HR project managers work across many fields and sectors to ensure human resources programs support long-term goals of both HR and project teams. HR project managers juggle many projects while meeting needs of individuals. They are tasked with developing new HR programs and initiatives, including training seminars. HR project managers require strong communication, analytical, leadership, and relationship management skills. Employers seek candidates with a bachelor's degree in HR or related field and around four years of experience.

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HR IN PROJECTS
AUTHORS
Ramesh Jamdhade
MLS- Mumbai University, EMBA fromNIBM
HeadHR&AdministrationatEsselWorldLeisurePvt.Limited,India(Esselgroup)
AnchoringHumanResourcesforcountrywideprojectactivityofESSELWORLDfromHeadOffice
Dr. Uday Dokras
B.Sc., B.A. (Managerial Economics) LL.B. NagpurUniversity, INDIA
Graduate Studies, Queen’s University, Kingston,CANADA
MBA CALSATATE USA
Graduate Diploma in Law, StockholmUniversity,SWEDEN
Ph.D. StockholmUniversity,SWEDEN
CONSULTANT HR & Administration, FDCM ESSELWORLD GOREWADA ZOO Pvt. Ltd..
When you look at a list of key HR competencies, one thing that often is lacking is a good set of project
management skills. I see Human Resource Management as a core part of what we have to do.
HR Project Management: The Ultimate Guide, Ben Eubanks
A B S T R A C T
HR project managers work across many fields and sectors to ensure that human resources programs
support the long-term goals of not only an HR team but the Project team as well and equally importantly
so. HR person in this position and often navigates the areas of customer service and employee
development overseeing a variety of administrative programs and functions. It requires juggling many
projects with the needs of many individuals. These self-motivated leaders are also frequently tasked with
developing new HR programs and initiatives.
If project human resource management describes the processes that enable the project manager to
organize and lead the project team, then a subset of the project team is the project management team,

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responsible for leadership activities in each of the five major process groups. Part of the role of the project
manager in managing the project team is to influence the team when human resource factors may impact
the project, and to ensure professional and ethical behavior at all times when conducting project activities.
When developing the human resource plan, the project manager needs to understand what enterprise
environmental factors and organizational process assets can affect the outcome of the project.
Enterprise Environmental Factors - these elements need to be addressed thoroughly, especially when it
comes to organizational and political issues. Remember the definition of a stakeholder? It is anyone that
can be positively or negatively impacted by your project. If there is a negative impact on a stakeholder,
that stakeholder may have a completely different agenda and may work against successfulcompletion of
the project. The project manager's job is to uncover any alternative agendas and work with stakeholders to
ensure their needs are met.
Organizational Process Assets –the elements that will assist the project manager are standardized
matrices such as standardized roles and responsibilities as well as any documented and repeatable
processes. Usually an organization will have established templates and tools (e.g. progress reports,
executive dashboards, change request forms, etc.) that are subsumed inside the organization's PMIS.
Historical data from previous projects and organizational structures that have been successfulon previous
projects can serve as guidance for the project manager.
Project based knowledge: Project actors bring with them much of the knowledge created within
projects, and new knowledge created within these projects is embodied in the tacit experiences of these
actors . They are also effective vectors for the transfer of knowledge developed during the projects.It is
important for thr Organization to ensure that this transfer of knowledge is effective if it wants to ensure
that learning is spread out within the organizational realm and does not remain a simple local knowledge
tacitly embodied by some individuals. In so doing, the company profits from their contributions. Indeed,
these ideas can have a significant impact on the organization only when they are largely diffused rather
than held by a limited number of individuals.
Human Resource Roles:The key responsibilities of each group are listed below:
The Project Sponsor

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 Protects the project from external influences
 Provides funding
 Approves the charter and PM Plan
 Sets priorities between projects
 Identifies Project Manager and authority level
 Approves or rejects changes
 Formally accepts deliverables or product of project
The Stakeholders
 May have PM plan signoff responsibilities
 Validate Scope and deliverables
 May be part of the change control process for approvals/rejections
 Provide requirements
The Line (functional) Manager
 Provides project resources
 Participates in initial planning
 Manages project activities that fall to their area
 May address team member performance with the project manager
The Project Manager
 May contribute to writing the project charter
 Is responsible for all aspects of the project:
o Project management planning
o Communications to stakeholders
o Change management planning
o Creating all needed management plans (scope, time, budget, quality, communications,
HR, risk and procurement)
o Using metrics to measure project progress and implement changes or corrections when
needed
o Proactively addressing potential problems
o Possesses the authority to accomplish the work of the project
o Resolves variances to the project management plan with the team
o Regularly and proactively addressing project risks with the team
o Ultimately responsible for project success or failure
Developing the human resource plan includes the major headings listed below, along with a brief
description of what is expected for each.

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Roles and Responsibilities - can be assigned to a person or group. This defines roles, authority,
responsibility, and competency. These individuals or groups can be within or outside the performing
organization. The roles described for the project may not have a direct analog to a position within the
organization. Thus it is the project manager's job to identify resources that can take on the responsibilities
of the particular role needed for the project. These roles can be documented in a responsibility assignment
matrix (RAM) in the form of a RACI chart (responsible, accountable, consult, inform)
Org Charts - an organizational breakdown chart (OBS) is critical for identifying management hierarchies
in the project and identifying potential escalation paths should there be issues that the project manager has
not been empowered to resolve. In a matrix organization this becomes a critical factor, as it may identify
functional managers from whom the project manager secures resources for the project. The org chart also
works hand-in-hand with a roles and responsibilities chart, in that it will identify an unambiguous owner
for each work package in the project.
Staffing Management Plan - this plan describes how human resource requirements will be met for the
project. The plan can be formal or informal, detailed or general, depending on the project needs. The
staffing management plan is continually updated during the project and usually includes the following
elements:
 Staff Acquisition - identifies when specific resources roll on or off the project and the skill levels
required of those resources
 Resource Calendars - identifies when staff acquisition activities should begin as well as staff
availability and hours available from a particular resource
 Staff release plan - defines when resources are released from the project so that those resources
are no longer charged to the project
 Training - may be required if the performing organization is dealing with a new or untried
technology. It is also beneficial in that it will help team members attain certifications that support
their ability to meet project requirements. In PMI’s view, training is not used as a ‘perk’.
 Recognition and Rewards - the idea of a recognition and reward system is that it tends to promote
desired behavior on the project.
 Compliance - this involves compliance with government regulations or union contracts in
addition to established human resource policies

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 Safety - these include methods and procedures that are designed to protect team members from
the potential safety hazards. These elements are not only included in a staffing management plan,
but can also be included in the risk register
A. ___Plan human resource management
B. ___Acquire project team
C. ___Develop project team
D. ___Manage project team
A. The process of improving competencies, team member interaction, and overall team environment to
enhance project performance
B. The process of identifying and documenting project roles, responsibilities, required skills, reporting
relationships, and creating a staffing management plan
C. The process of tracking team member performance,providing feedback,resolving issues, and
managing changes to optimize project performance
D. The process of confirming human resource availability in obtaining the team necessary to complete
project activities
HR project managers work across many fields and sectors to ensure that human resources programs
support the long-term goals of not only an HR team but the Project team as well and equally importantly
so. HR person in this position and often navigates the areas of customer service and employee
development overseeing a variety of administrative programs and functions. It requires juggling many
projects with the needs of many individuals. These self-motivated leaders are also frequently tasked with
developing new HR programs and initiatives, including training seminars.
HR project managers possess exemplary communication and analytical skills as well as leadership and
relationship management expertise. Employers usually seek candidates with a bachelor’s degree in human
resources or a related field, around four years of experience, and the following skills:
 Program directing – HR project managers direct and coordinate programs and initiatives for the HR
department and the company in general, so they must be able to organize and direct people

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 Research skills – it’s important for HR project managers to research and identify trends in the field and
stay current on policies and procedures. They also need the ability to distill this information and explain it
to others
 Personnel management – collaborating with others in the HR department requires leadership skills. HR
project managers must be comfortable running meetings, seminars, and courses
 Communication skills – overall, HR project managers are strong communicators both in person and
through emails, documents, and social media
 Time management – the HR project manager often handles many different tasks for multiple projects. A
talent for juggling different duties efficiently and effectively is important for anyone in this role
HR Project Manager Duties and Responsibilities
Regardless of which industry these individuals work in, HR project managers plan, direct, and implement
a variety of HR programs. Accomplishing this overall goal requires some key tasks, including the
following:
Develop HR Training Programs
HR project managers create a variety of training programs and courses for the HR department as well as
for the company as a whole. For example, they might create seminars related to HR policy for the
company. These managers routinely direct and manage seminars, trainings, courses,and more.
Research and Prepare Reports on HR Trends
HR project managers need to know about HR trends as well as trends and specific policies related to their
company. This often requires conducting research and staying current on news. In addition, the HR
project manager will need the skills to compile this information in a way that’s readable and accessible.
Create and Revise HR Programs
HR project managers spend much of their time creating and revising HR programs and policies. This can
include updating existing policies as well as creating new ones. The ability to create documents and

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communicate ideas effectively is essential, as HR project managers relay this information to colleagues in
the HR department and in other departments.
Coach Department Heads
While HR project managers don’t usually have any supervising responsibilities, they often function as a
mentor or coach to others in the company. This duty can include providing information and mentorship
on how to implement and follow HR policies.
Represent the HRDepartment
The HR project manager often acts as a representative of their respective company’s HR department. This
can mean attending seminars and courses to ensure the department is up to date. It also means the HR
project manager should be comfortable communicating with new people in professional capacities.
Project human resource management includes the processes that organize, manage, and lead the project
team. The following processes and the primary goals of Project human resource management are defined
below:
 Develop human resource plan. Goal: human resource plan
 Acquire project team. Goal: project staff assignments
 Develop project team. Goal: team performance assessments
 Manage project team. Goal: updates
“To win the marketplace, you must first win the workplace.” -Doug Conant, Campbell Soup
Company’s long running President and CEO until 2011