Have you ever wondered how funny the structure of most HR groups is?
There are two distinct groups, the specialists and the generalists, and the unwritten assumptions are that if you are the cerebral kind you'll become a specialist and if you are the "dirty-your-hands" kinds you'll become a generalist.
The specialists design the processes and interventions, while the generalists implement them, and their options of customising the same are very limited. In fact the focus of large firms which are geographically dispersed is to minimise the variations in implementation.
The big issue in this kind of HR structures is that their is an implicit assumption that the 'specialists' are the 'thinkers and designers' and the 'generalists' are the 'doers'. When the structures become rigid, they overlook the simple fact that most HR professionals can contribute to making various designs robust. Silos are reinforced and "this is my job" and "that's not your job" mentality takes over.
How can HR functions and professionals guard against this?
Issues of turf and power and authority are set by the HR leaders of the organization. When the various functional heads of HR are insecure and not confident of their expertise they would set examples of such behavior that's emulated by their team members.
The example has to be set by the HR head of the organization to make his/her first line drop their defenses and work as a true team. That means not just critiquing but also collaborating and contributing.
A career ladder for HR professionals that zig and zag through the various functions would also go a long way in sensiting them that there are no "more important" and "less important" functions within HR. In fact there should be two or three mandatory stints for HR professionals out of HR too, in functions that are client facing (like marketing and sales), vendor facing (like procurement and supply chain) and operations.
A new structure
Structurally HR people can work on processes than functions. Making each employee experience a process, HR teams can work on maximising the employee experience and engagement. In fact I had heard of a IT company that organized the HR teams according to their purpose. However, I am not sure how successful as to how it actually played out.
What are your thoughts?
Hi Gautam,
ReplyDeleteI have some observations here:
1. Though 'specialists' are considered as 'thinkers and designers', the model can be a success only if specialists are able to design systems in an implemental manner. In the sense, they should be able to think from the generalists (the ‘doers’) perspective.
2.An optimistic reason for silos coming into existence could be the apprehension ‘Am I stepping into someone else’s territory?’
Like you have said, one way of addressing this is a cross functional career ladder. Another approach is by forming a team of cross functional specialists who share the macro responsibility of driving processes and designs in coordination with the generalists while being involved in their respective silos (areas of specialization.)
Corporate HR -Develops, directs & designs HR strategies company-wide at executive level.
ReplyDeleteOversees budgets, other departments & sets tone for culture.
Services -Transactional services such as compensation, benefits, training, education, records management.
Automated customer directed technology with specialists on call plus personal assistance for more complex services.
Centralized & cost conscious.
Solutions - HR subject-matter-experts with professional credentials designed to transform the organization through training & development, labour relations, compensation design, strategic solutions to organizational problems or achieve strategic objectives.
Consultants to the Corporate HR.
These programs must add value & be measurable.
Cutting edge research, innovative theories into practice.
Organizational -Physically Accessible HR ambassadors to operations providing guidance & assistance to other units, change & efficiency management. Build organizational capabilities by aligning HR strategies, processes & policies with the needs of the business unit.
Governed by the creation of efficiencies in order to improve competitive advantage.