HR generalist: Key duties and skills (2024)

What is an HR generalist?

Among the HR roles with the greatest variety is the HR Generalist. These specialists often become the first HR hires in the majority of businesses, participating in hiring, pay, administration, and other areas while gaining extensive knowledge of their firms.

This article will go into great detail on the duties of an HR generalist, the knowledge and abilities needed for the position, how to apply for the position, and other details. Without further ado, let’s get into it.

Rather than focusing on just one area of work, an HR generalist usually handles a wide range of HR-related tasks. The majority of HR duties are covered, such as recruiting, development and training, staff engagement and performance, pay and benefits, and talent recruitment. HR generalists participate in all facets of the employee life cycle and assist leaders in decision-making pertaining to people.

The demands of the company heavily influence an HR generalist’s daily tasks and goals. For instance, if a tech business was seeing rapid expansion, capacity building would be crucial. Thus, the diverse knowledge and experience of an HR generalist would be a plus.

As businesses expand, HR departments separate the responsibilities of HR Generalists into increasingly specialized positions, with subject matter experts overseeing each of these divisions. Nonetheless, some companies retain the title to designate an individual carrying out one of the main human resources-related duties of the organization.

Instead of referring to a true generalist who handles every aspect of human resources, many organizations use the term “HR Generalist” to denote a blend of HR Business Partner and Employee Relations roles.

What is the role of an HRgeneralist? Tasks and responsibilities

The job description for an HR generalist varies slightly based on the local employment rules and regulations in every company and country. For instance, managing the company’s health insurance is often part of the job description for an HR generalist in the US. But, in other nations, where health insurance is not offered by employers, this may not be required.

The most common duties of an HR generalist are listed below.

1. Hiring and Orientation

Every business requires a person to find and hire new hires. Managers in small businesses might take care of this until it gets to be too much work. However, this is frequently a primary duty of an HR generalist. Tasks related to hiring and onboarding include:

• Organizing job advertisem*nts
• Finding potential candidates
• Vetting resumes
• Administrative tasks related to setting up the hiring team’s schedule for interviews
• Interviewing people
• Putting together a job offer
• Directing the salary talks
• Checking references and background information
• Overseeing the onboarding of new employees
• Observing all applicable legal requirements for reporting and record-keeping
• Advising hiring managers in their capacity
• Coordinating with immigration to obtain foreign hires’ visas

The hiring and onboarding process is necessary for all employees, which is why it’s so important. It matters who hires people for a company, not just who they hire. Ineffective recruiting and onboarding procedures can cause outstanding applicants to fall through the cracks, discontent among recent hires, and a bad first impression of the company.

2. Administration and support for employees

Maintaining correct personnel records, including employee files, HRIS information, and other HR documents, is the responsibility of HR generalists. In addition, they are frequently the initial point of contact for staff members with queries or worries about agreements, documentation, and other matters.

The duties of an HR generalist also include taking leaves of absence for personal or medical reasons. This may entail managing leave policies, staying organized with paperwork, and abiding by all laws and regulations. In order to appropriately classify and authorize the leave, the HR generalist must have a solid understanding of the various forms of leave.

3. Benefits coordination

HR generalists can manage inquiries and administrative duties concerning benefits and privileges offered to employees, such as health insurance, retirement programs, pensions, and paid time off.

They could also be in charge of researching the benefits and pay plans of rival companies in order to help the company recruit top talent with an alluring rewards program.

4. Relations between employees

All of the daily tasks involved in managing the human side of enterprises are included in employee relations, such as:

Training in management: HR generalists should be the foremost authorities on manager-employee interactions. They should also train managers in providing constructive criticism and in establishing and preserving a solid rapport with their team.

Discrimination/harassment investigations: looking into allegations of gender discrimination, sexual harassment,race discrimination, age discrimination,and national origin discrimination and determining how the business should respond.

Misconduct investigations: Not all forms of employee misconduct, such as generic rudeness and violence, are classified as harassment.

Terminating Employees: The HR Generalist should be there as a support person and a witness, when the immediate supervisor notifies the employee of their termination. Managers must always confer with HR before terminating an employee.

Interviewing departing employees: HR generalists frequently have a conversation with departing employees to find out why they are leaving, and this information can help improve the company going forward.

Managing collective bargaining and facilitating communication between the company, employee work council, and trade unions are two more responsibilities of the HR generalist in labor relations. The significance of this particular duty is contingent upon the country in which the generalist is working.

5. Management of performance

HR generalists supervise the full performance management process, including goal-setting, performance reviews, and career development planning, in collaboration with managers.

6. Compliance

HR generalists will also be responsible for managing risk, keeping up-to-date HR records to guarantee accuracy, and guaranteeing compliance with all applicable federal, state, and local rules and regulations.

7. Education and Training

HR generalists will also be in charge of creating and carrying out staff training and development initiatives in smaller HR teams. This covers workshops and orientation programs, mentoring, leadership development training, and more.

8. Other duties

An HR generalist may also be responsible for additional duties, depending on the business and the structure of the HR department. Among the strategic duties are the following:

Planning for succession: Who will take over as CEO if they decide to resign? How about the manager of marketing? Is the company preparing employees to fill these positions as needed? Are plans in place for development and training?

Structure of organization: An HR generalist can assist in determining which organizational structure best fits the demands of smaller enterprises.

Skill in communication: The HR generalist delivers the company’s message to the workforce, whereas the marketing or public relations department concentrates on reaching out to clients.

Expert in culture and values: An HR generalist makes sure that the company promotes a happy and effective work environment by attempting to match employee behavior with organizational ideals.

The HR generalist position also comes with a number of difficulties.

Business executives sometimes demand immediate answers to their questions. “It depends” is usually the best response that HR professionals, and generalists in particular, can provide, rather than a simple “yes or no,” according to Eric Mochnacz, Senior HR Consultant at Red Clover HR.

As an example:“Can I fire this person?”Yes, in a sense.Anyone can be fired. However, the HR generalist’s job is to learn more about the circ*mstances, perform aninvestigation, and offer the most sound advice going ahead.Businesses that want quick judgments and answers may find it difficult to work with a generalist who takes time to gather all the information they need to properly run the company.

Additionally, they are a generalist, as the name implies. They “know enough to be dangerous”, but they may need to find external support or support from a more specialized colleague in order to provide concrete, compliant, and best-in-practice guidance, explains Mochnacz.

Skills and competencies of an HR generalist

What are the essential HR generalist talents and skills required to carry out the role’s responsibilities? Below, let’s examine them in greater detail.

1. Hiring and selecting

Finding eligible applicants, picking the best ones, and figuring out how well their abilities and behaviors match with the company culture and manager expectations are some of the main responsibilities of an HR generalist.

The ability to conduct effective interviews with candidates and establish an equitable and inclusive hiring process for all parties is a crucial competency required to avoid bias and discrimination.

2. Communication abilities

Building relationships throughout the company, HR generalists will be interacting with managers, stakeholders, and employees for a significant portion of their workday. They will require excellent communication skills, compassion, emotional intelligence, and the capacity to interact with others at all corporate levels if they are to be successful in this. Put another way, they must adjust their strategy to fit the target audience.

The difficult job of representing the business and functioning as an activist for employees falls on HR professionals. Striking a balance between the two is essential.

HR generalists must master the art of transforming data into compelling narratives in order to convey a message to stakeholders and leaders and win support, as data plays a bigger role in business.

3. Data management and HRIS

All human resources professionals, including HR generalists, must possess a solid understanding of technology. The majority of data pertaining to hiring, payroll, performance, and benefits will be kept in an HRIS (Human Resource Information System), so the HR Generalist must be proficient in using this tool and capable of deciphering and interpreting the information they find within.

Understanding important HR metrics and working with data is increasingly essential since it helps HR to make decisions that are supported by facts and are advantageous to the company.

4. Project oversight

The ability to manage projects is necessary to prioritize activities, expedite work, and accomplish objectives. HR generalists with strong project management abilities can benefit from:

• Organizing finances, schedules, and personnel.
• Effectively communicating with management, stakeholders, and staff.
• Organizing and carrying out team-building activities and training sessions.
• Creating plans for a change in management.

5. Management of employee relations

For an HR generalist to effectively create and manage employee interactions, they must have great communication skills, compassion, and emotional intelligence.

Workers will approach them with questions, complaints, disputes, and more. It’s crucial to be able to provide a secure environment where workers can communicate honestly and freely. Judgment-free active listening is essential.

6. Knowledge of employment legislation and compliance

HR generalists are responsible for making sure the company complies with all applicable employment rules and regulations pertaining to hiring, benefits, pay, and employee relations.

Since laws are always changing, it’s important to stay informed of these developments and take the initiative to adopt any necessary adjustments in the workplace.

7. Working together

HR generalists have to collaborate not just with other HR specialists but also with leaders, managers, employees, and other stakeholders. It follows that a key competency for this role is the capacity to collaborate and build relationships with individuals from a variety of backgrounds.

Stakeholder management, change management, ethics, and data privacy are a few of the growing HR competencies that are becoming more and more crucial as laws, technology, and business practices change. It is imperative for aspiring HR professionals to acquire these competencies in order to equip themselves for the dynamic nature of the workplace.

In the last ten years, the HR generalist position has changed more than it has in the previous fifty years, according to expert Tara Furiani. The job is no longer only pushing papers. These days, it’s like having a Swiss Army Knife with a tool for any issue and a scenario, claims Furiani.

As AI and automation replace menial activities, they are becoming key players tackling difficult problems in employee engagement, performance management, and talent acquisition.

Future prospects for the HR generalist position indicate that it won’t be boring at all. The workforce is changing quickly, making this position even more important. The human component will be given more attention as technology makes routine tasks simpler.

HR generalists will require increased strategic thinking, sharpness, and savviness. They must be knowledgeable about data analysis while keeping in mind that people with goals, desires, and worries are hidden behind the statistics. Furiani says that we’retalking about becoming the architects of the table itself, not merely taking a seat.

In addition to the abilities and competencies on this list, certain employers could want HR generalists to possess additional credentials, including a college degree.

Becoming an HR generalist

There isn’t just one way to become an HR generalist. Many people who work in this field have taken different paths to get there. In order to become an HR generalist, you need concentrate on the following five areas.

1. Expand your understanding of the various HR roles.

Since an HR generalist works in many different areas of HR, gaining expertise in these areas will help you land a position in the field. Furthermore, as an HR Generalist role is not entry-level, a certain degree of experience and expertise will be needed.

If your career is just getting started, think about doing an internship to gain additional knowledge about the various facets of HR. If you currently work in HR, check to see if there are any chances for job shadowing or job rotation both in other departments and within your own.

2. Obtain certification as an HR generalist.

Think about signing up for and earning a certification in HR generalist training. This will equip you with the skills and information need to be successful in the position. You can now use this information in the workplace by putting it into practice. Furthermore, you can finish the HR Generalist certification at your own speed while still carrying out your other obligations and working at your existing place of work.

Consider looking into additional qualifications as well. While a degree is not a must for every HR Generalist position, it can help set you apart from the competition. Look at local job advertisem*nts to find out what qualifications employers are looking for. It could be a bachelor’s or master’s degree, but it could also be an advanced certification. Certain fields of study, such as business, organizational development, psychology, or human resources, can be necessary. This will change according to the size and industry of the company.

3. Put an emphasis on lifelong learning

Concentrate on acquiring essential HR skills if you want to advance in your job and upskill.

You should focus on improving your business acumen and commercial awareness, soft skills (such asactive listening and communication), and digital and information literacy (being tech-savvy and data-driven) in addition to the previously listed abilities like hiring and selection and personnel data management.

More and more, organizational culture will be shaped by HR generalists, predicts Rhonda Gardner, Director, Global People & Talent, Global Press. Gardner states that HR generalists of the future may become Organizational Culturists.

As technology makes processes more automated and efficient, there might be a stronger focus on using HR generalist expertise to develop and improve organizational cultures. To build and improve an organization’s culture, HR generalists will need to hone their abilities in organizational behavior,employee wellbeing, industrial psychology,and organizational design.

4. Craft a compelling resume for an HR generalist.

You should customize your CV for each job you are looking for. Emphasize your most relevant education, training, and work history, making sure to adjust them to the job description and company.

Prove that you are the most qualified applicant for the HR generalist role by demonstrating your understanding of the company. Don’t forget to include any internships or previous employment that relate to the position. Experience in leadership, operations, or administration, for instance, in a different function or sector, may still be useful.

5. Be ready for the interview with the HR generalist.

Make sure you are ready for the HR generalist interview by becoming acquainted with some possible questions. Typically, a variety of questions pertaining to roles, behaviors, situations, problem-solving, qualities, and motivation will be asked.

As an example:

• How would you make sure that federalrules and regulations are followed?
• If a worker approached you alleging sexual harassment, how would you respond?
• What do you believe to be the most difficult task facing an HR generalist, and how do you intend to overcome it?
• What makes you feel that you are a good fit for this position?

Salary for an HR Generalist

Pay for an HR generalist position varies based on your level of expertise, the company’s size and location, the nature of the work, and the degree of responsibility assigned. An HR generalist, for instance, who oversees 25 employees will probably make less money than one who oversees 150 employees and also manages individuals in specialized areas.

As per Glassdoor, the mean yearly income of an HR generalist in New York is $75,455, whereas in Texas it is little less than $65,000. According to PayScale, the average yearly pay in New York is $70,098 whereas it is $59,547 in Dallas, Texas.

HR specialist versus HR generalist

Being an all-arounder, an HR generalist is knowledgeable in a variety of HR topics, such as hiring, payroll, benefits and compensation, and HR compliance. On the other hand, an HR specialist possesses a more profound understanding and proficiency in a certain domain, such as pay and benefits.

The majority of HR duties may typically be completed by an HR generalist in small organizations, with further training provided as needed. Bigger companies typically hire HR specialists since they manage more employees and have larger budgets.

A specialist can take on all of the responsibilities of an HR Generalist. It makes sense for subject matter experts to oversee each area in larger organizations. This enables in-depth understanding and customized instruction.

Should the company hire specialists, the HR generalist will assist in areas like hiring, employee relations, benefits and wages, and learning and development.

HR manager vs. HR generalist

An HR specialist who oversees a large number of the standard everyday tasks and obligations in an HR department is known as an HR generalist. Although they will oversee a group of HR generalists or specialists, HR managers are still HR professionals.

Even though they might carry out some of the same tasks, the manager’s main objective will be to supervise the department as a whole rather than take on a particular assignment.

One last thing

An HR generalist’s job is multifaceted and will change every day because they oversee the majority of people-centered duties and procedures within an organization. An efficient HR generalist will guarantee legal compliance, help the business attract and retain the best people, and create a good atmosphere. Until a company reaches a size where it needs (and can support) HR specialists, it plays a crucial role.