WHAT DOES A HR GENERALIST DO?

Published: Jun 17, 2025 - The Human Resources (HR) Generalist provides guidance on employee relations issues, ensuring compliance with company policies, benefits programs, and applicable employment laws. This role manages administrative HR functions including onboarding, recruiting, employee records maintenance, and benefits coordination with consistency and attention to detail. The generalist also supports policy development, facilitates training and open enrollment activities, and delivers accurate HR reporting to support business objectives.

A Review of Professional Skills and Functions for Human Resources Generalist

1. Human Resources (HR) Generalist Duties

  • Payroll Management: Responsible for payroll and the outsourced payroll partner
  • Payroll Reporting: Production of payroll reports for finance and auditors
  • Deduction Administration: Calculation and administration of monthly Medical Insurance, Pension and other payroll-related deductions
  • Candidate Assessment: Assist with recruitment, interviewing and assessing candidates
  • Employee Onboarding: Responsible for the orientation and onboarding process
  • Employee Relations: Assists Managers with employee relations, termination and exit interviews
  • Benefit Administration: Responsible for Benefit administration
  • Safety Policy: Assist with the Health and Safety policy in the Dundalk office
  • Internal Communication: Supports internal communication
  • Employee Engagement: Supports the Wellness and Engagement teams
  • Visa Processing: Supports VISA applications

2. Human Resources Generalist Details

  • HR Planning: Design and implement the Human Resources plan of the production site and take over responsibility for the whole employee lifecycle
  • Team Building: Set up the further management and production workers team and provide induction programmes
  • Process Implementation: Implement and ensure smooth HR processes and documentation, based on ERP systems, including recruiting, payroll, training, retention, onboarding, temporary staff, and employee database (e.g. vacation planning, sick leave)
  • Project Leadership: Proactively drive HR projects like engagement, talent, organisational, and personnel development
  • Business Partnership: Help drive business as an HR Business Partner
  • Business Growth: Grow the business and bring the company to a successful story

3. HR Generalist Responsibilities

  • HR Collaboration: Work in close cooperation with local HR Partners in Italy as well as internal service departments in Berlin and technical providers for Personnel Administration and Recruiting topics
  • Process Management: Prepare and handle monthly HR processes and implement, improve and maintain administrative processes in SAP HR and other systems
  • Regulatory Compliance: Ensure that all legal and regulatory requirements concerning HR services are met, cooperating with local HR Business Partners in Italy as well as technical providers
  • Employment Administration: Manage all communication necessary for hiring, termination and changes in employment relationship
  • Authority Communication: Inform all regional and local authorities every month and assist the payroll department by providing employee information
  • Talent Acquisition: Responsible for end-to-end recruitment process for both junior and management positions, from finding the best posting strategies for openings to interviewing, whilst ensuring a great candidate experience
  • HR Documentation: Administer and prepare HR-related documentation and reporting in HR systems, updating internal HR databases and personnel records
  • Project Collaboration: Collaborate in internal projects and encourage the best practice sharing amongst HR EMEA teams

4. HR Generalist Job Summary

  • Record Management: Prepare or maintain employment records related to events such as hiring, termination, leaves, transfers, or promotions
  • Policy Interpretation: Interpret and explain human resources policies, procedures, laws, standards, or regulations
  • Payroll Preparation: Prepare the payroll advice for the Finance team to process the salaries
  • Employee Hiring: Hire employees and process hiring-related paperwork
  • Applicant Communication: Inform job applicants of details such as duties and responsibilities, compensation, benefits, schedules, working conditions, or promotion opportunities
  • Issue Resolution: Address employee relations issues, such as grievance handling, work complaints, or other employee concerns
  • Orientation Scheduling: Schedule and conduct new employee orientations
  • Document Maintenance: Maintain and update human resources documents
  • Policy Development: Confer with corporate to develop or implement personnel policies or procedures
  • Survey Implementation: Support in the implementation of corporate initiatives like ESAT (employee satisfaction survey)

5. Human Resources (HR) Generalist Accountabilities

  • Employee Support: Serve as a first-level contact for all EMEA Lifestyle employees and all other employees who are supported by the HR EMEA team
  • Onboarding Coordination: Coordinate and complete all new hire onboarding, contractual change, and termination processes and documentation
  • Benefit Management: Manage all employee benefits (such as pension and insurance) for the assigned region and third-party contact
  • Compensation Expertise: Become the specialist for compensation and benefits for colleagues working within EMEA
  • Administrative Support: Provide administrative support for all HR EMEA processes
  • Process Optimization: Build a structure in ways of working and identify and drive the ways to optimize
  • Data Monitoring: Monitor HR and systems processes to ensure data accuracy and integrity
  • Data Maintenance: Maintain personnel data accuracy in cooperation with the Shared Service Centre
  • Project Participation: Support and participate in EMEA HR projects

6. HR Generalist Functions

  • Employee Support: Be the first point of contact for all People and Culture queries
  • Project Coordination: Assist in the coordination of multiple HR projects, and review their policies and procedures
  • Agreement Implementation: Assist in implementing their already drafted enterprise agreement and answering employees' questions
  • Recruitment Coordination: Coordinate end-to-end recruitment of some internal positions
  • HR Advisory: Provide HR advice to store managers
  • Training Organization: Organize training for store managers and staff
  • Contract Creation: Create and issue contracts of employment
  • Policy Implementation: Implement policies and procedures

7. HR Generalist Job Description

  • Record Management: Maintains all employee records and personnel files by state and federal document retention requirements
  • Labor Compliance: Ensures labor law postings are current and compliant with state and federal standards
  • Benefit Administration: Performs all benefits administration to include annual review and renewal process, and employee enrollment
  • Policy Development: Administers and assists in the development of various human resource plans and procedures, such as the employee handbook and the policies and procedures manual
  • Full-Cycle Recruitment: Conducts full-cycle recruitment and onboarding of all personnel
  • Employee Orientation: Conducts new-employee orientations
  • Process Improvement: Makes recommendations to the management team for continuous improvement in areas of policies and procedures, recruitment, training, employee engagement and performance management and efficiency of the department and services performed
  • Goal Setting: Participates in developing department goals, objectives, training and systems
  • Compensation Oversight: Administers the compensation program
  • Performance Monitoring: Monitors the performance evaluation program and revises
  • Employee Relations: Handles employee relations counseling and exit interviewing
  • Meeting Participation: Participates in staff meetings and attends other meetings and seminars
  • Regulatory Compliance: Maintains compliance with federal and state regulations concerning employment and payroll
  • Safety Support: Provides backup support to the safety manager with training and claims management
  • Payroll Management: Using ADP oversees time entry, timecard review/approval process, maintains W-4 tax data, direct deposit data and any other personal data in the system
  • W-2 Handling: Issues W-2 Wage and Tax Statement reprints
  • Garnishment Processing: Processes garnishments which include child support, tax levies, student loans, WRIT of garnishment, etc.
  • Payroll Reporting: Compiles financial, tax and payroll reports for both internal and external purposes
  • Data Analysis: Compiles and analyzes payroll data, makes recommendations, and prepares related reports

8. Human Resources Generalist Overview

  • Talent Acquisition: Recruit the right person to fill the vacant positions and seek continuous improvement on recruitment tools and channels to be efficient
  • Lifecycle Management: Administrate employee lifecycle online/offline activities, including onboarding, changes and offboarding processes, data reporting and maintenance in the HR system etc
  • Performance Advisory: Responsible for providing advice on performance management to business managers, including goal setting and review, support with performance dialogues and improvement activities
  • Compensation Support: Assist the HR Manager with the merit and bonus campaign with high quality
  • Payroll Coordination: Collect monthly payroll data to make sure the payroll process is aligned with applicable rules and policies
  • Data Reporting: Interact with function contacts in providing HR related reports promptly
  • Employee Engagement: Take care of employee relationships in daily work and innovate different methods to promote employer branding
  • HR Helpdesk: Assist managers and employees with the operation of the HRIS system, employment certification letter, etc.
  • Manager Coaching: Give advice and guidance to business line managers to actively raise their understanding of and expertise in people management and HR issues
  • Training Delivery: Facilitate training programs and deliver internal training per requirements and needs
  • Audit Support: Responsible for providing tactical support to handle auditing or ER cases per request

9. HR Generalist Details and Accountabilities

  • Client Partnership: Serve as an HR focal to customer management to understand business priorities and human resources planning, and facilitate HR service delivery
  • Data Analytics: Leverage HR data analytics and metrics to develop a business case and measure progress on goals to drive business outcomes
  • Program Input: Work closely with HR Centers of Expertise to provide input for the design of HR programs in specific areas (e.g., performance and wellness, annual compensation review), and to support the delivery of such programs
  • Policy Advisory: Conducts research and analysis necessary to counsel customer management on a wide range of issues and advises management on the interpretation and application of various human resources processes and policies
  • Issue Resolution: Investigates employee concerns or complaints and works with cross-functional teams to develop solutions
  • Process Management: Plans and provides for the daily administration of various human resources processes such as the Human Resources Management System
  • Policy Development: Works closely with the HR team in the development and implementation of new or revised human resources programs, policies or processes
  • Project Participation: Participates in special projects or teams

10. Human Resources (HR) Generalist Tasks

  • Records Management: Maintain employees’ personnel records meticulously
  • Data Updating: Review and update internal records and all HR Software Tools
  • Policy Review: Review and update HR Policies
  • Query Resolution: Answer employees’ queries about HR-related issues promptly
  • Talent Promotion: Participate and help in HR job fairs as a brand ambassador and talent scout
  • Team Support: Ad-hoc assistance to the HR team

11. HR Generalist Roles

  • Process Execution: Execution of transactional core HR processes (e.g. coordinate and conduct new associate orientation, unemployment claims processes, onboarding and exit interviews, transitional return to work, leave administration, OSHA reporting, etc.)
  • Policy Coaching: Provide coaching and guidance to associates and supervisors regarding policy and procedure
  • Talent Support: Support hiring managers and Talent Acquisition to support recruitment and staffing plans
  • Payroll Support: Support and maintain the eTime system and payroll-related activities
  • Culture Development: Support HRBP to drive an inclusive and diverse culture
  • Engagement Administration: Administer programs to enhance employee engagement and satisfaction levels

12. HR Generalist Additional Details

  • Relations Guidance: Provide employee relations guidance to employees and management within the scope of the position
  • Needs Assessment: Identify and actively respond with sensitivity to the needs of employees and business unit leaders
  • HR Operations: Oversee the day-to-day support of Human Resources (HR) transactions in collaboration with a shared services team
  • Regulatory Compliance: Ensure compliance with state and federal laws and regulations
  • Policy Administration: Assess, communicate, interpret and administer updated HR policies and procedures to the assigned area
  • Benefits Delivery: Deliver benefits information to employees based on the company handbook/policies and procedures
  • Policy Enforcement: Ensure fair, equitable and consistent application of all company policies and procedures
  • Issue Investigation: Assist with investigating a variety of employee-related issues, incidents and complaints
  • Dispute Resolution: Resolve disputes and recommend appropriate/remedial actions
  • Hiring Support: Support HR Recruiting team and hiring managers by interviewing, presenting offers, facilitating candidate logistics, scheduling onboarding and administering the training/orientation process
  • Program Implementation: Assist in the development and implementation of programs or information regarding HR policies, procedures or information
  • Engagement Support: Support a values-driven environment through consultation and service regarding employee engagement activities

13. Human Resources Generalist Essential Functions

  • HR Services: Provide basic human resources services and operational support to the organization, like discussing separation packages with managers and employees, explaining options for maternity leave, or explaining guidelines and policies
  • Policy Guidance: Answers questions that require a level of professional judgment, e.g. contract questions
  • Issue Resolution: Support employee relations activities by investigating and resolving issues concerning working conditions as well as people-related issues such as manager/employee and colleague relationships
  • Manager Support: Assisting Line Managers to address specific people topics by advising on options (in context of Siemens policy and local labor law), assessing risk and acting as a consultant to help managers decide on the best course of action
  • Data Management: Manage data and documentation handling at a local level
  • Project Execution: Implementation of local HR activities and projects in alignment with HR Head/HR BP requirements
  • System Training: Educating managers and employees on the best use of on-demand solutions for relevant HR related topics (e.g., self-service applications)
  • Initiative Implementation: Implement HR projects and initiatives
  • Workforce Planning: Discusses workforce demands for the assigned organization
  • Event Participation: Participates in local HR activities such as training, onboarding and separation
  • Policy Development: Maintains, develops, proposes, and implements HR and company policies, procedures, and other guidelines

14. HR Generalist Role Purpose

  • Employee Support: Serve as a key point of contact for employees to connect with the human resources department, while promoting Eaton values and providing courteous and timely service to all employees
  • Talent Acquisition: Lead hourly and salaried talent acquisition and management activities, including building and maintaining a successful internship program, diversity and veteran outreach, and serving as a liaison with the Eaton University Relations team
  • Employee Onboarding: Strengthen employee retention and engagement through establishing the standard onboarding and orientation processes with integrated efforts from various functions
  • Talent Management: Support the Eaton talent management and organizational effectiveness initiatives in areas such as succession planning, organizational capability reviews, mentorship program, leadership development training, and performance management
  • Labor Relations: Assist in the preparation of Contract negotiations with the Local Union
  • Policy Interpretation: Administers the grievance and disciplinary process, interprets contract language and advises on day-to-day matters related to wages, benefits and working conditions to maintain a consistent, fair and equitable treatment of employees and competitive stature in the marketplace
  • Benefit Administration: Serve as local subject matter expert for employee benefits and payroll questions, coordinating with remote centralized HR service center and payroll teams and coordinating benefits enrollment meetings, communications, and processes
  • Issue Resolution: Support various employee relations activities such as supervisory coaching, conducting investigations, and administering discipline
  • Report Analysis: Generate and analyze regular and ad-hoc reports for regulatory, budgeting, and auditing purposes
  • Committee Facilitation: Facilitate and participate in company-wide committees in support of the overall Eaton goals, such as wellness and community involvement
  • Exit Processing: Facilitate the end employment process for both voluntary and involuntary separations
  • HR Communication: Prepare and distribute HR related communications
  • Policy Maintenance: Update and maintain HR policies and procedures
  • Strategic Support: Provide tactical and strategic support to the Electrical Products business unit and Syracuse plant organizations

15. Human Resources Generalist General Responsibilities

  • Employee Support: Serve as a point of contact to team members, answer questions, and help employees navigate all aspects of HR
  • Talent Strategy: Partner with and support HR Business Partners to drive the team's talent strategy and organizational change
  • Program Delivery: Support in the delivery of HR programs and processes related to workforce planning, employee engagement, performance reviews, promotion process, talent development, and overall talent management
  • Process Optimization: Collaborate with HR Generalists, Talent Operations, HRIS and other cross-functional team members on developing processes and iterating on existing ones to create greater efficiency
  • Transition Management: Handle internal movement and departures, working alongside cross-functional partners and headcount changes
  • Data Reporting: Run ad-hoc and regular reporting (headcount, terminations, new hires, promotions, etc.)
  • Performance Coaching: Partner with managers and on performance management and mentoring conversations
  • Case Resolution: Manage employee relations matters and be responsible for full cycle processes through to resolution and escalate
  • Change Administration: Administer employee changes in Workday in partnership HRIS Team
  • Document Maintenance: Maintain and update internal HR documentation, including transfer/promotion letters and immigration postings
  • Legal Compliance: Remain up to date on local employment legislation and compliance

16. HR Generalist Key Accountabilities

  • Team Collaboration: Report to an HR Manager and work with a close-knit HR and leadership team supporting the AST (Applied Sterilization Technologies) facility in Ontario, CA
  • Strategic Partnering: Be an HR Partner to managers and employees at various levels in a fast-paced environment, providing HR support and solutions
  • Cross Collaboration: Provide dedicated support to assigned teams and collaborate cross-functionally
  • Manager Coaching: Consult and coach managers as they handle performance issues and talent development needs
  • Issue Resolution: Manage employee relations issues, conduct investigations, and recommend solutions
  • Project Support: Support HR leadership team - HR research, project support, reporting/analytics, and champion HR initiatives
  • Leadership Influence: Identifying opportunities and positively influencing leadership approaches
  • Employee Onboarding: Training HR orientation, facilitation of HR training, and collaborating with the Technical Training team to create seamless onboarding and great new hire experiences
  • Talent Acquisition: Partner with the central recruiting team to guide the interview and selection process
  • Pipeline Development: Supporting innovative approaches to developing pipelines and promoting the employee value proposition

17. Human Resources Generalist Roles and Details

  • Employee Coaching: Provide counseling and/or coaching to employees and management regarding employee relations matters and application of company policies, programs, and benefits
  • Action Planning: Recommends and administers OFI or corrective action plans
  • Form Compliance: Ensures forms are completed per policy and in compliance with all applicable laws
  • Policy Administration: Administer applicable company and/or site policies, programs, and benefits and act as a liaison with corporate to facilitate change management
  • Benefits Liaison: Acts as a liaison for employee programs and benefits (e.g., health, 401(k), performance management, incentives, etc.)
  • Benefits Coordination: Coordinate and/or facilitate benefit meetings during open enrollment
  • Data Accuracy: Ensures new hire and termination paperwork is processed and employee data is current and accurate within the system of record (e.g. UltiPro) and maintains proper employee files by policy and law
  • Policy Development: Participates in the maintenance, development and implementation of policies and procedures
  • Talent Acquisition: Performs recruiting duties for all non-exempt (full-time or temporary) and liaisons with established temporary agencies, including creation of job advertisement, interviewing and selection
  • New Onboarding: Completes the onboarding functions for new employees including system onboarding (UltiPro), new employee orientation and necessary coordination of new employee training
  • Business Reporting: Perform routine reporting functions to support the business
  • Program Advocacy: Function as an advocate for other company programs and/or initiatives based on the site supported

18. HR Generalist Responsibilities and Key Tasks

  • Onboarding Coordination: Schedule employee onboarding processes
  • Orientation Planning: Plan new employee orientation by utilizing HR resources such as the HR portal to enable a seamless onboarding experience, allowing insight into the Flex goals and culture
  • Policy Enforcement: Ensure the consistent treatment of employees and the consistent application of Flex policies and procedures
  • Relationship Building: Foster and maintain positive working relationships within all employee levels
  • Policy Counseling: Counsel management on policy interpretation, including any potential risks
  • Issue Resolution: Advise and investigate (when applicable) regarding the appropriate resolution of employee relations issues
  • Discipline Administration: Assists in the documentation/administration of the disciplinary procedure
  • Separation Processing: Prepare employee separation notices and related documentation
  • Exit Interviews: Conduct exit interviews to provide insight into voluntary separation decisions
  • Hearing Representation: Represent the organization at unemployment hearings (based on business location)
  • Appraisal Administration: Administer performance appraisal and compensation programs to ensure effectiveness, compliance, and equity within the organization
  • Recognition Programs: Administers and promotes employee recognition programs
  • Corporate Partnership: Partner with corporate HR COE teams to cascade communications approved by them to ensure all employee levels receive the information on various corporate programs, policies and initiatives
  • Training Coordination: Coordinate and communicate various training requirements including management, safety, security, Code of Conduct, etc.
  • Employee Advocacy: Be an employee advocate and assist with any workplace concerns or HR-related programs
  • Resource Guidance: Provide employees with guidance and resources to allow them to easily contact the GBS HR Help Desk
  • Communication Support: Assist with HR communications and training of managers on new programs, systems and processes
  • Compliance Monitoring: Monitor the Flexpledge/CSER requirements, complete periodic audits and drive initiatives throughout the site in collaboration with the environmental health and safety team

19. HR Generalist Duties and Roles

  • Talent Acquisition: Conduct hourly recruitment for open positions following the established process, by Affirmative Action requirements
  • Documentation Management: Maintain required documentation, including electronic records, supporting Affirmative Action, Attendance, Vacation, and the Collective Bargaining Agreement
  • Employee Onboarding: Conduct new hire onboarding and orientation using standardized onboarding material
  • Record Maintenance: Create and maintain personnel records
  • Policy Administration: Support the administration of the Collective Bargaining Agreement and related policies
  • Legal Compliance: Assist with Plant compliance with Federal and State employment and Labor Laws
  • System Training: Provide training and support for e-tools, including HR Atlas, Workday, SharePoint, Performance Management, and Survey Action Planning
  • Staff Supervision: May direct the work of others including support staff
  • Project Formulation: Formulate human resources projects
  • Employee Liaison: Act as the first point of contact for hourly employees
  • Issue Investigation: Conduct investigations for employee relations issues
  • Management Advisory: Influence and make recommendations to management

20. Human Resources (HR) Generalist Roles and Responsibilities

  • Active Listening: Giving full attention to what other people are saying, taking time to understand the points being made, asking questions, and not interrupting at inappropriate times.
  • People Management: Motivating, developing, and directing people as they work, identifying the best people for the job.
  • Social Perceptiveness: Being aware of others' reactions and understanding why they react as they do.
  • Verbal Communication: Talking to others to convey information effectively and the ability to speak clearly so others can understand.
  • Logical Reasoning: Using logic and reasoning to identify the strengths and weaknesses of alternative solutions, conclusions, or approaches to problems.
  • Reading Comprehension: Understanding written sentences and paragraphs in work-related documents.
  • Oral Comprehension: Listening to and understanding information and ideas presented through spoken words and sentences.
  • Written Understanding: Reading and understanding information and ideas presented in writing.
  • Clear Expression: Communicating information and ideas in speaking and writing so that others will understand.
  • Decision Making: Considering the relative costs and benefits of potential actions to choose the most appropriate one.
  • Conflict Resolution: Bringing others together and trying to reconcile differences.
  • Problem Solving: Identifying complex problems and reviewing related information to develop and evaluate options and implement solutions.
  • Rule Application: Applying general rules to specific problems to produce answers that make sense.
  • Error Detection: Perceiving when something is wrong or is likely to go wrong.
  • Idea Generation: Coming up with several ideas about a topic (the number of ideas is important, not their quality, correctness, or creativity).
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