Reinventing HR

Cecile Schultz

Description

Revolutions are typically huge and dominating events in the world's history accompanied by radical, visible change. The current revolution is in this regard 'silent' yet change is everywhere. The changes in organisational life are affecting management and the way in which businesses are being run.In this volatile context the Human Resource (HR) function need to be strategically correctly positioned. It needs to be 'reinvented' and positioned in terms of all aspects of people and relations in an organisational context, with clearly identified main activities (professional streams). In order to understand the current state of affairs of the HR function and to give definition to a future ideal positioning for the function, the authors conducted a survey. It was sent out to members of management, as well as to HR practitioners. Based upon the findings of the survey, as well as an analysis of international trends and developments, the authors propose six transitional pillars for the HR function:1. Leadership and meaning2. Relationships3. Workplace socialisation4. Productivity5. Organisational transformation6. Personal wellnessThese pillars, as strategic focus areas, are built upon foundational HR competence and business acumen. The intention behind the project is to enable the HR function to reinvent itself into a discipline which is acknowledged and respected for its relevance, competence and professionalism. Reinventing HR will provide you with the context in which the HR function needs to find its strategic and operational relevance. Content includes: Research report and findings Transitional pillars Foundational understanding: HR competence and business acumen Leadership and meaning Relationships Workplace socialisation Productivity Organisational transformation Personal wellness The future

Sujets

• Gestion et management

Informations

• Publié par: Knowres Publishing
• Date de parution: 30 mars 2015
• Nombre de lectures: 1
• EAN13: 9781869225384
• Langue: English
• Poids de l'ouvrage: 2 Mo

Extrait

Strategic and Organisational Relevance of the Human Resources Function


by


Cecile Schultz and Hugo van der Walt




2015
Copyright © Knowres Publishing, Cecile Schultz and Hugo van der Walt
All reasonable steps have been taken to ensure that the contents of this work do not, directly or indirectly, infringe any existing copyright of any third person and, further, that all quotations or extracts taken from any other publication or work have been appropriately acknowledged and referenced. The publisher, editors and printers take no responsibility for any copyright infringement committed by an author of this work.

Copyright subsists in this work. No part of this work may be reproduced in any form or by any means without the written consent of the publisher or the authors.

While the publisher, editors and printers have taken all reasonable steps to ensure the accuracy of the contents of this work, they take no responsibility for any loss or damage suffered by any person as a result of that person relying on the information contained in this work.

First published in 2015

ISBN: 978-1-86922-530-8
eISBN: 978-1-86922-531-5 (PDF eBook)
Epub ISBN: 978-1-86922-538-4
Mobi ISBN: 978-1-86922-539-1

Pub lished by Knowres Publishing (Pty) Ltd
P O Box 3954
Randburg
2125
Republic of South Africa

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Website: www.kr.co.za

Printed and bound: Mega Digital (Pty) Ltd. Parow Industria, Cape Town
Typesetting, layout and design: Cia Joubert, [e-mail]
Cover design: Marlene de Villiers, [e-mail]
Editing and proofreading: Simone van Eeden for The Translation Workbench, [e-mail]
Project management: Cia Joubert, [e-mail]
Index created with: TExtract, www.Texyz.com
TABLE OF CONTENTS
About the authors iii
Introduction iv
Silent revolution iv
HR positioning v
Embedding the function vii
The business case for change viii
The new economy ix
References x
Chapter 1 : Research report and findings 1
Introduction 1
Methodology 1
Results and discussions 2
References 10
Chapter 2: Transitional pillars 11
Chapter 3 : Foundational understanding: HR competence and business acumen 13
An overview of HR competencies based upon research and practice 15
HR knowledge 21
Business acumen 23
Talent management 26
HR technology 28
Organisational development (OD) 29
HR metrics, measurements and analytics 31
Strategic HR 35
Innovation 36
Professionalism 37
Conclusion 37
References 40
Chapter 4 : Leadership and meaning 43
Leadership 44
Understanding emotional intelligence 50
Understanding social intelligence 51
Meaning 61
References 64
Chapter 5 : Relationships 65
Engagement 66
Communication 69
Communities 74
Customers 75
Diversity management 79
Conflict 81
Collaboration (teamwork) 83
References 85
Chapter 6 : Workplace socialisation 87
Governance of ethics 91
References 93
Chapter 7 : Productivity 95
Productivity management 96
Economics 99
People development 100
Performance management 102
Coaching 104
Mentoring 106
Tutoring 108
Work practices (Job design) 109
References 111
Chapter 8 : Organisational transformation 113
Business strategy 113
Leading change 128
References 143
Chapter 9: Personal wellness 145
Key themes 146
Emotional wellness 149
Psychological wellness 153
References 157
Chapter 10 : The future 159
Conclusion 160
Index 162
ABOUT THE AUTHORS
Cecile Schultz
Cecile completed her BCom ( Industrial Psychology ), BCom Hons ( Human Resource Management ), MCom ( Industrial Psychology ) and her Doctorate degree in Human Resource Management . Her career started during 1992 at the Department of Foreign Affairs in South Africa where she operated as a Human Resource Officer . She has been employed by the Tshwane University of Technology since 1994 till current . Her passion for HR and Organisational Leadership lead to supervision of post graduate students and several research outputs such as articles and conference papers . She wrote two chapters in Dessler ’ s Human Resource Management book during 2011 . Her involvement with KeyStone Strategic People Solutions widened her horizons of HR or rather People Management . She enjoys her community engagement once a month at the People Upliftment Programme ( POPUP ) training centre in Pretoria .
Cecile is married to Raymond, and they have two children , Christiaan and Cilé - Mari .
Hugo van der Walt
Hugo started his career in the mining industry in 1981 at Anglo American , in the Human Resources department . He left Anglo American in 1995 to set up his own business consultancy and has subsequently been involved in various strategic initiatives , both in a business and community environment .
Hugo is a founder member and director of KeyStone Strategic People Solutions ( KSPS ). At KSPS, he is able to live out his passion which is to contribute towards people wellness and effectiveness , as the main contributor to organisational success .
He completed his B . Sc . Honn . degree in Psychology at the Potchefstroom University and Certificate Programme in Industrial Relations ( CPIR ) at Wits Business School . Currently, he is also a part - time lecturer at the Tshwane University of Technology ( TUT ) in the Faculty of Management Sciences .
He is also a founder member of the Casa Deo initiative , which specialises in socio - economic development at community level . The Initiative links various community development projects in a geographic area into integrated execution frameworks .
Hugo is married to Charmaine, and they reside in Pretoria .
INTRODUCTION
“Modern management, much of which dates back to the 19th century, has reached the limits of improvement. In fact, the foundations of ‘modern’ management were laid by people like Daniel McCallum, Frederick Taylor and Henry Ford, all of whom were born before the end of the American Civil War in 1865. Managers today face a new set of problems, products of a volatile and unforgiving environment. Some of the most critical: How in an age of rapid change do you create organizations that are as adaptable and resilient as they are focused and efficient? How in a world where the winds of creative destruction blow at gale force can a company innovate quickly and boldly enough to stay relevant and profitable? How in a creative economy where entrepreneurial genius is the secret to success do you inspire employees to bring the gifts of initiative, imagination and passion to work every day? How at a time when the once hidden costs of industrialization have become distressingly apparent do you encourage executives to fulfil their responsibilities to all stakeholders?”
(Hamel, 2009:1)

Organisations are scrambling to keep up with ongoing demographic, social, environmental, technological and political changes. Trying to recreate what worked in the past is futile. The situation is further complicated by a workforce that challenges traditional authority and hierarchies, and by the need to establish a balance between control and autonomy. Ulrich, Ulrich and Goldsmith (2010:265) describe the difficulties faced by organisations in attempting to align individual aspirations and abilities with organisational purposes. Information overload and centrifugal goals cause employees and organisations to spin away from their basic sense of purpose and direction.

This is the framework in which the HR function needs to find its strategic and operational relevance. It is required to step up and be accountable, and it can no longer afford to be pushed into back offices, hiding behind silo activities and transactional processes for which it is attempting to remain pertinent. The time to impact organisational life is now. The time to rise as a profession is now, and not only become relevant but become trendsetters in the arena of people management. The time to not only facilitate change, but to own it, is now.

Silent revolution
Revolutions – huge and dominating events in world history – have always been accompanied by radical, visible change. The current revolution, though, is silent. There is no major, focused event taking place, yet change is everywhere. Traditional authoritarian relationships are being challenged along with familial and societal life, organisational fields and religions realms. The amount of knowledge available to all is phenomenal; social networks and informal communication channels are continuously expanding their reach and influence. Today, however, not much physical change is visible on the surface. This revolution is arising out of knowledge, partnerships and collaborative connections that are being forged largely outside formal structures and processes. These interfaces span international borders and are creating cultures based on expressions of freedom and near radicalism reflected in the defiance of all existing structures governing societal and organisational life. Nothing is taken for granted. Meaning, in the context of a broader understanding of existence, has become an uncomfortable process driver. Mission and value statements, which used to decorate office walls, are now examined for internal validity and alignment with broader societal realities and responsibilities.

HR positioning
It is of interest to note that the term ‘Human Resource’ was first recorded in 1961 and Human Resource Management (HRM) appeared by mid-1980’s replacing its precursor, ‘Personnel Management’. The birth of HRM as a discipline was necessitated by the need to ensure legislative compliance following on the pressures from the Civil Rights Movement. Ever since HRM has been drifting and driven reactively by external forces; it has not been able to proactively define its own future. Human Resources Development (HRD) developed as a separate discipline to HRM for unknown r