The following interview was conducted with the human resources manager of XXX with the aim of understanding the daily function of a manager, challenges facing management practices and qualities of an effective manager. The interview was conducted for a period of thirty minutes. Below are some of the answers and responses provided by the manager.

Hello, Mr. Sanchez? Am grateful for your time, I understand you are a busy person.

Sanchez: Thank you for visiting us, and you are welcome.

ME: When did you join XXX Company and what factors enabled you to get the job?

Sanchez: I joined the company in 2010 as a supervisor in charge of logistics, purchases and supply. I am not sure what factors enabled me to get the job but in addition to having the right academic qualifications, I had three years experience working as a warehouse manager. I believe my knowledge of human resources management, enthusiasm about the job and positivity earned me the job.

Me: So, you have been a human resource manager for how long?

Sanchez: on the second year of employment here, that is 2011, the then human resource manager transferred, and I was promoted to his position. This is my third year as the human resource manager.

ME: As the human resource manager, what are you main responsibilities?

Sanchez: Well, responsibilities are enormous and exceed what is written in the job description of a human resource manager but basically, I have to ensure every process and duty within the organization is attended, employees have the right working environment, and conflicts within the organization are solved amicably.

ME: Briefly your work involves managing employees?

Sanchez: I am particularly involved with hiring, training, coordinating and organizing employees. It is a difficult task dealing with employees. You know everyone wants your attention, and you need to make decisions faster.

Me: okay, now what are some of the challenges you face as a manager?

Sanchez: people thinking the worker of a manager is to seat in the office and give instructions. This is very wrong. Some of the greatest challenges I face as a human resource manager include getting the employee do the work effectively. You know you are dealing with diverse people, and some are lazy, and some have issues, and conflicts often happen , and you have to ensure the processes of the business do not derail. Hiring the best is not often the challenge, the challenge is to maintain the best as the best and motivated to work.

ME: Any other challenge

Sanchez: as I have said challenges are many and every decision you make as a manager involve evaluating the positive and negative side. The current workforce requires attention, and there are many other employers who are willing to hunt talent where it is already developed, so you have to ensure your employees are satisfied.

Me; what do you believe makes up a good manager?

Sanchez: I believe one of the key characteristics of an efficient manager is the ability to make quick and effective decisions. There are many factors that influence every decision you make as a manager. For example, you may decide to hire an employee. Factors such the salary structure, kind of skills you want, equality issues, and business interest have all to be considered. Secondly, effective time management is everything. You may spend a lot of time supervising employees you forget you have a meeting to attend or an appointment with the director. Do not forget the right competency and be a good leader. You cannot distinguish leadership and management when it comes to human resources management. You have to be involved.

Lesson Learned

The interaction with the human resources manager provided a critical reflection on the function of a manager and the daily activities of a manager. As a human resource manager, Mr. Sanchez provided a description of the role of a human resource manager in an organization. Some of the identified functions of the human resource manager include recruiting employees, assigning responsibilities, resolving conflicts and providing employees with the necessary work equipment. The manager is also involved with coordinating and organizing employees and ensuring the employees perform their duties as per their job description. He retaliated the high expectations placed on managers and their role in the success of an organization.

Mr. Sanchez described the ability to make quick and effective decisions as one of the most important characteristics of an effective manager. He noted that every decision in an organization is affected by numerous factors that have to be considered. He also started that managers have to assess the implications of their decisions before making a decision. In addition, Mr. Sanchez stated that education qualifications are an essential requirement of every manager. Time management was an also described as a critical requirement of a manager. Managers jungle between different types of responsibilities and they have to maintain balance between the activities. They should not spend excessive time on one task and forget the other or dedicate un-proportional amount of resources to one task. The correlation between leadership and management is also evident in his description of an effective manager. He stated that managers are often required to show leadership. Leadership in human resources is important to motivate and direct employees. Employees lookup at managers as role models and thus managers must possess the best traits they want in their employees.

Diversity, lack of motivation and maintaining talents were identified as critical aspects of human resource management. He emphasized on the huge role the management has on attracting and maintain talent in a competitive market. Modern workplace is characterized by diversity in terms of race, ethnicity, age and other factors. Therefore, managers have the challenges of meeting the organization’s needs, and ensuring diversity is observed and maintained. Meeting employees need and keeping them satisfied is vital

Conclusion

The interview with Mr. Sanchez provided a good preview of my future as a manager. I learnt various role and expectations of a manager. I learnt that management is situation specific, and managers need to have the right skills, knowledge and competence. As demonstrated by Mr. Sanchez, leadership and management are interrelated and one need to be a good leader to be an effective manager.

Author is associated with MeldaResearch.Com which is a global custom research paper writing service provider. If you would like help in essays, research papers, term papers and dissertations, you can visit MeldaResearch.com