Good Morning to All,

I am working in a small software company where I have a lot of free time. I would like to know what important things I can start learning about HR during this time. I have one year of experience in the recruitment field, and I recently joined this new start-up company two months ago. My role here primarily involves core activities, but during my free time, I am eager to expand my HR knowledge.

Kindly provide guidance on what I can focus on learning during my free time.

Thanks in advance.

From India, Tiruppur
Acknowledge(0)
Amend(0)

ACT
508

Hi,

You are fortunate to have free time at work, and here are some possible ways to utilize that time profitably:

Reading - Journals and books relevant to HR. Read up on topics that you feel are especially important in your current job. Also, read up on topics of your interest as well as on those topics in which you would seek more inputs or clarity.

Planning - Identify areas of work where you can standardize, simplify, and strengthen the existing system. Prepare formats that are relevant to your varied activities both in physical form as well as in Excel sheets. You can also plan out ways to strengthen administrative matters, make the reception area more welcoming, etc. Plan a welcome note for new entrants incorporating the do's and don'ts that form part of the corporate policy, including the leave policy, the outstation duty policy, and the different allowances.

Notings - Make a note of areas of improvement or some new initiatives that you can propose. Also, note the frequent complaints or laments of employees, as well as the suggestions that they could be making in passing.

Don't limit your thinking. Be open to new ideas, explore avenues beyond your immediate job profile, and start implementing what you can initiate immediately.

Best Wishes

From India, Mumbai
Acknowledge(0)
Amend(0)

nathrao
3251

"I am working in a small software company where I have a lot of free time."

I hope your manager is not reading this. Anyway, make use of your spare time to read and update yourself. If you have unrestricted access to the internet, focus on your core job area and keep yourself updated. This spare time is a gift from God, so use it wisely to learn.

From India, Pune
Acknowledge(0)
Amend(0)

Hi Anuradha,

You can create job descriptions for various profiles and also learn how to develop HR policies that encompass leave, attendance, safety, harassment, terms and conditions of work, etc.

Establish an employee master if you lack all the employee details such as name, date of birth, current address, permanent address, PAN number, Aadhaar card number, family details, soft copy of a passport-sized photograph, blood group, contact number, email ID, marital status, qualifications, etc.

Ensure the deduction of PF from employees' salaries and ensure they have their UAN (Universal Account Number). Update all this information on the EPFO website (Aadhaar, PAN, bank account number) for KYC compliance. Also, verify the ESIC website.

Review various draft letters on websites (appointment letter, confirmation letter, warning letter, transfer letter, etc.).

Initiate an induction program for new hires to educate them about HR policies and complete the onboarding procedures.

Install a suggestion box in the company to allow employees to provide beneficial suggestions for the company, employee welfare, or any necessary changes within the organization.

Issue ID cards if they are not already provided.

Engage with employees to understand them and the working environment better.

Regards,

Lina

From India, Mumbai
Acknowledge(0)
Amend(0)

Thank you for your valuable suggestions. I will surely implement the things to improve my skills and knowledge in the available time. I understand that time is very precious, so I will not waste it.

Regards,
Anuradha.s

From India, Tiruppur
Acknowledge(0)
Amend(0)

Dear Anuradha,

I echo all the measures suggested by our seniors. Please identify any area within HR that you would want to learn more about, such as Compensation or Appraisal, and learn it from scratch. Since you are new to the system, this study will help you explore the practices within your firm and then benchmark them with the industry. This will also help you gain respect from the seniors in the firm, as they would notice your keenness and effort to become an SME within your firm. Consider blogging here about all that you learn so that we too can learn from you and add if needed. Stay close to the core, and you will remain relevant. Wish you all the best!

From India, Mumbai
Acknowledge(0)
Amend(0)

Hi Anuradha,

My advice will be a bit different from my other learned professional friends. I find that you write English sentences without even a full stop in between, no punctuation, etc., where they are required. You cannot leave it to the reader to read and assume many things! An old joke goes this way: From the Palace, the King ordered an arrested person to be released. However, the person who prepared the note used the wrong punctuation and got hanged instead. The sentence was "HANG HIM NOT, LEAVE HIM!" The comma after NOT got shifted to the place after HIM! So, for an HR person, English language skill is crucial and vital.

As an HR professional, writing and drafting skills play a crucial part in your career. You cannot turn to seniors or others or to standard formats whenever you need to write a letter, memo, or even a simple plain communication to an employee or management on your own. Why not spend a part of your free time improving your English vocabulary, spoken as well as written English? Pick up some books and read; read newspapers daily so that your vision gets enlarged and you get to know what is happening in HR in other business segments, in and around the world. This will help you stay updated as well.

Best wishes.

From India, Bengaluru
Acknowledge(0)
Amend(0)

You are very fortunate that you are having leisure time in your employment. Most people work for 12 hours or more, with an additional 3 hours for to and fro conveyance, totaling 15 hours. There is no time for proper sleep either. During leisure time, you can utilize it by reading HR journals, other books, and articles for the advancement of your career and prosperity. Everybody will say the same thing.
From India, Hyderabad
Acknowledge(0)
Amend(0)

Looking for something specific? - Join & Be Part Of Our Community and get connected with the right people who can help. Our AI-powered platform provides real-time fact-checking, peer-reviewed insights, and a vast historical knowledge base to support your search.






Contact Us Privacy Policy Disclaimer Terms Of Service

All rights reserved @ 2025 CiteHR ®

All Copyright And Trademarks in Posts Held By Respective Owners.