When it comes to managing employees and looking after their interests, every company turns to HR professionals. They take care of the employees and ensure they get optimal working conditions.

Smooth organizational operations call for a strong team of human resource managers. A good HR team can enhance employee engagement tenfold if they are efficient enough. Studies show that companies with highly engaged employees can achieve 21% greater success and profitability.

The crucial role HRs play in taking care of the entire workforce, and the workplace of an organization is undeniable. They handle things like hiring new people, ensuring everyone gets along, helping employees develop their skills, and adhering to work regulations.

Moreover, workplaces and dynamics are constantly advancing and being updated. Hence, they’re not only important for helping businesses grow and succeed in this dynamic sphere but also for ensuring employees are happy and companies run smoothly. 

Due to the unique nature of this field, the demand for HR professionals is also high.

Considering the workload that HR professionals carry on their shoulders, coupled with the ongoing demand for their management-level skills, the average salary of HR in India is quite hefty. In certain industries or sectors such as technology, finance, or healthcare, the HR manager salary might be higher due to their specialized knowledge and the demands of those fields.

This article will shed light on the rising HR salary in India and some of the roles that offer the same. You’d also get to know how you can enter this field and start earning lucrative HR salary in India:

HR Salary in India: Why is it so High? 

In the last few decades, India has seen staggering growth in the services sector. The number of companies in India has increased exponentially in the last few years and all of these companies require the expertise of HR professionals. 

Human resource management skills are necessary since every company wants to keep its employees productive and efficient. In 2018, HR professionals were among the top three most sought-after talents in India. 

Fast forward to more recent times, as per recent surveys conducted by the Bureau of Labor Statistics, the anticipated employment growth for HR professionals is set to increase 7% by 2032. This projection surpasses the expected average growth rate for all other occupations.

As companies have started focusing on handling business virtually, maintaining various employees and looking after them has become crucial. Naturally, you can expect to see a surge in demand for HR professionals in India soon. With such rising demand, it is not surprising to see such a high range of HR salary in India. 

Our Learners also read: Free online HR courses with certificates!

Leading Causes Behind the Surging Demand for Skilled HR Professionals

The factors listed below contribute to the significant demand for HR roles and the resultant higher human resource management salary packages in India:

• Adapting to remote work culture: As more companies embrace remote work, there’s a greater need for HR experts skilled in managing virtual teams and ensuring effective communication. This has also led to a significant hike in HR starting salary in India.
• Talent acquisition problems: With companies competing for top talent, the need for HR professionals capable of attracting and retaining skilled individuals has amplified. Companies are deliberately offering higher HR salary for freshers to encourage more and more individuals to pursue this field of expertise. 
• Focusing on employee well-being: The emphasis on employee well-being has increased in recent years. They are tasked with designing and implementing comprehensive wellness programs. This has led to a surge in demand for HR specialists and resulted in companies offering a substantial HR starting salary.
• Integration of new HR technology: HR professionals adept at using technology and analytics for efficient HR processes are in high demand. Most organizations tend to offer a higher HR salary to skilled professionals with added knowledge and expertise in HRM and CRM software and technologies. 
• Adapting to the latest compliance and regulations: Ever-changing labor laws call for HR experts who can swiftly adapt policies and ensure organizational compliance. As a professional in this field, you must stay abreast of the latest changes in regulations to avoid any legal issues. This is why, the HR jobs salary of most roles in this sphere is significantly high. 
• Strategic alignment with business goals: Companies value human resource professionals who can align HR strategies with business goals, making it crucial to have professionals with both HR expertise and business insight. 

HR Salary in India for Different Roles

Human resource management might seem like a niche industry, but it has plenty of variety to offer. 

However, note that there are plenty of factors that affect the average HR salary in India. Your location, experience, and skills matter a lot in determining your pay. You should keep these factors in mind while picking a specific job.

The following are some of the most prominent HR jobs in India that offer good pay packages:

Assistant Human Resources Manager Salary in India

What Do They Do?

Assistant human resources managers help the human resources manager with conducting their duties. They are responsible for recruiting new employees through job posts, picking resumes, and conducting background checks.  

Assistant HR managers are also responsible for arbitrating difficult issues between different employees. They must make the employees familiar with the professional conduct and the work culture of their company. 

The job profile of an assistant HR manager depends highly on the kind of organization they work in. As an assistant HR manager, you’d have to assist the HR manager with all tasks. For example, during audits, you’d be responsible for supplying the HR manager with the required records and reports. 

Check out the scope and career options in HR in USA.

How Much Do They Earn?

The starting salary of HR in India can vary depending on various factors like role, experience, qualifications, skills, location, and even company. 

The average pay of an assistant human resources manager in India is INR 5.62 lakh per year. As a beginner, you can expect to earn around INR 2.95 lakh per year and as you gain experience, your pay would increase further in this field. Experienced assistant HR managers earn around INR 9.62 lakh per year in India on average. 

Human Resources Manager Salary in India

What Do They Do? 

HR managers are responsible for planning, managing, and coordinating all human resources activities including handling of benefits, payroll, recruitment, employee relations and training within an organization. 

They help manage the following:

• Recruitment support: Assistant HR managers assist in creating job postings and screening resumes for open positions. They also coordinate interviews by scheduling them and communicating with candidates and hiring teams.
• Hiring: They help new employees in the onboarding process, preparing necessary documentation and facilitating orientation sessions to acquaint new hires with company policies and procedures.
• Background checks: Assistant HR managers oversee the verification processes for potential hires, ensuring that background checks on educational qualifications, employment history, and references are conducted accurately.
• Administrative tasks: These professionals maintain employee records accurately and assist in managing HR databases and generating reports as part of administrative duties.
• Training assistance: They work with HR teams to organize training programs to help enhance employee skills and development that go hand-in-hand with company objectives.

They oversee the daily operations of a business and manage the planning and development of HR programs. HR managers are also responsible for the budget management of these programs. 

As an HR manager, you’d have to coach and advise the assistant HR managers and make them acquainted with the company policies. You’d be responsible for overseeing the maternity leave, vacation, insurance program, sick leaves, and all the additional employee benefits. 

How Much Do They Earn?

HR managers in India get INR 7.03 lakh per annum on average. New and inexperienced HR managers get up to INR 2.92 lakh per annum while experienced professionals in this field can make up to INR 20 lakh per annum. It certainly offers a lucrative HR salary in India, making it one of the most popular career choices. 

Senior Human Resources Manager Salary in India

What Do They Do? 

Senior HR managers have to mentor the junior members of the HR department. They develop staffing strategies for their organization’s hiring requirements and manage the enactment of HR initiatives and policies. 

A senior HR manager is responsible for knowing about all the areas of human resources such as policy interpretation, hiring, corrective action, handling complaints, etc.

Their responsibilities have been elucidated further below:

• Policy interpretation and implementation: Senior HR managers are proficient in interpreting and ensuring consistent implementation of HR policies, ensuring compliance with legal standards and aligning with the company’s goals.
• Hiring and recruitment: They also oversee the recruitment process, establish selection criteria, and approve key hiring decisions while ensuring adherence to best practices in attracting and onboarding top talent.
• Corrective action and conflict resolution: These managers handle employee performance issues, implement corrective actions, and manage disciplinary procedures. They also resolve workplace conflicts to maintain a fair and healthy work environment.
• Handling complaints and employee relations: Senior HR managers manage employee relations, addressing grievances and ensuring a fair resolution process for employee complaints or concerns.
• Performance management and development: They oversee performance appraisal systems, guide performance evaluations, and contribute to designing training programs to enhance employee skills.
• Strategic planning and leadership: Collaborating with senior management, they align HR strategies with organizational objectives, providing leadership and guidance on HR matters.
• Legal compliance and risk management: These managers ensure compliance with employment laws, stay updated on legal changes, and mitigate risks associated with HR practices.

As the job title suggests, you need significant industry experience to pursue this role. You must be familiar with the latest technologies in HR such as PowerPoint and HRIS (Human resource management system) solutions. 

How Much Do They Earn?

A senior or experienced HR salary per month in India is significantly higher than that of a fresher or one with fewer years of experience. 

The average salary of a senior human resources manager in India is INR 11.81 lakh per year. Your pay in this role can go up to INR 30 lakh per annum while the lowest pay for this role is reported to be INR 3.12 lakh per annum. 

Staffing Manager Salary in India

What Do They Do? 

Many companies hire staffing managers to help them hire talented individuals according to their requirements. As a staffing manager, you’d have to search for, recruit, hire, and schedule new staff. 

• Searching for talent: The staffing HR manager actively scouts talent through job boards, networks, and events, using various sourcing strategies to attract potential candidates.
• Recruitment and selection: This role involves managing the recruitment process, reviewing resumes, conducting screenings, and evaluating candidates for their fit within the organization.
• Hiring process: Staffing HR managers extend job offers, negotiate terms, and collaborate with departments to ensure a streamlined hiring process.
• Scheduling and onboarding: From coordinating interviews and orientations to onboarding activities, they facilitate a smooth transition for new hires, integrating them into the company’s culture and workflows efficiently.

You must also be adept at conducting interviews and evaluate a candidate to see if they would be the right pick for the role. This role might require you to modify the company’s recruiting process to enhance its effectiveness. 

How Much Do They Earn?

The human resource management salary for a staffing manager is quite considerable. 

A staffing manager in India earns around INR 7.5 lakh per annum. Freshers in this field earn around INR 3.9 lakh per annum whereas seasoned staffing managers can make up to INR 20 lakh per annum. Like most of the jobs, we discussed in this article, your pay in this field depends on your experience and skill level. 

Compensation Manager Salary in India

What Do They Do? 

As a compensation manager, you’d be responsible for the quality and efficiency of a company’s employee-compensation and payroll system. From small businesses to large enterprises, compensation managers work with all kinds of organizations.

Some of the main responsibilities of a compensation manager are to:

• Design compensation structures: Develop competitive salary ranges and benefits aligned with goals.
• Conduct compensation analysis: Regularly evaluate and ensure fair and compliant pay practices.
• Develop compensation policies: Create and maintain fair pay guidelines across the organization.
• Manage compensation programs: Oversee merit increases, bonuses, and payroll accuracy.
• Advise on compensation matters: Provide guidance on salary negotiations and HR issues.
• Ensure legal compliance: Guarantee adherence to compensation regulations.
• Collaborate with HR and Finance: Align compensation strategies with budgets and HR goals.
• Communicate with employees: Effectively convey compensation plans and changes for clarity.

You’d have to work with the HR department of the organization to develop and implement compensation strategies that benefit the employees and the company. This role requires you to have detailed knowledge of the overall job market and the recent trends in the same. Such knowledge helps them in staying ahead of their competition in attracting and retaining talent. 

In many cases, the compensation manager handles the promotions and decides which employee would get which benefits. 

How Much Do They Earn?

A compensation manager in India earns around INR 14.7 lakh per year. The pay in this field starts from INR 4.85 lakh per year and it can go up to INR 40 lakh per annum, which is certainly a very lucrative HR salary in India. 

How to Become an HR Professional in India?

By now it’s clear that HR offers some of the highest-paying jobs in India. Besides offering generous compensation, these roles also offer unique growth opportunities. And with the demand for HR professionals in India steadily rising, now is the perfect time to capitalize on this opportunity and pursue a career in HR. 

This surge in demand opens doors to a multitude of opportunities for individuals aiming to build a career in HR. It’s a golden opportunity to leverage this growing demand and consider embarking on a career in HR. The prospects for learning, advancement, and contributing to organizational success are abundant in this field.

To become an HR professional, you must have a certification in HR. Getting a certification will make you familiar with the various concepts of human resources management such as organization, recruitment, analytics, etc. Moreover, a certification highlights your skills as a professional to the recruiters, making you stand out in the competition.

At upGrad, we offer multiple courses in HR you can choose from according to your interests and career goals.

This certification boosts credibility and shows expertise to employers, giving an edge in job hunting. It validates skills, reflects a proactive learning attitude, and keeps professionals updated on HR trends.

You can pursue an MBA in HR from Liverpool Business School. The course offers you 1:1 mentorship from industry leaders and gives you a globally recognized MBA. You’ll get to work on assignments and learn through live lectures during this course. 

You can also enroll in our Executive Post-Graduate Program in Human Resource Management. This course offers more than 300 hours of study material and dedicated student success mentorship. 

All of these courses have their unique advantages. Additionally, you get access to upGrad’s exclusive student success portal which provides career counselling, interview preparation and helps you kickstart your career as an HR professional. 

Be sure to check out these courses! 

Conclusion

With the above list of jobs and statistics, you must have understood how easily one can get a lucrative HR salary in India. The human resources field is brimming with growth prospects and opportunities. 

The diverse tasks handled by HR experts highlight the potential for prosperous HR careers in India. Businesses increasingly recognize HR’s importance in creating a positive workplace and driving success, increasing the demand for skilled professionals. 

India’s changing job market provides growth possibilities in this field with high HR generalist salary packages. This emphasizes the need for adaptable HR experts. Their adaptability also results in fulfilling careers with growth opportunities and skill enhancement. Overall, the wide scope of HR experts’ responsibilities signifies rewarding prospects in India’s evolving HR field, offering ample chances for professionals aiming for advancement and success.

What do you think about the average HR salary in India? Which human resources management job piqued your interest? Let us know by dropping a comment below.