In case you are the HR department in your organisation, and in fact the very first HR manager. it’s fair to assume that your time goes to areas we already covered in the first three parts of this blog series: the basics, the annual HR cycle and the culture.
Eventually, you will likely find that not having any HR colleagues in your organisation means that you’ll have to look elsewhere. No, we’re not talking about a career change – we mean networking and continuous learning.
“Building a professional network and speaking with more senior colleagues is important to your development,” advises VP People and Culture Camilla Hydén Karlsson. “I suggest you get a mentor. Many senior HR practitioners would be flattered to become a mentor, and are willing to support. Don’t hesitate to reach out to someone you think would make a good mentor.”
Some professional networks actually offer mentor programs, so get in touch with such organisations to learn if they do this and how you can sign up. Set up regular meetings with your mentor – it can be an informal setting such as lunch, breakfast or for example afternoon coffee. You’ll get more out of mentor meetings if you are well prepared. Bring a specific issue, challenge or situation to the meeting.
Brush up skills beyond HR
Seminars and conferences are great opportunities to get to know colleagues. Search for breakfast seminars in your area, but don’t limit your search to HR only. Digitalisation, leadership, culture, employment law and developments in your industry can also provide you great opportunities for personal development. You’ll be surprised how much people are willing to share once you ask them!
Courses or free webinars are another way to ensure you keep growing as an HR professional. How about learning about how the new data protection regulation impacts the HR function? Or how to communicate in a multi-cultural environment if your organisation is going international? In addition to courses and webinars, you can of course read up on these topics on your own. Just make sure you set aside the time for learning and networking.
This is the 4th part in our blog series that guides new HR managers in various aspects in their role. In case you missed the previous parts, you’ll find them here:
- The must haves explains how to prioritise the administrative tasks that wait anyone establishing an HR function in an organisation.
- The annual HR cycle sheds light on how you should begin building an annual plan, and how to prioritise which processes to have in place first.
- The culture gives you many tips for mapping and developing the culture in your organisation.
