Human Resources

Human Resources Generalist

Overview

A Human Resources generalist is responsible for recruiting, hiring, and training employees, as well as managing employee benefits and compensation. They also handle employee relations issues and ensure compliance with labor laws and regulations.

The main responsibilities of a Human Resources generalist include recruiting and hiring new employees, developing and implementing training and development programs, managing employee relations and handling conflicts and grievances, administering employee benefit programs, developing and enforcing HR policies and procedures, and maintaining accurate HR records and reports.

Common tasks 

    TaskRelated trait(s)
    Recruiting new employees and extending job offers Equity and inclusivity
    Creating job postings, conducting intervies and managing onboarding and offboarding of employees  Understanding others Emotional intelligence Calmness under pressure Attention to detail
    Managing payroll compensation and benefit programs Confidentiality
    Providing training and development opportunities to employees Attention to detail
    Maintaining employee records and ensuring confidentiality Confidentiality
    Advising managers and supervisors on employee relations issues, such as performance, disciplinary actions, and conflict resolution Equity and inclusivity Problem Solving Adaptability
    Developing and implementing policies and procedures, that are communicated effectively to employees Learning agility Helping others
    Coordinating performance review processes 
    Conducting employee surveys and analyzing data to identify areas for improvement Data literacy
    Develop strategies to achieve employee engagement and retention Problem Solving
    Ensuring compliance employment laws and regulations Written Comprehension

    Soft skills measured by TraitForward

    TraitNo of QuestionsCronbach’s  alpha (α)
    Written Comprehension40.81
    Can they comprehend difficult reading material?
    Equity and inclusivity100.74
    Do they have a sense of equality?
    Compliance with group norms90.74
    Do they follow rules?
    Confident communication60.77
    Are they socially confident?
    Data literacy80.71
    Are they confident with data? Do they want to know how things work? Do they look at the facts before they make a decision?
    Problem Solving50.73
    Are they problem solvers?
    Adaptability60.73
    Are they flexible?
    Confidentiality40.55
    Are they trustworthy to deal with issues such as confidentiality?
    Effective communication110.84
    Do they express themselves effectively?
    Understanding others80.71
    Do they understand others?
    Respecting group practices90.72
    Do they like being included in a group?
    Learning agility70.75
    Do they feel comfortable for new learning?
    Emotional intelligence70.83
    Do they understand emotions and intentions of others?
    Calmness under pressure50.77
    Can they remain calm in difficult situations?
    Attention to detail70.75
    Do they have a desirable work ethic? Do they pay attention to details?
    Helping others60.75
    Do they like helping others?
    *Cronbach’s alpha coefficient (α) determines the extent to which the questions consistently measure each trait and it is expressed as a number ranging between 0 and 1 . Higher values indicate higher agreement between questions.  A value of α equal to greater than .7 indicates acceptable reliability or internal consistency.  For more information on the psychometric properties of the solution, please click here.

    Did you Know?

    Source: US Department of Labor – Bureau of Labor Statistics

    Median wage: 

    $62,290 / per year

    $30 / hour

    A relatively low annual wage is $37,680 (10th percentile)

    A relatively high salary of the annual wage is $108,160 (90th percentile)

    Expected employment growth:

    Number of professionals occupied in US in 2021: 782.8 K

    Projected number of professionals occupied in US in 2031: 841.6 K

    Employment percent change: 7.5%

    Entry Education level:

    To become a Human Resources generalist, one typically needs a bachelor’s degree in human resources, business administration, or a related field. However, some employers may accept candidates with relevant experience in HR, even if they do not have a bachelor’s degree. HR generalists must have excellent communication and interpersonal skills, as they interact with employees and management throughout their work. They must also have strong organizational and multitasking skills, as they manage a variety of tasks simultaneously. A good understanding of employment law and regulations is also essential, as HR generalists are responsible for ensuring compliance with applicable laws and regulations. Finally, HR generalists must have a strong ethical and moral compass as they handle sensitive and confidential information on a daily basis.

    Find out the psychometric properties for the Human Resources Generalist Traitforward questionnaire

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