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Human Resources (HR) professionals have often been told that their rightful place is that of a senior officer in the top most echelons of management.
Tasks associated with what once was known as 'personnel administration' have become objects of scorn, while activities that are perceived as 'strategic partners' are now being applauded.
Many HR professionals have taken this message to heart and are constantly striving to focus on strategy, participate in decision-making at the highest management levels and elicit respect from other senior management members.
The recent emphasis on strategy at the expense of operations has hurt HR. In their rush to become strategists, HR managers have ignored some fundamental aspects. Does this mean that HR professionals should abandon strategic activities and return to regular operational HR roles? Not really, it simply means that HR managers must try harder to find the delicate balance between day-to-day operations and big-picture initiatives. While HR professionals ultimately should be focused on strategy, they must make sure that basics of the job are taken care of first. Ultimately, there is a hierarchy of roles/priorities that must be followed, moving from smooth execution of basics to finally becoming a champion of change.
A common complaint from HR managers juggling basic operations and strategic thinking is that there isn't enough time to do both. With staff and budget cuts forcing organisations to do more with less, this balancing act is becoming even more difficult. The solution is simple. Get rid of HR practices that are not adding value to the organisation's bottom line.
In fact, HR should leverage technology to automate administrative transactions and provide efficient, user-friendly self-service systems to employees and managers alike. HR professionals should know where they stand in the eyes of their stakeholders, including senior executives, line managers and employees. What are they doing well? Which areas need work? Are they perceived as administrative implementers, obstacles to progress or on a more positive note as strategic planners and key business facilitators? Establishing trust in the HR function is simply by helping stakeholders understand the competitive/strategic human-capital issues facing organisations and explaining the rationale behind change-related decisions.
When you make changes to HR processes that appear to eliminate HR duties, you might create confusion among line managers. In addition, line managers often are unaware of the importance of specific HR processes. A practice they dismiss as a waste of time may actually bring significant value to the organisation. This can be avoided through frequent and effective communication with stakeholders.
Getting the HR house in order is important from an efficiency standpoint, but it is also crucial for establishing credibility within the company. HR professionals must evaluate for themselves their track record in meeting stakeholders' operational expectations. No matter how brilliant their strategic thinking, unless basic HR needs of their organisations are satisfied, HR professionals will not be viewed as full members of the organisational team.
- The writer is principal consultant at Cedar Management Consulting.
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