Personnel and Labor Relations Specialists

Overview

Personnel and Labor Relations Specialists

Introduction

Personnel specialists, also known as human resources professionals, formulate policy and organize and conduct programs relating to all phases of personnel activity. Labor relations specialists serve as mediators between employees and the employer. They represent management during the collective-bargaining process when contracts with employees are negotiated. They also represent the company at grievance hearings, required when a worker feels management has not fulfilled its end of an employment contract. Th...

Quick Facts


Median Salary

$78,000

Employment Prospects

Good

Minimum Education Level

Bachelors Degree


Experience

On-the-job training


Skills

Business Management|Interpersonal|Public Speaking


Personality Traits

Organized|Outgoing|Realistic

Earnings

Earnings vary widely depending on the nature of the business and the size and location of the firm, as well as on the individuals job title, qualifications, and experience.

The U.S. Department of Labor reports that the median annual salary of human resources specialists was $67,650 in May 2023. The lowest 10 percent earned $42,900 or less annually, and the top 10 percent earned $121,800 ...

Work Environment

Personnel employees work in modern offices. A significant amount of time at the office is spent on the telephone, discussing details, histories, and possible alternatives. Face-to-face meetings are less common than telephone consultations. Personnel specialists are seldom required to work more than 35 or 40 hours per week, although they may do so if they are developing a program or special proj...

Outlook

Employment for human resources specialists will grow faster than the average for all careers from 2023 through 2033, according to the U.S. Department of Labor (DOL). The DOL reports that "demand for human resources specialists is expected to be strong over the projections decade as more of these workers are needed to help meet strategic organizational priorities."

Instead of employing hu...