Member Article

HR Getting the Best - Delivering the Best

So we know the world of business, leadership, and employment has change massively over the past two decades. We are wanting more for less, those leaving education are predicted to have ten roles in their first five years of employment, well-being is no longer just a trip to occupational health, leaders have to be authentic people persons as well as technical experts and business professionals.

But what about our HR colleagues?

A great article by Peter Cheese, CIPD Chief Executive, this week. Helping HR professionals to focus and develop their roles. Peters’ article prompted two things for me this week:

• Do leaders and mangers know what they want from HR; and,
• Do HR Professionals know how they want to contribute to the business?

Certainly there is still a need for operational HR, the contracts, recruitment, advice etc. But are CEOs and Directors missing a trick? Is there effective engagement between the Executive and HR? Is HR central to developing managers and leaders to be authentic in their relationships? Are they your business change agent to develop people for this agile business environment?

Our experience shows that people leave organisations because they don’t fit, not because they can’t do the job. What is your turnover and attendance telling you? A strategic HR function will be working with leaders to develop a clear culture and values that is unmistakeable to those joining and working within the organisation. They will be integral to building collaboration, engagement and trust within the organisation. Their external focus will keep you ahead of your competitors and will prepare and develop your people for change.

Does HR have a voice in your organisation? Can your HR professionals be your strategic business partner? We often find it’s about finding that common language so HR find their influencing voice and Directors having a clear vision of their culture and for their people.

The full Peter Cheese article.

So we need to take heed of how employees as well as management view us. And if they feel we are remote and purely an administrative function, we need to get out there, engage and fulfil our role in supporting and connecting with the workforce. We also have more to do in putting people at the heart of the business agenda, to make the case for long-term investment in people and skills alongside investment in the workplace and automation. And we must continue to educate business leaders on the strategic value of HR and L&D – that will help them properly recognise strategic HR when they see it, and to ask for more of it.

Beverly Sherratt, Profectus 4 People limited, supporting HR professionals to operate with impact and influence. On Twitter @ProfectusBev - LinkedIn https://uk.linkedin.com/in/beverlysherrattp4p - www.profectus4people.co.uk

This was posted in Bdaily's Members' News section by Beverly Sherratt .