Human Resources as a Strategic Partner Fred Laquinta AtlantiCare January 2004

1. Human Resources as a Strategic PartnerFred LaquintaAtlantiCare January 2004

2. How is H.R. Strategic? Must impact one or more corporate goals - • Build competitive advantage. • Increase revenues or cut costs. • Increase market share.

3. How is H.R. Strategic? • Improve customer service, product, quality. • Reduce product time to market. • Increase productivity. • Increase shareholder/stakeholder value.

4. An Example at AtlantiCare • Equitable health care • Promote health of populations • Best in class • Integrate the system • Financial strength

5. How H.R. Will Respond • Equitable health care • Cultural diversity • Promote health of populations • Wellness initiative • Best in class • Baldrige • Fortune 100 best companies

6. How H.R. Will Respond • Integrate the system • Flatter organization • Financial strength • Spend dollars wisely on good programs.

7. Now That You Have Defined It, What Do You Do? • Operationalize the definition. • Assess your response using the following common elements.

8. Common Elements • Increase productivity and profit. • Provide programs and services that result in measurable increase in employee productivity. • Build a strong business case outlining its dollar impact.

9. Common Elements • External focus • Redistribute H.R. budget and time allocation. • Look at your calendar. • Prioritize customers. • Add, cutback, eliminate H.R. programs based on ROI. • Track shifts in external environment.

10. Common Elements Build a performance culture that ensures that managers, management systems, measures and rewards work in unison.

11. Common Elements • Provide competitive advantage. • We Do/They Do • People programs whose output or results are superior to competitors.

12. Common Elements • Fact-based decisions • Utilize metrics. • Proactively identify potential problems. • Discount opinions.

13. Common Elements • Business focus • Ensure programs and efforts focus on the business rather than (Internal) H.R. issues.

14. Common Elements • H.R. should build a brand. • Great place to work • Employer of choice • Need for stable funding

15. Common Elements • Technology permeates everything. • Cornerstone of all we do • Metrics • Paperless • 24/7 manager and employee self serve

16. Thinking Strategically is a Goal but Remember • “H.R. is a tool, not an objective.” The most effective H.R. programs are those not seen as H.R. programs.

17. But the “Real World” Dictates • It is difficult to have a strategic impact on payroll or benefits administration. • Even if your job isn't strategic, thinking strategically can improve focus on your programs. • Think like a CEO. Wayne Tarken, SPHR HR/CEO Roundtable Chair

18. Wayne Suggests You…. • Run department like a business unit. • Know department’s strengths and weaknesses. • Know what you can and cannot do given your talent. • Understand realities of politics and resources. • Delegate whenever possible.

19. The Tipping Point • The phenomenon underlying social, cultural and financial epidemics • What qualities make a trend tip into an epidemic? • How can you cause a tipping point in how people view H.R? Gladwell, Malcolm. The Tipping Point. New York: Little, Brown and Company, First Back Bay paperback edition, January 2002

20. So Now What? Go Back to your office and – • Be more hands-on “the business”, less hands-on “the people.” • Seek diverse points of view. • Drive unified action. • Promote experimentation, take chances if your organization allows it. Lee Hecht Harrison – “Leadership at the Core and on the Edge” Newsletter, 2003

21. Your Challenge - Flexibility • Consider the Panda. • You may be uncomfortable or scared. • It is mentally easier not to change. • Without flexibility we are restricted to our box. • Inflexibility is the major barrier to change and growth. • Be open – thoughts, behaviors, feelings CD Stewart – ” Behavioral Observations” - Newsletter, 11/25/01

22. Questions or Comments