Being an effective HR professional Contemporary Case Studies

Being an effective HR professional Contemporary Case Studies in HRM

Learning outcomes �Critically review the changing roles of HR professionals and the factors that have/are influencing these changing roles. �Consider the implications of HR’s changing roles for others within the organization. �Reflect on own continuing professional

Changing nature of HRM function �Competing aims – ambiguous and dynamic: ◦ Operational: Become more cost-effective – reducing costs and headcount ◦ Relational: Improve services for line managers ◦ Transformational: Address strategic objectives

Changing HR roles and competencies (From Conner and Ulrich 1996) Author (date) Key roles identified Wiley (1992) Strategic process, legal aspects and operational aspects Walker (1994) Support, service, consulting, leadership Schuler (1994) Business person, shaper of change, consultant, strategy formulator and implementor, talent manager, asset manager and cost controller Ulrich (1993) Administrative expert, Employee champion, Change agent, Strategic partner

How HR is changing (CIPD 2006) �Slimming down of the central HR function �New HR roles – Business Partners, technical experts �Line manager taking/expected to take more responsibility for transactional side of HR �New outsourcing arrangements �Increasing collaboration between HR and other functions

HR: the saying/doing gap (CIPD 2006)

HR Transformation – issues from research (CIPD 2009) Overuse of the ‘Business Partner’ label – confusing picture internally and externally § Gap between different HR roles widening e. g. advisor to business partner – additional layers being put back in some cases to address this § Shortage of BPs - more acute when organisations have to go to external market § Investment in HR lagging – people not as well prepared for the HR transformation journey as they could be §

Enablers to HR transformation and business partnering (CIPD 2009) § Clear business objectives and expected outcomes - joint business and HR led approach, linked to clear business strategic aims § Assessing and preparing the ground for change “The business partner role is very much dependent on the organisation’s receptiveness to allow people to operate in this manner … so it is partly the skill-set of the HR professionals … but for me it is about having an organisation mature enough to have HR engaged and involved in things” § Clear structures and accountabilities § Efficient and effective HR administrative systems

Reasons organizations introduce E-HRM Research by Parry and Tyson (2010: 13) identified 6 key reasons: § Operational effectiveness and efficiency § Improve service delivery – for different customers § Management empowerment § Increase the strategic orientation of the HR function § Standardisation of HRM practice § Organizational image

Unintended outcomes of e-HRM? �‘Social dis-integration of the HR function, due to displacement of ‘soft’ HRM with ‘hard’ HRM �Impact on HR career paths �Work intensification/overloading line managers with HR responsibilities �Loss of the ‘employee champion’ role – possible effects on employee morale Ref: Martin et al (2008); Cooke (2006)

MINI CASE – HR STRUCTURE AND ROLES IN CENTRICA

Centrica Assets Killingholme Power Station generates enough electricity to make 300, 000 pieces of toast every day Lincs Offshore Wind farm generates enough electricity to power 150, 000 homes The 10 platforms off Morecambe bay produce about 500 mcfg (million cubic feet of gas) per day which is about 6% of the UK's peak gas demand, enough to supply more than 2 million homes. 12 4 -Apr-11

HR in Centrica Energy HR Director Exploration & Production HR Director Country and Regional Heads of HR HR Managers Core Functions Midstream Storage & Power Head of HR HR Director HR Managers HR Advisors Learning & Development Director Head of Resourcing Learning & Development Business Partners Resourcing Business Partners HR Advisors 13 4 -Apr-11 Head of Change & Innovation Head of Reward

Roles in HR � HR Director ◦ Responsible for setting the people agenda at a company level ◦ Overall responsibility for the delivery of HR across Centrica Energy � HR Director/Head of HR Function ◦ Sits as part of the Senior Leadership teams of one of the CE functions ◦ Manages a team of HR Managers and Advisors ◦ Sets the people agenda for their own function but linking into the overall agenda � HR Managers/HR Business Partners ◦ May be based regionally to support a physical location or an asset ◦ Work closely with line managers on performance management, disciplinary & grievances ◦ Leads on case issues � HR Advisors + Graduate entry ◦ Provide first level support to managers on day to day HR issues such as absence, performance, disciplinary & grievances 14 4 -Apr-11

Other HR Roles � Learning & Development ◦ Shape our Talent agenda ◦ Provide internal and external learning opportunities ◦ Lead on senior leadership capability ◦ Provide 360 feedback ◦ Design bespoke development days to address individual team issues � Reward ◦ Responsible for all remuneration within the business ◦ Grading and benchmarking of roles ◦ Design of senior leader packages ◦ Support HR Managers with pay negotiations ◦ Manage employee benefits 15 4 -Apr-11

Other HR Roles � Change & Innovation ◦ Work with innovation volunteers to look at better, safer, higher performing ways of doing things ◦ Support major business change initiatives such as restructures ◦ Supports creative thinking � Resourcing ◦ Responsible for both internal and external resourcing including Graduates and Summer placements 16 4 -Apr-11

HR Professional’s View of what makes a ‘Great’ HR Business Partner • Doesn’t quote policy – Don’t start a sentence with “Our policy says……. ” • • • Knows when appropriate to bend the rules or maintain them Able to build great relationships Able to think about what is best for the business as well as the individual Remaining independent and be able to detach yourself from the situation Can see beyond the immediate issue Is commercially aware Spends time in the business, not sat in HR Aligned to the core HR values and priorities Able to have difficult & provocative conversations Sense of humour !!! Passion for the business you work in !!!

HR PROFESSION MAP AND CAREERS

HR Careers �HR Careers in Practice �HR Careers World

HR Profession Map What is it? A capability framework It defines the professional attributes, (behaviours), skills and knowledge, (professional areas), at all levels, which drive individual performance, professionalism and organisational capability. Fulfils four key purposes for HR Capability: Communicates best practice � Ensures consistency of approach � Underpins different levels of CIPD membership; qualifications and assessment routes into membership. � Provides a reference for continuing professional development. � 20

Key design principles HR Specific, content may relate to line managers and academics Breadth and depth of the HR profession Four bands of what you need to do, what you need to know and how you need to it Behaviours and technical elements Professional competence, not jobs roles 21

Professional Areas The foundation for CIPD offerings Membership ● Qualifications ● Professional Development ● Capability Assessments ● Job design ● Recruitment 22

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References CIPD (2009) Understanding and Attracting Strategic HR Talent: A Focus on the Business Partner Role. CIPD (2007) The Changing HR Function: Survey Report. September 2007. CIPD (2007) Business Partnering: A New Direction for HR. Cooke, F. L 92006) Modeling an HR-Shared Services Center: Experience of an MNC in the United Kingdom. Human Resource Management, Summer 2006, Vol 45, No. 2, pp 211 -227. Parry, E. and S. Tyson (2010) Desired goals and actual outcomes of e-HRM. Human Resource Management Journal, doi: 10. 1111/j Martin, G. , M. Reddington and H. Alexander (2008) Technology, Outsourcing & Transforming HR. Oxford: Butterworth-Heinemann. Muller-Camen, M. , R. Croucher and S. Leigh (2008) Human Resource Management. A Case Study Approach. London: CIPD.