Essential Skills for HR Practitioners: a Strategic Development Framework

Brian Goulden 18 April 2012

Unlocking Africa’s potential … one sector at a time

HR4ICT Forum 2012 London

Overview

• The ICT sector context • The Human Resource role • Professional HR Areas • Professional HR Behaviours • Frameworks for development • The way forward

The ICT sector context

Turbulent

& uncertain

Fast-paced

Technology-led

Growing consumer

expectations Increased stakeholder engagement

Demands for higher

ROI

The HR Role : Ulrich’s Business Partner Model

Strategic Partner Aligning HR and business strategy: ‘organisational diagnosis’

Administrative Expert Re-engineering organisation processes: ‘shared services’

Employee Champion Listening and responding to employees: ‘providing resources to employees’

Change Agent Managing transformation and change: ‘ensuring capacity for change’

Changes in Ulrich’s Business Partner model

1997 2001 2005

Strategic partner Coach Strategic partner

Administrative expert Leader Functional expert

Employee champion Conscience Employee advocate / HC developer

Change agent Facilitator HR leader

Architect

Source: Ulrich (1997), Ulrich & Beatty (2001), Ulrich & Brockbank (2005)

Professional Areas: the CIPD model

• Insight, strategy & solutions • Leading HR • Organisation design & development • Resourcing & talent planning • Learning & talent development • Performance & reward • Employee engagement & employee relations • Service delivery & information

Source: CIPD HR profession map - www.cipd.co.uk

Some Key HR Professional Areas

Insight

• Actionable insights & solutions • Prioritised & tailored around business • Understanding of business & context

Service

• Accurate information • Efficient, timely, cost-effective delivery • Professional approach

Learning

• Develop skills, knowledge & experience for all • Focus on short & long-term business needs • Motivate to learn, grow & perform

Source: CIPD HR profession map - www.cipd.co.uk

Professional HR Behaviours: CIPD model

Curious Decisive thinker

Skilful Influencer

Personally credible

Collaborative

Driven to deliver

Courage to challenge Role

model

Source: CIPD HR profession map - www.cipd.co.uk

Some Key HR Behaviours

Curious • Seeks insight

into strategic business context

• Understands how people behave in differing contexts

Skilled Influencer • Secures

consensus across complex stakeholders

• Communicates authoritatively, delivers clear & memorable messages

Personally credible • Keeps HR &

professional practice flexible to meet evolving business needs

• Combines HR & business insights to provide advice to senior leaders

Human Capital KSA Framework

Knowledge

Attitudes Skills

Technical Professional

Business-focused

Strategic

Tactical

Flexible

Challenging

Enquiring

Global Perspective / Forward-looking

Skills Development Framework Experiential

learning

Training

Expanding work tasks

Knowledge sharing Networking

Coaching

Mentoring

Time & Budget

Management commitment

Business / HR Alignment Process

Define Business Strategy

Analyse The Context

Identify Business Needs

Identify Key Issues

Develop Strategic Framework

Define Specific Plans

Assess Capabilities & Resources

Review HR policies against objectives

Identify core competencies, Learning Needs, Performance expectations

Identify resource needs to deliver business Objectives (numbers / skills / experience)

Identify appropriate learning interventions

Link L&D to related HR issues – performance, talent

Specify HR actions (inc L&D) to meet objectives

Assess extent to which HR can fulfill its obligations as a “business partner”

IMPLEMENTATION PLAN

The Way Forward

Professional Skills Aligned HR Credibility Influence

Sources & Resources • ARKIN, A. (2007) In the hot seat. People Management. Vol 13, No 13, 28 June. pp28,30,32. • BROWN, D., CALDWELL, R. and WHITE, K. (2004) Business partnering: a new direction for HR. A

guide. London: Chartered Institute of Personnel and Development. Available at http://www.cipd.co.uk/guides

• DALZIEL, S., STRANGE, J. and WALTERS, M. (2006) HR business partnering. Toolkit. London: Chartered Institute of Personnel and Development.

• GIFFORD, J. and CHARTERED INSITITUTE OF PERSONNEL AND DEVELOPMENT. (2007) The changing HR function: survey report. London: Chartered Institute of Personnel and Development. Available at http://www.cipd.co.uk/onlineinfodocuments/surveys.htm

• GOODGE, P. (2005) Ready for HR partnering? Human Resource Management International Digest. Vol 13, No 4. pp32-36.

• GRIFFIN, E., FINNEY, L. and HENNESSY, J. (2009) Maximising the value of HR business partnering : a practical research based guide. Horsham: Roffey Park Institute.

• LOSEY M, MEISINGER SR, & ULRICH D (2005) “Conclusion: reality, impact and professionalism”, Human Resource Management, vol 44, no 2, pp 201 -206;

• ULRICH, D. and BROCKBANK, W. (2005) The HR value proposition. Boston, MA: Harvard Business School Press.

• Change management: the HR strategic imperative as a business partner. (2007) HR Magazine. Vol 52, No 12, December. (supplement) pp1-10.

Thank You

Brian Goulden +27 730 526 758 (mobile) +27-11 783 1210 (office)

bgoulden@pygmaconsulting.com

HR4ICT 2012