Requirements for an Effective and Efficient HR Professionals - Essay Example

Introduction Human Resources Management (HRM) plays an intrinsic role in the business operation of an organisation. HRM evolves from the maintenance activities to the full pledge participation in the decision-making process of an organisation. Thus, companies have perceived the growing importance of integrating Human Resources in bridging gap at a strategic level of managing employees. The requirements set for HR practitioners are based on the standard of the Chartered Institute of Personnel and Development (CIPD) ensuring of their competency because of their critical role in business development, since they are responsible for the human capital. This paper assesses the ten areas or requirements for an effective and efficient HR professional derive from the standard of CIPD Profession Map. Furthermore, the four concentric circles of HR professionalism such as managing self, managing in groups or teams, managing upward, and managing across the organisation are analysed. 10 Areas of HR Professional As an added value contributor, Farnham (2010, pp.20-21) enumerates the skills and knowledge required in managing human resources. First, in-depth knowledge on an organisation’s strategy, “performance goals and drivers, and the sector in which they work” involving the external context that can affect business operation including the market factors such as demography, customers, competitors, and globalisation. Thus, HR practitioners should be familiar with the “language” of the business operation in empowering human resources to utilize their potential in business accomplishment. Next is wide comprehension of the 10 professional areas. Then, reviewing the local and international law on “access relevant employment and discrimination” within their jurisdiction. The political and economic factors are the external and internal forces that induce business performance and creating strategy and plans applicable to combat them. They must design reinforcement through evaluating the capabilities and “resourcing levels” of HR strategy. Lastly, they must apply benchmarking strategy to learn from the failure of other organisations and anticipate solutions to problems. After formulating the strategy, insights, and solutions, the second area is leadership and managing the HR function. The CIPD (2009a) requires an HR professional to be knowledgeable in leading, engaging, and aligning people with diverse cultivation to deliver the strategic plan at the appropriate time. The third area is organisation design wherein HR must ensure that employees’ skills and qualifications match the job designation to attain organisations’ short term and long term goals, and the structure design of the internal and external environment “fit in the current and future organisational strategy (Weingarden, 2011, p.5). Organisational development entails HR capability to intervene or manage changes in the cultural aspect of an organisation. The changes implemented must develop the organisation’s performance and adaptability to the planned change process (Cummings & Worley, 2009). In achieving goals, HR professionals must employ the right workforce to gain competitive advantage than its competitors. This practice is called resourcing and talent management. They must recruit, select, and retain employees with worldwide talents through interviews and tests suitable to their needs (Armstrong, 2009). Learning and development is essential in managing change that needs acquiring of new skills and talent as coping mechanism. HR professionals must know how to assess employees’ competency level before conducting training. They should act as coaches or mentor to enhance employee’s performance, and design programs for knowledge management and evaluating learning outcomes (Armstrong, 2009). In addition, HR professionals must develop a reward system based on the quality performance of employees in fair and equitable manner to motivate them. To establish cooperation and commitment, HR professionals must cater to the concerns of employees, and knowledgeable in handling dispute arising between unions and management (Ulrich, 1997). Moreover, HR must foster intellectual, social, and emotional attachment to create employer brand and job satisfaction (CIPD, 2009b). Finally, HR provides precise, adequate, and timely service delivery and information to the managers and employees-- assuring effective and efficient management. HR Four Concentric Circles Managing self involves time management of HR professionals in the scope of elevating personal productivity while influencing other individuals for self-growth. Listing of priorities according to its importance shows effective and efficient personnel. It signifies of responsible and committed HR professionals. Furthermore, Martin (2006, p.74) emphasizes the elements of project planning in self management are setting the right objectives necessary for developing projects, monitoring and scheduling of activities or tasks, and identifying risks through contingency plan. This requires critical analysis of the forecasting method of HR professionals to determine proactive steps in risk reduction. Interpersonal communication skill of HR professionals is necessary to achieve optimum performance effectiveness and internal relationship. Managing teams or groups is quite stressful for leaders due to employee’s diversity. Every member has its own unique personality that results to conflict. Cooperation and unity are vital in business operation; hence, it is the responsibility of leaders to collapse the gap between team members to increase productivity (Jackson, Schuler, & Werner, 2008). To create an effective team, members should develop trust and bond through group dynamics. In establishing bond, members should understand their cultural differences and practice open communication. HR professional has the responsibility to train and develop the managerial skill of leaders. Through managing up, employees can build rapport with the managers which motivates them to attain higher performance level. Managers and employees are interdependent; hence, they are both exchanging mutual benefits to meet the organisation’s business objectives. HR must choose managers with positive behaviour, good judgment, excellent communication skills, organized, and competent (UC, n.d.). In addition, HR must oversee the overall impact when policies are implemented and changes occurred across the organisation. They must secure the appropriate measurements imposed are suitable for the employee’s growth, or productivity. Conclusion The ten professional areas required by CIPD imply of the career choices in human resources management and their responsibilities. Human Resource Management is significant in building the core values and culture of an organisation through educating employees. The CIPD provides a standardized framework of the ten requirements for HR professionals to become added value contributors. HR professionals must be knowledgeable in all aspects including the formulation of insights, strategy, and solutions, adequate skills in employee development, motivation, relations, engagement, and organisational development. Consequently, the four concentric circles of HR professionalism indicate their roles of managing employees toward organisation's success References Armstrong, M., 2009. Armstrong’s handbook of human resource management practice. 11th ed. London: Kogan Page Limited. CIPD, 2009a. An HR director’s guide to employee engagement. [Online]. Available at: http://www.cipd.co.uk/NR/rdonlyres/8DD2561A-D3E3-4E63-9F63-EF74736A17B1/0/hr_director_guide_employee_engagement.pdf [Accessed 18 Oct. 2011]. CIPD, 2009b. Professional area: Leading and managing the human resources function. [Online] Available at: http://www.cipd.co.uk/NR/rdonlyres/FD51FF23-8808-4C1E-A951-A5043F2C4F07/0/HRPMexample2.pdf [Accessed 18 Oct. 2011]. Cummings, T. G. & Worley, C. G., 2009. Organization development & change. Canada: Cengage Learning. Farnham, D., 2010. Human resource management in context. 3rd ed. UK: CIPD. Jackson, S. E., Schuler, R. S. & Werner, S., 2009. Managing human resources. USA: Cengage Learning. Martin, V., 2006. Managing projects in human resources, training, and development. USA: Kogan Page Limited. Ulrich, D., 1997. Human resource champion: the next agenda for adding value and delivering results. USA: Harvard Business School Press. UC, n.d. Relationship-building: managing up. [Online] Available at: http://hrweb.berkeley.edu/learning/career-development/career-management/relationship-building/managing-up [Accessed 19 Oct. 2011]. Weingarden, S., 2011. Building the future: HR’s role in organizational design. [Online] Available at: http://www.shrm.org/Education/hreducation/Documents/Wiengarden_Building%20the%20Future_HRs%20Role%20in%20Organizational%20Design_IM_FINAL.pdf [Accessed 17 Oct. 2011]. Assessment 2: Continuing Professional Development Introduction The second part of this assessment contains the self assessment of HR professional in the areas of development. It states the necessary goals or objectives to be achieved in their continuous development of skills, talents, and knowledge to be used in mapping HR strategy. This paper also provided the options in meeting development objectives. Furthermore, a Continuous Development Plan (CPD) is written to evaluate the learning method, the action taken to equate goals, and reflection to assess the effectiveness of plan. Self Evaluation Based on the CIPD’s professional requirements, there are three areas needed for self development which is developing initiative skills in supporting continuous improvement in processes and policies. Self development in terms of interpersonal communication skills is to convey information, ideas, observations, and practical suggestions to senior HR managers. Furthermore, as an HR professional, the implementation of new programs or approaches must be supported to retain unity among its members. The second area necessary for improvement is to equip knowledge on the organisation and its context including the structure, culture, operations, goals, targets, financial structure, policies, procedures, and team building to achieve business goals. Third, HR professionals must develop the skills in arranging and prioritising events or activities of an organisation, and be efficient and effective HR personnel to maximize delivery of service to the line managers and employees. In the behaviour area of CIPD, HR professionals should develop the courage to admit of circumstances wherein unfamiliar context is encountered, audaciously speak of their ideas, and inquire for information. Lastly, developing curiosity in the field of knowing the organisation and other valuable information in which they are affiliated at. Moreover, the practice to receive feedback optimistically serves as their method of self-development. Options in meeting development objectives To meet the company’s objectives, HR professionals must support the strategies and policies, or the direction of their goals to develop their employees. Due to their crucial role, self development of the internal organisation must be incorporated to achieve success. The first option of HR professionals is to become an active participant in HR practices through recommendation during the project planning stage in developing its communication skills. They must be critical in analysing the strategies and policies employed to properly align company and HR goals. HR has a crucial role in the development process because their observations are relayed to the CEO which becomes their basis of structuring organisation (Fisher & Dowling, 1999); hence, miscalculations of the forecasting technique may result to unnecessary failure of their strategy. In addition, supporting policies to achieve unity and focus is part of HR’s role. However, the danger is when ideas collide with other colleagues resulting to internal conflict. It is inevitable that individuals may reach in disagreeable terms because of their differentiation of principles, knowledge, and experience, but HR must conform to sound decision in role accomplishment. In apprehending the organisation’s culture and context, HR professionals must study thoroughly the goals, motivations, operations, procedures, and etc. to design an appropriate strategy for the organisation. They must obtain “correct, accurate, and documented” information to “support knowledge management” (Al-adaileh, 2011). Knowing the organisation signifies of HR’s deep involvement with the company. After knowing the norms within the organisation, HR professional align priorities and activities based on its cultural context. CDP Plan Learning Learning is a process that needs the collaborative effort of an individual and other people. Open mindedness to criticisms of self and other people is a way to development. HR as a business partner of an organisation must practice acceptance of weaknesses to influence others toward improvement. Based on the self evaluation, participation in the decision making, teamwork, and initiative to increase knowledge are fundamentals of HR professionals. Action In achieving the learning outcomes, HR professionals should not limit themselves from educating themselves. They could study the HR policies, practices, strategy, organisation’s mission statement, and cultural context implicated within the organisation to garner essential ideas used for designing a concrete plan. It will attain their learning goals through involvement during group discussion, and to enhance their interpersonal skills. Reflection The learning outcomes are grounded on the action plan taken by the HR professional. This will be achieved provided that eagerness for development is apparent; otherwise, plan without action is wasted. Furthermore, the plan for self development should be improved through attending leadership training, symposium, or seminars that adds HR’s knowledge on its roles. Coaching and mentoring aid HR professionals in their learning and development (Morrison, 2011). Conclusion Human Resource Professionals and employees must record its learning outcomes and develop a plan to trace the areas needed to improve. Self appraisal is a method of knowing their strengths and weaknesses to be utilized as referral in conducting trainings and development. It should be adaptable to change depending on the task requirement. Thus, change is constant in the business process to broaden HR’s scope, knowledge, and skills. References Al-adaileh, R. M., 2011. The impact of organizational culture on knowledge sharing: the context of Jordan’s phosphate mines company. International Research Journal of Finance and Economics, 63, pp. 1-7. Fisher, C. & Dowling, P. J., 1999. Support for an HR approach in Australia: the perspective of Senior HR managers. Asia Pacific Journal of Human Resources, 37 (1), pp. 1-19. Morrison, M., 2011. Business and organizational development tools, training & services. [Online] Available at: http://rapidbi.com/created/personaldevelopmentplanpdps/#learningstylesinpersonaldevelopment [Accessed 20 Oct. 2011]. Read More