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“Significant challenges” to HR today There was a common theme in these findings, and it‟s this: that given the impact of the downturn, HR leaders are having a difficult time these days. by Ron Thomas on Sep 7, 2010, 10:37 AM | HR Insights, HR Management
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HR Insights, HR Management
HR as the Town Crier, or Why People
Management Needs a Lot More Focus
by Ron Thomas on Sep 7, 2010, 10:37 AM |
In the 18th Century, a town crier was used to make public
pronouncements wearing a red and gold robe, white breeches,
black boots and a tricorne hat. They would carry a hand-bell to
attract attract people‟s attention, as they shout the words “Oyez,
Oyez, Oyez.” This translates to “Hear Ye, Hear Ye” before
making their announcements. This was a call for silence and
attention.
I have been giving a lot of thought to this role over the past few
months and it really crystallized last week when I read the recent article in Human Resources
Executive titled “What‟s Keeping You Up?” This article was based on a survey of 802 HRE
readers that found that “nearly 80 percent of HR leaders report their level of stress has gone up
during the past 18 months,” with one-third of those surveyed reporting that their level of stress
had increased “dramatically.”
There was a common theme in these findings, and it‟s this: that given the impact of the
downturn, HR leaders are having a difficult time these days.
“Significant challenges” to HR today
How hard? According to the survey, when asked to name “significant challenges” to human
resources today, the HR leaders said:
Only 30 percent of HR leaders felt that employee engagement and morale are strong
within their companies;
More than 50 percent said they were worried about losing talent;
45 percent cited the need to keep employees engaged and productive;
34 percent cited the need to retain key talent as the recovery takes hold;
33 percent feel there is a strong need to develop new HR leaders;
More than 50 percent say downsizing has hindered their organizations ability to achieve
its goals and objectives;
11 percent said that that downsizing has “significantly” hindered their organizations;
More than 33 percent said their HR departments were cut during the recession;
Some 50 percent said that they did not have enough staff to handle the current workload.
The survey also asked what methods HR leaders are using to keep employees happy, engaged,
and committed:
63 percent plan to increase employee communication to boost retention;
55 percent say will increase training and development;
45 plan to do more to assist employees in career development;
30 percent are going to help improve work/life balance;
Only 21 percent plan to increase compensation; and,
Just 16 percent say they will enhance employee benefits.
I have read so many of these type articles over the past year or so. They all seem to point to the
same dilemma. Just take a look at some of my favorites:
“The Future of HR is to build leadership and strategy;”
“What HR Worries About;”
“Strategic HR: the Time is Now;”
“The Future of HR From a Shareholders Perspective;”
“HR is facing a world turned upside down,”
“Has HR finally hit the big time?”
“Human Resources Poised To Become a More Strategic, Mission Critical Contributor To
Overall Business;”
“Why We Can‟t „Motivate‟ Engagement?” and,
“HR needs to simplify the complexities that have crept into it.”
I even wrote an article a while back titled, “The Tsuanmi is coming and it is headed to HR.”
Preparing for the coming tsunami
Now, back to the town crier: I do not profess to be the one who has gone to the mountaintop and
seen the promised land. That mountaintop is a crowded perch now because every report you read
basically tells the same story. HR‟s impending dilemma has been sliced about every way that
you can possibly think.
The big storm is coming and it will hit sooner than later. One thing is for sure: the tsunami is
heading towards land. We do not need any more white papers to tell us this.
HR is in the cross hairs and this is not an errant weather forecast; it is just a matter of time and it
will hit land at various companies depending upon the recovery, industry, culture, and other
factors. That most commonly used phrase in the past — “People are our greatest asset” — will
now take center stage.
The common denominators in all these studies are the importance of engagement and
reconnecting with the workforce. In other words, the “people thing” has to be redone.
Or as the town crier would say, “Hear Ye, Hear Ye!”
Ron Thomas is a Principal at StrategyFocusedHR (http://strategyfocusedhr.blogspot.com/), a
strategic human resources consultancy based in New York. He has worked in senior level HR
roles with Martha Stewart Living and IBM. Ron was recently named to the Expert Advisory
Council on Talent Management Strategy at the Human Capital Institute, and was also named to
the HR Hall of Fame by HR Network of New York. Contact him at [email protected],
or on Twitter at http://twitter.com/ronald_thomas