The work of HR part one: people and performance: using HR “menus” to maximize value for all stakeholders
| DOI | https://doi.org/10.1108/14754390580000817 |
| Date | 01 July 2005 |
| Published date | 01 July 2005 |
| Pages | 20-23 |
| Author | Dave Ulrich,Wayne Brockbank |
| Subject Matter | HR & organizational behaviour |
20 Volume 4 Issue 5 July/August 2005
COLLEAGUE FROM ANOTHER
discipline once asked us, “What is the work
of HR?” We proceeded to talk about how
HR creates value for investors and customers
outside the organization and for line managers and
employees inside the organization. Our colleague was
impressed, but asked the question, “But what does HR
do to make this value happen?” We suggest a simple
typology of four groupings of HR practices that follow
the flows or processes central to organizational success:
1. Flow of people: What happens to the organization’s
key asset – its people – including how people move
in, through, up and out of the organization. Proper
attention to people flow ensures the availability of
the talent the organization needs to accomplish its
strategy.
2. Flow of performance management: What links
people to work – the standards and measures,
financial and non-financial rewards and feedback
that reflect stakeholder interests. Proper attention
to this flow promotes accountability for
performance by defining, noting and rewarding it –
and penalizing its absence.
3. Flow of information: What keeps people aware of the
organization and their collective knowledge resources.
Proper attention to information flow ensures people
know what is happening and why, and can apply
themselves to what needs to be done to create value.
4. Flow of work: Who does work, how work is done
and where it’s done combines individual efforts
into organizational outputs. Proper attention to
work flow provides the governance processes,
accountability and physical setting that ensure
high-quality results.
This article deals with the flows of people and
performance management, more traditional areas for
HR practices. In a companion article in the following
issue, we will cover the flows of information and work
– emerging areas for HR attention.
Creating HR menus
For each of these flows, HR professionals need to create
an HR menu of choices. The menu presents options to
be selected but, as in a restaurant, not all items are
selected at once. Seasoned HR professionals can skim
these menus and affirm they are competent in each HR
practice and identify areas to improve. Less experienced
HR practitioners can use these menus as a baseline for
HR practices they should master. From the menu, HR
professionals and their clients can select those items
that will create the most value.
Flow of people
The war for talent may rage or simmer, but it’s always
there. Any position from executive level to frontline
that’s difficult to fill becomes a potential battleground.
A
by Dave Ulrich and Wayne Brockbank
The RBL Group and Ross School of Business at the
University of Michigan
The work of
HR part one:
people and
performance
In the first of two articles, Dave Ulrich and Wayne
Brockbank examine the ways in which HR adds value.
Here, they present menus of ways HR can add value
for investors, customers, employees and line managers
in two key areas: people and performance. In their
next article they present menus for the areas of
information and work.
Using HR “menus” to maximize
value for all stakeholders
19096 SHRR run 30/6/05 3:01 pm Page 20
© Melcrum Publishing Ltd. 2005 For more information visit www.melcrum.com or e-mail info@melcrum.com
To continue reading
Request your trial