Introduction

As HR professionals, your role extends beyond technical expertise to include the consistent support of employees and line managers. This requires the use of interpersonal skills, or soft skills, to effectively navigate complex situations that demand a human touch. This course recognizes that many HR professionals encounter challenges that cannot be solved through technical knowledge alone. Instead, these situations require advanced interpersonal communication, conflict resolution, and coaching abilities. This unique course is designed to equip you with the soft skills necessary to address these challenges and enhance your overall HR effectiveness.

Course Objectives

By the end of this course, participants will be able to:

• Understand the role of communication and its critical importance in HR functions.
• Apply key principles of business communication and produce professional reports and correspondence.
• Master essential conflict resolution skills, including techniques for influence and persuasion.
• Appreciate the value of customer service within HR and adopt the mindset needed to build strong relationships.
• Select the appropriate coaching and counseling techniques for handling HR-specific situations.

Course Outline

Day 1: Communication Skills for HR Professionals

• Defining communication and its relevance to HR
• The key traits of an effective HR communicator
• Techniques for effective questioning
• Active listening and empathy in HR interactions
• Interviewing skills:
  • STAR technique
  • FACT technique
  • Probing and leading techniques
• Public speaking fundamentals for HR professionals

Day 2: Business Communication and Report Writing in HR

• Fundamentals of business writing for HR professionals
• Crafting clear and professional HR reports
• Identifying and correcting common mistakes in HR correspondence and report writing
• Examples of effective HR reports and communication
• Conflict resolution strategies:
  • Understanding conflict in HR contexts
  • Sources of conflict and their impact on HR
  • The Thomas-Kilmann Conflict Resolution Model
  • Techniques for influencing and managing conflict in HR

Day 3: Client-Focused HR Practices

• Defining customer service in HR and its significance
• Distinguishing between internal and external HR customers
• Building a customer-centric mindset within the HR department
• Identifying HR customers and their specific needs
• The importance of coaching, counseling, and mentoring in HR
• Differences between coaching, counseling, and mentoring roles in HR

Day 4: Coaching Techniques for HR Professionals

• The five core principles of coaching:
  • Principle 1: Feedback
  • Principle 2: Accountability
  • Principle 3: Challenge
  • Principle 4: Tension
  • Principle 5: Systems thinking
• Practical applications of coaching in HR contexts

Day 5: The 'GROW' Model of Coaching Excellence

• Understanding the GROW model:
  • Setting clear, actionable goals
  • Assessing current realities and challenges
  • Exploring possible options for development
  • Securing commitment and will to act

Conclusion

This course offers HR professionals the tools to enhance their interpersonal skills and elevate their effectiveness in handling complex situations. By mastering communication, conflict resolution, customer service, and coaching techniques, you will be equipped to support both employees and line managers more effectively, ensuring that HR practices align with organizational goals and create a positive work environment.