HR professionals are often regarded as specialists in the hiring and firing process, experts in managing contractual changes, and as the port of call for day to day grievances. But is this one dimensional view of HR accurate and are some organisations missing a trick?
Now more widely represented on executive boards, HR is often central in defining company goals and objectives. An ability to positively influence organisational culture and company values is paramount to keeping employees engaged and delivering strong performance. If managed correctly, HR specialists can indirectly influence customer value from product inception to delivery.
HR specialists indirectly influence customer value from product inception to delivery
The much talked about hostile take over of Cadbury is a classic example of how HR management can have a direct impact on production quality, information management and supply chains. In this situation HR managers have the challenge of making sure work ethics are maintained, politics and personal disputes are not tolerated. And this should not be done in isolation.
In today’s competitive and complex market place, employee engagement is no longer just about having an intranet and making sure managers carry out appraisals. It’s also about making sure that the tactical elements of all employees roles are reflective of the business strategy, helping organisations go to market as one large team and be more competitive.
No longer the tactical implementer that it once was, HR is taking a much more strategic role in many organisations. A greater understanding of their role in the wider business has yet to be fully accepted but HR candidates that can demonstrate their understanding of its impact across all facets of the organisation will have the edge.
One Comment
I wish I shared your view about the current state of HR. This is certainly the role that many HR managers crave, but the operational needs just overwhelm the strategic ones in many organisations.
This report (http://www.ukmediacentre.pwc.com/News-Releases/PwC-CEO-survey-sheds-light-on-companies-people-strategies-and-post-recession-role-of-HR-e06.aspx) from PwC criticises HR’s lack of agility and threatens a return to ‘administrative function’.
Surely both strategic and operational functions are important and there needs to be balance depending what the needs of the organisation are – and the size of the HR team!