Is it essential to be fluent in English to be a good HR manager?

most of the spread job descriptions stipulate : "anglais courant exigé" (in french in the text). The expectations could vary in "apprécié" or "recommandé" and HR Management branch does not make an exception and quite every offer finishes by these terms. Does it mean that we shall all have a great level in English? Not sure ; let's try an explanation.

we all know that french people like foreign languages very much and that their average level is really good thanks to high expectations and level of teaching at school and to a big open-mindedness. 

why do firms, the biggest as well as others, want english (either spanih or german) HR managers speaking? 

we could imagine several reasons and put the companies in a few categories : 

some really have an international business and their organization are such as HR managers have to master in english. These ones have foreign capital and chose an international language as official or their clients, presence, products, suppliers are so diverse as it is essential for their teams, HR or not, to speak english. Every communication is made in english : documents, contracts, e-mails, corporate social report... 

for an other category, having foreign languages speaking employees is a question of credibility. They don't really work in an international business except in a few occasions and they feel that diversifying their skills is positive for the employees and value-adding for the organization. 

there is a last group of firms : these ones follow fashions and require the candidates to speak english even if they would never use it! 

what kind of functions requiring to speak english could be attended by an HR manager working in France? It is indeed not really comfortable to negociate with french unions either to deal with subjects like training or weel-being at work. More than the capacity of explaining things, doing reports, leading meetings, the HR manager should be able to know foreign policies, different social laws, the habits or the unions. 

the answer to the question asked by the title of this article could thus be : it depends on several factors : the firm you work or want to work for, your expectations...  however, whatever is the use that you make, to have a good level could only be beneficial for your career or the quality of your resume.

and what about you : when do you use your english qualifications except when : 

- helping your children for their school work? 
- trying to translate a facebook page? 
- doing shopping abroad the Channel? 
- reading an article from the Financial Times? 
- ordering some products on the Internet?