Human resources (h.

R) skills & industrial AND ORGANISATIONAL (i/o)

SKILLS EXPECTATIONS

Attachment is a critical element to apply psychological theories into practice and with the
experienced oversight of the supervisor to obtain vital H.R practical skills. Due to the scarcity of
qualified I/O professionals the students will be immersed in H.R skills acquisition as an entry point
into this profession. H.R’s main role is to leverage and develop human capital for the successful
attainment of an organisation’s business goals. H.R and I/O interface with the application of
behavioural science knowledge to enhance the workplace for the well-being of employees and the
achievement of the organisation’s strategic goals.

During the attachment period it is incumbent on the students to develop technical H.R and I/O skills
which will be outlined thereafter. These should not be confused with professional /soft skills such as
emotional intelligence, communication, time management, planning, coordinating etc…

HR Technical Skills

Students are expected to be exposed to as many facets of the HR Value Chain during the attachment
period as outlined below in order to develop critical HR technical skills.

Figure 1: HR Value Chain:

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Students on attachment must gain experience and exposure to the following key elements within
the HR Value Chain in order to develop their HR technical skills:

 HR software skills – HR managers in Zimbabwe and worldwide have stated the importance
of data analytical skills as vital for decision-making and therefore being an effective HR
official. Students are strongly urged to familiarise themselves with data analytical skills from
the various HR information systems in place at the organisations.
 Interviewing skills
 Recruitment & Selection skills
 On-boarding skills
 Talent management systems exposure
 Performance Management exposure
 Reward - Compensation and benefits management exposure
 Scheduling skills
 Employee relations skills and exposure
 Employee Well-being / Wellness exposure
 Business Acumen Skills – At this student level the following capabilities are essential
- The ability to start reading and understanding financial statements
- Knowledge of how news from the financial, business, political, community development
sectors impacts how organisations make policy and strategic decisions to survive.

Figure 2: Holistic HR Skills including both Technical and Soft skills

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The attainment of soft skills are also an important facet of the attachment experience. Captains of
industry have stressed the need to possess not only technical skills but also soft skills such as
emotional intelligence, verbal and written communication, organising, time management
etc…Students should highlight these soft skills in the professional skills box at the end of the weekly
report.

Industrial / Organisational (I/O) Psychology and HR Skills Interface

The following are a few examples where HR and I/O Psychology functions may be intertwined and
add value to each other:

HR Recruitment and Selection Process: I/O Psychometric Testing

For example, an important I/O component of recruitment and selection is psychometric testing.
Where feasible students must become versed in the selection, design, administration and scoring of
these psychometric tests.

HR Job Design or Analysis: I/O Job Enrichment

During the HR job analysis process issues such as individual differences for the knowledge, skills and
abilities, job rotation and job enlargement issues are key facets of I/O that aid to elevate the HR job
analysis process.

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HR Training and Development and I/O Learning Application

In order for organisations to survive, a continuous learning culture is vital to ensure that it stays in
tune with changes in the external environment. The rapid changes in technology has ushered a
digital era whereby enhanced by Covid-19, remote work through the application of technological
devices and apps is here to stay. This facilitates the elevation of the HR training and development
department to play a critical role to ensure that employees are prepared for the current and future
of work. I/O Psychology aids this process with the leveraging of scientifically proven learning
theories and applied practical knowledge to the design and evaluation of training programmes.

HR Compensation & Benefits: I/O Psychology Motivation Knowledge

Rewarding employees is a critical element to retain and ensure the achievement of organisational
goals by the employees. The discipline of I/O Psychology adds value with the application of intrinsic
and extrinsic motivation theories, job satisfaction and organisational commitment knowledge and
practice to adequately structure the compensation packages. The reward systems within
organisations are also influenced by external factors such as the economy, politics, technology and
climate changes.

in Summary: Hr and I/o psychology interface

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