Post job

Explore jobs

Find specific jobs

Explore careers

Explore professions

Best companies

Explore companies

OverviewJobsSalaryResume

Skills

What They DoEducationCertificationsDemographicsJob DescriptionHow To HireBest CompaniesBest StatesBest CitiesJob OutlookCompareEntry Level jobsFull Time jobs
zippia ai icon

Automatically apply for jobs with Zippia

Upload your resume to get started.

Human resources generalist/manager skills for your resume and career

Updated January 8, 2025
6 min read
Quoted experts
Dr. Vinh Nguyen Ph.D.,
J. Adam Shoemaker Ph.D.
Human resources generalist/manager example skills
Below we've compiled a list of the most critical human resources generalist/manager skills. We ranked the top skills for human resources generalist/managers based on the percentage of resumes they appeared on. For example, 10.3% of human resources generalist/manager resumes contained payroll processing as a skill. Continue reading to find out what skills a human resources generalist/manager needs to be successful in the workplace.

15 human resources generalist/manager skills for your resume and career

1. Payroll Processing

Here's how human resources generalist/managers use payroll processing:
  • Improved efficiency of payroll processing and accessibility of employee/payroll data for both Human Resources and accounting departments.
  • Administered payroll processing, working closely with outside payroll service and internal accounting department.

2. Performance Management

Here's how human resources generalist/managers use performance management:
  • Created the Human Resources Department, including developed and established performance management, progressive discipline policy and recruitment policy guidelines.
  • Promote performance management through creating job descriptions, initiating performance reviews, and guiding managers through performance improvement planning.

3. HRIS

Here's how human resources generalist/managers use hris:
  • Audited personnel payroll for accuracy and input confidential employee salary increases into HRIS data system.
  • Formulated and designed: company HRIS system from initial conception to final implementation.

4. Disciplinary Procedures

Disciplinary procedures deal with improper conduct and other related issues in an office or work environment. It is a set of rules, actions, and policies that an employer can take to deal with disciplinary problems. These procedures are a more formal way to deal with an employee who has been having issues relating to their behavior, work quality, or office leaves.

Here's how human resources generalist/managers use disciplinary procedures:
  • Assisted management to help resolve under-staffing, refereeing disputes, exiting employees and administering disciplinary procedures.
  • Listened to grievances and implementing disciplinary procedures.

5. Workers Compensation

Here's how human resources generalist/managers use workers compensation:
  • Established guidelines for workers compensation/return to work program resulting in reduction of lost time during employee accidental injuries.
  • Managed accident reporting for general liability, workers compensation and qualified OSHA guidelines.

6. Exit Interviews

Exit interviews are meetings conducted by management representatives with employees who are separating from the company. These interviews act as a measurement scale to assess the individual's overall experience with the organization. Having a standardized procedure of exit interviews helps the company to manage risks effectively. It can increase employee retention, engagement and helps to decide what decisions are fruitful and what aren't inside the organization.

Here's how human resources generalist/managers use exit interviews:
  • Mediated employee relations issues, conducted investigations, assisted supervisors with employee performance documentation, counseling, terminations and exit interviews.
  • Conducted exit interviews, provided recommendations for corrective action and advised management on formal discipline or termination of employees.

Choose from 10+ customizable human resources generalist/manager resume templates

Build a professional human resources generalist/manager resume in minutes. Our AI resume writing assistant will guide you through every step of the process, and you can choose from 10+ resume templates to create your human resources generalist/manager resume.

7. FMLA

Here's how human resources generalist/managers use fmla:
  • Benefit Administrator for all staff benefits including health benefits, sick time, vacation time and FMLA and workman's compensation.
  • Monitored performance appraisal, LOA, FMLA, disciplinary, termination and other processes for compliance with legal and company policies.

8. Safety Training

The guidance and skills taught to workers and employees of a company to carry out their duties safely and efficiently are referred to as safety training. The purpose of safety training is to inform workers about the potential and risks associated with this kind of work and to teach them ways to avoid such risks.

Here's how human resources generalist/managers use safety training:
  • Co-facilitated Safety Audits, Area Safety Training, and Process analysis.
  • Administered monthly Health & Safety training and developed operating procedures.

9. Background Checks

Here's how human resources generalist/managers use background checks:
  • Facilitated applicants background checks on the basis of employment history and criminal history/oversee all drug screenings.
  • Conducted background checks and education verification checks.

10. Open Enrollment

Open enrollment means a duration that comes every year that a person can sign up for health insurance or change the plan that a person has, for instance, if a person needs to deregister. The activity always features in a few weeks or months within a year. It allows workers to alter their benefit plans, including vision, dental, health insurance, life insurance, and disability.

Here's how human resources generalist/managers use open enrollment:
  • Produced and delivered all employee communications, including quarterly newsletter, open enrollment presentations and materials and wellness initiatives.
  • Partnered administrator for benefit administration--including open enrollment, answering benefit questions, resolving complaints, etc.

11. EEO-1

Here's how human resources generalist/managers use eeo-1:
  • Facilitated annual performance review process, revised handbook, and provided EEO-1 and DOL reporting.
  • Develop and implement an Affirmative Action Plan and conduct EEO-1 reporting annually.

12. Training Programs

Here's how human resources generalist/managers use training programs:
  • Designed and delivered customized management skills training programs for corporate client teams involving complex project management responsibility across all HR functions.
  • Supervised and managed employee development and training programs in conjunction with lean manufacturing programs streamlining production processes and improving safety.

13. Benefits Administration

Here's how human resources generalist/managers use benefits administration:
  • Conducted hiring process, including employment screening, interviewing, negotiations, relocation, and benefits administration.
  • Developed and conducted Company's on-boarding process for all new hires including benefits administration.

14. Disciplinary Actions

Disciplinary actions refer to a corrective measure taken against an employee for unsatisfactory behavior. Many work environments have a tiered system for disciplinary action, where the first warning is verbal and the second is written. Disciplinary action may be given after a weak performance review, a violation of company rules and policies, or a poor customer review.

Here's how human resources generalist/managers use disciplinary actions:
  • Assigned work, conducted evaluations, appraising performance, developed plans for professional skills, recommended rewards and appropriate disciplinary actions.
  • Performed employee performance evaluations, salary recommendations, hiring and termination of staff and enforcing disciplinary actions when necessary.

15. PTO

Paid time off or often referred to as PTO, is given in most companies or agencies intended for their employees. Although there are many benefits and time offs given for employees such as vacation leave, sick leave, maternity or paternity leave, bereavement leave, PTO is when the worker is given time to have a break or not go to work for essential purposes. This kind of agreement happens every year, wherein the workers are paid to have a break from work. Not all employers give such an offer, depending on the status of the company.

Here's how human resources generalist/managers use pto:
  • Prepared reports by compiling summaries of earnings, taxes, deductions, PTO liabilities, and non-taxable for accounting and Management.
  • Handled all matters of employee benefits, such as enrollments, benefits, and PTO's.
top-skills

What skills help Human Resources Generalist/Managers find jobs?

Tell us what job you are looking for, we’ll show you what skills employers want.

What skills stand out on human resources generalist/manager resumes?

Dr. Vinh Nguyen Ph.D.Dr. Vinh Nguyen Ph.D. LinkedIn profile

Professor of Business Administration, Coe College

The most important skills for new graduates, particularly for HRM majors, are adaptability and problem solving. The ability to continuously learn and change is critical during this crisis and with on-going technological advancements. A willingness to face any problems and to find creative solutions is also highly desirable in this changing world. Thus, people who are highly aware and possess a growth mindset will stand out in the labor market.

What hard/technical skills are most important for human resources generalist/managers?

J. Adam Shoemaker Ph.D.

Associate Professor of Management & Human Resources, Saint Leo University

Even though these skills are much more trainable, it helps if HR professionals are familiar with HR information systems.
There are too many to name them all here (sorry, no free advertising)! It would be difficult for a candidate to be familiar with every platform a company might use for their HRIS, but it is good to know that they generally work in the same ways.
If the company asks if you have experience with a particular platform that you have never heard of, always be truthful but still be ready to ask intelligent questions about it: "I'm not too familiar with that platform, but I'd be curious to know about your employees' experiences with it. How long have you been using it, and how robust is the self-service interface?"

What soft skills should all human resources generalist/managers possess?

Dan Wiljanen Ph.D.

Affiliate of Practice Professor, SHRM Student Chapter Adviser, Grand Valley State University

Soft Skills
-Active Listening - Giving full attention to what other people are saying, taking time to understand the points being made, asking questions as appropriate, and not interrupting at inappropriate times.
-Critical Thinking - Using logic and reasoning to identify the strengths and weaknesses of alternative solutions, conclusions, or approaches to problems.
-Service Orientation - Actively looking for ways to help people.
-Social Perceptiveness - Being aware of others' reactions and understanding why they react as they do.
-Judgment and Decision Making - Considering the relative costs and benefits of potential actions to choose the most appropriate one.
-Complex Problem Solving - Identifying complex problems and reviewing related information to develop and evaluate options and implement solutions.
-Coordination - Adjusting actions concerning others' actions.
-Time Management - Managing one's own time and the time of others.

-Competencies - Blend of skills, abilities, and knowledge
-Integrity - Job requires being honest and ethical.
-Cooperation - Job requires being pleasant with others on the job and displaying a good-natured, cooperative attitude.
-Attention to Detail - Job requires being careful about detail and thorough in completing work tasks.
-Dependability - Job requires being reliable, responsible, and dependable, and fulfilling obligations.
-Adaptability/Flexibility - Job requires being open to change (positive or negative) and considerable variety in the workplace.
-Stress Tolerance - Job requires accepting criticism and dealing calmly and effectively with high-stress situations.
-Concern for Others - Job requires being sensitive to others' needs and feelings and understanding and helpful on the job.
-Social Orientation - Job requires preferring to work with others rather than alone and being personally connected with others on the job.
-Analytical Thinking - The job requires analyzing information and using logic to address work-related issues and problems.
Initiative - Job requires a willingness to take on responsibilities and challenges.
-Persistence - Job requires persistence in the face of obstacles.

What human resources generalist/manager skills would you recommend for someone trying to advance their career?

Sandi DornheckerSandi Dornhecker LinkedIn profile

Vice President of Human Resources, Chicago Zoological Society

Using technology in a work setting (such as Zoom or Microsoft Teams) and a focus on soft skills such as collaboration and flexibility (being willing to learn and contribute any way you can) will become increasingly important.

What type of skills will young human resources generalist/managers need?

Dwaine Turner Ph.D.Dwaine Turner Ph.D. LinkedIn profile

Assistant Professor, East Central University

Graduates will need to be multiculturally competent, have great interpersonal skills, and Telehealth exposure. Upcoming graduates will be faced with providing services to a diverse population that will be very challenging, as a result of the COVID-19 pandemic. The graduates will have to implore the usage of their interpersonal skill set to strengthen the therapeutic alliance between counselor and client relationship. Also, the new trend in the profession is virtual sessions, which can be awkward at times but very necessary with the current landscape of society. The graduate will have to be more creative when creating an environment that is therapeutic in a virtual meeting room to allow the client to emote/divulge sensitive information.

What technical skills for a human resources generalist/manager stand out to employers?

Again I believe that this will largely depend on the industry the graduate goes into. But there are some skills that will stand out regardless. In my opinion those might include skills such as knowledge of multiple computer programs; not just Microsoft Office, but website development programs, creative graphic programs, social media management programs, etc. I have a former student who designates on her calendar every Friday morning for 90 minutes she teaches herself a new program, or at least familiarizes herself with it. I love this! What a great dedication to making herself more marketable in the workforce. Other skills that are important include video creation, learning industry-specific software (do a little research on this to prepare for a job interview), project management, data analysis, and strong research skills.

I'd be remissed if I didn't add that technical skills are important to pair with what many call "soft skills" or what I like to refer to as "necessary skills" such as interpersonal communication, communicating well on teams, critical thinking, problem solving/conflict management, and presentation skills.
Do you want to know more?
Read more about what experts have to say about human resources generalist/manager

List of human resources generalist/manager skills to add to your resume

Human resources generalist/manager skills

The most important skills for a human resources generalist/manager resume and required skills for a human resources generalist/manager to have include:

  • Payroll Processing
  • Performance Management
  • HRIS
  • Disciplinary Procedures
  • Workers Compensation
  • Exit Interviews
  • FMLA
  • Safety Training
  • Background Checks
  • Open Enrollment
  • EEO-1
  • Training Programs
  • Benefits Administration
  • Disciplinary Actions
  • PTO
  • Unemployment Claims
  • Performance Reviews
  • Human Resources Policies
  • Employment Law
  • Cobra
  • Federal Laws
  • I-9
  • ADP
  • Succession Planning
  • Conflict Resolution
  • Labor Relations
  • Performance Appraisals
  • Reference Checks
  • Kronos
  • Open Positions
  • Organizational Development
  • Hr Administration
  • Life Insurance
  • Incentive Programs
  • State Laws
  • Personnel Policies
  • Compensation Claims
  • Performance Evaluations
  • Sexual Harassment
  • Benefit Programs
  • Legal Compliance
  • FLSA
  • E-Verify
  • DOL
  • Management Training
  • Compensation Programs
  • Recruitment Process
  • HIPAA
  • STD

Updated January 8, 2025

Zippia Research Team
Zippia Team

Editorial Staff

The Zippia Research Team has spent countless hours reviewing resumes, job postings, and government data to determine what goes into getting a job in each phase of life. Professional writers and data scientists comprise the Zippia Research Team.

Updated January 8, 2025

Browse executive management jobs