The 5-Minute Tasks That Will Make You a Better HR Professional

Every good HR professional wants to do better at his or her job. The desire to learn new skills is only the beginning. Here’s a list of 5-minute tasks to help you on your way to greatness. 

Since HR professionals must be forward-thinking and people-centered, among a seemingly endless list of other professional descriptors, one key to improving performance is to focus on the power of positive change. When positive change can take place, you know you’re doing your job well. With that in mind, here are some useful 5-minute tasks for helping HR professionals be the best they can be.

Task #1: Show Appreciation

Since much of the role of HR is building strong, positive relationships within the organization, it’s important to show appreciation on a regular basis. This becomes an easy 5-minute task, especially when you schedule for it in your week.

Pick any day of the week- Tuesday, let’s say. Every Tuesday, choose one employee and thank him or her for doing a good job. People are motivated by praise, and everyone forgets to acknowledge good work. It also helps build relationships since it opens the floor up to conversation and builds trust.

Task #2: Set New Tech Goals Each Week

Since technology plays an increasingly important role in the field of HR, it’s easy to get left behind. You need it for communication and administrative systems like payroll, benefits and healthcare, and also for managing your team. Finally, technology is fast becoming one of the largest components in relationship-building activities at work, as social media becomes more prevalent in the work place.

Mastering all the software platforms is part of your job, but it’s safe to say you’ll never know everything. To stay on top of things, however, set new mini-goals each week so you can stay current. One week, for example, you might delve into those advanced features of your communications software, which until now you’ve left untouched. All it takes is 5 uninterrupted minutes a day to learn quick tips.

Task #3: Renew Your Vision

Much of the work of HR professionals is hard to define: they serve as brand ambassadors to employees, they hold leadership accountable, they serve as sounding boards for employees, and they help build consensus in the overall workplace, among other important functions.

Needless to say, it’s easy to lose focus and feel overwhelmed. Spending 5 minutes of the day focusing on your vision and purpose can go a very long way towards restoring your energy. Try and see the Big Picture and find your meaning: what drives you and what you see as your purpose at work. This, like no other task, can propel you to greatness in your job.

Task #4: Build Your Professional Acumen

Spend five minutes per day catching up on news, trends, and new research in the Human Resources profession. You might be top dog right now, but losing track of what’s going on in the industry will make you lose your edge.

Subscribe to a good email newsletter, find a great blog, or peruse the pages of an industry magazine- again: all it takes is 5 minutes to read one article and stay informed on the latest in your field.

Task #5: Take Stock of the Week’s Challenges

Since HR is very much about spearheading or guiding company change, you have to be ready yourself to combat the obstacles ahead. One way to do that is every Monday, take stock of the challenges ahead for that week.

Facing your obstacles head-on and solving important problems efficiently will pave the way for positive change to take place at work. Whether it’s small change you’re focused on or sweeping, organizational change: facing the week’s challenges in an organized and efficient manner will allow those important positive changes to take place.

And that’s a great way to conclude this series of 5-minute tasks: becoming a better HR professional means you can help others at work become better, too. And that’s one very important definition of positive change!