EvolutionHuman Resource Department

May 2016

www.globalintegratedconsulting.com

HRD Evolution

The Human Resource Department (HRD) is on the verge of evolution. This goes way beyond

a simple name change. Like it or not, this department should be and needs to be a strategic

business partner internally to its respective organization and externally with business partners.

However, that does not mean that the focus shifts from people to the organization. On the

contrary, a balance needs to be struck between the two to reach the most optimal outcome.

Think of it as the Yin Yang of HR/Organizational Development (OD) Strategy. The following

paragraphs contain a few of my ideas to help organizations transform.

“Resistance [to change] is futile” (That’s for my techie associates)! Seriously though, resistance

to change can be great within any organization. Even a positive change can be stressful. It

is crucial to not only get the buy in of upper management, but all levels of the organizational

structure. When staff are told after the fact that a change has occurred and were not given the

opportunity for feedback during the process, it creates even stronger resistance and sometimes

significant resentment. Be mindful that you cannot simply take the input of staff and then just

ignore it. You have to assess and show a genuine concern for their comments and ideas.

It is simpler to implement the same programs throughout an enterprise. However, the simplest

way is not always the most optimal way. I think the medium to larger size organizations should

consider multiple approaches to their HR & OD programs and departments.

Some companies like GE have now abandoned annual performance reviews in

favor of a more frequent review process via apps. Why “throw out the baby with

the bath water”? You can still have annual performance reviews, as long as the

mini reviews tie into it automatically. Of course, quarterly or bi-annual reviews

only could work as well, if proper time is given to performance reviews. I think the

larger organizations should consider multiple approaches to the frequency and

type of review used. Some departments are very project or goal oriented, so the

more frequent reviews serve a functional purpose. Furthermore, performance

reviews won’t mean much, unless those who do them are given adequate time to

complete them and maybe even assistance from HR/OD.

More organizations should start giving full disclosure of how salary and benefits are calculated.

Some have started giving a Total Compensation Statement as a recruitment and retention tool.

This is especially helpful to those who are entering the workforce for the first time.

Statistics (quantitative) for HR/HRM and OD is not enough. If you are not doing qualitative

assessments to help better understand your data, you might be missing the bigger picture.

I have seen this happen in a multitude of cases and end up costing an organization a lot of

money. The algorithms being designed to predict human behavior are not always accurate

but are getting better. More and more organizations are using them for retention strategy and

other areas. They have great potential for the future, but we have to let science and technology

advance more and hopefully bring the cost down as well over time.

Adding strategy that gives value to employees will give rise to a much stronger organizational

culture and is a critical component. If you simply look at the cost to employ someone, you are

missing the bigger picture and basically assigning them to being no more important than a

number. This is one of the biggest complaints of employees nowadays.

I still have yet to see most organizations implement a comprehensive coaching and mentoring

program. These programs are mainly given to positions in upper management. An expanded

program would have great benefits in discovering untapped talent, great ideas, and future

managers and leaders. It will also increase your retention rates.

On a final note, Americans are still lagging behind many other countries when it comes to

vacations. Of course, burnout occurs all over the globe. Work burnout costs organizations a lot

of money and loss of productivity. It slows productivity and increases the amount of sick days.

On the human side of it, people’s health can suffer greatly. The personal cost of preventative

measures is far less than the cost of trying to recover from being burned out. Employees should

not be afraid to take a regular vacation for fear of losing their job. They should be encouraged to

take a regular vacation to recharge their batteries and enjoy life! It usually takes us two weeks

for our mind and body to fully relax. I recall one specific year in my early career when I did long

hours at the office and at home on my work. I took a vacation for one month. I went overseas and

mostly rested. If I had taken a shorter vacation at that time, it would have most likely effected my

health and productivity at work.

Contact Dr. Chez Cristiano at Global Integrated Consulting at

+1 (949) 209 – 8938 or chez@globalintegratedconsulting.com.

Global Integrated Consulting, LLC is an HR/OD and management consulting firm.

Our leadership founded this company with the belief that organizations should be able to

hire high-quality consultants with a wide range of experience without breaking

the bank. Our consultants seek to inspire our clients not only to thrive but also to evolve

their organization, in order to outperform the expectations of their people, leaders,

and customers and outlast their fiercest competitors.

As I got older, I got wiser about my managing my time in my personal verse professional life. A

major strategy I employ personally and teach others is preventative maintenance. Maybe some

of you recall the intern in the financial industry in the U.K. that died from sleep deprivation and

exhaustion. That should never have been allowed to happen. A good organizational wellness

program will do more than just send out newsletters and will engage employees in groups and 1

on 1 meetings.

Even the best of organizations can become better at people management and creating a more

optimal work environment. This will have a positive impact on the bottom line and allow an

organization to not only thrive but outperform their fiercest competitors.