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Summary: Human resources generalists are typically found in small enterprises and maybe their first HR hires. As enterprises grow, they normally begin to divide HR functions between specialized staff.
Human Resources (HR) Generalist
As the name suggests, a human resources (HR) generalist is an employee who handles all aspects of HR and the staff lifecycle. Rather than specializing in only a single area of HR, the HR generalist needs to have skills across diverse functions. Human resources generalists are typically found in small enterprises and maybe their first HR hires. As enterprises grow, they normally begin to divide HR functions between specialized staff.
What key responsibilities does a human resources generalist have?
In a nutshell, a human resources generalist has to do everything required for HR. When facilitating smaller staff teams, they need to make sure all employee and employer human resources needs are met. This includes the key responsibilities of:
- Administration: HR generalists manage employee records and schedules. They also implement and manage human resources information systems (HRIS) that allow employees to self-access certain capabilities, like vacation requests.
- Recruitment: Generalists need to be able to advertise for new positions and replace employees who leave. They manage applications, interview and help select candidates, negotiate terms, produce contracts, make job offers, and hire new staff. They may also work in conjunction with marketing specialists to promote inbound recruitment strategies that focus on building the employer’s brand.
- Training and development: New hires need to be onboarded and trained, and these responsibilities at least partially fall upon the HR generalist. They also manage staff when they need development of their professional and technical skills. This can include coordinating training sessions and sending employees for off-site development and education.
- Payroll and benefits management: As a core HR function, generalists manage payroll and benefits for all employees. They calculate salary, deductions for social programs, and taxes. They also need to have strong knowledge of tax and labor laws to ensure compliance with all relevant regulations.
- Employee evaluation: Employee progress and performance needs to be evaluated on an ongoing basis. This job falls to the HR generalist who works with managers to produce evaluations and maintain records. They may also communicate assessments to employees and help guide them in their professional development.
- Team planning: As enterprises grow and develop, HR generalists work in conjunction with managers and team leaders to predict staff needs. They help create new roles and predict staff turnover to ensure that teams always function with their full, necessary complement of workers.
- Employee relations: HR generalists act as the link between employees and their employers. This can involve gathering feedback from employees on working conditions and any improvements that can be made. It also means listening to employees’ concerns and dealing with any legal or interpersonal issues that may arise. This might include issues related to mental and physical health, conflicts, team dynamics, job satisfaction, and more serious issues like workplace harassment and discrimination.
- Analysis: HR generalists need to be able to collect data and use modern analytics tools to evaluate performance, productivity, job satisfaction, and many other factors. This is generally done using the powerful analytics tools found in the enterprise’s HRIS and can be used to create reports that inform data-driven people management strategies.
- Compensation: Together with management, HR generalists help design compensation packages that are appropriate and enticing enough to attract top talent. This can include planning appropriate salaries while considering deductions and designing incentive pay strategies to reward high performance and productivity.
How does the role of a human resources generalist differ from that of a human resources specialist?
A human resources generalist needs to be able to perform every function that HR provides for an organization. They normally require years of diverse experience in HR to play this role. They look after staff through every stage of their employee lifecycles, helping to recruit and onboard them; manage their payroll, benefits, and schedules; evaluate performance; and offboard when necessary. This is possible and practical in smaller organizations that only have limited numbers of staff. When enterprises grow, they normally separate these responsibilities into specialized teams for more efficient management.
A human resources specialist will typically focus on a single HR function, such as payroll or recruitment. Their day-to-day tasks revolve around providing this function. However, as part of the larger HR department, specialists communicate and develop strategies in conjunction with other HR staff regularly. HR specialists may build up extensive experience in their specific functions and become experts who can eventually bring their skills into management roles.
Andrew (Drew) joined the Remote People team in 2020 and is currently Director, Regulatory Affairs. For the past 13 years, he has been a trusted advisor to C-Suite executives and government ministers on international compliance and regulatory issues. Drew holds a law degree from the University of Otago, a PhD from the University of Sydney, and is an enrolled Barrister and Solicitor of the High Court of New Zealand.
