Dear All,
Sharing an article on the role of the HR Department by Robert Bacal.
From The Corporate File - The Role Of Human Resources Departments
Written by Robert Bacal
Some human resources (HR) departments (sometimes called personnel or given a current new name) really add value to a company, while others do not. This is not surprising. But what sets apart the good ones from the bad ones? Here's one way of looking at it.
Some HR departments have maintained an old command and control mentality, where they see their jobs as ensuring that managers and employees are doing what they are supposed to do. Questions like, is everyone on time? Why not? What about sick leave? Are all the rules being followed? It's not that these departments are misguided, because some rules (e.g., hiring practices, safety, harassment, etc.) are important and need to be handled centrally by a company. Additionally, certain programs and procedures may be best handled by a central department due to the need to coordinate actions across the entire company. However, problems arise when HR departments forget that their purpose is to serve the needs of the company, the managers, and the employees to help them get the work done.
After all, is your company's human resources department a PROFIT CENTER? Of course not. The HR department does not produce or sell anything, but it can assist the rest of the company in production or sales by smoothing the path on certain matters.
What sets apart good HR departments from bad ones is that the bad ones lose their service orientation and forget that if they don't help others get their jobs done, they won't get cooperation from those they should be assisting. The good ones recognize that while they are obligated to regulate processes, they can also play vital leadership roles in the organization. This does not mean dictating but balancing the needs of the organization with the needs of the managers and employees.
What would this look like? Let's take an example: performance appraisal. Poor HR departments approach performance appraisal by devising rules and forms independently, then proceeding (if they have executive support) to TELL managers and employees what they SHOULD do. They tend not to consult or, if they do, they forget to listen to the people who have to use these sometimes complex procedures. This leads to a disconnect, as HR tends to be somewhat distant from the users of the system. Managers and employees view the process as another hurdle to overcome, causing them to stall or avoid complying with what they are supposed to do. This forces HR to assume a policing or enforcement role to coerce managers into compliance. This creates frustration for everyone and drives a wedge between HR and the rest of the company.
A good HR department approaches this differently. While recognizing that performance appraisal needs to be a central organizational process, they understand that it must be responsive to the needs of managers and employees to succeed. Instead of dictating procedures, forms, and details, smart HR professionals, in consultation with both managers and employees, create a skeleton outline of the process. This outline defines the basic components but leaves the details to the managers. Rather than mandating the use of a provided twelve-page form, they simply require managers to document performance discussions and submit them to HR at least annually. Can you see the difference? The shift here is from dictating details to providing a framework and aiding people in working within that general framework. It is a supporting function, not a leading role.
Everyone benefits, including the HR staff, by stepping back and acknowledging that one can support and lead simultaneously without dictating. The more HR dictates and enforces, the less accountable managers and staff feel for the functions HR is mandating. Increased dictation leads to more resistance from the rest of the company.
So, HR professionals, focus on providing frameworks rather than details. Aim to serve rather than command.
Regards,
SC
From India, Thane
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47Sharing an article on the role of the HR Department by Robert Bacal.
From The Corporate File - The Role Of Human Resources Departments
Written by Robert Bacal
Some human resources (HR) departments (sometimes called personnel or given a current new name) really add value to a company, while others do not. This is not surprising. But what sets apart the good ones from the bad ones? Here's one way of looking at it.
Some HR departments have maintained an old command and control mentality, where they see their jobs as ensuring that managers and employees are doing what they are supposed to do. Questions like, is everyone on time? Why not? What about sick leave? Are all the rules being followed? It's not that these departments are misguided, because some rules (e.g., hiring practices, safety, harassment, etc.) are important and need to be handled centrally by a company. Additionally, certain programs and procedures may be best handled by a central department due to the need to coordinate actions across the entire company. However, problems arise when HR departments forget that their purpose is to serve the needs of the company, the managers, and the employees to help them get the work done.
After all, is your company's human resources department a PROFIT CENTER? Of course not. The HR department does not produce or sell anything, but it can assist the rest of the company in production or sales by smoothing the path on certain matters.
What sets apart good HR departments from bad ones is that the bad ones lose their service orientation and forget that if they don't help others get their jobs done, they won't get cooperation from those they should be assisting. The good ones recognize that while they are obligated to regulate processes, they can also play vital leadership roles in the organization. This does not mean dictating but balancing the needs of the organization with the needs of the managers and employees.
What would this look like? Let's take an example: performance appraisal. Poor HR departments approach performance appraisal by devising rules and forms independently, then proceeding (if they have executive support) to TELL managers and employees what they SHOULD do. They tend not to consult or, if they do, they forget to listen to the people who have to use these sometimes complex procedures. This leads to a disconnect, as HR tends to be somewhat distant from the users of the system. Managers and employees view the process as another hurdle to overcome, causing them to stall or avoid complying with what they are supposed to do. This forces HR to assume a policing or enforcement role to coerce managers into compliance. This creates frustration for everyone and drives a wedge between HR and the rest of the company.
A good HR department approaches this differently. While recognizing that performance appraisal needs to be a central organizational process, they understand that it must be responsive to the needs of managers and employees to succeed. Instead of dictating procedures, forms, and details, smart HR professionals, in consultation with both managers and employees, create a skeleton outline of the process. This outline defines the basic components but leaves the details to the managers. Rather than mandating the use of a provided twelve-page form, they simply require managers to document performance discussions and submit them to HR at least annually. Can you see the difference? The shift here is from dictating details to providing a framework and aiding people in working within that general framework. It is a supporting function, not a leading role.
Everyone benefits, including the HR staff, by stepping back and acknowledging that one can support and lead simultaneously without dictating. The more HR dictates and enforces, the less accountable managers and staff feel for the functions HR is mandating. Increased dictation leads to more resistance from the rest of the company.
So, HR professionals, focus on providing frameworks rather than details. Aim to serve rather than command.
Regards,
SC
From India, Thane
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