We are independent & ad-supported. We may earn a commission for purchases made through our links.
Advertiser Disclosure
Our website is an independent, advertising-supported platform. We provide our content free of charge to our readers, and to keep it that way, we rely on revenue generated through advertisements and affiliate partnerships. This means that when you click on certain links on our site and make a purchase, we may earn a commission. Learn more.
How We Make Money
We sustain our operations through affiliate commissions and advertising. If you click on an affiliate link and make a purchase, we may receive a commission from the merchant at no additional cost to you. We also display advertisements on our website, which help generate revenue to support our work and keep our content free for readers. Our editorial team operates independently of our advertising and affiliate partnerships to ensure that our content remains unbiased and focused on providing you with the best information and recommendations based on thorough research and honest evaluations. To remain transparent, we’ve provided a list of our current affiliate partners here.
Education

Our Promise to you

Founded in 2002, our company has been a trusted resource for readers seeking informative and engaging content. Our dedication to quality remains unwavering—and will never change. We follow a strict editorial policy, ensuring that our content is authored by highly qualified professionals and edited by subject matter experts. This guarantees that everything we publish is objective, accurate, and trustworthy.

Over the years, we've refined our approach to cover a wide range of topics, providing readers with reliable and practical advice to enhance their knowledge and skills. That's why millions of readers turn to us each year. Join us in celebrating the joy of learning, guided by standards you can trust.

What are the Different Human Resources Careers?

By Kerrie Main
Updated: May 17, 2024
Views: 3,061
Share

Many people believe human resources careers were first established during the industrial revolution when business owners realized how crucial employees were to the overall success of a company. The first human resource (HR) jobs typically functioned in payroll and staffing areas, but soon expanded into other areas with the rise of labor unions and employee demands. In the modern workplace, HR careers can encompass a wide variety of departments and levels including benefits, business leadership, compensation, consulting, diversity, employee relations, ethics and sustainability, global HR, labor relations, organizational and employee development, safety and security, staffing management, and technology.

Human resources careers in benefits and compensation typically focus on employee health-insurance packages, vacation time, sick and personal days, life insurance, salary guidelines, and payroll. These human resource professionals usually conduct research, meet with insurance companies, and communicate with employees regarding how to register for benefits, how to accrue vacation time, and more. They can manage worker’s compensation and unemployment benefits, establish wellness programs, and manage retirement planning programs.

Staffing management human resources careers can be in-house or outside vendor positions that work with a flexible workforce, i.e. temporary or contract employees brought in to meet seasonal needs. Employee relations jobs typically establish employee and company guidelines, manage disciplinary and harassment issues, and create metrics for employee reviews. These types of human resource managers and assistants usually facilitate conflict resolutions, demotions, or terminations. Labor relations careers typically are staffed by HR professionals with some form of legal background and work with dispute resolutions, legal issues, union issues, and global labor relations.

Business leadership human resources careers usually include responsibilities like budgeting, mergers and acquisitions, mission and vision statements, outsourcing, requests for proposals, and project management. A human resources consultant can be an in-house employee or an outside person that typically gives advice on corporate communication, effective practices, metrics, outsourcing, and technology. HR jobs in technology may focus on electronically stored information, HR information systems, intranets, and more.

Diversity and ethics human resources professionals typically create programs to promote multicultural and ethical practices. Organizational and employee development human resources careers can include coaching, career development programs, training, and mentoring. Safety and security HR positions may assist with risk management, violence, drug and alcohol testing, ergonomics, and emergency response practices.

Many company and business owners believe that with the proper management and systems in place, employees can perform at optimal levels to help ensure the success of the company. Much time and money is focused on employee hiring, training, and retention. In all of their specialized areas, human resources careers can be a critical part of the overall company operations and performance.

Share
WiseGeek is dedicated to providing accurate and trustworthy information. We carefully select reputable sources and employ a rigorous fact-checking process to maintain the highest standards. To learn more about our commitment to accuracy, read our editorial process.

Editors' Picks

Discussion Comments
Share
https://www.wisegeek.net/what-are-the-different-human-resources-careers.htm
Copy this link
WiseGeek, in your inbox

Our latest articles, guides, and more, delivered daily.

WiseGeek, in your inbox

Our latest articles, guides, and more, delivered daily.