People Management | Meaning and Definition

What is people management?

People management in HR is the practice of hiring, training, engrossing, and retaining employees to step up their talent and enhance their productivity. People management is a subcategory of Human Resource Management, which involves:

•   Recruitment
•   Performance management
•   Organization
•   Engagement & retention
•   Safety and wellness
•   Compensation and benefits

The strategies of people management intend to address the needs, career goals, and unique talents of the employees while facilitating their alignment with the values and goals of the company. People management skills in HR professionals enable them to direct, communicate with, and inspire the workers. When done effectively, people management skills motivate employees to work passionately and productively, thus, resulting in increased retention and engagement.

Effective people management strategies

HR leaders must embody in themselves the following core practices to facilitate fruitful people management. Let’s dig in!

•   Lead employees by example: A dynamic work environment can be established by exemplifying characteristics like resilience, empathy, respect, etc., in the workplace. One should behave in a way that aligns with the behavior expectations of the workplace.

•   Estimate employee’s personalities: Everyone’s got unique personalities, and knowing and understanding each employee helps HR managers to connect with them better. It helps in maximizing the potential of an employee strategically.

•   Communicate with respect: Effective, considerate, and clear communication is an indispensable part of any successful relationship. Active listening helps build trust and solid interpersonal relationships, which fosters a vibrant, productive, and positive work culture. HR managers must have the skills to provide constructive feedback to employees. 

•   Conflict resolution: Best conflict management techniques enable managers to tackle a workplace conflict with integrity. Instead of leaving things on their own to become worse, managers can empathetically and respectfully confront employees to settle a squabble. This further facilitates the strengthening of interpersonal relationships in the workplace.

•   Provide development opportunities for managers: HR leaders can offer development training or mentorship programs to managers where they can acquire knowledge and upskill themselves with management coaches. You may also sponsor them to pick up skills from different educational platforms as well.