HR Specialists: Function & Fit - Corporate Research Forum

1. Corporate Research Forum HR Specialists – Function & Fit Wednesday 16th June 2010

2. Agenda 09.30 Introduction 10.00 HR specialists – report summary 10.30Role, structure and working relationships 11.10 TEA & COFFEE BREAK 11.30 Working in groups 12.15 Plenary discussion 12.50LUNCH 13.30 Capabilities, development & career paths 14.10 Working in groups 14.50 Plenary discussion 15.20 Summary 15.30 CLOSE Event Partner

3. Andrew Lambert Report summary Andrew Lambert

4. The context • ‘Transforming HR’ • Wide adoption of ‘3 legged’ structure • but patchy and piecemeal • capability gaps • some entrenched thinking, behaviour • managers and employees not engaged at outset • Many variations – no one size fits all • Terminology questioned • what constitutes a CoE? • are ‘expertise’ and ‘excellent’ descriptions valid?

5. Don’t just create new silos CEO HRD/CHRO Corporate HR – Policy, Strategy – Risk management ‘Local’ HRDs (or BPs) on mgt teams HR Specialists – Centres of expertise – Consultancy HR Services – Administration – Advice – Data management – HR technology

6. What’s the purpose? ‘Customer’-driven? Governance Consistent policy & practice Consultancy Services Types of ‘expert’ ‘Thought leadership’ Deep technicians Skilled orchestrators Skilled do-ers • Solutions to meet strategic and business needs? • Central provider or light touch overseer?

7. Avoiding ‘turf’ conflicts • Don’t just implant structures…. • Address how they will work • Focus on trust, mutual interest, relationships • Who does what • Specialists and BPs • Specialists and services • In-house or consultants/contractors/outsourcers • Centre and the ‘parts’ – BUs and functions • HR helping or adding to the tensions? • Specialist reporting lines – direct and dotted

8. Workload & capacity mgm’t • Responsibilities for planning • Who pays for what? • Business case and project development • Scenario planning • Allowing for the unexpected • Information flows and transparency • Two-way street between centre and parts • Using external resources • Capacity and quality • Who’s in charge? – effective hiring and oversight • Project management

9. Development • Shortage of skilled experts • Reward: Remco advice, not ruled by C&B firms • OE: top-notch organisational designers, change and culture facilitators, leadership developers • Analytics: decision scientists • Make or buy? • Development framework • What’s shared, what’s special • “Cobbler’s children” syndrome • Linking business and development goals • OD for everyone

10. Career movement HR specialists Other employers HR BPs HR Services Consultancy Line management

11. What’s are CoEs worth? • High-level yardsticks - impact on… • Business performance • Organisational capability • Leadership quality • Innovation and sustainability • How do you tell? • Subjective or objective measures? • Understanding cause and effect • Goals and success measures co-created with the business?

12. In summary… • Concept is sound in theory • It’s been a struggle in practice • Takes time to bed in changes • And even longer to develop excellence • Manage expectations • Design your product & service with ‘clients’ • Watch your language • Be technology-savvy • Long-term evolution–towards less is more

13. Five issues to debate 1Most appropriate measurement to indicate vaue added of specialists 2 Guidelines for working with consultants etc 3 How to ensure good working relationships with HR BPs, services and the line 4 What should specialists do more and less of? 5 How to ensure that only the best projects are chosen, and avoid initiativitis? 13

14. Five issues to debate • How ‘expert’ should your HR specialists be? 2What would you advise your HR specialists to include in their career plans? 3 What elements should be included in a development framework for HR specialists? • What should be done about the shortage of expert specialists? And who should do what? 5 How would you argue for investment in HR specialists, eg development, technology? 14

15. Roles, structure and working relationships Panel session 15

16. Group discussion - process • 45 minutes discussion at tables • 5 questions shared out between tables • Choose a ‘rapporteur’ at each table • Record answers & contributions on sheets provided • Include - examples of good practice, things you’d do differently, what helps and hinders • 35 minutes plenary before lunch 16

17. Five issues to debate 1Most appropriate measurement to indicate vaue added of specialists 2 Guidelines for working with consultants etc 3 How to ensure good working relationships with HR BPs, services and the line 4 What should specialists do more and less of? 5 How to ensure that only the best projects are chosen, and avoid initiativitis? 17

18. Capabilities, development and career paths Panel session 18

19. Group discussion - process • 40 minutes discussion at tables • 5 questions shared out between tables • Choose a ‘rapporteur’ at each table • Record answers & contributions on sheets provided • Include - examples of good practice, things you’d do differently, what helps and hinders • 30 minutes plenary 19

20. Five issues to debate • How ‘expert’ should your HR specialists be? 2What would you advise your HR specialists to include in their career plans? 3 What elements should be included in a development framework for HR specialists? • What should be done about the shortage of expert specialists? And who should do what? 5 How would you argue for investment in HR specialists, eg development, technology? 20

21. Summary 21

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