With the global HR industry expected to grow at 12.2% per year from 2021 to 2028, HR development and upskilling are critical. But you don’t need to go back to grad school to upgrade your HR skills; instead, you can choose high-quality free HR courses online. Some of these courses even allow you to self-report and provide you with a free printable HR certificate of completion or diploma.
Taking the courses will help broaden your management abilities, equip you with the latest HR strategies, and help you stay updated on employment laws and labor relations. This post will take you through 10 of the best HR courses online. Topics range from people analytics to recruitment, HR management, interviewing candidates, and more. Let’s dig in!
Top 15 HR courses online—boost your human resource career with these free HR courses
Choosing the suitable HR certification courses can be challenging with so many options online. Luckily, we’ve done our research and developed a list of the best free hr courses that cover many aspects of human resources, from managing employee problems to interviewing.
Here are the courses that made it to our list:
1. People Analytics Masterclass (Orgnostic)
First up on our list of HR courses is the People Analytics Masterclass by Human Resource Webinars. During the eight 60-minutes masterclasses, you’ll learn how to connect HR metrics to business goals, develop and implement data-driven strategies, and set the right People Analytics foundation.
The course is administered via zoom sessions by former and current CHROs and people ops execs from firms like American Express, WesternUnion, Facebook, Uber, etc. Training in this course will help you use data to inform strategic planning and resolve talent challenges.
You’ll also get a free certificate if you complete quizzes for more than 80% of the sessions.
2. Recruitment Skills (OHSC)
To manage your employees, you’ll first need to find and recruit employees, which is what this HR course is concerned about. It’ll equip you with the skills, abilities, and knowledge you need to shortlist applicants, interview them, select, and offer the right candidates a role in your firm.
The courses will emphasize the interview process and how to induce new hires into the organization. Brought to you for free of cost, this course takes 20 hours, is self-paced, and provides you with an online certificate upon completion.
3. HR Management (OHSC)
Upskill your HR management skills with this free-of-charge course from one of the world’s best HR training websites – the Oxford Home Study Centre. The course is open to all individuals, from experienced executives to budding HR professionals and aspiring managers.
The course is self-paced, taking about 20 hours to complete, and you’re offered a certificate at the end. It allows you to sharpen your leadership and management skills, abilities, and knowledge and increase your efficiency for professional growth.
4. Diploma in HR Management (OHSC)
Work your way up the HR leadership ladder with this free Diploma in HR Management course by Oxford Home Study Centre. It’s designed to equip you with a wide range of skills and knowledge applicable in various management areas.
The course takes 450 hours to complete, and the learners earn a diploma. It moves beyond HR individuals’ day-to-day functions and focuses on strategic development needs at top-level management.
5. Certificate in HR Management (OHSC)
Get the edge with this globally recognized course from Oxford Home Study Centre. The course is designed to equip learners with vital management skills needed in the human resource management field.
The course takes 200 hours to complete and is open to anyone worldwide. It helps professionals interested in advancing their HR career obtain the skills and knowledge needed to fulfill the role of a human resource generalist. Upon completion, you earn a certificate in HR management.
6. Human Resources Foundations (LinkedIn)
Brought to you by LinkedIn learning and taught by Wayne Cascio, the Human Resources Foundations is among the best courses for HR generalists. This video course features some of the best HR modules, including interviewing techniques, performance management principles, how to apply internal training, etc.
The class is free, and you earn a certificate of completion and CPE credits after completing it. Another benefit about the course is that it’s self-paced, taught by an award-winning instructor, and is only one hour long.
7. Human Resources: Managing Employee Problems (LinkedIn)
People problems are common in the corporate world, and this course looks to help you manage these problems. JoAnn Corley teaches the course, and it explains the importance of training and documentation and how HR managers can use the employee handbook when problems arise. You’ll also learn why putting a good process in place is key to managing problems in the organization.
The course takes about an hour to complete, and you earn a certificate of completion. And the best thing about this course is that you can access it from any platform, from phones to tablets to PC.
8. Human Resources: Using Metrics to Drive HR Strategy (LinkedIn)
If you want to manage your employees effectively, you’ll need a holistic training experience that helps you understand your people first. This is where this LinkedIn’s HR course comes in. It’s designed to help you evaluate things like performance and efficiency.
The course helps you measure the various HR metrics, including recruiting and hiring success, onboarding effectiveness, retention, etc. You only need about an hour to complete the course, and you earn a certificate of completion.
9. Interviewing techniques (LinkedIn)
Interviewing techniques keep on changing as the world advances. LinkedIn brings this course to you to ensure you’re up-to-date with the latest interviewing techniques. Taught by Barbara Bruno, the course is about 1.25 hours long and completed by almost 165,000 learners worldwide.
Among the lessons covered in this course are:
- How to select applicants for interviews
- How to make a business proposal for searching applicants.
- How to take advantage of social media
- The workable methods for considering previous applicants.
Upon completion, you’ll earn a certificate of completion and CPE credit.
10. Preparing to Manage Human Resources (Coursera)
This is an 18-hours course designed for intermediate-level human resource professionals. The course covers talent acquisition, HR management, and employment laws. It enables the learner to develop the ability to motivate employees and use the various HRM strategies to benefit the organization.
The course is administered by John W. Budd and is a partnership between Coursera and the University of Minnesota. Upon completion, the learner will earn a certificate of completion and a CPE credit.
Be sure to keep in mind that this is Course 1 of 5 in their HR Management: HR for People Managers Specialization.
11. Recruiting, Hiring, and Onboarding Employees (Coursera, Beginner Level)
In this course, you will learn about the importance of recruitment, selection, and onboarding in hiring the right people for your organization. Take this course which discusses how to align recruitment goals with company strategy, and explore various effective and legal methods for recruiting and selecting employees. They will also cover current trends in talent acquisition, such as the use of social media and hiring analytics. Finally, you will examine the onboarding process and how to promote employee commitment and engagement.
Be sure to keep in mind that this is Course 2 of 5 in their HR Management: HR for People Managers Specialization.
12. Leading People and Teams Specialization (Coursera, aprox. 60 hours)
In this course, you will learn essential leadership skills, including how to motivate and inspire individuals, manage talent, and lead teams without formal authority. You will gain knowledge and practical skills through lectures from Michigan faculty, as well as from experienced leaders in the field. Throughout the course, you will have opportunities to apply new leadership skills in practical assignments and a capstone project. Upon completion, top students may be eligible for additional benefits, such as office hours with faculty and a waived application fee for Michigan Ross graduate programs.
13. The Manager's Toolkit: A Practical Guide to Managing People at Work (Coursera, 29 hours)
This course from the University of London, is designed to provide practical guidance for managing people in any workplace setting. You will learn about HR theories and how they apply in real-life work environments, and gain skills in areas such as choosing employees, motivating and evaluating your team, managing workplace conflict, and making daily decisions as a leader. By the end of the course, you will be better equipped to manage people effectively in your workplace.
14. Human-Centered Work Culture (2-Minute Micro Course)
Discover the benefits of a people-first culture and learn how to create a human-centered work environment that prioritizes the well-being and needs of employees. Our course for HR professionals covers the importance of meaningful work, the adoption of human-centered methods and technologies, and the creation of cultures that support personal growth and a holistic approach. Embrace a people-first culture and drive success in your organization.
15. Microlearning Framework for Professional Development (6-Minute Micro Course)
As an L&D or HR professional, you know the importance of providing ongoing professional development for your team. But let's face it, long, drawn-out training sessions can be a drag, leaving employees feeling disengaged and overwhelmed. That's where microlearning comes in! In this course, you will learn how to design and implement microlearning courses that are short, focused, and engaging, and that fit within a larger training and development strategy. You'll also learn best practices for using microlearning to reinforce existing training, deliver just-in-time learning, and more. So, why wait? Get in on the microlearning revolution and sign up for this free 5-minute course today!
Get free HR courses with certificate today
Whether you’re interested in one course or a complete set of HR certification courses, many are available to suit your needs. However, with many options to choose from, it’s very easy to get overwhelmed.
This post provides you with the best free and quick HR courses to boost your HR career. You can see even more information about earning HR certifications from SHRM, HCI, HRCI, and CIPD. Good luck as you use these free HR courses and certificates to upskill and remain competitive in a tight labor market.
