis, responses and assessment
  • The problem solving cycle
  • Creative problem solving: methods and overcoming barriers
  • Link between problem solving and decision making
  • The 6 step process to decision making
• Understanding accounting & finance
  • Accounting versus finance
    • Accounting: recording and reporting
    • Finance: analysis and decision making
  • Understanding financial statements
    • Income statements, balance sheets and the cash flow statement
  • Performance measurement
    • Trend analysis
    • Common size financial statements
  • Techniques of operational budgeting
    • Importance of budgeting
    • Methods of budgeting
      • Incremental budgets
      • Zero based budgeting
      • Participative budgeting
    • Budgets as a control mechanism