By Amal Abduljawad
If you want to be a successful HR manager, approach the role like being a positive father figure.
This metaphor was shared by Mr. Sufyan Mohdur, a successful HR manager with Multi Aid Programs (MAPS), a humanitarian organization that works with Syrian refugees in Lebanon on education, health, relief, and capacity building.
A father figure helps his children deal with change. This is a challenge that HR managers must provide support for employees.
“It is significant work to make a real difference for the organization that you work with,” he said. “It requires a flexible approach and coming up with good and innovative ideas will help you to lead the organization on the right path.”
Sufyan stated that every workplace trying to adopt innovative work styles might face refusal due to traditional ways of thinking. Therefore, as a human resources department, it is important to introduce innovative ideas or improvement suggestions that the staff can see for themselves and ultimately adopt on their own.
Many great fathers teach their children lifelong lessons. To introduce new ways of thinking in the workplace, Sufyan and other HR professionals need to demonstrate competence as teachers. He has found that doing workshops every month will help employees to stay updated and help them develop and adapt to a constantly changing work environment. Therefore, when a new idea faces refusal, it is possible to try another technique to prove the success story of this idea, such as providing statistics and examples from other organizations that have applied this approach and succeeded.
“Accepting opinions is an important aspect of the success of any organization,” he said.
Mohdur began his career journey by earning a master's degree in human resources.
Tips to Success in the HR Field
I was very excited to learn first-hand from someone of Sufyan’s experience how one can succeed in the HR field. He recommends taking a positive approach to communication; it is essential between the manager and his employee. A professional HR manager must ensure a positive atmosphere for communication throughout the entire organization.
When I asked him about the hardest step as an HR manager he said, “in the HR field you take a hard step between what is good for the organization and what is good for the employee who works there, in order to build a good balance.”
Collaborating with all departments is also very important. As an HR manager, you are responsible to choose and support the right workers for the right job. For that reason, knowing the individual needs of each department is essential. Moreover, the most important thing to be a successful HR manager is to be flexible; your flexibility as an HR manager has a significant impact on the organization's success.
To develop such flexibility, he said: “Keep up with the latest trends. Investigate the organization's events and culture. Consider their suggestions and experiment with innovative techniques to aid in the growth of workers. Learning and encouraging change are both important aspects of your job.”
Furthermore, personal qualities play a key role in the success of the human resource manager. Academic qualifications are sufficient and a starting point, but one must also have good listening and comprehension skills, logical thinking, the ability to analyze information, gain the trust of employees, and be social and likable, he said. For instance, an employee may come to him with a complaint or a request and put all his trust in the manager who must have the ability to absorb such feedback and make a smart decision that benefits everyone.
“The role of the human resources manager is somewhat similar to the role of the father,” Mr. Sufyan said. “It’s not easy to become an extraordinary HR manager. It takes a lot of hard work and experience. The HR manager should take into consideration that this role is very similar to the father role by motivating your employee, listening to their problems, understanding their needs, and having a good relationship with them. This helps result in creating great companies made of great people.”
Takeaways
I was interested to learn from Sufyan's experience and to get to know his advice for students like me who want to study this field. This interview was a great opportunity for me. It was interesting to hear Sufyan’s advice on the importance of gaining comprehensive knowledge about all aspects of HR, including employment, training, and motivation. I learned many aspects of the HR manager role. It is also a career that has a huge significance on the organization's path.
When I listened to Sufyan's challenges and accomplishments, it motivated me to pursue this career because it is always evolving and plays a part in influencing strategic business decisions. Given my strengths and personality, I feel HR is a better fit for my skills, and I would like to specialize in employee training in the future. I am grateful that this interview further crystallized my aspiration to begin as an HR Generalist.
You can learn more about Mr. Sufyan Mohdur his LinkedIn profile: https://www.linkedin.com/in/sufyan-mohdur-bba371123
Amal Abduljawad is studying Associate of Arts with a specialization in communication at New Hampshire University. Learn more about her by visiting her LinkedIn profile: https://www.linkedin.com/in/amal-abduljawad-b81068203
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