What employers look for in MBA Human Resources graduates

As more and more organizations are shifting focus to providing a positive work culture to employees, the importance of a Human Resources department in organizations is increasing manifold. To fill this increasing demand, several universities offer professional courses in the Human Resources domain. An online MBA in HR is one example, aimed at equipping professionals with the desired leadership and soft skills to ensure effective employee management, higher work productivity, and commitment to overall organizational goals. 

Upon graduation, you can find plenty of online MBA job opportunities in the HR domain to make a progressive headstart in your career. This blog helps you understand exactly what employers look for in MBA HR graduates.

You may be interested in knowing more about how an MBA prepares you for various HR functions

Key Competencies and Skills

Employers are constantly on the lookout for HR professionals with specific skill sets, who are deemed eligible to fit into leadership positions in the domain of their organizations. Some of the key skills and competencies that are good to have for online MBA in HR graduates include:

• Strategic Thinking: There is a dire need for HR professionals who can align HR strategies with business goals and contribute to the overall organizational success. They are responsible for ensuring that the HR policies designed are attuned to the achievement of company goals. For instance, HR practices that help boost employee productivity and work toward employee engagement and retention.

• Leadership and Management Skills: HR professionals are expected to demonstrate leadership abilities in managing teams, resolving conflicts, and driving change within the organization. A strong HR leader observes the big picture in any challenging situation and drives the team out of it seamlessly.

• Analytical and Problem-Solving Skills: Companies are constantly in need of professionals who can analyze data, identify trends, and make informed decisions to improve HR practices. This implies critically evaluating available data on employee engagement and retention and formulating the required HR practices to improve productivity, team-building, and retention in a company. This is essential to the overall success of the organization.

Technical Proficiency

In addition to the above-mentioned skills, HR graduates in MBA are also evaluated for their technical skills, some of which include:

• HR Information Systems (HRIS): It helps to be proficient in HRIS and other HR-related technologies to streamline HR processes and enhance organizational efficiency. HRIS enables professionals to ensure the accuracy of employee data, makes clerical tasks less time-consuming, and allows easier data management for company employees.
• Data Analysis and Metrics: Being able to understand HR metrics and data analysis helps measure the effectiveness of HR initiatives and make data-driven decisions. This in turn helps improve management of the workforce and overall organizational success. Using HR metrics, you can identify evolving trends in the industry and promote a culture of continual growth and improvement.

Learn more about the 7 Human Resource Management Basics Every HR Professional Will Learn From an MBA

Interpersonal and Communication Skills

This is one of the most crucial qualities of a good HR professional and is therefore covered among the key skills in MBA in HR. Effective communication with the organization and the employees is at the heart of any business. Additionally, strong communication skills are required to facilitate communication between these two parties as well, ensuring that there is minimal scope for misunderstandings or conflict. 

HR professionals need to interact with employees at all levels, convey HR policies, and manage sensitive issues. For this, their communication skills need to be at par with the required industry standards. They are also required to focus on building strong relationships with employees, management, and external partners to foster a positive work environment. 

Knowledge of Employment Law and Compliance

When looking for skilled employees in the HR department, employers stress fair knowledge and understanding of the candidate about the law of employment and strict compliance to the same. This requires a deeper understanding of the labor laws in the country, the various regulations around it, and the different compliance issues that may emerge from time to time. It is the HR’s responsibility to ensure that the organization adheres to legal standards at all times. 

Likewise, HR professionals are expected to actively participate in the HR policy development and implementation process in the organization. They must be able to formulate company policies that comply with legal requirements and support common organizational goals.

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Talent Acquisition and Management

The HR department is at the helm of acquiring, managing, and retaining the best talent in the industry to support the achievement of organizational objectives. They are expected to be trained in the recruitment and selection processes, and capable of identifying and attracting the top talent. Additionally, the responsibility of employee development and retention also falls on their shoulders and HR professionals are expected to be able to design and implement training programs, career development plans, and retention strategies for employees.

Change Management

HR also plays an integral role in driving organizational change, including restructuring, facilitating smooth mergers and acquisitions of the brand, and fostering cultural transformations to attune to evolving trends. To be able to carry this function out seamlessly, HR must be able to demonstrate skills like adaptability and flexibility in responding to changing business needs and workforce dynamics.

Ethics and Integrity

This is yet another skill that employers are looking for in MBA HR graduates. They must be able to maintain ethical standards and uphold integrity in HR practices. They should respect confidentiality in critical business information and engage in the fair treatment of all employees, regardless of any biases.

This also brings in the element of Corporate Social Responsibility or CSR. The role of HR in India is stringy being looked at as promoting and supporting CSR initiatives within the organization. They must ensure that the candidates recruited understand and make their due contribution to social responsibility and sustainability.

Global Perspective

As organizations are fast turning global and brands extending their reach to the international market, it becomes imperative for an HR professional to be able to understand global HR practices. They must have an overall global perspective in perceiving different cultural and legal contexts when it comes to these practices. A good HR leader should be able to demonstrate efficiency in managing human resources from all parts of the world and foster employee engagement and productivity. They should be skilled in managing a diverse and inclusive workforce.

Take your career forward with Online Manipal

This blog is aimed at highlighting the scope of an MBA in HR, empowering graduates to take up crucial leadership and management roles in diverse organizations and industries, and demonstrating proficiency in recruiting, managing, engaging, and retaining human capital from various parts of the world. If you too want to fully enjoy the benefits of an online MBA in HR, sign up with Manipal University Jaipur, one of the top names in the e-learning industry. 

The online MBA in Human Resource Management (HRM) is designed to equip students with desirable skills in the field of HR, such as change management and strategic HR management. Students are also provided intensive training in the areas of compensation and other benefits, employee relations management, and organizational behavior, among others. 

Did you read: Role of MBA in today’s world

Conclusion   

We talked in detail about some of the key qualities and skills that employers from various industries seek in MBA HR graduates in India. We particularly emphasized on the student’s ability to think strategically, their technical proficiency in various HR tools designed to simplify everyday tasks, and their interpersonal skills resulting in effective employee management and retention. 

It is highly important for HR graduates to continuously develop these competencies and stay relevant to the skills desirable in the industry, even after completing their studies in the domain. For this purpose, online courses in HR can significantly help enhance their career prospects as they continue to contribute effectively to their respective organizations. 

Manipal University Jaipur’s online MBA in HR can be the first step to a lucrative career in this area. The learning experience is imparted on the Online Manipal platform in complete remote mode. The university offers placement assistance to graduates as well, helping them take the first step in their career paths.