How HR can have an impact in non-traditional areas
| Pages | 5-13 |
| Published date | 08 February 2016 |
| Date | 08 February 2016 |
| DOI | https://doi.org/10.1108/SHR-11-2015-0092 |
| Author | Jack J Phillips,Patti Phillips |
| Subject Matter | HR & organizational behaviour,Employee behaviour |
How HR can have an impact in
non-traditional areas
Jack J. Phillips and Patti Phillips
Jack J. Phillips is based
at the ROI institute,
Birmingham, Alabama,
USA. Patti Phillips is
President and CEO at the
ROI institute, Birmingham,
Alabama, USA.
Abstract
Purpose –This paper aims to explain how the human resource (HR) function can take a lead in all of
these areas by being a critical part of human capital strategy and driving that strategy with the support
and input from executives. Organizations want a sense of purpose beyond just being productive and
efficient. Four important purpose areas represent opportunities for HR leaders to add value: create an
innovative organization; create a technology leader; support the environment; and confront
globalization.
Design/methodology/approach –The paper represents the typical HR strategy and then provides an
update to address 12 forces that are significantly influencing the success of organizations. Next, the
paper focuses on four areas for human capital strategy that represents non-traditional areas.
Originality/value –Expanding the typical human capital strategy to non-traditional areas provides a
great opportunity to add value to the organization.
Keywords Performance, Innovation, Employee engagement, Strategy, Analytics, Environment
Paper type General review
Organizations want a sense of purpose, beyond just being productive and efficient.
Four important purpose areas represent opportunities for HR leaders to add value:
1. create an innovative organization;
2. create a technology leader;
3. support the environment; and
4. confront globalization.
The sense of purpose can involve many areas. For example, the organization may want to
be innovative, with a constant stream of creative products and services. Perhaps, it wants
to help the environment and support sustainability issues. Maybe it is an organization that
wants to be in the global market place and confront globalization in a very productive way.
Maybe it wants to be a technology leader and use technology productively and effectively
while minimizing potential negative outcomes. These four areas represent great
opportunities for HR leaders to tackle and take the lead.
This article explains how the HR function can take a lead in any or all of these areas by
making it an important part of human capital strategy and driving that strategy with the
support and input from executives. But first, let us think about the purpose of human capital
strategy and the typical approach to developing it.
Typical human capital strategy
Figure 1 shows what most would consider a typical human capital strategy, arranged in a
sequential format of how talent is cycled through an organization:
DOI 10.1108/SHR-11-2015-0092 VOL. 15 NO. 1 2016, pp. 5-13, © Emerald Group Publishing Limited, ISSN 1475-4398 STRATEGIC HR REVIEW PAGE5
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