Human Resources Online Classes To Advance Your Career

By Indeed Editorial Team

Updated March 14, 2021 | Published January 3, 2020

Updated March 14, 2021

Published January 3, 2020

Working in human resources involves interacting with people, so it’s important to stay current with the latest changes and needs of those individuals. Continuing education courses are available online and can help you maintain your HR knowledge to progress your career. Some of the courses focus on specific aspects of HR, which can help you become more specialized in what you offer to an organization. In this article, we explain some of the best human resources online courses that can help you advance your career. 

Human resources online classes are courses offered through the internet that you can take when your schedule allows you to gain new knowledge and understanding about important topics in the industry. An HR professional serves an important role in a business, providing support and resources to the employees who make up the workforce. Human resources professionals also work closely with potential new hires and those who do get hired to provide a seamless and positive onboarding experience. 

Additional duties of someone in HR may include managing compensation and benefits, providing learning and training opportunities, managing the labor, developing wellness programs for employees, delivering orientation for new hires, offering guidance for disciplinary actions and developing the organization in a positive way. Since those working in human resources often face challenging situations, including managing employee terminations and separations, resolving conflicts, addressing concerns and improving morale, ongoing education and training are essential to success. 

Human resources online courses focus on the pressing issues that HR professionals face in their roles. Taking these courses online can help you be more prepared for what tasks you might need to handle in a typical day, as well as provide better support to the employees with whom you work in your organization. The purpose of an HR department at any organization across any industry is to make sure that the employees feel supported, nurtured and cared for by their employer. 

When an employee has access to an effective HR department, that individual is more likely to feel loyal to their employer, work productively and efficiently and feel valued. It’s important to make sure that you, as an HR professional, are willing to continue learning and improving your skills to benefit the employees at your company.

Related: Guide to People Management: Definition, Tips and Skills

Online training classes offer several benefits over those you must attend in-person. Flexibility is one of those benefits, allowing you to take courses whenever you have time, rather than having to rearrange your schedule to accommodate a set time for a class. You can also take advantage of the flexibility to take courses on any device, whether you’re reviewing information on a tablet during your daily commute or taking a class on your computer when you have some free time during your workday. 

Many online training courses are also more cost-effective than in-person training sessions because they don’t have any additional costs. When you attend a class in-person, you may end up paying more to cover any food and beverages served during the course, travel and accommodations costs for the trainer and any printed materials you receive. You can still connect with your fellow participants to build a network of other human resources professionals, and you may have access to online support from the company offering online training.

Some of the best HR online training courses include tools to help you better retain the information you learn. Examples of these tools include videos and other media, real-life examples, interactive quizzes to test your knowledge and even games to play as you go through the course information. For many people, interactive learning is more appealing than a traditional lecture-style course.

Related: What Are the Different Types of Workplace Training?

With different courses, training programs and certifications available, you can find an option that benefits you and your career goals:

Human resource management

Workplace safety and health

International and strategic human resource management

Certificate in leadership in human resources management

Bachelor’s Degree in Technical Management

While some positions in human resources may not require a bachelor’s degree, you will need one if you want to continue to progress in this area of business. Southern New Hampshire University offers a Bachelor Degree of Science in Business Administration with a focus in human resource management that is available completely online. This nonprofit, accredited educational institution provides flexible courses meant for working professionals. 

The curriculum aligns with the HR Curriculum Guidebook and Templates put out by the Society for Human Resource Management (SHRM). Courses focus on employee and labor relations, managing changes within an organization and learning how to provide effective HR solutions to organizations across all industries. The terms are also flexible, with six different start dates for eight-week programs throughout the year.

Ensuring the safety of a workplace for employees is also part of the role of an HR professional, so understanding how to provide a safe, healthy workplace is important. At Alison.com, an online training resource for professionals in many different industries, you can take a course focused on this topic and receive a diploma showing that you have completed the training and know how to protect employees in the workplace. 

This course takes about six to 10 hours to complete and covers how to implement health and safety policies in the workplace, promote the well-being of employees, comply with requirements and legislation around workplace safety and foster a more productive environment for employees. Safety also aligns with productivity and satisfaction among employees, so it’s particularly important in today’s workplace. 

International organizations face different challenges than those that operate in a single country, and HR professionals at these organizations need to know how to handle these issues as they arise. Balancing the needs of the employees with overseeing the growth strategy of the business is often challenging for those in human resources, so a course focused on the needs of international companies is beneficial. 

Alison.com also offers this course, which emphasizes the importance of international and strategic human resource management. The curriculum in this online training course provides information to help you learn how to drive the growth of a global company and foster a productive and engaged workforce.

The University of Virginia offers an online program designed for those working in HR who want to further their skills to increase their job opportunities and earning potential. To earn the certificate in leadership in human resources management, you will need to complete five courses within a 12-month period. You can choose the courses you want, with options including: 

Career and staffing management

Organizational performance 

Strategic compensation

Organizational effectiveness

Staffing systems and models

Transformational leadership

Organizational development and change

Each course is worth three credits. After you complete the required 15 credits, you will receive your certification that you can then include on your resume and use to your advantage when applying for positions in HR. The University of Virginia is regionally accredited by the Southern Association of Colleges and Schools Commission on Colleges.

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Many of the online training and education programs for HR professionals focus on HR management in a business administration setting. DeVry University offers a more specialized bachelor’s program in technical management, which focuses on the role of HR as it aligns with technology and advancements in the workplace. Courses focus on topics that include:

Computer applications for business

Business and technology

Financial accounting

Project management

HR information systems

Labor relations

Technology, society and culture

Information design

With this degree, you may be able to qualify for positions with technology companies and other businesses that rely heavily on technology to operate.