CC make the headlines
Is your HR function in good shape? By Kim Spiteri If I had to pose this question to your entire business, what would your employees say? Would they express their happiness, engagement and overall empowerment to do great things for the company?
I’ll pose another question: have you ever considered how your HR function is contributing to the overall success of the company and if so, how is this being measured? We measure most aspects in life on a daily basis, whether it’s our weight, sizes, a business unit or an entire operation. All utilise different metrics. However, over time, we have all experienced certain metrics becoming obsolete in daily use, with new ones taking shape – how many of you still use inches to measure their clothing size, for example? The same applies to communication – how many are still sending Christmas cards in the traditional way as opposed to using social media? In the same way, when measuring our HR function, we need to be careful about the means we use to measure its effectiveness. We must ensure that our tools and metrics are no longer reflecting whatever was effective in the past but instead, are in line with current assessment needs, where speed of innovation and numerous aspects forming a complex matrix shape the economy each day. Therefore measuring the ‘shape of your HR function’ with ‘past’, standardised metrics might in turn result in false positives. At least this is my personal experience gained at StreetHR through auditing various companies for HR effectiveness along with gaps in training, performance management and engagement, to name a few. We have therefore transitioned into the need to measure our ‘HR shape’, utilising unique tools tailor-made for each company depending on its context. At StreetHR we see this manifesting itself in our daily provision of HR services to different clients. No clients are alike and all bring their unique and complex challenges, and naturally, these all need to be approached with their own unique measures that deliver value-added to the organisation in question. We offer tailor-made HR solutions to clients who are either operating with a fully-fledged HR department, or one which is in transition, or even smaller enterprises with no HR system in place, and provide support on specific, agreed projects and deliverables,
OCTOBER/NOVEMBER 2019
“When measuring our HR function, we need to be careful about the means we use to measure its effectiveness.”
whether that is in the form of strategic input to an already existing HR ecosystem – an extended arm, so to speak – or developing systems from scratch by focusing on what really matters. The benefit of this approach is that we are able to execute our plans in comparatively little time and with much less investment needed by the respective company than if the latter were to engage an additional HR professional. This is achieved by focusing solely on value-added activities and delivering results through metrics and systems that specifically fit the need and the business at that given time. Another important component is leadership development. We also specialise in creating leadership and management development programmes by working with different leaders and management ranging from team leaders to board members. We believe that a proper
‘HR shape’ can only be achieved by having a strong presence of leadership practices, where the management team is also able to apply an HR frame of mind and support HR best practices. HR is definitely not a one person show and no HR manager on his or her own can make a great enough impact to a business’ operation. Hence the importance of true belief in and commitment to HR as an imperative business function of strategic partners to shape the future. I therefore pose the question again – are your HR and organisation in good shape? It would be great if we could discuss your reply over a coffee. cc Kim Spiteri is a warranted Occupational Psychologist and a Senior HR Consultant at StreetHR, and can be reached at kim@streethr.com.mt
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