HR Departments: Making Structure Make Sense
HR Departments: Making Structure Make Sense
Usually “HR” refers to things like benefits, payroll, hiring, firing, training, reviews, compensation and the like. But I think that we missed an opportunity to better organize Human Resources as it moved away from its roots in “Personnel.” Back in the day, employees were considered an expense above all. Over time though, attitudes changed as employers began to appreciate that the humans who worked for them were a resource. Suddenly Human Resources Departments were born (or Personnel Departments were renamed) and the views attached were that employees were investments and should be treated and valued like any other asset. But therein lies the rub, because remnants of the old school remain and employees are therefore still considered a liability to the extent that they are, and always will be, a major cost to the company. The problem for HR departments is that both are true. Employees are an asset and liability at the same time. So, while the understanding and appreciating of human resources has evolved into a sophisticated and strategic practice over time, its structural underpinnings have not kept up.
The best way to think about the right structure for your business is to think about the “type” of work coming out of HR and the people best suited for carry out the tasks. For the most part, the skills that individuals need to bring to the money side are not the same (in fact they are often the opposite) as those needed to do well on the warmer-fuzzier side of things where it’s all about human interaction and interpersonal skills.
The good news is that it’s an easy fix. All you have to do is take functions like benefits administration and payroll and align them with accounting because their primary implication to the company is financial and they require transactional minds to handle them best. Then, on the other hand, the people-development initiatives can make up your Human Resources Department where you can have people who excel at building relationships, creating innovative employee programs and developing talent to support your business’s goals.
Then, when it’s time to evaluate performance and make compensation decisions, the two worlds meet where the expertise is appropriately aligned to be mutually complementary and produce the best possible results for your company.
HR Departments Making Structure Make Sense - To learn more about this author, visit Donna Flagg's Website.
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So far, my career has seen both sides of the “front office/back office" equation. Between having walked in the shoes of sales, training, recruiting and now running my own business, I’ve come to believe that HR departments are not being optimized because of the way they tend to be structured.
Usually “HR” refers to things like benefits, payroll, hiring, firing, training, reviews, compensation and the like. But I think that we missed an opportunity to better organize Human Resources as it moved away from its roots in “Personnel.” Back in the day, employees were considered an expense above all. Over time though, attitudes changed as employers began to appreciate that the humans who worked for them were a resource. Suddenly Human Resources Departments were born (or Personnel Departments were renamed) and the views attached were that employees were investments and should be treated and valued like any other asset. But therein lies the rub, because remnants of the old school remain and employees are therefore still considered a liability to the extent that they are, and always will be, a major cost to the company. The problem for HR departments is that both are true. Employees are an asset and liability at the same time. So, while the understanding and appreciating of human resources has evolved into a sophisticated and strategic practice over time, its structural underpinnings have not kept up.
The best way to think about the right structure for your business is to think about the “type” of work coming out of HR and the people best suited for carry out the tasks. For the most part, the skills that individuals need to bring to the money side are not the same (in fact they are often the opposite) as those needed to do well on the warmer-fuzzier side of things where it’s all about human interaction and interpersonal skills.
The good news is that it’s an easy fix. All you have to do is take functions like benefits administration and payroll and align them with accounting because their primary implication to the company is financial and they require transactional minds to handle them best. Then, on the other hand, the people-development initiatives can make up your Human Resources Department where you can have people who excel at building relationships, creating innovative employee programs and developing talent to support your business’s goals.
Then, when it’s time to evaluate performance and make compensation decisions, the two worlds meet where the expertise is appropriately aligned to be mutually complementary and produce the best possible results for your company.
HR Departments Making Structure Make Sense - To learn more about this author, visit Donna Flagg's Website.
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Kim CastleWith nearly two decades in the advertising and design business, with clients like Domino's Pizza, General Motors, Direct TV, Pedigree, Wolfgang Puck, Higher Octave Music, Hollywood Celebrity Products, Disney, and Paramount, as well as thousands of entrepreneurs around the world define, structure, communicate, and position their business for greater profits, BrandU(R) co-creators Kim Castle and W. Vito Montone discovered that entrepreneurs could experience the same power that big brands command for a fraction of the cost with the world's only process-based results-drive Integral approach to business creation. BrandU(R) is helping entrepreneurs grow with the power of extreme clarity from idea...to brand...to market(TM) and helping one million entrepreneurs become successful and whole so that they can make a difference in the world. Are you one of them? If you want to experience clarity all the way to the bank(TM), get started now at http://www.brandu.com. - Visit Kim Castle's Website |
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Leanne Hoagland-SmithAre your sales where you want them to be? Will you be one of the few who achieves sales or business success or one of the many who have failed to change? Are you tired of being told you are like everyone else? Then you may find my first book on sales of interest. Be the Red Jacket in the Sea of Gray Suits, The Keys to Unlocking Sales available at Amazon or at http://www.processspecialist.com/red-jacket.htm. This book is a reflection of my no-nonsense approach to improving sales to overall business results. If you are truly committed to making sustainable changes, then I can help you secure a positive return on your investment because I focus on executable solutions not telling you the problems you already know you have. From training to corporate (group) coaching to executive one on one coaching, my approach is to assess, create awareness, build a goal driven action plan and then execute. The bottom line question is "Not do you or your employees know it, but do you or they want to do it?" Please call for a free strategy session at 219.759.5601. - Visit Leanne Hoagland-Smith's Website |
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Cheryl MatthynssensCheryl is a life skills coach, licensed Chemical Dependency Counselor and a 20 year entrepreneur. Cheryl's dedication to achieving a life of balance led to her expanding her teaching from the simple managing of life's daily challenges to adding financial well being as well. A direct marketer with DrinkACT, she is gaining ground in the online community with her concepts of making sure business owners, entreprenuers and employees have well rounded life styles. She opened up a small affiliate site - The Balance Guide- to help others find resources for mental and emotional well being. Visit Cheryl's blog to see more of the diversity beyond business she has began offering online at www.thebalanceguide.blogspot.com - Visit Cheryl Matthynssens's Website |
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David AchesonDavid Acheson is the founder of DCJA Consultancy. DCJA Consultancy is a management consultancy business specialising in B2B sales consultancy. They offer bespoke and packaged sales consultancy including Sales Optimisation Review, Interim Sales Management, Sales & Marketing Review, 1:1 Sales & Management Staff Analysis, Management Training, Solution Sales Training, Creation of New Pay Plan, KPI's, run Customer Feedback Campaigns, assist with Recruitment, Coaching, Appraisals and set up Strategic Marketing Campaigns. David spent his early career in accountancy and then moved into sales in 1982, working in Office Equipment, IT, Advertising, Training, Outsourcing and Consultancy. He has held many Senior Positions in SMBs and Global Organisations including Head of Sales Operations & Head of Business Development. His knowledge, skills and great experience of the Sales Industry has led to David making keynote speeches and running educational sessions to key businesses through organisations including The Chamber of Commerce and Business Link. - Visit David Acheson's Website |
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Linda RichardsonLinda Richardson is the Founder and Executive Chairwoman of Richardson, a global sales training and performance improvement company. As a recognized leader in the industry, she has won the coveted Stevie Award for Lifetime Achievement in Sales Excellence and she was identified by Training Industry, Inc. as one of the “Top 20 Most Influential Training Professionals.” Ms. Richardson is credited with the movement to Consultative Selling and is the author of ten books on selling and sales management, including Sales Coaching — Making the Great Leap from Sales Manager to Sales Coach, and Stop Telling, Start Selling. She teaches sales and management at the Wharton Graduate School of the University of Pennsylvania and the Wharton Executive Development Center. Linda is a frequent speaker at industry and client conferences, has been published extensively in industry and training journals, and has been featured in numerous publications, including The Wall Street Journal, Forbes, Nation’s Business, Selling Power, Success, and The Conference Board Magazine. Learn more about Richardson's sales training and performance improvement solutions at http://www.richardson.com web - Visit Linda Richardson's Website |
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George LudwigGeorge Ludwig is a recognized authority on sales strategy and peak performance psychology. An international speaker, trainer, and corporate consultant, he helps clients like Johnson & Johnson, Abbott Laboratories, Northwestern Mutual, CIGNA, and numerous others improve sales force effectiveness and performance. Though it's George's strategies and processes that help corporations increase productivity and performance, it's his tremendous energy and dynamism that spark the transformation. Again and again, clients remark on his amazing ability to unleash human capacity and inspire men and women to break out of their comfort zones. The result is a whole new type of salesperson. His customized presentations teach achievers to make stunning advances in their lives. From helping salespeople realize cherished dreams to helping corporations exponentially accelerate revenue streams, George Ludwig leaves audiences and individuals empowered, emboldened, and clamoring for more. George is the best-selling author of Power Selling: Seven Strategies for Cracking the Sales Code and Wise Moves: 60 Quick Tips to Improve Your Position in Life & Business. - Visit George Ludwig's Website |
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