Is it Possible to Get a Work-at-Home HR Job?

Thanks to the proliferation of broadband internet connections and increasingly sophisticated productivity tools, it has perhaps never been easier to secure a work-at-home HR job that offers many of the same benefits given to those who choose to work in an office setting. Typically, human resources professionals secure a work-from-home job in one of two ways, with both options offering traditional work hours, any typical workplace benefits, and the added flexibility that comes from offering professional services through the convenience of a home office.

Many Work-From-Home Jobs in HR Didn’t Start Out That Way

Human resources has long been an “office job,” and that has meant working long hours in a corporate setting before heading out for the drive or train ride back home. That has changed in the past five years, however, due to a number of key factors. First and foremost, faster broadband connections and new software tools allow HR professionals to perform almost all of their key tasks from a home computer without setting foot in the office. Furthermore, working from home actually helps an employer spend less on workplace amenities, square footage, and other major costs, which allows the business to run more efficiently. For these and many other reasons, top managers have made a decision in recent years to start encouraging many people to work from home either full-time or on select days each week.

The vast majority of home-based HR jobs didn’t start out that way. Instead, they evolved as technology changed and workplace preferences moved along with the times. Today, many people in the human resources industry enjoy the flexibility of a home office as well as the benefits of working for a major employer based nearby.

New HR Jobs Increasingly Start with Telecommuting and Home Employment

While the vast majority of HR jobs based at home didn’t start out that way, a very large number are making the leap to entry-level home office employment. More employers than ever before are specifically asking for qualified candidates who have the Internet connection and computer hardware needed to telecommute. This means having a webcam, broadband access, and the ability to either use or obtain common HR software tools at home. Some companies may provide licenses for these tools, while others will consider the up-front cost of software to be the cost of landing the telecommuting HR job and working from a more convenient location.

Different Venue, Same Job: HR Professionals Must Be Ready to Work

Though working from home is more comfortable and convenient, the job of managing a company’s human resources concerns is no easy task. That remains true from the home office. Professionals should have enough experience to work independently without the help of a supervisor or a training coordinator. They should be self-reliant and resilient, able to troubleshoot their own problems and research any HR issues until they come upon a proper solution that will work with the company’s budget, vendors, and overall strategy. For this reason, many home-based human resources jobs are filled by professionals with at least five years of experience in the industry.

Even so, working from home remains a strong draw for people in every profession. Human resources professionals with experience and the right tech tools will find that it’s actually pretty easy to land a work-at-home HR job in today’s tech-based economy, as long as they’re willing to shed the support structure of the typical HR office.

Additional Resource: Top 10 Best Online Masters in Human Resources Management Degrees (MSHR) 2014